SPECIAL DAYS: Annual Outdoor Worship and Church Picnic
July 11, 2004 - Lesson: Matthew 15.21-28
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WORSHIP OF THE FRONTIER
ORDER OF WORSHIP
EXPLANATION OF SERVICE
In this period the "Anxious Seat" or "Mourner's Bench" was common. A mourner" was one who became alarmed at the state of his/her soul and began to pray and seek deliverance from the bondage of sin.
The music of the camp meeting revivals typically included much of the call and response type of singing. The responses were often short ("Glory Hallelujah") and somewhat stereotyped. Refrains were common, allowing all to sing together in spite of the absence of printed music.
The verses often used texts of Isaac Watts, sometimes considerably modified. There were many "Stock" couplets which could migrate from song to song and were often interrelated on the spot. Sometimes new verses would be improved in the inspiration of the moment, allowing the oral tradition to grow and change.
No instruments were apparently used, perhaps conserving the older psalmsinging style, or perhaps simply because none were available.
The music of camp-meetings is best preserved in several old collections printed between 1815 and 1855. Bearing titles such as Kentucky Harmony, Southern Harmony, and Sacred Harp, they often recorded music which had already been circulating for years. These books are still used in part of the south.
Two kinds of music have their roots in the camp-meeting hymns. One is the Negro Spiritual which took shape in the first half of the 19th Century, often taking the texts and tunes and modifying them in characteristic ways. The other is the later Gospel Hymn which used the call and response idea in a richer harmonic and melodic idiom.
Pioneers of the Northwest Territory were reverent. Daniel Boone said: "All the religion I have is to love and fear God, do all the good to my neighbors and myself that I can, and do as little harm as I can help, and trust on God's mercy for the rest."
One of the most widely read of writer's of "westerns" today is the late Louis L'Amour. His many, many books give a good "flavor" of the frontier as it moved west. It is interesting to note that he presents his own philosophy through his interesting characters and his ideas stand out in his writings. In The Lonely Men he says of going to church, "It was a fine get-together in those days. We'd listen to the preacher expounding of our sins, most of us kind of prideful we'd managed to sin so much, but ashamed before his tongue-lashing, and some were kind of amazed that they were so sinful after all. Seemed like with farming and cussing the mules, a body didn't rightly find much time for singing."
Henry Rust writes: "I'm convinced that describes the mood of the camp-meeting worship of our past."
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OPENING MUSIC CONGREGATIONAL SINGING
It was fun to conduct the congregational singing in a "call" and "response" style. You might like to try it. Below are a few of the songs from an old collection.
CHRISTIAN SOLDIER.
C. M.
Psalmist, 721st Hymn.
F. Price.1 Am I a soldier of the cross,
A follower of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own his cause,
Or blush to speak his name?
2 Must I be carried to the skies
On flow'ry beds of ease,
While others fought to win the prize,
And sail'd through bloody seas?
3 Are there no foes for me to face?
Must I not stem the flood?
Is this vile world a friend to grace,
To help me on to God?
4 Sure I must fight, if I would reign:--
Increase my courage, Lord;
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain,
Supported by thy word.
5 Thy saints, in all this glorious war,
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
And seize it with their eye.
6 When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all thine armies shine
In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be thine.OLD HUNDRED.
L. M.O come, loud anthems let us sing,
Loud thanks to our Almighty King;
For we our voices high should raise,
When our salvation's Rock we praise.NEW BRITAIN.
C. M.
Baptist Harmony, p. 123.1 Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
2 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved:
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed!
3 Through many dangers, toils, and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.
4 The Lord has promised good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
5 Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
6 The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be for ever mine.BETHEL.
C. M.
Psalmist, 69, 1st Hymn.1 Oh for a closer walk with God!
A calm and heavenly frame!
A light to shine upon the road
That leads me to the Lamb!
2 Where is the blessedness I knew
When first I saw the Lord?
Where is the soul-refreshing view
Of Jesus and his word?
3 What peaceful hours I then enjoy'd!
How sweet their memory still!
But now I find an aching void
The world can never fill
4 Return, O Holy Dove, return,
Sweet messenger of rest;
I hate the sins that made thee mourn,
And drove thee from my breast.
5 The dearest idol I have known,
Whate'er that idol be,
Help me to tear it from thy throne,
And worship only thee.
6 So shall my walk be close with God,
Calm and serene my frame;
So purer light shall mark the road
That leads me to the Lamb
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PRAYERS - 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, for ever. Amen.
READING AND INTERPRETATION OF GOD'S WORD: Matthew 15.21-28
Matthew 15:21 through Matthew 15:28 (NRSVA)
21Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon." 23But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." 24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 25But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." 26He answered, "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." 27She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed instantly.
