Paula E. Gilbert - "Marked for Life" (July 1, 1990)

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-	Good morning and welcome to this service of worship	0:48
	here in Duke University Chapel.	0:50
	Our guest preacher this morning is the	0:53
	Reverend Dr. Paula Gilbert who is the Director	0:56
	of the Ministerial Course of Study School	0:58
	here at Duke Divinity School this summer,	1:01
	and a participant in the ministry of Duke Chapel,	1:04
	and we welcome her back to our chapel pulpit this morning.	1:08
	Our guest organist is Miss Jane Lynch,	1:15
	who is here with us this morning,	1:20
	and our guest soloist is Ms. Francis Redding,	1:22
	member of the Duke Chapel choir.	1:27
	Now let us continue the worship of God.	1:29
	("All Praise to Thee, For Thou, O King Divine")	1:34
	♪ All praise to thee ♪	2:07
	♪ For thou o King divine ♪	2:10
	♪ Didst yield the glory ♪	2:14
	♪ That of right was thine ♪	2:18
	♪ That in our troubled hearts ♪	2:23
	♪ Thy grace might shine ♪	2:28
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	2:30
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	2:35
	♪ Thou cam'st to us ♪	2:42
	♪ In lowliness of thought ♪	2:45
	♪ By thee the outcast ♪	2:50
	♪ And the poor were sought ♪	2:54
	♪ And by thy death ♪	2:59
	♪ Was God's salvation wrought ♪	3:03
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	3:06
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	3:11
	♪ Let this mind be ♪	3:18
	♪ In us which was in thee ♪	3:21
	♪ Who wast a servant ♪	3:26
	♪ That we might be free ♪	3:30
	♪ Humbling thyself ♪	3:35
	♪ To death on Calvary ♪	3:38
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	3:42
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	3:47
	♪ Wherefore by God's ♪	3:54
	♪ Eternal purpose thou ♪	3:57
	♪ Art high exalted ♪	4:02
	♪ O'er all creatures now ♪	4:06
	♪ And given the name ♪	4:11
	♪ To which all knees shall bow ♪	4:14
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	4:18
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	4:23
	♪ Let every tongue ♪	4:31
	♪ Confess with one accord ♪	4:34
	♪ In heaven and earth ♪	4:38
	♪ That Jesus Christ is Lord ♪	4:42
	♪ And God the Father ♪	4:47
	♪ Be by all adored ♪	4:52
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	4:55
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	5:00
-	New every morning is your love, great God of light,	5:13
	and all day long you are working for good in the world.	5:17
	So stir up in us desire to serve you,	5:21
	to live peacefully with our neighbors,	5:25
	and to devote each day to your son,	5:28
	our savior, Jesus Christ, the Lord.	5:31
	Amen.	5:36
	Be seated.	5:37
-	Let us pray.	5:48
	Open our hearts and minds oh God	5:51
	by the power of your Holy Spirit	5:54
	so that as the word is read and proclaimed	5:57
	we might hear with joy what you say to us this day.	6:01
	Amen.	6:05
	First reading is taken from the book of Genesis.	6:09
	The same night Jacob arose	6:14
	and took his two wives, his two maids,	6:16
	and his 11 children	6:19
	and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.	6:21
	He took them and sent them across the stream	6:24
	and likewise everything that he had.	6:26
	And Jacob was left alone.	6:30
	And a stranger wrestled with him	6:34
	until the breaking of the day.	6:36
	Seeing that he did not prevail against Jacob,	6:39
	the stranger touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh	6:42
	and Jacob's thigh was put out of joint	6:45
	as they wrestled with each other.	6:47
	Then the stranger said, "Let me go for the day is breaking."	6:51
	But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."	6:56
	And he said to Jacob, "What is your name?"	7:02
	And he replied, "Jacob."	7:05
	Then the stranger said, "Your name shall no more	7:08
	"be called Jacob, but Israel,	7:11
	"for you have striven with God	7:14
	"and with human beings	7:16
	"and have prevailed."	7:17
	Then Jacob asked, "Tell me, I pray, your name."	7:19
	But the stranger said, "Why is it that you ask my name?"	7:25
	And there the stranger blessed him.	7:29
	So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel,	7:32
	saying, "For I have seen God face to face	7:36
	"and yet my life is preserved."	7:40
