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. StF 136 Morning has broken 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 Prayers (based on H&P 407, The law of Christ alone ) & LP The law of Christ alone can make us free, And love is the fulfilling of the law. Sisters and brothers are we as God’s children But will the parenthood of God be known If we do not reflect his love to others? In charity and justice God is shown The law of Christ alone can make us free And love is the fulfilling of the law. Millions believe the law of life is cunning Within a world of cruelty and greed; How can they know God’s charity and justice If helping hands have never reached their need? The law of Christ alone can make us free And love is the fulfilling of the law. Christ is at work through us who are his body: He chooses us to witness and to teach, To heal and raise and liberate and strengthen, To be his hands and eyes, his heart and speech: The law of Christ alone can make us free And love is the fulfilling of the law. There is no promise that we shall not suffer, No promise that we shall not need to fight; Only the word that love is our redemption, And freedom comes by turning to the light. The law of Christ alone can make us free And love is the fulfilling of the law. The 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 30 Jesus stand among us 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 StF 608 All praise to our redeeming Lord 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.
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“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. 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'' 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 Jesus calls us to walk with him. To each one of us he says “come!” StF 250 Jesus calls us! O’er the tumult Prayer Loving God, you remind us over and over in your Word that you are always with us. You tell us not to fear and you draw us close into your Presence. You are the only place we find refuge in the storms that surround us and the only place we can find peace and strength. We ask you for your words of truth and power to strengthen us and we lift our hearts to you. Thank you for your goodness and thank you that you know the journey that we undertake. Forgive us when we ignore your call, when we choose to go our own way, when our attitudes and unkind behaviour and words cause hurt to others and when we are blind to the injustice, suffering and pain experienced by so many in this cruel, unkind world. Help us to open our minds and our hearts and to be beacons of your light and love to others. In the name of your dear son Jesus. Amen Reading. Matthew 14 v 22 -33 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?” Hymn StF 629 God of my faith, I offer you my doubt. Message Jesus had been busy feeding the five thousand and caring for them. Afterwards he needed time alone with God his father. So, he sent the crowds away and the disciples off in their boat and went up a mountain to pray. We all need regular contact with God when our lives are at their busiest – time for renewal and rest. Jesus was alone that evening and the disciples got caught up in a terrifying storm, their boat battered by the wind and waves. Our lives are sometimes like that too – peaceful one day and then overwhelmed by problems and difficulties – our personal storms. For the disciples Jesus was there – he came when they needed his calming presence. Perhaps he had realised that the wind had become so violent that they could be in danger. We are told that he walked on the water – however he got there he came with those reassuring words “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Those words are ours to grasp too – during our own “storms” in life Jesus is there just waiting for us to call upon him. Peter was so relieved and excited to see Jesus that his fears left him briefly and he wanted to get across the water to reach him. Jesus invited him to “come” and Peter started the journey before being overwhelmed by his own fears and beginning to sink. Isn’t that a parallel with what happens to us at times? We need to turn to Jesus just as Peter did and have the courage to say “Lord, save me.” The logo of the World Council of Churches is perhaps appropriately of a boat on a stormy sea and this reading reminds us that however small our faith God is with us and ready to uphold us as we go through the challenges of our own lives. Julian of Norwich or Mother Julian Lived in the 14 th century as an “Anchoress” or religious recluse and lived through the Black Death – the pandemic of bubonic plague which killed millions of people around the world. She was critically ill and almost died at the age of 30 but the visions she had at that time led to the strengthening of her faith and her writings which still exist today. One of those says “he did not say, ‘you shall not be tempest tossed; you shall not be work-weary; you shall not be distressed’. But he did say, ‘you shall not be overcome’.” She was acutely aware of God’s love, of his power and of his presence. The RNLI is the United Kingdom’s Sea rescue service, and it will sometimes simply “stand by” and keep watch on a boat or ship in trouble ready to intervene if the situation deteriorates and it is called upon to help. Our God could be said to always be on standby too. In Hebrews 13 v 5 we are told that God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” We do not have to face our troubles alone, but we do need to trust him and call out to him. Have you the courage to put your hand into the hand of God and trust him to “never leave you or forsake you”? Hymn StF 