Matthew 15:21
Departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon--towards the coasts or confines. It is not clear that our Lord ever left the land of the Hebrews; he was, as the apostle observes, Romans 15:8, the minister of the circumcision according to the truth of God. Tyre and Sidon are usually joined together, principally because they are but a few miles distant from each other.
Matthew 15:22
A woman of Canaan--Matthew gives her this name because of the people from whom she sprung--the descendants of Canaan, Judges 1:31, 32; but Mark calls her a Syrophenician, because of the country where she dwelt. The Canaanites and Phoenicians have been often confounded. This is frequently the case in the Septuagint. Compare Genesis 46:10, with Exodus 6:15, where the same person is called a Phoenician in the one place, and a Canaanite in the other. See also the same version in Exodus 16:35; Joshua 5:12.
The state of this woman is a proper emblem of the state of a sinner, deeply conscious of the misery of his soul.
Have mercy on me, etc.--How proper is this prayer for a penitent! There are many excellencies contained in it;
1. It is short;
2. humble;
3. full of faith;
4. fervent;
5. modest;
6. respectful;
7. rational;
8. relying only on the mercy of God;
9. persevering.
Can one who sees himself a slave of the devil, beg with too much earnestness to be delivered from his thraldom?
Son of David--An essential character of the true Messiah.
Matthew 15:23
He answered her not a word--Seemed to take time to consider her request, and to give her the opportunity of exercising her faith, and manifesting her fervor.
Matthew 15:24
I am not sent but unto the lost sheep--By the Divine appointment, I am come to preach the Gospel to the Jews only. There are certain preachers who should learn a lesson of important instruction from this part of our Lord's conduct. As soon as they hear of a lost sheep being found by other ministers, they give all diligence to get that one into their fold: but display little earnestness in seeking in the wilderness for those that are lost. This conduct, perhaps, proceeds from a consciousness of their inability to perform the work of an evangelist; and leads them to sit down in the labors of others, rather than submit to the reproach of presiding over empty chapels. Such persons should either dig or beg immediately, as they are a reproach to the pastoral office; for, not being sent of God, they cannot profit the people.
The wilderness of this world is sufficiently wide and uncultivated. Sinners abound every where; and there is ample room for all truly religious people, who have zeal for God, and love for their perishing follow creatures, to put forth all their strength, employ all their time, and exercise all their talents, in proclaiming the Gospel of God; not only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but to a lost WORLD. Nor can such exertions be unsuccessful. There the pure truth of God is preached, many will be converted. Where that truth is preached, though with a mixture of error, some will be converted, for God will bless his own truth. But where nothing but false doctrine is preached, no soul is converted: for God will never sanction error by a miracle of his mercy.
Matthew 15:25
Lord, help me--Let me also share in the deliverance afforded to Israel.
Matthew 15:26
The children's bread--The salvation provided for the Jews, who were termed the children of the kingdom. And cast it to the little dogs--to the curs; such the Gentiles were reputed by the Jewish people, and our Lord uses that form of speech which was common among his countrymen. What terrible repulses! and yet she still perseveres!
Matthew 15:27
Truth, Lord--Yes, Lord. This appears to be not so much an assent, as a bold reply to our Lord's reason for apparently rejecting her suit.
The little dogs share with the children, for they eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. I do not desire what is provided for these highly favored children, only what they leave: a single exertion of thy almighty power, in the healing of my afflicted daughter, is all that I wish for; and this the highly favored Jews can well spare, without lessening the provision made for themselves. Is not this the sense of this noble woman's reply?
Matthew 15:28
O woman, great is thy faith--The hinderances thrown in this woman's way only tended to increase her faith. Her faith resembles a river, which becomes enlarged by the dykes opposed to it, till at last it sweeps them entirely away with it.
Her daughter was made whole--Persevering faith and prayer are next to omnipotent. No person can thus pray and believe, without receiving all his soul requires. This is one of the finest lessons in the book of God for a penitent, or for a discouraged believer. Look to Jesus! As sure as God is in heaven, so surely will he hear and answer thee to the eternal salvation of thy soul! Be not discouraged at a little delay: when thou art properly prepared to receive the blessing, then thou shalt have it. Look up; thy salvation is at hand. Jesus admires this faith, to the end that we may admire and imitate it, and may reap the same fruits and advantages from it.
The above commentary material was taken from: Adam Clarkes Commentary on the New Testament, Electronic STEP Files Copyright © 1999, Parsons Technology, Inc. Used with permisson.
HYMN
OFFERING
HYMN
SERMON
There was no real sermon on this occasion. I did make the observation that with Jesus there are no 2nd class citizens, only 1st class believers. If that is the case then we ought to, in Christ's love, treat everyone as a 1st class person
PRAYER
CLOSING HYMN
DISMISSAL
See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circum-stances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. May the God of peace himself sancti-fy you entire-ly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18; 23-24
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