	The sun rose upon Jacob as he passed Peniel,	7:43
	limping because of his thigh.	7:46
	Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat	7:49
	the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh	7:51
	because the stranger touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh	7:55
	on the sinew of the hip.	7:59
	This ends the reading of the first lesson.	8:01
-	[Reverend Willimon] Let us stand	8:09
	for the reading of the Psalm.	8:10
	The Psalm is found at page 749.	8:13
	Let us read responsively,	8:17
	the congregation reading the bold faced type.	8:19
	Hear a just cause oh, Lord,	8:26
	attend to my cry.	8:29
Congregation	Give ear to my prayer	8:31
	from lips free of deceit.	8:33
-	From you let my vindication come.	8:35
Congregation	Let your eyes see the right.	8:37
-	[Reverend Willimon] If you try my heart,	8:41
	if you visit me by night,	8:43
Congregation	If you test me,	8:45
	you will find no wickedness in me.	8:47
	My mouth does not transgress.	8:50
-	Concerning what others do,	8:53
	I have avoided the ways of the violent	8:55
	by following your word.	8:59
Congregation	My steps have held fast to your paths.	9:01
	My feet have not slipped.	9:04
-	[Reverend Willimon] I will call upon you,	9:07
	for you will answer me oh God.	9:09
Congregation	Incline your ear to me.	9:12
	Hear my words.	9:14
-	[Reverend Willimon] Wonderously show your steadfast love,	9:16
	Oh savior of those who seek refuge	9:19
	from their adversaries at your right hand.	9:21
Congregation	As for me, I shall behold your face	9:25
	in righteousness.	9:28
	When I awake I shall be satisfied,	9:30
	beholding your likeness.	9:33
	("Glory Be")	9:35
	♪ Glory be to God, Creator ♪	9:44
	♪ Praise to our Redeemer, Lord ♪	9:50
	♪ Glory be to our Sustainer ♪	9:58
	♪ Ever three and ever one ♪	10:05
	♪ As it was in the beginning ♪	10:12
	♪ Now and evermore shall be ♪	10:20
-	[Reverend Willimon] Be seated.	10:30
-	The second reading is taken from	10:40
	Paul's letter to the Romans.	10:42
	Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized	10:47
	into Christ Jesus were baptized into Christ's death?	10:50
	We were buried therefore with Christ by baptism unto death	10:54
	so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory	10:59
	of God the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.	11:02
	For if we have been united with Christ in	11:09
	a death like that of Christ	11:11
	we shall certainly be united with Christ	11:14
	in a resurrection like that of Christ.	11:16
	We know that our old self was crucified with Christ	11:20
	so that the sinful body might be destroyed	11:25
	and we might no longer be enslaved to sin.	11:28
	For anyone who had died is freed from sin,	11:32
	but if we have died with Christ,	11:37
	we believe that we shall also live with Christ	11:39
	for we know that Christ being raised from the dead	11:43
	will never die again.	11:46
	Death no longer has dominion over Christ.	11:48
	The death Christ died, Christ died to sin once for all,	11:53
	but the life Christ lives, Christ lives to God.	12:00
	So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin	12:05
	and alive to God in Christ Jesus.	12:09
	This ends the reading of the second lesson.	12:13
Congregation	Thanks be to God.	12:17
	(solemn organ music)	12:28
	(soloist sings)	12:41
-	Will you please stand for the reading of the Gospel.	15:18
	This reading is from the Gospel according to Saint Matthew.	15:28
	Do you think that I've come to bring peace on earth?	15:35
	I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.	15:39
	For I have come to set a man against his father,	15:43
	and a daughter against her mother,	15:47
	and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law,	15:50
	and ones foes will be those of one's own household.	15:53
	Whoever loves father or mother more than me	15:58
	is not worthy of me,	16:01
	and whoever loves son or daughter more than me	16:04
	is not worthy of me,	16:07
	and those who do not take their own cross	16:09
	and follow me are not worthy of me.	16:11
	Those who find their life will lose it,	16:15
	and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.	16:17
	Anyone who receives you receives me,	16:23
