Oxford Presbyterian Church

February 24, 2022

Good afternoon, everyone.

Today, yet another thing that seems nearly impossible to imagine has indeed taken place. The Russian invasion of Ukraine almost appears surreal, but it is the real thing. And once again humanity witnesses the violent endeavoring to seize the kingdom of heaven by force. How long, O Lord?

A largely Christian nation has attacked another largely Christian nation. How does this happen? It happens when human identity aligns with some other location than the cross of Christ. When the identities of nation, state, and culture begin to supersede baptismal identity, then other powers than the love of God hold sway in the human heart. It is a very short road indeed from the worship of Jesus Christ to idolatry.

We ourselves are no more or less vulnerable to the veneration of nation, state, and culture than our brothers and sisters in Christ who are Russian. In the coming days and weeks and month, we too will be tempted by the same idolatry. We will be tempted to believe in our own superiority and legitimize our violence to seize back what Russian has taken. Those are satisfying thoughts at times.

But the power of Jesus Christ is not the power to seize. Rather, it is the exact opposite. Listen to what Paul says to the Philippians about this matter:

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be seized,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave.

Jesus understood his divinity not as license to leverage power over others (as we’ve witnessed all day today), but rather as license to humble himself to the point of death on a cross. It is his obedience to suffer unto death that results in the power of seizing being defeated.

I understand that this is not easy. This is nothing less than power being turned upside down. Right at the moment we want to lash out in righteous anger over what Russian has done to the Ukraine, we are to be reminded that Jesus Christ is indeed the living Prince of Peace. His suffering has been vindicated by his resurrection. Therefore, Paul also says the following to the Philippians:

Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

In the uncertain times that lie ahead for us, may we too know Christ and the power of his resurrection, that our lives may mirror his life, so that we too may attain to the resurrection of the dead.

It goes without saying that we need to be praying for the Ukraine as they endure their suffering. May we also pray for Russia, as they are by no means unified in the actions they are taking. May they be able to persuade one another of a different way beside the sword and spear. May we all persevere in our belief as we are tested.

This Sunday is the Transfiguration of the Lord. Seeing the glory of Jesus Christ unveiled atop a mountain, Peter endeavors to seize the glory by suggesting shelters be built for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. But Peter and the rest of the disciples have no clue yet as to what will be the manner of the glorification of Jesus their Lord. Peter, as we know, will go on to seize a sword in the Garden of Gethsemane to protect Jesus as he joins the ranks of violent men seeking the kingdom. He still has his heads in the clouds. Jesus, on the other hand, will go forth from his transfiguration and begin to tell his followers over and over again about his upcoming betrayal, suffering, and death. May we not miss the glory.

As always, we invite you to participate in one or more of the following worship opportunities:

8:08 a.m. in the sanctuary. If you want to come and remain in your automobile, you may park on Gilliam Street or behind the church building and turn your FM radio dial to 89.50 and you will be able to listen to the worship service.

11:00 a.m. in the sanctuary. This service is also broadcast via Facebook Live if you are unable to join us. If you have a computer or tablet or smartphone with an internet connection, you should be able to receive the stream. You do not need to have a Facebook account to participate. Our stream appears on the church’s Facebook page which is here:  https://www.facebook.com/Oxford-Presbyterian-Church-152011345379561/. If you miss the broadcast, the service will remain on our Facebook page for the next several days.

3:00 p.m. our worship is also broadcast on WCBQ 1340 on the AM radio dial. The radio broadcast of our worship is an easy way to listen in and participate. If you know of someone in our community that does not do computers or finds them frustrating to use, please let them know of this alternative. Please note that as we have returned to in-person congregational worship, the radio broadcast of each service is aired the following Sunday.

The Sunday worship bulletin for those who are unable to join us will appear in your emailbox late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning, complete with hymns and sermon so that you may have your own house-church worship. As always, you can listen to sermons through our website right here: https://oxfordpres.org/media/#sermons, and at The Oxford Exchange, found here: http://theoxfordexchange.blubrry.net/. Sermons are posted the Tuesday following the Sunday they were preached.