624 Calm me Lord, as you calmed the storm Prayer of Intercession Loving God, There is so much turmoil in this world. We see on the news the storms of war. We pray for those who are caught up in conflicts: for soldiers having to fight for their country; for their families worrying about their safety; for those living in fear of their homes being destroyed. Lord, help everyone to look to you to be their support and guide. We pray for all those caught up in ongoing conflicts in Yemen, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Niger. Help them to find their comfort in you. We pray for those whose livelihood is on the sea. We pray for their safety. We pray for migrants who are travelling in tiny boats across huge seas trying to reach safety and a better way of living. We ask you to bring them safely to shore. We pray for their families who wait anxiously for news of their safety. We pray for the people smugglers too, that you would give them eyes to see that they are dealing with human beings, made in your image, who deserve respect and love. We pray that you will convict them and help them turn away from what they are doing. We pray for those who are living through rough seas now: for those who are suffering with constant pain; those facing difficult diagnoses; those who mourn the loss of a beloved family member or friend; those who are depressed or anxious. Lord, reach out and lift them. Help them to know your presence and reassure them that you will never let them go. Loving God, we think about climate change and it’s effects this summer, so wet in some places, life-threateningly hot in others. We pray for farmers watching their crops ruined by rain, while fire and drought ravages that of others. Help those in power to work together to find solutions to the problems of climate change and bring hope for the future. We pray for all who have taken exams this summer. Give them peace of mind and heart as they await their results and look forward to uncertain futures. Be with them all as they negotiate the storms and calms ahead of them. Loving God, we commit this week to you. Go before us into all the places we expect to be and help us to find you in any new and unexpected places and situations. Help us to listen to your voice. Help us to see all the possibilities that you have in store for us. Lord, when the storms get close: save us, lift us, and help us keep our eyes fixed on you. Thank you for being there for us in all the storms of life. Help us to step out in faith and follow your lead, secure in the knowledge that you are always there to lift us up. Amen Hymn StF 645 Will your anchor hold in the storms of life? Blessing
Peter only knew life as a fisherman. But he got out of the boat and followed you, Lord. Help us to hear your voice, get out of our boats and follow you. In the week ahead, may the world and its problems decrease as you increase in our lives. Keep us focused on your way, looking ahead and trusting you. Amen. Blessings are a sign that God touches and enriches our lives – in lots of different ways. This is not about having material riches but in celebrating God’s generosity to us (which we don’t deserve) and which we receive in different ways. Call to worship “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6 v 8) . StF 136 – Morning has broken Prayer of thanks and forgiveness. Loving God, we praise you for your generosity of spirit. Thank you for your ever-open heart and hands, swift to forgive and to bless, to feed our souls and to unburden our spirits. Thank you for your nurturing nature, enfolding us in compassion and encouragement every day. We praise you for having all the time in the world for us, even when we don’t make time for you. Day by day, may we grow in love and grace, learning from you and becoming more like you, we pray. Loving God, we thank you for your assurance of forgiveness even when we have wandered far from you, when we have failed to be open to others; when we have neglected to show hospitality. Thank you for all your blessings and for forgiving and nurturing us always. In the name of Jesus Christ your son. Amen. Part 1 How blessed are we? There is an old song with familiar words: ‘Count your many blessings, name them one by one. And it will surprise you what the Lord has done’. In the service we will discuss 3 questions (try to answer these questions for yourself): 1. In what ways do you feel blessed in your life? Make a (mental) ‘list’. 2. Has anyone been surprised by what is in this ‘list’? 3. What does your ‘list’ say to you? Blessings are a sign that God touches and enriches our lives – in lots of different ways. This is not about having material riches but in celebrating God’s generosity to us (which we don’t deserve) and which we receive in different ways. In today’s readings we will think about what it is that God requires of his people, and how God blesses us. Later, we will think about how we might share those blessings with others. StF 78 – Give thanks with a grateful heart Reading – Micah 6 1-8 6 Listen to what the Lord says: “Stand up, plead my case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say. 2 “Hear, you mountains, the Lord’s accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the Lord has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel. 3 “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. 4 I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. 