	and anyone who receives me receives the one who sent me.	16:26
	Anyone who receives a prophet because that one is a prophet	16:31
	shall receive the reward of a prophet,	16:34
	and anyone who receives the righteous	16:37
	because they are righteous shall receive the reward	16:40
	of the righteous,	16:43
	and whoever gives to one of these little ones	16:45
	even a cup of cold water	16:48
	because that little one is a disciple,	16:50
	truly I say to you the giver shall not go unrewarded.	16:53
	This ends the reading of the Gospel.	16:59
Congregation	Thanks be to God.	17:03
-	Please be seated.	17:04
-	Will, thank you for this opportunity	17:17
	to preach in Duke Chapel.	17:19
	It's an honor,	17:21
	and I have to say as I stand right here	17:22
	that it's easier to stand on the other side	17:24
	than to stand on this side.	17:26
	Let us pray.	17:30
	Let the words of my mouth	17:36
	and the meditations of our hearts	17:39
	be acceptable in your sight	17:42
	oh Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.	17:45
	Amen.	17:49
	It's not easy to be chosen of God.	17:58
	You might think so.	18:03
	You might think that being chosen of God	18:05
	would mean power and privilege,	18:08
	that being chosen of God would mean	18:11
	taking the fast track through life	18:13
	going from one triumph to another.	18:15
	You might think that being chosen of God	18:20
	would mean climbing the corporate ladder of success,	18:22
	or the academic ladder,	18:26
	or the social ladder,	18:29
	or perhaps the ecclesiastical ladder,	18:31
	but whatever ladder, climbing confidently	18:34
	and easily	18:37
	and painlessly.	18:39
	You might think being chosen of God would mean easy choices	18:42
	and smooth sailing,	18:45
	the life of comfort.	18:47
	You might think it's easy to be chosen of God.	18:49
	But before you make a final judgment on the matter	18:56
	you should ponder over Abraham	19:00
	whom God asked to sacrifice his dearly beloved son, Isaac.	19:02
	And you should reflect upon Moses whom God commanded	19:09
	to oppose a mighty Pharaoh,	19:12
	to lead a fickle people,	19:15
	and to wander for 40 years in the wilderness.	19:17
	You should take note of Deborah and David.	19:22
	You should take note of Esther and Job.	19:29
	You should take note of Peter and Paul.	19:34
	Examine any one of the lives of these,	19:38
	our foremothers and forefathers of the faith.	19:40
	Examine their lives and what you will discover	19:44
	is that being chosen of God means struggle	19:46
	and conflict	19:51
	and danger.	19:53
	Being chosen of God means being battered	19:56
	and bruised	19:59
	and scarred.	20:01
	Being chosen of God means being marked for life.	20:03
	If you have read the book of Genesis closely	20:12
	you will recall that a goodly portion of it	20:15
	is devoted to the story of Jacob.	20:17
	Indeed the last half of Genesis,	20:21
	beginning with chapter 25 and running through chapter 50,	20:23
	follows Jacob from his birth as the second son of Isaac	20:28
	and the twin of Esau to his death	20:32
	and final burial in Canaan.	20:35
	Frederick Buechner writes in his book "Peculiar Treasures,"	20:39
	that the book of Genesis makes no attempt to conceal	20:43
	the fact that Jacob was, at least among other things,	20:46
	a crook.	20:51
	Buechner explains, "Twice Jacob cheated his lamebrained	20:53
	"brother Esau out of what was coming to him,	20:58
	"and at least once he took advantage	21:02
	"of his old father Isaac's blindness	21:04
	"and played him for a sucker.	21:06
	"He outdid his double crossing father-in-law Laban	21:09
	"by conning him out of most of his livestock.	21:12
	"And later on, when Laban was looking the other way,	21:16
	"by sneaking off with not only both the man's daughters	21:19
	"but just about everything else that wasn't nailed down,	21:23
	"including his household gods.	21:27
	"Jacob," says Buechner, "was never satisfied.	21:30
	"He wanted the moon	21:34
	"and if he had ever managed to bilk heaven out of that	21:35
	"he would have been back the next morning	21:39
	"for the stars to go with it."	21:41
	This, then, is Jacob.	21:45
	When we meet up with Jacob	21:50
	in the passage that was read this morning	21:52
	he is on his way home some 20 years	21:54
