Look after one another

Holy Friend, because we did not create ourselves, because we do not understand ourselves,
because we cannot reconcile ourselves, we come to you for Divine help.

Theme: Look after each other and love one another
Call to Worship
The Psalmist says: “I love the Lord because he heard my voice. He heard my cry for his help. Because he
paid attention to me, I will call out to him as long as I live”.

There’s a wideness in God’s mercy (StF 416ii Corvedale)

​Prayers
Can it be true, Lord?
That you, the creator of the whole universe, think of us as your very special friends,
and that you want us to think of you in that way too. 
Can it be, true, Lord, that you have chosen asked to be your friends
because you want to spend time with us and join in what we are doing?
Can it be, true, Lord, that you will stick with us even when other friends dump us,
that you will stand up for us even when others are nasty to us,
and that you will never leave us?
Thank you, Lord, for your friendship.
Thank you for Jesus, who has made this friendship possible for us.
Thank you for the Bible that helps our relationship to grow.
Thank you for your Holy Spirit who reminds us of your love for us.
We rejoice, that because of Jesus, we now have you as our special friend.
 
Holy Friend,
because we did not create ourselves,
because we do not understand ourselves,
because we cannot reconcile ourselves,
we come to you for Divine help.
 
Merciful God, Creator and Redeemer,
you know us completely and love us utterly.
There is not a thought or feeling,
word, action, memory or hope,
that you do not see and understand.
Please forgive our sins and remove our shame,
heal us and restore us,
strengthen our faith and enlarge our love.
Let all that is true, beautiful and compassionate
Be known in us, that we may look after each other and love one another.
For your name’s sake.
Amen

 It is written: Christ Jesus did not come to this world to condemn us,
but that the world through him might be rescued and healed.
His word gives us confidence to declare to we are forgiven and loved by God.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

Our God is a great big God (StF 61

Reading Matthew 9:35-10:8
New International VersionThe Workers Are Few35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in
their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When
​he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without
a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of
the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out
impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James
son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James
son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town
of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom
of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.
Freely you have received; freely give

.Talk 1 ('We will speak of the love of God')
Father, may my spoken words, be faithful to your written word and lead us to the living Word, even our Lord
Jesus. Amen.
Vision
I was in the Market Square on Thursday evening at 5:30pm to stand with those who were grieving over the events
of this week. I saw young and old, men and women, all skin tones, some wearing uniforms, some work
clothes, others casual wear, gathering for a common purpose. Nottingham Together in the glare of National
Media supporting the families of Barnaby, Grace and Ian. Expressing shock, grief, fighting back tears,
confusion, devastation, the senselessness of lives cut short. I wake up to BBC Radio Nottingham in the
mornings, which too has been sombre and reflective, expressing the mood of the city at this time. The number
of people those 3 souls have had a direct and indirect impact on is staggering. Ian’s son in particular was moved
by the number of tributes from past school children who had been helped out of toilets and other things that only
​ a caring caretaker can do.
As Jesus went throughout the cities, towns and villages, Jesus saw the crowds. This is not a minor detail.
Many people go through life wondering if anyone sees, if anyone notices. A heart-breaking letter left with the
flowers at the University read, ‘I don’t know what to do, I have to write this because I have no friends, I have
no-one to talk to,’ Barnaby’s mother said: “It was an outpouring of love and support and confusion and anger
and grief” and she assured them that they do have friends, because they have friends in them.”
The crowds Jesus saw were “helpless and harassed” the verbs used in Greek could be translated more literally
as “whipped or flayed” and “thrown down”. Jesus describes them “like sheep without a shepherd”, no one
to protect them, no one to provide for them.  Sheep are not well equipped to care for themselves and those
who wander off from the flock becomes targets.
Jesus does not name the source of their harassment, but it is not hard to imagine. Simply look around today.
Some are tossed about by injustice, grief, and abuse of authority. Others are beaten by disease, economic
strain, and isolation. Everyone is harassed by a natural tendency to respond with anger, fear, and arrogance,
which is why visual displays of togetherness are so powerful and we need to say things like “Hold no hate in your hearts”.
Until something like this happens, the problem, in part, is many people do not see. Perhaps they cannot,
having never put themselves in the position to see. Perhaps they will not, refusing to look outside their own lives
and their own bubbles. Wherever and whenever, Jesus sees. He sees the crowds. He sees their helplessness. He
sees those who are harassing them, and He does not look away. This is not surprising, for He is the Son of the
​ One who sees all things—good, bad, and ugly.
The Psalmist prays to God in Psalm 139 “You have looked deep into my heart, Lord, and you know all about
me. You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts. You
notice everything I do and everywhere I go.”
Compassion
Truly seeing others and their difficulties is the starting point. But if being seen is not accompanied by being helped,
it does not do much.  Having seen the crowds, Jesus has compassion. “he felt deep concern
for them” Compassion literally means “He suffers with them” from the Latin com·passio. In this sense, the
suffering of Jesus is not limited to the events of Holy Week at the end of his earthly life. It encompasses His
entire ministry. Jesus came among us to suffer with us before He suffered on the cross for us.
Standing in solidarity on Thursday, even though I didn’t personally know Ian, Barnaby, or Grace, or any of
their friends and families is a gesture of suffering with others. Generally, we are not as good at suffering with
others as we should be. But we must continue to work at it if we are to look after one another and love one
another. Jesus summarised the 10 commandments by saying “Love God” and “Love Others”. We love God by
loving our neighbours. Loving means supporting them, helping them, speaking well of them, and thinking the best
of them, even if they are noisy, inconsiderate, involved in things that we hate. We will fall short, of course we
​will - but that should not stop us trying, again and again. 
Even though we fail, Jesus does not fall short. Jesus sees us. He is not filled with disgust. His skin does not crawl.
His stomach does not turn. Jesus understands us. He looks on us with compassion. He protects and provides for
us as the Good Shepherd we have been missing and his words to us today are “I am the good
shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”.

