Have you heard

​Over the last few days and no doubt during the coming week. Many will be saying
“Have you heard?” As they say what their exam results are - for good or ill!

StF ​90 Sweet is the Work

Prayer
Your people have praised you down the years Lord and so do we. They knew You as their guide, their
strength and ever present with them in every situation - so they could do nothing else but be filled with
praise and we are as well. But we haven’t just heard but we have experienced You as our living Lord
day by day and experienced Your blessings this last week so we have to thank as well as praise You.
However we do fail You at times and are slow to acknowledge You, we are quick to take credit for
ourselves and for get Your Living Presence. But even as we say sorry we know that Your Love is
beyond compare and You are willing to accept us. The words of the hymn true as when written “Jesus
hath died and risen again pardon and peace to bestow” and it’s in that confidence that we bring our
worship to You asking that through the words below Your Name might be Glorified 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

StF ​440 Amazing Grace

2 Chronicles 9:1-12 New International Version
The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon9 When the queen of Sheba heard of Solomon’s fame, she came to
Jerusalem to test him with hard questions. Arriving with a very great caravan—with camels carrying
spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all
she had on her mind. 2 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for him to explain to her.
 3 When the queen of Sheba saw the wisdom of Solomon, as well as the palace he had built, 4 the food on
his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, the cupbearers in their robes
and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.
5 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your
wisdom is true. 6 But I did not believe what they said until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not
even half the greatness of your wisdom was told me; you have far exceeded the report I heard. 7 How
happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and
hear your wisdom! 8 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on his throne
 as king to rule for the Lord your God. Because of the love of your God for Israel and his desire to uphold
them forever, he has made you king over them, to maintain justice and righteousness.”
9 Then she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. There had never
been such spices as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
10 (The servants of Hiram and the servants of Solomon brought gold from Ophir; they also brought algumwood 
and precious stones. 11 The king used the algumwood to make steps for the temple of the Lord and for the
royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. Nothing like them had ever been seen in Judah.)
12 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for; he gave her more than she had
brought to him. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

Romans 10:14-18 New International Version
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom
they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone
preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news! 
16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:
“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.''

StF 639 Through the Love

Prayer
Yes Lord we know that we can have confidence in You. You have never failed us and Your strength
has always been available for us. We lift upto You those who this day need to have that confidence.
They may need Your guiding hand as they make decisions, they may need Your strength as they face
challenges and they may need to be reminded of Your presence as they feel forgotten or alone this
day.
We particularly remember (along with those we name in our hearts) those facing changes to their lives
and new challenges as they move into a new Methodist Year, those who have or will receive exam
results, those caught up in warfare, those rebuilding their lives after natural disasters.
Finally we bring ourselves to You asking for Your guiding hand, the knowledge of Your strength in all
we will face this coming week and that You will continue to work through us
Above all we ask that Your will might be done through out the World
Amen

StF 666 Master speak

​Prayer:- Come Lord and Fill us, Guide us and Bless us throughout this coming week Amen

Sermon
Text Words of Queen of Sheba ‘I did not believe their words until I saw with mine own eyes’

I Chron IX v6

Introduction:- Over the last few days and no doubt during the coming week. Many will be saying
“Have you heard?” As they say what their exam results are - for good or ill! With the start to the
season for two clubs - both of which I grew up with - many have been saying “Have you heard?” How
they are playing, how the injuries are mounting and how they were when they played against each
other. Never mind it will improve (or so we trust!!).
How Word spread in Scripture:-
Have you heard?
In the Old Testament word often spread as to what God’s servants were saying and what they were
doing. Sometimes the word spread to individuals - the servant girl and Nathan “Have you heard of
what the Lord can do?”. The challenge to the Kings of Judah and Israel when they didn’t walk in God’s
way nor listen to His Word. Sometimes it spread to other countries - yes even to Sheba!
In N.T. during Jesus’ earthly ministry how often did word spread from one to another ‘Have you heard
of this Jesus?” His preaching - speaking with power asking God’s Word live. His healing, His
friendship, His reflection of God’s Love.
Paul reflected the importance of telling and hearing in our New Testament Lesson and we remind
ourselves of it with many of the hymns that we have sung down the years ( I have put in brackets
where you can find them if you wish to remind yourself of them)
I love to hear the story (M.H.B. 856)
Tell me the Old old story (M.H.B.161)
Tell me the stories of Jesus (M.H.B. 858)
We’ve a story to tell to the Nations (M.P. 261)
But Queen of Sheba came and saw for herself she experienced - what she had heard about. Healing
came in the story of Nathan not when heard but when experienced and washed in obedience to what
told. The effect during Jesus’ ministry was when the crowds experienced him for themselves. On the
first Pentecost the assembled disciples and crowd didn’t just hear - nor tell - but experienced for
themselves.
But beyond that they Queen of Sheba came. The crowds came and heard experienced for
themselves.

Naaman when told and heard - but then obeyed and experienced
On the first Pentecost - as gathered in Jerusalem - experienced for themselves.
It has been, is and will continue to be for ourselves. We don’t just hear, don’t just tell but we
experience - as individuals and God’s Fellowship - His Love, power and acceptance for ourselves.
Typical Andrew referring to a hymn again but if you look at Hark the Gospel News is sounding (M.H.B.
315) as we move through the hymn we move through from telling, to hearing onto experiencing.
Then a call comes to us not just to hear, tell and experience but to actually Live the story. Allow God to
work through us, to strengthen us, to fill us with His presence and Reflect His Love through us. Thus
giving the opportunity for more to hear, tell and experience what He has to offer to all who will respond.
No doubt the question will continue to come “ Have you heard?” May we continue to ask the question
“have you heard?” Also “have you experienced?”
May it continue to be true of us that:-
We love to hear the story
We love to tell the story
We love to experience the story
We love to live the story
Amen

 StF 67 This This is the God

Blessing

Go and proclaim the Gospel,
through what you say,
what you do,
and who you are.
May others, as they meet with you,
meet with Christ,
and know his living presence for themselves.
Amen