	after having left it	21:57
	and after 20 years of being on the run.	22:00
	Jacob is older now.	22:04
	He has a large family and many possessions.	22:07
	And yet he has reason to fear	22:11
	because going home means facing Esau	22:14
	whose birthright and blessing he stole by trickery.	22:17
	Going home means facing his older brother	22:22
	who has sworn to kill him.	22:26
	Jacob, Jacob has reason to fear.	22:29
	The mere idea of returning is enough	22:34
	to fill him with foreboding.	22:37
	But when a messenger comes to say that Esau	22:39
	is coming to meet him	22:42
	and is bringing with him 400 men,	22:43
	Jacob's fear multiplies and he is filled with dread.	22:48
	Sending all his family and everything he had ahead,	22:54
	Jacob decides to remain alone	22:59
	on the bank of the river Jabbok.	23:02
	Alone and in the darkness of the night	23:05
	Jacob enters into a wrestling match	23:08
	with an entity he cannot name nor identify.	23:11
	He only knows that he is fighting for his very life.	23:15
	And when the struggle is finally over,	23:21
	when the night ends and the dawn comes,	23:24
	when the sun at last begins to rise,	23:28
	Jacob knows that the one with whom he has struggled	23:31
	is none other than almighty God.	23:36
	What are we to learn from this strange	23:42
	and frightening encounter between Jacob and God?	23:45
	What are we to make of this divine human wrestling match	23:49
	on the bank of the river Jabbok?	23:54
	What we need to know,	23:59
	and what we need to learn this morning I suspect,	24:01
	is resident within that peculiar	24:04
	and a puzzling dialog that takes place	24:07
	between the combatants towards the end of the struggle	24:10
	just as day is breaking.	24:14
	It is the opponent who speaks first,	24:19
	who says, "Let me go for the day is breaking."	24:21
	Jacob's response is quick, and sure, and unflinching.	24:27
	He says, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."	24:31
	Lamed by this point in time,	24:38
	and surely totally exhausted	24:41
	from a whole night of struggling,	24:43
	Jacob not only refuses to let his opponent go,	24:46
	he has the audacity to request,	24:50
	even to demand, a blessing from this opponent.	24:54
	Jacob's opponent does not respond directly,	25:01
	but instead poses a question.	25:04
	"What is your name?"	25:08
	And Jacob answers, saying that his name is Jacob,	25:13
	and when he does answer the opponent pronounces these words.	25:18
	"You shall no longer be called Jacob,	25:24
	"but Israel for you have striven with God	25:27
	"and with humans and have prevailed."	25:31
	Now it is Jacob's turn to entreat the other.	25:38
	Jacob boldly asks,	25:42
	"Please tell me your name."	25:45
	But the other turns the request aside with a question.	25:50
	"Why is it that you ask my name?"	25:55
	Our text records no other words exchanged	26:02
	between these two who have fought one another	26:05
	through the long night.	26:08
	It simply says next, "And there he blessed him."	26:10
	Wrestling with God.	26:19
	Wrestling with God means being marked by a new name.	26:24
	You shall no longer be called Jacob,	26:30
	but you shall be called Israel.	26:32
	You are no longer Jacob,	26:37
	the one who is heel,	26:39
	trickster, crook, deceiver.	26:41
	You are no longer Jacob,	26:46
	the over reacher,	26:48
	the supplanter of your brother Esau.	26:50
	Now you are Israel,	26:53
	the one whom God preserves,	26:56
	the one whom God saves	27:00
	and whom God protects.	27:02
	Now you are Israel,	27:04
	a faithful struggler with God.	27:07
	Walter Brueggemann, the Old Testament scholar says,	27:13
	"Something happens in this transaction that is irreversible.	27:16
	"Power has shifted between God and humankind.	27:20
	"Israel is the one who has faced God,	27:25
	"been touched by God,	27:29
	"gained a blessing, prevailed, and been renamed."	27:31
	The new name then, marks the new identity.	27:39
	Wrestling with God.	27:47
	Wrestling with God means being wounded.	27:51
	It means being marked for all time.	27:55
	Our text says that when the sun rose upon Jacob	27:59
	and he departed that place,	28:02
	which he named Penuel, he limped.	28:05
	What an unglorious and painful way	28:10