Prayer of Confession
Holy Friend,
because we did not create ourselves,
because we do not understand ourselves,
because we cannot reconcile ourselves,
we come to you for Divine help.
 
Merciful God, Creator and Redeemer,
you know us completely and love us utterly.
There is not a thought or feeling,
word, action, memory or hope,
that you do not see and understand.
Please forgive our sins and remove our shame, heal us and restore us,
strengthen our faith and enlarge our love.
Let all that is true, beautiful and compassionate be known in us,
that we may look after each other and love one another.
 
It is written: Christ Jesus did not come to this world to condemn us,
but that the world through him might be rescued and healed.
His word gives us confidence to declare to we are forgiven and loved by God.
Thanks be to God. Amen.

I'm accepted, I’m forgiven (StF 427

Talk 2 ​Gathering
The compassion of Jesus, which arises from seeing the suffering of the crowds, leads Him to gather. He begins
by gathering the twelve disciples. He says to them “The harvest is huge. But there are only a few workers. So,
ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers out into his harvest field.” If you watch the news, your
response should be to see that the harvest is plentiful. If you look at your community, your response would be
to see that the harvest is plentiful. As Robert Kolb, a world-renowned authority on Martin Luther says: “we worship
a God of conversation and community”. That is, God continually speaks and continually gathers. Our Methodist
way of Life encourages us to “speak of the love of God” Our gatherings are an opportunity to speak of the love
of God.
One of the things highlighted by the COVID 19 pandemic is the importance of gathering. Being unable to gather for
a while has made the experience of being together even more valuable. Something we would have taken
for granted and maybe not appreciated in 2019 should be treasured and valued today in a new light. How
many “gatherings” or groups are we part of I wonder. Colleagues we work with, U3A groups, Parent &
Toddler groups, Book Clubs, Probus Clubs, Sports Clubs, Slimming Clubs. I expect just counting the number of
people we each meet during the week compared to the number of us here this morning would be quite
​substantial. Our harvest field is huge, even though we feel small gathered here today.
Our task is to ask “the Lord of the harvest” for the words of love and compassion we need at every opportunity.
To speak of the love of God, we need to understand the context of our gathering. Even if we are gathering for
a common purpose, there will be diverse and complex needs represented in that gathering We need to notice,
care and embrace them with the love of God by simply speaking to them, sharing how we ourselves have felt
seen by Jesus and how he cares for us.
Speaking of our experiences of being loved by God will shine his light into every darkness. There is no need for
need to convince or argue. Being present, seeing the need, and speaking of God’s love is all that is required.
God’s Holy Spirit does all the hard stuff for us. Then, when we gather as God’s people, we must be careful
to remember that Jesus does not gather the disciples for their own benefit; not primarily, at least. He gathers
them so He might send them.
Sending
Have you noticed in our reading today that Jesus gives his disciples another name? This is the only time
in Matthew’s Gospel where the twelve are called “apostles”. This literally means “one who is sent out.”. On
this occasion, Jesus sends the Apostles to cast out demons and heal diseases. Jesus sent the Apostles to do
what he had come to do: To see, to have compassion, to gather, and to send. During World War II, a French
village lost a beloved statue of Christ in a bombing raid. The villagers managed to rebuild the statue, all except for
its hands. Those pieces were never found in the rubble. Finally, the villagers placed a plaque on the statue with
​ the inscription, “I have no hands but yours.”
Jesus continues to send His people to see others, especially those that are often overlooked like the widow,
the orphan, and all who suffer injustice as human beings. He continues to send His people to have compassion
