​We praise you for sending us your son, Jesus.
We thank you that He shared all that it means to live in our world so that we might begin to
know what it means to walk in your love.

StF 61; Our God is a great big God​

Psalm 145:1-8 New International Version Psalm A psalm of praise. Of David.
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
    I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
    and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
    his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another;
    they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty--
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works--
    and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
    and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
    slow to anger and rich in love.

Matthew 14:22-34 New International Version Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the
other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up
on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat
was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind
was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples
​saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 
30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, 
“why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the
boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.

Prayers for Others:
1. We come together in Prayer, let us pray.
Loving Heavenly Father, we pray today for your blessing on our congregation, and those
who lead worship, and those whose technical skills help so many to worship here in
church.
We pray for your presence to be seen vividly in everything we do and say each day, that
your joy, love, tolerance, understanding and compassion will flow freely in and through
us.
2. Loving Heavenly Father, we pray for all who work for peace and unity, and for all world
leaders that they will earnestly seek for an end to the suffering caused by war and
violence, injustice and inequality, disease and prejudice, poverty and hopelessness and
bring healing to the world.  We pray especially for those fighting terrorism throughout
the world.
Creator God, we pray for all in authority both in this country and around the world, that
they may never be tempted to abuse or misuse their power.
We continue to pray for persecuted Christians and for minority Christian communities
where they’re under pressure and for all who suffer for their faith.
3. Loving God, friend of those in need, your Son Jesus can free us from our burdens and
heal our bodies and spirits. We pray for those still burdened, those seeking healing, those
in need within the church and the world.
Pray for all those in Libya and Morocco so deeply affected by recent events.
4. We pray for those who have or are experiencing the ravages of climate change, and we
pray we will all make a difference by seriously playing our part in loving, caring, and
respecting your planet.
5. Gracious God, we pray for the work and service of all care homes and day centres for
elderly and sick people, and for the charity organisations and shops who raise money to
help. We pray for all finding their life painful, lonely or uncertain, especially those who
are ill or vulnerable.  Help them to sense your comfort in times of need and bless their
families and carers. We pray for healthcare and social workers in their mission to improve
the wellbeing of those who are sick and unwell.
For volunteers, carers and those who undertake work for which they're not paid.
6. Merciful Lord, your love reaches beyond the grave. At the end of our days on earth be
with us and with those we love. May those who have gone before us rest in your eternal
peace.  We remember before you those who have died and we pray for all whose life is
saddened by the death of a loved one, be with them in their loneliness
7. Gracious God, as we go out into the world, at the close of this service, we pray that we
may reflect your love, joy, love, tolerance, understanding and compassion in our families,
our church, and our community; so that the world can witness that we are followers of
Jesus and draw others into his loving care.
Merciful Father: Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
​
​StF 531 What a friend we have in Jesus

Message:  The Ups & Downs of Life
Lucozade: When life gets you down, Lucozade, picks you up!!
What do we do when faced with the problems/fears/troubles of daily life that can threaten
​our security? 

1. breakdown in relationships  
2. losing our job 
3. losing our income 
4. losing our health 
5. even having problems with our faith or even losing our faith.

Life can be hard - can experience depression.
Do we turn to a visible or invisible means of support?
There are those who turn to alcohol for help and support - to help them drown their sorrows.
But of course, there are so many pills and potions to pick us up when we’re down or calm us
when we up to choose from.
Do we turn to a visible or invisible means of support?