	to emerge from an encounter with God.	28:13
	To be blessed by God but somehow to be blessed	28:17
	with a blessing that includes and contains a crippling.	28:20
	And so wrestling with God means being marked by a new name,	28:27
	signifying a new identity that is linked	28:32
	and linked inextricably to being crippled.	28:35
	Wrestling with God.	28:43
	I would maintain that each of us	28:46
	wrestles with God some time,	28:48
	or many times across the years of our life.	28:51
	We are Jacob wrestling God who comes to us as the adversary,	28:55
	with God who comes to us as the antagonist,	29:01
	with God who comes to us as the enemy.	29:05
	We, we are Jacob.	29:10
	We are Jacob when a lab report	29:15
	comes back positive for cancer,	29:17
	or for AIDS.	29:21
	We are Jacob when a marriage begun in hope ends	29:23
	in hurt and anger.	29:26
	We are Jacob when a senseless accident maims	29:30
	or a stroke paralyzes.	29:34
	We are Jacob.	29:37
	We are Jacob when a child deeply disappoints	29:39
	or a parent is abusive.	29:43
	We are Jacob when a job is withdrawn	29:46
	or disappears.	29:50
	And we are Jacob when we face prejudices	29:52
	and gross injustices.	29:55
	And when our dreams are countered	29:59
	and crushed in the reality of daily living	30:01
	we are Jacob.	30:05
	There in the darkness,	30:07
	struggling, wrestling with God.	30:09
	According to Scripture Israel, the people of God,	30:17
	is born this night when a man named Jacob	30:23
	wrestles with one whom he comes to recognize	30:26
	as almighty God.	30:29
	Not in the glaring brightness of the day,	30:33
	but in the deepest dark of the night.	30:37
	Not in pleasure,	30:41
	but in pain.	30:43
	Not in ease and comfort,	30:45
	but in distress	30:48
	is born the people of God.	30:50
	And it is this hour of birth that marks forever	30:54
	our history as God's people.	30:58
	In struggling,	31:03
	in grappling,	31:05
	in wrestling with God we are born.	31:07
	Struggling, grappling, wrestling with God	31:13
	we continue even as we pledge ourselves to God	31:16
	and to God's kingdom.	31:21
	Sometimes, perhaps oftentimes, we will be rebellious.	31:25
	Sometimes, perhaps oftentimes, we will be disobedient.	31:32
	Sometimes, perhaps oftentimes,	31:39
	we will lack understanding.	31:44
	Sometimes, perhaps oftentimes, we will be engaged	31:48
	in struggles with one whom only later	31:53
	can we name as God.	31:56
	But if we are Jacob,	32:00
	if we are Israel,	32:03
	if we are the church,	32:05
	we will hold on and not let go	32:08
	even though what we receive in the end is the hard,	32:12
	the difficult,	32:17
	the painful blessing of God.	32:19
	It's not easy to be chosen of God.	32:27
	Abraham and Sarah knew it.	32:31
	Isaac and Rebekah knew it.	32:34
	Jacob and Rachel knew it.	32:37
	And in the fullness of time yet another knew this truth,	32:41
	even Jesus Christ, the Lord.	32:46
	Not this time on the bank of a river	32:50
	but in a garden called Gethsemane	32:53
	Jesus the beloved son wrestles with God	32:56
	and cries aloud, "My God, my God,	32:59
	why have you forsaken me?"	33:04
	Not this time a wound on the hip and a limp,	33:09
	but this time nails thrust through two hands,	33:13
	and a sword slashed through a side.	33:17
	This time a cross and a crucifixion,	33:20
	and in this end is the hard,	33:26
	the difficult,	33:31
	the painful,	33:33
	the perplexing,	33:35
	the paradoxical	33:37
	blessing of God.	33:39
	It's not easy to be chosen of God.	33:45
	Being chosen of God means struggle	33:50
	and conflict	33:53
	and danger.	33:55
	Being chosen of God means being bruised,	33:58
	and battered,	34:01
	and scared.	34:03
	Being chosen of God means being marked,	34:06
	marked for death,	34:10
	and marked for life.	34:12
	The apostle Paul writes in Romans,	34:15
	"Do you not know that all of us who have been	34:18
	"baptized into Christ Jesus were also	34:21
	"baptized into his death?	34:23
	"Therefore, we have been buried with him	34:27
	"by baptism into death	34:30
	"so that just as Christ was raised from	34:33
	"the dead by the glory of the Father,	34:36
	"so we too might walk in newness of life."	34:39
	All of us,	34:48
	all of us are marked by God in the moment	34:51