5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” 6 With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Matthew 5 1-12 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. The BeatitudesHe said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same waythey persecuted the prophets who were before you. StF 161 – Speak, O Lord, as we come to you Part 2 – Micah and the Sermon on the Mount ‘And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ Micah 6, v.8 It seems to me that there are many practical guidelines in the Bible as to how we should live; todays readings are no exception. The prophet Micah is described by theologians as a ‘minor prophet’, but that nickname seems to underplay the power of his message. Micah was around in the kingdom of Judah about 700 years BC. He was a contemporary of Isaiah and followed on by Jeremiah. This dramatic passage starts with a complaint from God to his people; ‘O my people, what have I done to you?’ Look at how I helped you to escape from Egypt; look at the leaders I gave you like Moses. And yet you are still letting me down. The people feel guilty and respond with extravagant offers of worship and sacrifice. But Micah brings them down-to-earth with a reminder of what God really wants from them. ‘And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ It’s not extravagant worship or sacrifice that are required, but the responsibility to follow a faithful day-by-day lifestyle which reflects God’s values and shows reverence towards him. Three values – to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. Three attitudes of moral seriousness which reflect God’s graciousness and purpose, and which Micah wants them (& us) to adopt in daily life. So, it seems appropriate to follow Micah’s words with a reading from the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus describes eight qualities or commitments that overlap and expand these three attitudes of Micah. And, as we know from our reading of the Bible, Jesus lives out these qualities in his ministry, his death and his resurrection. Earlier in the service we thought about the blessings that we enjoy. But you would have to live on a desert island to realise that life is not exactly blessed just now for everyone. We only have to hear the news to see what is going on in the world; or to focus on things happen in our own lives or in the lives of those we care about to know that things are difficult. War & environmental challenges, energy costs, wider cost of living pressures, health challenges all too often impact our ability to recognise God’s blessings. So how timely the words of Micah and Matthew seem, as they remind us that the blessings of God, which value justice, mercy & humility, remain a constant. And those blessings invite us to walk humbly with God, wherever we go and whatever circumstances we might face. The way that Matthew presents his gospel suggests that Jesus teaching was of primary importance. Today’s passage is preceded by an urgent description of Jesus touring the Galilee area teaching, preaching and healing those who presented themselves to him. His reputation had clearly spread with the result that he was followed by large crowds – of gentiles as well as Jews. On Mt Sinai Jesus sits to teach, and I assume that his teaching would radiate through the crowd. Who might those people in the crowd be? I think we can surmise from the language and subject of Jesus teaching that he was mainly followed by those who were poor and powerless, those who struggled with their situations, those seeking healing and peace in their lives. and who didn’t have the means to rise above their circumstances. But like Micah, in so doing he is also warning the rich and the self-satisfied. So, Jesus words were intended to be both encouraging and challenging, as he directly addresses expectations which mark the Kingdom of God. Jesus takes them and us to the heart of what God’s blessing is about, and in so doing he turns accepted wisdom on its head. He declares that God’s blessing is for the poor, the hungry, the persecuted, and those who weep, as well as those who are merciful, pure in heart and peacemakers. Their blessing is to consider themselves to be part of the kingdom of heaven. This must have been a revolutionary message for those bound by the strictures of the Jewish religion, or suffering the oppression of Roman occupation, or for those Gentile outcasts. Here is Jesus telling them that they were each valued by God. And, that in Jesus (who was sitting in front of them), God was assuring them of their value. So, how might we understand this idea today? Who will receive God’s blessing? Nadia Bolz-Weber, who is an American Lutheran pastor and writer offers us a contemporary take on Jesus words. She writes: ‘Maybe the Sermon on the Mount is all about Jesus’ lavish blessing of the people around him on that hillside who his world—like ours—didn’t seem to have much time for: people in pain, people who work for peace instead of profit, people who exercise mercy instead of vengeance. Maybe Jesus was simply blessing the ones around him that day who didn’t otherwise receive blessing, who had come to believe that, for them, blessings would never be on the cards.’ Indeed, when we truly understand the blessing of God, and that we are all truly blessed by God, then we can set aside our obsession with stuff, with self, with status, and reputation, and focus on how we can enter the Kingdom & share God’s blessing widely. And how can we share God’s blessing widely? Think about the following 2 questions for a few minutes. 