We must learn the true SOURCE of our SECURITY and then learn to TRUST THAT
SOURCE - that is JESUS, HIMSELF.
[1]    Experience of PEACE
Irish poet Joseph Medlicott Scriven was born on September 10, 1819, at Ballymoney Lodge
in County Down, Northern Ireland. 
His parents were Captain John Scriven and Jane Medlicott. Joseph graduated with a B.A.
degree from Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland and embraced the teachings of the
Plymouth Brethren. In 1845 his fiancée drowned on the night before they were to be married. 
A grief-stricken Scriven moved to Canada where he settled in Port Hope, Ontario, Canada
and worked as a private tutor for local families. 
Joseph fell in love with a local woman who suddenly fell ill with pneumonia and subsequently
​died. 
Known by people in the Port Hope area as an eccentric, Scriven was nonetheless a
born philanthropist and devoutly religious man who freely gave away what little money
and clothing he had to impoverished people in great need. In 1855 he wrote a poem called
"Pray Without Ceasing" to comfort his ailing mother. This poem was later set to music by
attorney and songwriter Charles Crozat Coverse and retitled "What a Friend We Have in
Jesus." "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" has since gone on to become a well-regarded
classic gospel hymn that's been covered by many artists throughout the world. Joseph died
at age 66 on August 10, 1886, in Pope Hope, Ontario, Canada.
Joseph was asked by a friend how he had written such words – he replied - “The Lord and I
wrote them together!”
Words born out of his own deep suffering speak directly to the heart of the friendship
of Jesus where we can find and experience perfect peace.

Helen LEMMEL’s friend’s story about when she was in her early 20’s visiting London with
​Helen when she was inspired to write the words of
“TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS” [written in 1922]

Paul’s trials
 - falsely accused of violating Temple rituals, he was arrested and for his own safety removed
to Caesarea where he was imprisoned for 2 years by the Governor Felix.
Felix successor, Festus wanted to put Paul on trial. Paul appealed to the Emperor Caesar
Following being shipwrecked off Malta, Paul arrived in Rome where he spent 2 years under
house arrest.
He may have been released in AD 63 and visited Spain and the Aegean region before his
re-arrest and death at the hands of Nero in AD67.

Throughout all of this, Paul kept his eye’s fixed firmly on Jesus - lived his life in the very
presence of Jesus and could therefore experience security and thereby experience the power
of Jesus in his life - and this gave him the strength to cope - gave him perfect peace.

Sometimes I become distracted by things going on round and about us - become obsessed
​by worries & fears and can lose all sense of reason.
The Stoning of Stephen – kept his eyes on Jesus.
During the testing of Abraham, he too kept his eyes in God.
This was Peter’s experience after the feeding of the 5,000.
After feeding of the 5,000 the people wanted to make Jesus their king, so He sent His
disciples off in the boat.
By the FORTH WATCH OF THE NIGHT (3.00 - 6.00am) Jesus could see that the disciples were
in distress - struggling against a strong head wind presumably by the light of the moon.
Peter - impetuous, impulsive, rash, head strong came to understand the reality - depth of his
own faith.
Showed FAITH & UNBELIEF.

Mirror image of my own experience
Never underestimate the Power of Jesus
“Lord save me!” and He did/does!

If we live our lives in the very Presence of Jesus, we will experience His Security, His
​Power, and His Peace
Jesus ministered to by the Angels in the wilderness after He had been tempted by the devil.

[2]    The power of Jesus
Luke 4: 18 - 22
Elijah - famine Elisha - Lepers
Jesus incensed the congregation to fury - but He just walked away - He maintained His peace.
[1]     Jesus calmed physical storms.
[2]     Jesus calmed mental/psychological storms.
[3]     Jesus maintained His peace.
Jesus walked on the water to reach out to His disciples
Mike Moberley story

​​StF 481: The Lords my shepherd

Blessing
Go forward with a heart renewed by grace, and may the Holy Spirit empower you to live a
life that reflects the love of Christ to the world.
Amen.

​How can we forgive if someone isn’t sorry for the hurt and pain that they may
have caused us?

Call to Worship
Come and find peace in the Lord.
Put behind you the troubles you bring with you.
Empty your mind of anger and regret.
Focus on God’s love for you,
and for all your sisters and brothers,
and be ready for worship.