	and in the waters of our baptism,	34:54
	marked with a new name	34:58
	and marked with a permanent marking.	35:00
	We are marked that we might die to sin	35:04
	and marked that we might live	35:08
	in the light of Christ's resurrection.	35:09
	And even as the night finally gives way	35:14
	to the dawn on the bank of the Jabbok,	35:16
	so one day the darkness of this world will pass away	35:19
	and there will be the Son of righteousness,	35:25
	Jesus Christ, the Lord.	35:29
	And on that day,	35:32
	in a way that Jacob never could have imagined,	35:34
	you and I,	35:39
	we who have seen God through the Son,	35:42
	on that day	35:46
	we will see God face to face.	35:48
	It's not easy to be chosen of God.	35:53
	Being chosen of God means struggle	35:59
	and conflict	36:02
	and danger.	36:04
	Being chosen of God means being battered	36:06
	and bruised	36:10
	and scared.	36:12
	Being chosen of God means being marked	36:14
	for all time.	36:19
	It means being marked for life.	36:22
	In the name of the Father,	36:30
	and of the Son,	36:31
	and of the Holy Spirit,	36:33
	amen.	36:36
	(majestic organ music)	36:43
	(Congregation sings)	37:05
-	[Reverend Willimon] The Lord be with you.	38:43
Congregation	And also with you.	38:45
-	[Reverend Willimon] Let us pray.	38:47
	Be seated.	38:48
	Great God, our Father,	39:03
	you hear our prayers before we speak	39:06
	and answer before we know our need.	39:08
	Though we cannot pray,	39:13
	may your Spirit pray in us,	39:16
	drawing us to you	39:18
	and toward our neighbors on earth.	39:20
	We pray for the whole creation.	39:24
	May all things work together for good	39:27
	until by your design the meek inherit the earth	39:30
	and we shall order it wisely.	39:34
	Lord, hear our prayer.	39:38
	We pray for the church of Jesus Christ	39:42
	that begun, maintained	39:45
	and promoted by your Spirit	39:46
	it may be true, engaging, glad, and active	39:50
	doing your will.	39:55
	Lord, hear our prayer.	39:57
	We pray for men and women who	40:01
	serve the church in special ways,	40:02
	preaching, and ruling, and showing charity.	40:06
	We pray that they may never lose heart	40:10
	but have all hope encouraged.	40:13
	Lord, hear our prayer.	40:17
	We pray for people who do not believe,	40:21
	who are shaken by doubt,	40:24
	wrestling or have turned against you.	40:26
	Open their eyes to see beyond our broken fellowship	40:30
	the wonders of your love displayed in Jesus, Jew of Nazareth	40:35
	and to follow when His hand is laid upon them	40:40
	and His voice calls them.	40:44
	Lord, hear our prayer.	40:47
	We pray for peace in the world.	40:51
	Disarm weapons, silent guns,	40:54
	and put out ancient hate that smolders still	40:57
	or flames in sudden conflict.	41:00
	Create good will among all people of every race and nation.	41:04
	We pray for enemies as Christ hath commanded us.	41:10
	We pray for those who oppose us or scheme against us	41:15
	because they are also children of your love.	41:20
	May we be kept from infectious hate	41:24
	or sick desire for vengeance.	41:27
	Lord, hear our prayer.	41:30
	We pray for those involved in world government	41:35
	and agencies of control or compassion.	41:37
	Those who work for the reconciling of the nations,	41:41
	keep them hopeful and work with them for peace.	41:45
	We pray for those who govern us,	41:49
	particularly during this week	41:52
	of celebration of national independence,	41:54
	those who make, administer, or judge our laws.	41:58
	May this country be a land of free and able people,	42:02
	a land who welcomes exiles	42:07
	and where there is work for justice.	42:10
	Lord, hear our prayer.	42:14
	We pray for poor people who are hungry	42:19
	or housed in cramped places.	42:20
	Increase in us and in all who prosper	42:23
	concern for the disinherited.	42:27
	And we pray for social outcasts	42:30
	for those excluded by their own militance	42:33
	or by the harshness of other people.	42:37
	Give us grace to accept those	42:40
	our world names as unacceptable	42:42
	and to show forth your mighty love.	42:46
	Lord, hear our prayer.	42:49
	We pray for sick people who suffer pain	42:53
	or struggle with demons of the mind,	42:55
	those who silently cry out for healing.	42:59
