Fool's Gold

(562) 431-2503

Seal Beach, CA 90740-5307

Opening Announcements — Rev. Johan Dodge

Good Morning and Welcome to Worship!

Worship is often the first place that new people come into contact

with this growing community of faith. And so if you are joining us for

the first time, I say to you what I say every Sunday. You are welcome

here. Here is a place where all are welcome. For such is the love of

God for God’s Very Good Creation.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Mother-Father God, thank you for making us children, coheirs with

Christ, siblings of one another, bearing witness with the Spirit that we

are the children of God. We pray for the whole church, that in the field

of this world, it may be the good seed that grows into your harvest.

We pray for your whole creation that is waiting in eager longing to be

set free from everything that holds it in bondage.

We pray for earth’s people, its nations and leaders, that all may come

to know the ways that lead to peace.

We pray for those who are ill and for those who are facing death, that

they may find hope in the faith that the sufferings of this present time

are not worth comparing with the glory to be revealed to them.

We pray for those we know and love, that they may see the bond

between them and you and that, wherever they go, you are with

them. Blessed are you, eternal Presence, who, with Jesus Christ and

the Holy Spirit, lead us to life everlasting. Amen.

Harvesting God, as we listen to your Word, by your Holy Spirit lead our hearts in the way everlasting.

Romans 8:12-25 12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— ¹³ for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” ¹⁶ it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, ¹⁷ and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ— if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. 18] consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. ¹⁹ For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; ²⁰ for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope ²¹ that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²² We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; ²³ and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? ²⁵ But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 24He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; ²⁵ but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. ²⁶ So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. ²⁷ And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ ²⁹ But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. ³⁰ Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” 36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” ³⁷ He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; ³⁸ the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, ⁴² and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!

Questions for Reflection: Rev. Johan Dodge

How has your understanding of the relationship between suffering

and faith (or vulnerability and trust) changed over time? What

experiences of God’s grace do you need to acknowledge and anoint?

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING -— Taylor White

Friends, Holy Scripture tells us that all who are led by the Spirit of

God are children of God. Given such a divine affirmation, let us give

offerings of thanksgiving! Amen.

Loving and ever-present God, receive these tithes and offerings, our worship, and our lives to your service; in Jesus ‘name. Amen.

May God our parent, Christ our sibling, and the Spirit who gives us breath bless you and keep you this day as you continue living in hope and confident in God’s faithfulness. Blessed Be the Tie that Binds Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love. The fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above. Amen.