Prayers of Adoration
Creator God, living Saviour, enlivening Spirit,
your generosity far outweighs our deserving.
Your grace is far more beautiful than our imagining.
Your forgiveness far exceeds our understanding.
So, we bow our heads and open our hearts,
as we offer you our lives in adoration and thankfulness. Amen
Prayer of confession
Incredible God, forgive us we pray when we are reluctant to let
go of the things that have been done to us that hurt.
Help us to understand more fully what it is to forgive,
and heal us.
Forgive us when we justify our own mistakes but are harsh in
our judgements of others. Help us to understand them better
from the way that you treat us.
Help us to understand more fully what it is to forgive,
and heal us.
Forgive us when we could offer forgiveness but withhold it.
Help us to understand more fully what it is to forgive,
and heal us.
Forgive us, heal us and help us grow into the likeness of your Son
Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.
Amen.
Gracious God,
there are debts to you and to others that we cannot pay.
There are mistakes that we cannot undo.
There are words that we cannot unsay.
But because you forgive us, we can take another step,
face another day with confidence,
and rejoice at your love for us and for all creation.
Amen.​

Genesis 50:15-21 New International Version
Joseph Reassures His Brothers15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if
Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 16 So they sent word
to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 17 ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I
ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now
please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
18 His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20 You intended to harm me, but
God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21 So then, don’t be
​afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

Matthew 18:21-35 New International Version
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I
forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he
began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was
not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay
the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay
back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. 
He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When
the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that
had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours
because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 
34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Message 
What happens to us when we are unforgiving, when we fail to forgive others
both for trivial things and the big things that really hurt us?
What would have happened to Joseph if he had not forgiven his brothers?
How can we forgive if someone isn’t sorry for the hurt and pain that they may
have caused us?
Let’s look at the idea of ‘sinning against’ another. The powerful slave didn’t
think that he was wrong or sinning against his master by building up a massive
debt, but he did feel ‘sinned against’ by the lowly slave doing the same thing
on a smaller scale. Does this story make us uncomfortable about our own
sense of ‘entitlement’? Do we feel ourselves to be wrong or ‘sinners’, needing
to be forgiven, as we cling to an unfair share of the world’s wealth? How good
are we at being generous about the demands others make on us – those who
need traveller sites, emergency housing, facilities for asylum seekers, those
who cross the channel in small, unsafe, inflatable boats looking for peace,
stability, freedom from war and terror and better lives. Do their needs for
school places, hospital appointments, jobs and much more – make our lives
just a little more difficult? If you think that then just imagine yourself in their
situation – would you not do the same thing?
As we look at global warming progressing, are we more likely to resent the
‘sin’ of less-developed nations whose chimneys still belch smoke, and whose
chemical run-off poisons waterways, than we are about putting our own house
in order, recognising the developed nations’ unfair share of the world’s wealth,
know-how, infrastructure and valuable skills? What might our role as Christians
individually and as church communities be in asking that the blame-game stops
and that real generosity replaces grudging promises to pay the least that will
get the less-developed world off our collective backs?
There is a story that when John Wesley was travelling by boat to America, he
was unfortunate enough to witness a sailor being Keel-hauled as a punishment
for wrong-doing. (That meant being tied to a rope, thrown into the sea,
dragged underneath the boat and pulled out on the other side - with a very
good chance that that you could drown or be very seriously injured). The
captain of the boat told John Wesley “You see, Mr Wesley, I never forgive.”
Wesley’s response (perhaps thinking about he words of the parable we read
today) was “then, Sir, I hope that you never sin”.