	Particularly do we pray for those in Duke Hospitals	43:03
	and those who care for them	43:06
	and pray that they may be patient, brave, and trusting.	43:09
	Lord, hear our prayer.	43:13
	We pray for the dying,	43:18
	those who face the final mystery.	43:20
	May they enjoy light and life intensely	43:23
	and keep dignity and greet death unafraid	43:26
	believing in your love.	43:29
	And we pray for those whose tears are not yet dry,	43:32
	who listen for familiar voices	43:36
	and look for still familiar faces.	43:38
	In loss may they affirm the gain you promise in Jesus,	43:42
	who prepares a place for us within your spacious love.	43:46
	Lord, hear our prayer.	43:51
	We pray for people who are alone or lonely,	43:54
	who have no one to call in easy friendship.	43:57
	May they be remembered and befriended	44:01
	and know your care for them.	44:03
	Lord, hear our prayer.	44:06
	We pray for families, for parents and children.	44:10
	May they enjoy each other	44:14
	and honor one another	44:15
	and forgive as happily as we all	44:17
	are forgiven in your huge mercy.	44:20
	We pray for young and old.	44:24
	Give impatient youth true vision	44:27
	and experienced age openness to new things	44:30
	and let both be brought to praise your name.	44:35
	Lord, hear our prayers.	44:39
	Hear our prayers almighty God, in the name of Jesus Christ,	44:44
	who always prays with us and for us,	44:48
	and to whom be praise forever and ever.	44:52
	Amen.	44:57
	As is the custom in this chapel	44:59
	all of the offering received on Sunday goes	45:02
	to alleviate human pain	45:05
	and to assist in God's work in the world.	45:08
	Let us offer, therefore, ourselves and our gifts to God.	45:12
	(melodic organ music)	45:20
	(soloist sings)	45:39
	(lively organ music)	51:03
	♪ Praise God from whom all blessings flow ♪	51:24
	♪ Praise God all creatures here below ♪	51:30
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	51:35
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	51:38
	♪ Praise God above ye heavenly host ♪	51:43
	♪ Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ♪	51:49
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	51:55
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	51:58
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	52:01
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	52:04
	♪ Hallelujah ♪	52:07
-	Almighty God,	52:21
	you have loved us so much that you	52:23
	dare to lay your hand upon us	52:25
	and call us by our very own name	52:28
	to make us participants in the ongoing work	52:31
	of your creation	52:34
	and your salvation of all humanity.	52:36
	When your hand is laid upon us, oh God,	52:40
	sometimes it brings us joy	52:44
	and sometimes it brings us pain,	52:47
	but help us, oh God, in all things to give thanks.	52:50
	We have felt your presence among us	52:54
	during this time of worship,	52:56
	in the singing of your praise,	52:58
	and the preaching of your word.	52:59
	Give us the grace to realize your presence in all of life,	53:02
	in things both great and small,	53:06
	every day standing beside us,	53:09
	encouraging us,	53:12
	beckoning us forth.	53:15
	For your presence,	53:17
	for your love,	53:18
	for your call,	53:20
	we give you thanks.	53:22
	Praying as our Lord and savior Jesus	53:24
	has taught us to pray,	53:28
	Our Father who art in heaven,	53:31
	hallowed be thy name.	53:34
	Thy kingdom come,	53:36
	thy will be done	53:38
	on earth as it is in heaven.	53:40
	Give us this day our daily bread	53:42
	and forgive us our trespasses	53:45
	as we forgive those who trespass against us.	53:47
	And lead us not into temptation,	53:51
	but deliver us from evil,	53:54
	for thine is the kingdom,	53:56
	and the power,	53:57
	and the glory forever.	53:59
	Amen.	54:01
	And now may the grace of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ,	54:04
	the love of God,	54:09
	and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit	54:11
	go with you and be with you now and always.	54:13
	Amen.	54:18
	(bright organ music)	54:20
	(congregation sings)	54:50
Dr. Hauerwas	Let us go forth in the name of Christ.	57:47
Congregation	Thanks be to God.	57:50
	(dramatic organ music)	57:54