 on those who are helpless and harassed; to suffer with them and help them bear their burdens. He continues
to send His people to speak words of love, life and forgiveness that not only allows God to work in the hearts
of individuals, but also gather them together for life as His body, the Church, with Christ as the Head. God
continues to send His people to continue sending others until all have heard and believed and come together in
His name. Paul sent a young woman, Phoebe to explain to the church in Rome: “How can people have faith in
the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear
unless someone tells them? 15 And how can anyone tell them without being sent by the Lord? The
Scriptures say it is a beautiful sight to see even the feet of someone coming to preach the good news”.
We are familiar with the Great Commission or “Sending” in Matthew 28 “Go to the people of all nations and
make them my disciples.” In a sense, this week’s reading gives us the background. Before the sending is
the gathering. Before the gathering is the compassion. Before the compassion is the seeing. And it all starts with
a gracious God. Vision, Compassion, Gathering, Sending, that is the movement of Jesus’ response to those who
are harassed and helpless. It is the movement of God’s interaction with His fractured and fallen creation, and
the movement of our Christian life. Jesus sends us to do the same in our own little circles of influence. Let us no
t be afraid to see and hear the need, empathise and suffer alongside people, and speak of how we experience
God’s love as we look after each other and love one another in the name of Jesus. Amen.
​
O breath of life, come sweeping through us (StF 391

Prayers for others.
Let us seek God’s help for the church and the world, for individuals and communities, for the famous and
​ the obscure.
 Let us pray:
 For those who have power without the wisdom to use it well,
and for those who have wisdom without the power to apply it.
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
For people who want to learn but have no teacher,
and some who have much to teach but no one will listen to them.
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
For some people who are famous yet long for some privacy,
and some who are lonely and long for recognition and company.
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
For those who are too tender-hearted and need to be toughened
and for those who are tough and need to be made gentle.
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
For people who are dying with no one to mourn them,
and for those who mourn with no one to comfort them.
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
We pray for our city of Nottingham, that we may be united in our grief for the events of this week:
For the families and friends of Barnaby, Grace and Ian.
For those recovering in hospital
For all those that have witnessed, investigated and helped,
For the University students and school children grieving
For the teachers and chaplains that support them, for Jo and Deacon Sian.
For the person who committed these crimes and those who know and love him.
 
L: Holy Friend, hear our prayer,
R: Loving God make us into a blessing.
 
Holy Friend, you love all as one human family, yet deal with us individually,
as if we were the only child you have.
Please give to us your generous and practical spirit,
so that our prayers may be converted into deeds, day by day.
through Christ Jesus our Redeemer. 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

Love divine, all loves excelling (StF 503)

Blessing & Grace
Travel lightly, lest under the weight of status and possessions we come to a standstill.
Travel boldly, for we are apostles of a Christ who has overcome the worst the world can give.
Travel humbly, for as friends of Jesus no service is too menial and no person is unworthy of help.
Travel joyfully, for when the road is rough and the night dark we shall never travel on our own.
Live within the peace of God, that the love of Christ may nourish you and the strength of the Spirit be your
power and grace. Amen.
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all,
​ evermore. Amen