That Gospel parable tells the story of a growing cycle of violence – powerful
slave threatening the underdog slave with violence and outraged fellow
servants. Then the vindictive anger felt by the king resulting in savage justice.
The king in this story is not acting in God’s image – I would say just the
opposite. The events that took place suggest an uncomfortable and volatile
household ruled over by an angry and unpredictable man.
The parable tells goes on to tell us that we need to forgive and do so
repeatedly. A truly God-like king would have taken the harder path when easy
forgiveness didn’t work. He would have forgiven again, explaining his reasons
and demanding forgiveness of everyone else involved as the price of their
debts being paid. Forgiveness is only achieved when it is accepted by the
wrong-doer who, as a result, expresses sorrow and starts to behave very
differently. It sometimes needs to be repeated until the wrong-doer does
begin to see the hurt pain and anguish that they are causing and starts to
change their ways, and this is, or can be, very costly.
A final question - how good am I, are you, are we in the two-way act of
forgiving others and receiving forgiveness? Each time we say the Lord’s Prayer
we ask God to “forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us”. Do
we even think about those words when we say them? More importantly – do
we put them into practice in our daily lives?
Freedom of spirit comes to us only when we find the capacity to forgive one
another, sharing compassion, forgiveness and God’s grace, as Jesus his son
did.
With God’s grace and love we know that we can forgive, we can put hatred,
bitterness, resentment and anger aside, and we know that as a result of Jesus’
suffering and death on the cross, followed by his resurrection, ascension and
the gift of his Holy Spirit we can turn to him in sorrow, and seek and find his
forgiveness. Amen

Prayers of Intercession 
The world. As we contemplate our planet, especially created by You to maintain life,
we are conscious of those disasters which blight it aspect. We view with a mixture of
horror and dismay the scenes of destruction in both Morocco and Libya. Survivors try
forlornly to recover victims who are family or friends. We pray that they may find some degree of healing as they search. We pray too fir the aid agency and rescue workers,
that they may be given strength to carry out their grim tasks in both countries.
Forgiving God Hear our prayers

We continue to prayer for those who are suffering of the war in Ukraine, especially those
who live in the borderlands where there is active fighting. We prayer to for those who
have been obliged to become refugees in other countries, and prayer that they receive a
warm welcome,
We pray too for the continuing friction between Israelis and Palestinians, where again
there again has been bloodshed. We pray for a softening of hard lines and a peaceful
solution in Your Holy Land.
Forgiving God Hear our prayers

The Nation We pray for an increased sense of what is right and what is wrong in our
work places, domestic life and times of leisure. We pray for people of all ages who are
the victims of deceit, scams, harassment and abuse. Grant to us all, O Father, a
deepened sense of respect for every individual in public or private life.
Forgiving God Hear our prayers.

Kingswood We prayer for our church here at Kingswood. As we go forward into our
new church year, give us a sense of new beginnings in our spiritual life. We ask a blessing
on our new minister, Rev Tony Malcolm as he begins his ministry here and in the Trent Valley Circuit. We pray that he and his family will soon feel at home among us.
We remember those unable to attend worship: the lonely, the disabled the sick, both in
hospital and at home. In a moment of silence we name in our hearts those known to us.

Grant healing, O Lord administered by gentle, caring hands.
Forgiving God Hear our prayer

Ourselves We pray that we may look to the future with optimism in our hearts, and
that we do our best to accept challenges to our way of thinking. May we all know the
presence of the Holy Spirit of God. Unchanging in our changing world,
Forgiving God Hear our prayers

The Lord hears our prayers. Thanks be to God. Amen ​

Blessing
Go out as forgiven people, as true disciples of Jesus.
He calls us to be generous, loving, merciful and forgiving
and blesses us with grace and truth and courage,
So go in the name of Christ - thankfully, faithfully and joyfully.
Amen.

​Your life is like this book. In the eyes of Jesus, by choosing to follow him, you are making a clean start -
turning over a new leaf/page.

​Happy new year!
Thoughts about our Methodist Heritage & what makes us
different and distinctive.
I wish us all a happy new year, filled with blessings, challenges
and encouragements - to the glory of God.

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open, all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy Name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Let us confess our sins to God.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you
in thought and word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy,
forgive what we have been, help us to amend what
we are, and direct what we shall be;
that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen

If we confess our sins,
God is faithful and just
and will forgive our sins,
and cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
Amen. Thanks be to God.