Our website, www.oxfordpres.org, has calendars, newsletters, the OPC WEEKLY, sermons, and even ways to give your offerings (right here: https://oxfordpres.org/give/).

We also have an offerings drop-box situated next to the door on the back side of the church at the top of the ramp if you want to drop off an offering. Or, you can mail offerings to Oxford Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 652, Oxford, NC 27565. They will be collected and deposited.

Transfiguration of the Lord, February 27, 2022:

Scripture readings: Exodus 34:29-35 and Luke 9:28-36

Sermon title: “Big Things”

Liturgist: Paul Hesse

Thanks to Carolyn Steger, Walter and Ellen Gould, Judy Miller, Rachelle Messer, Cathy Yancey, and Kathy Webb for leading our music.

8:08 a.m. – Worship in sanctuary with shortrange broadcast on 89.50 FM

11:00 a.m. – Worship in sanctuary also broadcast via Facebook Live. The stream can be found at https://www.facebook.com/Oxford-Presbyterian-Church-152011345379561/

3:00 p.m. – Worship broadcast on WCBQ 1340 AM

Mission of the Month – Our February mission emphasis continues be our annual blanket drive with Church World Service. More information on this critical ministry can be found here: https://cwsblankets.org/.

://cwsblankets.org/.

Announcements:

• 1^st – 7:00  p.m. – Choir rehearses in sanctuary
• 2^nd – 10:30 a.m. – Book Club meets at Strong Arm Baking Company to discuss All the Light We Cannot See
• 2^nd – 12:30 p.m. – Midweek Prayer in Sanctuary
• 2^nd – 6:00 p.m. – Ash Wednesday Worship
• 3^rd – 5:30  p.m. – Book Club meets at Tobacco Wood Brewing Company and via Zoom to discuss All the Light We Cannot See

Book Club – Meets this week on Wednesday at Strong Arm Baking Company and Thursday at Tobacco Wood Brewing Company and  via Zoom to discuss Anthony Doerr’s award winning novel All the Light We Cannot See, a story of hope amid the darkest days of World War II.

Midday Prayer – Meets Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. in the sanctuary.

Prayers for: Frank Anderson, Becky and Isabella Baird, Betty Baynes, Michael Boyd, Cynthia Broaddrick, Linda and Mike Diamond, Randy Downey, Julie Gaydon, Marlene Grenier, Millie Hartford, Heather Hightower, Randall Hightower, Hannah Hobgood, Cotina Jones, Barbara Laurent, BK McCloud, Donnie Messer, Laura Messer, Jeanette Owen, Rufus Owen, Jason Parkin, Greg and Dottie Price, Mike Reavis, Kelly Ann Sterner, Lynn Stone, Melvin Weaver, Alice Evans Woodlief and Cathy Yancey.

Happy Birthday to: Angela Parham– 27^th, Zella Lloyd – 28^th, Jane Boyd – 2^nd, Walter Gould – 3^rd; Julie Oakley – 4^th

Remember to utilize our website! – www.oxfordpres.org.

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¹ The Lord is king; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
² The Lord is great in Zion;
he is exalted over all the peoples.
³ Let them praise your great and awesome name.
Holy is he!
⁴ Mighty King, lover of justice,
you have established equity;
you have executed justice
and righteousness in Jacob.
⁵ Extol the Lord our God;
worship at his footstool.
Holy is he!
⁶ Moses and Aaron were among his priests,
Samuel also was among those who called on his name.
They cried to the Lord, and he answered them.
⁷ He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
they kept his decrees,
and the statutes that he gave them.
⁸ O Lord our God, you answered them;
you were a forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of their wrongdoings.
⁹ Extol the Lord our God,
and worship at his holy mountain;
for the Lord our God is holy. (Psalm 99 NRSV)

Blessings in Christ,

Alan