Who is this man Jesus?

​Lord Jesus Christ, Messiah, name above all names,
we worship and adore you for revealing yourself to us,

Call to Worship
Come, let us find God’s true Messiah, and offer worship. Then God will be our strength, and Jesus
our confidence, as we engage with the world and all its needs.

Hymn Stf 45 Earth’s creator, everyday God

Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, Messiah, name above all names,
we worship and adore you for revealing yourself to us,
becoming one of us and calling each of us by name.
In you, we discover who we truly are,
for you lead us to become the people you mean us to be,
one with you and with one another in your Church.
Lord, we confess that sometimes we lose sight of who you are.
We forget about you, or we take you for granted,
failing to recognise or acknowledge that you are the Messiah.
We also forget who we are in you;
where we fit into your Church, who you mean us to be.
We are distracted by the world and its problems and temptations.
We turn back to you, Lord,
seeking to renew our relationship with you.
We want to realise our full potential in you,
to grow and move forward, making right choices and decisions,
living in you, and you in us.
Amen.
​
Hymn Stf 594 Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us

Reading Matthew 16 v 13 – 20
13  When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his
disciples, ‘Who do people say the Son of Man is?’
14  They replied, ‘Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others,
Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’
15  ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’
16  Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’
17  Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed
to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.  18  And I tell you that you
are Peter, [b]  and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades [c]  will
not overcome it.  19  I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever
you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth
will be loosed in heaven.’  20  Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone
that he was the Messiah.

​Hymn Stf 689 Summoned by the God who made us

​Message
Do you sometimes think that the world has got the Church all wrong?
Christians are often accused of being pious fools who think it isn’t their job to
get stuck into the world’s troubles but to wait for God to do something. This
week’s Gospel passage shows just how wrong such Christians would be – if
there really are any. On the one hand the disciples are told that Jesus is ‘the
Messiah, the Son of the living God’, and therefore invested with God’s power.
On the other, they’re not to make any great claims as followers of a divine
leader, but to think and pray and support one another under Peter’s leadership
as they work out how to bring in the kingdom. Peter and the others will be
responsible for doing this because, from here on, there will be no more signs
and wonders: those to whom insight has been given by God’s grace have
realised who Jesus is. The rest of humanity are to be convinced by human
means, by the moral choices Jesus’ followers make, in the strength of their
convictions.
 
Then again, we might think back to last year (2022) when churches, and in
particular certain church leaders, were accused of the opposite fault – not of
inactivity, but of taking their courage in both hands and being too active in
political debate, taking issue with what they saw as dishonesty, self-
indulgence, callousness or greed among those in positions of power and
authority. Should the scheme to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda have been
allowed? Was there the greatest integrity in high places? Should the

Government have been more active in providing sustained support to those
really struggling with the cost of living? Did we play the right role in the conflict
in Ukraine (whether militarily, or in response to the many refugees)? No doubt,
people with different political views will offer different answers to particular
questions. The point is, in the light of today’s Bible passage, that it is hard to
say that religious leaders should not exercise their right to raise such issues.
To all intents and purposes, Jesus was a political figure who challenged both
religious and secular leaders in Israel during his lifetime. May each one of us
have the courage to do likewise and stand for justice as we journey with him
today and in the future.

Hymn Stf 713 Show me how to stand for justice

​Prayer
​ Everlasting God, we thank you for the gift of your Son Jesus Christ and
for revealing him as Messiah and Saviour of the World.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer.
Everlasting God, we thank you for those early disciples like Peter who gave us
the gift of the universal church.  We pray for all who preach your word. Inspire,
lead, and help us to grow as disciples as we reach out to those in need in our
communities and in our world.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer.
Creator God, we pray for our world leaders, for our national and community
leaders and for those in public office dealing with difficult situations. May they
act with honesty and integrity to give justice for all people.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer.
Father God, we pray for our young people. Those who have received exam
results as they plan for their future and those who are preparing to return or
go to new schools, colleges, and universities to continue their education  Help
all students in their daily lessons; give them the wisdom to listen and learn. 
Help their teachers and give them patience and knowledge to teach well and
help them all as together they learn the lessons of life. Lord in
your mercy: Hear our prayer.
Loving God, we ask for your wisdom to discern your wishes and direction in our
lives and ask for your help to know how to relate to all people we meet each
day.  May we never be a “stumbling block” to others.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer.
Gracious God, we pray for all who we know who are housebound and in
nursing homes; those in hospitals, in recovery and rehabilitation. We thank you
for our local hospitals, health centres and clinics and for all those working in
the caring professions both there and in sheltered accommodation, care
homes and our communities.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer.
Merciful God, we pray for all those who have died and for those who mourn
the loss of friends and loved ones. Help us to be sympathetic, caring and loving
with the bereaved and always ready to help practically and to pray diligently in
their time of greatest need.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our prayer.
Holy God, we thank you that your wisdom not only enlightens us but
transforms us and guides us as we approach this coming week on our journey
with you.
Loving God. Accept our prayers in the name of your Son our Saviour Jesus
Christ. 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
​
 Hymn Stf 608 All praise to our redeeming Lord

Blessing
Go back to the daily round of life
and may what you have learned here,
transform all that you do and experience there.
In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. Amen

Compiled and produced by ''Five Ducks''