Gracious God,
whose love for the world is revealed in your
Son our Saviour:
grant that he may live in our hearts by faith,
and be proclaimed in our lives by love;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be glory and praise, now and for ever.
Amen.

Ezekiel 33:7-11 New International Version
​7 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give
them warning from me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not
speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold
you accountable for their blood. 9 But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not
do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.
10 “Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we
are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?”’ 11 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares
the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways
and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’

StF 652 Lord we come to ask your healing

Matthew 18:15-20 New International Version Dealing With Sin in the Church
15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you,
you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may
be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; 
and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth
will be loosed in heaven.
19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by
my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Romans 13:8-14 New International Version Love Fulfills the Law
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others
has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall
not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one
command: “Love your neighbor as yourself. 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment
of the law.
The Day Is Near11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up
from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over;
the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us
behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery,
not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about
how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Children, Young people &; Education System - Turning over a new leaf.
New Academic Year started: -
New year, New teacher, new school building, new equipment.
Compare 2 note books - one used, scribbled in; the other brand new.
Your life is like this book. In the eyes of Jesus, by choosing to follow him, you are making a clean start
- turning over a new leaf/page.
Clean starts are great - if you had a bad year .
What didnt go too well last year? Let;s start again…

Enjoy your new year. Remember we are here for you, and I hope
we;ll have the opportunity for you to share with us some of the
things you will learn.

Reflections - Tough love and the church
Ezekiel tells us about love and the rest of the world.
What happens when we have a message for the world and fail to give it?
What happens when we give the message and the people dont listen?
In Romans Paul writes to this persecuted church about Love and the Law. Love is the fulfilling of the Law.
This is the direct response to the people who say Christianity is about all the things we can;t do ....
Don’t have any other gods, don;t murder, don;t covet, . …
Yes, the law give us boundaries .. where there seems to be no law – the people behave
intolerably. (Fear of punishment controls behaviour).
But we;re also given open invitations to join in God;s mission​
In Matthew we have Jesus teaching about tough love.
What do you do with someone whose actions are potentially
destructive to the life of the fellowship/members of the
fellowship - or even that person him/herself?
We are given a reasonable process. With the promise that we
are not alone, and resources can be available if we learn how to ask:
If 2 agree about anything you ask for - it will be done...
(How easy is it to agree on something?)
Over the coming weeks and months we’ll learn more about this
asking, this being together – not just physically in the same
space, but of one mind, one purpose, one will, one Spirit.
Where 2 or 3 come together in Jesus; name, he;s promised to be there with them.
So, today - at this moment - as we are gathered - The Lord is here; His spirit is with us …
Amen!

StF 615 Let love be real

We pray for other people
God, most gracious and most holy,
grant us the help of your Spirit
as we pray for the Church and the world.
We pray for the Church in every land . . .
for this church and for other local churches
that we may worship and serve you
with reverence and joy.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
We pray for the peoples of the world . . .
and for the leaders of the nations . . .
that all may work together for justice
and peace.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us
We pray for those who are ill
or distressed . . .
for the lonely and the bereaved . . .
and for those in any other need or trouble . . .
that they may be comforted and sustained.
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us
Father, we remember before you
all your servants who have died in the
faith of Christ . . .
We pray that we too may lead faithful and
godly lives in this world,
and finally share with all the saints
in everlasting joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

The blessing of God,
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
remain with you always. Amen.

Go in peace in the power of the Spiri
to live and work to God's praise and glory.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

Opening Prayers
Let us meet Jesus; in him we see God.
Let us seek his presence as a friend.
Let us follow him for his way is life and truth.
He will bring us where we need to be
to do God’s work and be God’s people.
Lord Jesus,
we come together in your presence.
We ask for courage to take steps
towards places we cannot yet see,
and do things we cannot even imagine,
and could not do without you.
Help us all to help each other
as we travel that path and follow you.
Amen.