Item Info

Title:

Paula E. Gilbert - "Marked for Life" (July 1, 1990)

Description:

Sermon start time: (Part 1) 17:17. Sermon end time: (Part 1) 36:38.
Being chosen of God does not mean success or ease, but rather it means struggle and difficulty. However, once that difficulty is overcome, we become stronger versions of ourselves, so the sermon is encouraging the congregation to not doubt God in times of trouble. (Abstract created by Duke Divinity School staff.)
Key quotation: “And so wrestling with God means being marked by a new name, signifying a new identity that is linked and linked inextricably to being crippled.”

Permalink:

https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/r4x34n67x

Date:

July 1, 1990

Speaker:

Gilbert, Paula E., 1952-

Liturgical Calendar:

Ordinary Time

Biblical Book:

Chapter and Verse:

Subject:

Contributor:

Duke University. Chapel

Identifier:

UA.17.01.0003 VHS-0188
ref8805_c1i
uachapelsermaud
duke:321765
dcrmv001180
ark:/87924/r4x34n67x
79310e2e-5426-46a8-be3d-1268a09547f3

Digital Collection:

Duke Chapel Recordings

Source Collection:

Duke University Chapel recordings

Related Resources:

See below

Language:

English

Location:

United States
North Carolina
Durham (N.C.)

Format:

Provenance:

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

Rights:

Limited Re-Use

Educational Use Permitted

Rights Note:

This material is made available for educational and non-commercial use. This recording may contain 3rd party materials, such as music or readings that are therefore not covered by the license indicated here. Copyright in this material has not been transferred to Duke University. For other reuses of this material beyond those permitted by fair use or otherwise allowed under the Copyright Act, please see our page on copyright and citations https://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/research/citations-and-permissions.

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