Sermon Series 4: God Never Gives You More Than You Can Handle

Sunday, July 11, 2021
10:30 AM 11:30 AM 10:30 11:30

Union Presbyterian Church 200 E Main St Endicott, NY, 13760 United States (map)

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Have you ever noticed that there are things we think are in the Bible, but which might not actually be there? Take the saying, “God never gives you more than you can handle.” Is that, strictly speaking, true? (Ask your friends. Their answers may surprise you.) Even Biblical characters have something to say about it.

There are all sorts of sayings that we like to quote, in all sorts of situations. Some of these can be found in scripture—but some of them have other origin stories. Join us for the next two weeks as we continue to explore things we may think are in the Bible— and seek to find the Good News, and a deeper connection with God’s Word. Worship in our sanctuary or watch our live stream. You are invited!

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(Fast forward to 8:12 for the beginning of the video.)

July 11, 2021 Worship Bulletin

Sermon Series: Is That In the Bible?

4: God Never Gives You More Than You Can Handle

Union Presbyterian Church

July 11, 2021

Sharing the Light of Christ, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Liturgist: Pat Sullivan Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Sanctuary Only:

Prelude “Amazing Grace My Chains Are Gone” Angel and Colin DeLap, Piano

Announcements Pat Sullivan

Online;

Prelude Colin DeLap, Piano

“Through All of It,” Molly E. Reed and Ben Glover

Used by Permission. CCLI License #CSPL068847

Welcome Rev. Pat Raube

Call to Worship Pat Sullivan

It is you, Lord. You are the one we call upon in distress.

O God, hear our voices.

It is you, Lord. You are the one who bends low to hear our cries.

O God, hear our prayers.

It is you, Lord. You are the one who greets us, meets us, and brings us home.

O God, hear our songs of joy!

Hymn W & R # 40 “For the Beauty of the Earth”

(Public Domain)

Call to New Life Pat Sullivan

Prayer for Wholeness and Peace

God of creation, you are the source of steadfast love and endless compassion. You have given us the path for our lives: to love you with all our heart and soul, mind and strength; and to love one another as we love ourselves. Love is easy in the abstract, and hard in the day-to-day. Love is easy with like-minded souls, and challenging when passionate beliefs collide. Love is easy when life is good, and a marathon when our worlds are collapsing. So, Lord God: tell us again. How do we do it? Can you help?

~Silence~

You speak to us gently, and you say, “Wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you live, I will live.” You whisper in our ear, and remind us: I will make my home among you, and I will dwell with you. You will be my people, and I will be your God. And then we remember: You are the way, and the truth, and the life. Thanks be to you! Amen.

Assurance of God’s Grace Pat Sullivan

Hear the comforting words of the Lord:

Before you call I will answer, while you are yet speaking I will hear.

Hear God’s own assurance:

You will be my people, and I will be your God.

The steadfast love of God is from everlasting to everlasting.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

Sharing of the Peace

God has filled our hearts with peace;

Let us share that peace with one another.

Peace be with you.

And also with you.

Let us give one another a sign of God’s peace.

Scripture Psalm 130 Pat Sullivan

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.

Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive

to the voice of my supplication!

If you were to keep watch over sins,

O Lord, who could stand?

Yet with you there is forgiveness,

in order that you may be feared.

I wait for you, O Lord, my soul waits,

in your word is my hope;

my soul waits for the Lord

more than those who keep watch for the morning,

more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, wait for the Lord!

For with the Lord there is steadfast love;

with the Lord there is plenteous redemption.

For the Lord shall redeem Israel

from all their sins.

Children’s Message Rev. Pat Raube

“Rejoice in the Lord Always”

(Public domain)

Scripture Ruth 1:1-22

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.

Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had considered his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back each of you to your mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband.” Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. They said to her, “No, we will return with you to your people.” But Naomi said, “Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me.” Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

So she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” But Ruth said,

“Do not press me to leave you

or to turn back from following you!

Where you go, I will go;

where you lodge, I will lodge;

your people shall be my people,

and your God my God.

Where you die, I will die—

there will I be buried.

May the Lord do thus and so to me,

and more as well,

if even death parts me from you!”

When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them; and the women said, “Is this Naomi?” She said to them,

“Call me no longer Naomi,

call me Mara,

for the Almighty has dealt bitterly with me.

I went away full,

but the Lord has brought me back empty;

why call me Naomi

when the Lord has dealt harshly with me,

and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me?”

So Naomi returned together with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who came back with her from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word:

Thanks be to God!

Meditation “God Never Gives You More Than You Can Handle” Rev. Pat Raube

Anthem “Wherever You Go,” by Gregory Norbet, OSB

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Wherever you go I shall go.

Wherever you live so shall I live.

Your people will be my people,

And your God will be my God too.

Wherever you die I shall die,

And there shall I be buried beside you.

We will be together forever,

And our love will be the gift of our life.

We will be together forever,

And our love will be the gift of our life.

Prayers of the People

… Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Prayer Response

“Be Still and Know,” Jack Schrader 

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Be still and know that I am God. 

Call for Offering

Doxology

“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” Claire Bombard, Bell Tree;

Colin DeLap, Piano

(Public Domain)

Prayer of Dedication

Hymn W & R # 430

“Be Not Afraid,” Bob Dufford

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Benediction

Postlude Colin DeLap, Piano

“This I Believe,” Ben Fielding and Matt Crocker

Used by Permission. CCLI License #CSPL068847