Great Is thy faithfulness 51 Singing the Faith

Matthew 16:21-28 New International Version
Jesus Predicts His Death
21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many
things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and
on the third day be raised to life.
22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have
in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their
cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me
will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can
anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his
angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming
in his kingdom.”

From heaven you came, helpless babe 272 Singing the Faith

Message
​Today, we’re looking at a crucial question of our Christian faith: What does it mean to follow Jesus?

In today’s gospel reading (Matthew 16:21-28), we get a statement from Jesus that answers this
question in a very clear, simple, but challenging way. Jesus says: “If any want to become my
followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

So, today we dive into this, and explore what Jesus is teaching us about what it means to be his
follower, what it means to be a Christian. And this statement has three dimensions to it, so let’s
take each of them in turn. We’re going to start by looking at the first two.

First, Jesus teaches that we must deny ourselves. This is definitely not a popular teaching in our
world today! It never has been. It won’t win you an election. It won’t make you famous. And we
don’t hear it anywhere else but in church. If you go on the internet and search for websites or
YouTube videos that teach you how to deny yourself, about all you will find is this teaching from
Jesus.
So, what is Jesus talking about here? I think he simply means that there are times when we must say
“no” to ourselves in order to say “yes” to God. It’s really that simple.

And maybe you even did that today. You came here this morning, you’re watching or reading this
sometime, when you didn’t have to - but you did it anyway. If that’s the case, then you denied

yourself, at least on a small scale. And I think that is some of what Jesus is talking about. Sometimes
we must say no to ourselves in order to say yes to God.

I also think that, on a deeper level, Jesus is saying that we must deny our false selves in order to truly
be the person God created us to be. What is our false self? It’s the self that is governed by the
world’s standards. It is the self that equates success with happiness. The self that believes that the
one who literally ends up with the most toys wins. The self that thinks that things like more money,
more power, and more pleasure are what will bring more peace.
Isn’t this all our false self? And only when we deny it can we become our true self, the person that
God has created us to be. We don’t have to be anything different from who we truly are. But we’ll
never discover and accept who we truly are until we deny the false self that we all have. That is step
one to following Jesus.

“If any want to become my followers,” Jesus says, “let them deny themselves and take up their cross
and follow me.” If denying ourselves is unpopular these days, then how about taking up our cross?
And what does that even mean?

One thing we all learn in life is that not all crosses that we take up are voluntary. Sometimes a cross
is placed on our shoulders that we didn’t ask for. Any unsettling health diagnosis, the death of a
loved one, the loss of a job – these, to me, are crosses that we don’t ask for. But when we accept
them, and trust God to be with us through them, then we are taking them up as crosses. They are
not God’s punishment – I don’t believe that – but when we can accept them, we can begin to see
God at work in them.
There are, of course, many other crosses that are voluntary. Tasks, for example, that we know will
be difficult, but that we choose to do anyway, because we believe that God wants us to. There are
many stories of people, putting themselves in harm’s way on our behalf. Think of Sergeant Graham
Saville who died just this week after being hit by train while he helped a distressed man.

But another thing that I have become convinced of is that the cross that we are asked to take up by
Jesus changes over our lifetime. The cross that you are asked to take up as a young person is very
different from the cross that you are asked to take up as an older person. As a young person, your
cross might mean standing up for what you believe, even when it’s unpopular. It might mean saying
no to friends, even when it threatens your friendship.
If you get close to someone, live with a partner, there are new crosses, including those times when
you are called to put thar person’s needs and interests before your own. If you have children, there
are new crosses as well. Including caring about your child so much that it hurts you when they are
hurt. As you continue to age, new crosses present themselves. Giving up independence, as you no
longer are able to drive. Learning to humble yourself and rely on others for help.

