From God to Me to You
Through the readings and musical selections, this Jazz Service will explore a relevant theme that encapsulates the entire message of the church over the centuries: from God to me, to you. God’s message to the Israelites still echoes to us today: We are blessed to be a blessing! Love is meant to be shared.
From God to me to you is another way to say it. Join us March 10, and be blessed!
During Lent, we acknowledge the radical love of God in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. But we are invited to take that a couple of steps further: fully receive that love, and then give it away as LOVE. “Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:2 From God to me, to you.
After the offertory prayer, when the priest holds up the offering plate at the altar, the people join him in the words of I Chronicles 29:14
“All things come of thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee.”
The context of this verse is King David preparing for his son Solomon to build a glorious temple to the Lord for the people of God to worship properly. Over the years, David has collected from the people and donated from his personal wealth many costly building materials for this temple-to-be. Yet, he acknowledges that actually, all he has came from God anyway and already belongs to Him and he wants to give it back to God and the people. From God to me to you.
When Emmanuel hired an electrician to help get the lighting in the sanctuary back in working order, he charged us a much lower price for the precarious and tedious, time-consuming work because, as he put it so memorably, “all the money is the Lord’s anyway.” Yes, it is. “All things come of thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee.” From God to me, to you.
Jesus said, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:5-8. From God to me, to you.
When we share our time, talent, treasure, love, help, friendship, empathy, service or anything else, all of it is from God to me to you.
And, often, one of the hardest, yet most important things we can give or receive is Forgiveness. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13 As with everything, forgiveness, too, is From God to me, to you.
Paradoxically, sometimes, we even learn to receive as we find ourselves giving to someone else. Even that is a gift from God to me, to you.
On March 10th, our spirited readers and our jazz musicians, Scott Boni on alto saxophone, Mark Strickland on guitar, Dwayne Dolphin on bass, and Thomas Wendt on drums will be sharing with us their God-given talents and passion. From God to me to you.
Come, receive, and then go and freely give.
Jazz @ Emmanuel
as only Jazz at Emmanuel can.
Join us.
AS ALWAYS…
The Second Sunday of the Month, September – May
5 PM IN THE SANCTUARY
Jazz @ Emmanuel is underwritten in part by WRCT 88.3 FM, and relies on the generosity of worshippers and Jazz enthusiasts like you.
Thank you.
March 10th – From God to Me to You
April 14th – Instruments of Peace
May 12th – Opening the Closed Door
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