And, again, these crosses are not always voluntary. But part of what it means to follow Jesus, I
believe, is to try to accept them gracefully, and humbly, and courageously. Accept the cross, trust
Jesus, and follow him. And when we do this, we’ll be telling the world much more about what we
believe than any words we might say.

​The truth is that I don’t know what cross you are being asked to bear right now. But I do know that
there is a cross that is yours and no one else’s. There was a cross that was only for Jesus. There was a
cross that was only for his first disciples. There is a cross that is only for me. And there is a cross that
is only for you. And if we want to follow Jesus, we must take it up. Take up our cross.

But as we do this, and choose to take up our cross, let us remember the third and final aspect of
what Jesus is teaching us today about what it means to follow him: That we deny ourselves and take
up our cross in order to follow him. And that means that when we do this, Jesus himself will be with
us. He will be leading us. And he will help us do what he asks.

With Jesus leading us, we can deny ourselves and take up our cross. Without Jesus, it would be far
too difficult. But he doesn’t ask us to do this alone. He invites us to follow him, which means to be
with him.

This brings to mind for me another invitation that Jesus makes. He also invites all that are weary and
carrying heavy burdens to come to him, and he will give you rest. Take his yoke upon you, he says,
and learn from him. For his yoke is easy and his burden is light.

When we are yoked with Jesus, we no longer do whatever we want and go wherever we want. We
are denying ourselves. And we are taking up this burden, this cross.

But Jesus takes it up with us. And that makes the cross bearable. Denying ourselves and taking up
our cross means being yoked with Jesus. It means losing one life, but it means finding another. It
means losing the life that leads to despair and emptiness, but it means finding the life that leads to
hope and meaning.

And the only way to find this life, is to deny ourselves, and take up our cross, and follow Jesus. So let
us try to do so, to the glory of God. Amen

Father hear the prayer we offer 518 Singing the Faith

Intercession Prayer

Loving God, it’s tempting to try to blame you when we see the problems in our
world today. We see so much pain and sadness, hunger, starvation, trauma
and displacement because of war, terrorism and natural disasters. In the past
few weeks and months, we’ve witnessed earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and
wildfires graphically displayed in the news on our TV screens. We pray today
for all people and creatures who are suffering in the aftermath or as a result of
all these things. We pray for those who have lost their homes and all that they
have, we pray for persecuted people and refugees throughout the world. Help
us to be understanding, loving and welcoming to those who arrive in our towns
and cities and to listen to their stories.
Help us to be the answer to our own prayers, to make a difference where we
are, with the people you give us to share life with. May we hate what is evil
and hold on to what is good. Help us to rejoice in hope, to be patient in
suffering, and to persevere in prayer. Show us opportunities to contribute to
the needs of all people; so that we can offer hospitality to strangers and live
together in peace.
We pray for wisdom and honesty among world leaders and all who hold
positions of power and authority. May all people working for the benefit of
others find the courage to stand up for those with no voice of their own
whatever the cost.
We think of people close to us who are suffering. Those who are sick, those
who have lost loved ones and mourn for them, and those who find it hard to
forgive those who have caused their pain. Help us to demonstrate in our own
lives that forgiveness brings healing: that the words ‘I’m sorry’ can close an
open wound.
Loving God, we hold on to the promises that you have given us that evil will
not win and that you will protect us. We know that you did not promise us that
our journey with you would be easy or free from pain and suffering, but we
give thanks that you are with us whatever our circumstances. By the power of
your Holy Spirit, help us, in our lives to see the world through your eyes. “So let
us learn how to serve and in our lives enthrone him, each other’s needs to
prefer, for it is Christ we are serving.” In his name, we bring our prayers to you
today. Amen​
​
Lords prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
 Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen

O Jesus I have promised 563 Singing the Faith

Blessing
Go out to follow Jesus further.
He won’t go out of your sight.
He will always be there if you look.
Look hard, because he may not be where you expect.
But where he is, is where you – we – want and need to be.
Amen.