1. How are we a blessing to each other and to those around us – as a church and as individuals? Write a list. 2. What more could/should we be doing to be a blessing to others? This is not an attempt to pat ourselves on the back, but to encourage us all to continue and grow this vital work which points towards the Kingdom of God and its values, and which offers others the opportunity to find that peace, wholeness, and value for themselves. And finding that wholeness within themselves means that they can find peace with God, and with those around them, and perspective perhaps for the circumstances that they face. In Jesus name. Amen StF 251 – Jesus Christ is waiting Prayers of Intercession & Lord’s Prayer Loving God, you tell us: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” We pray for those whose spirit fails them, that they might be strengthened in their faith; for those whose poverty is physical, that they might have an equal share in the fruits of your kingdom; for those whose outlook on life is poor, that they might have a glimpse of hope and purpose. You tell us: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” We pray for all who are cast down by grief – from recent losses or a deep-seated sorrow over many years – that they might know the comfort of hope, the comfort of love, the comfort of new life. And we give thanks in our prayers for all those we have known and loved who are now with you. You tell us: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” We pray for leaders and followers, for big people and little people, for the proud and the humble, that by your grace, we might work together for the good of all. You tell us: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.” So, we pray that we, who seek to live in righteousness, might indeed be filled with wonder and joy. You tell us: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” Help us to forgive others so that we know and understand the true meaning of fforgiveness. You tell us: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” So, make our hearts pure so that we can truly know your love. You tell us: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.” We pray for all who work for peace: peace in relationships; peace in communities; peace in politics; peace in places of conflict; peace for our bodies, minds and souls ... so that we can see ourselves and others as God’s children. You tell us: “Blessed are those who are persecuted ... for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” We pray for the broken and despised, the marginalised and the downtrodden, the victims and the dispossessed, the refugees and the homeless ... your kingdom on earth, our precious kingdom, belongs to them too. As we pray for others now, we pray that you will draw us always close to you. We ask all these things in the name of your dear son Jesus. Amen 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 673 – Will you come and follow me Blessing
Go, today, knowing that you are truly blessed as you journey with all God’s children on earth. Go now, with the blessings of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and always. Amen Loving God, we are forever grateful for all the good gifts you give us, for eyes to see, for ears to hear, for a brain to understand, and a heart to love. Call to worship We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Come and worship and seek to know more of God’s purpose and love for you. Amen. StF 255 The Kingdom of God is justice and joy Prayer Loving God, we are forever grateful for all the good gifts you give us, for eyes to see, for ears to hear, for a brain to understand, and a heart to love. We praise you. Loving God, we have your word set before us and we strive to be true to the way you call us to follow. We know that you want the best for us, and we long to be obedient. But so often we trip up, lag behind, or fall down in pain and despair. We pray, loving God, that you will show your grace and love to us, the people called by your name. Guide our steps, and keep us from taking the wrong track. Keep us strong in our faith when temptations lie in our way. Accept our tears of repentance for our shortcomings, and wipe our eyes again that we may see the light of the love and forgiveness that shines from your face. Through Christ our Lord who has won the victory for us, and calls us to share with him in glory. Amen Reading. Matthew 13 v 31 - 33, 44 – 52 31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” 33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. 47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied. 52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” StF 161 Speak, O Lord as we come to you Message Today we have a cluster of short parables from Matthew about the kingdom of heaven: two pairs of parables and a fifth using an image from fishing. The first uses exaggerated language, because while the mustard seed might be small it is not the smallest, and it hardly grows into a tree. The likeness to the kingdom is not so much with the smallness of the seed but with the transformation into what it becomes: a huge shrub, several feet high in Galilee. It is an image of growth. The second parable, about yeast, also uses an exaggerated image. The amount of dough that the woman produces is way beyond normal domestic needs. Sixty pounds of flour would be enough to feed more than 150 people. Again the image is of growth – this time secret growth – for the smallest speck of yeast, if left overnight in a covered bowl, will leaven enough dough to feed a village. This is how the kingdom develops: from the smallest beginnings but with miraculous growth. In a society without banks, burying possessions was the best way to keep them safe. Someone who chances on a hoard is filled with joy, but the hoard is of such surpassing value that he uses everything he has to buy the field and gain possession of the treasure. Similarly, a businessman dealing in pearls that are found in the Mediterranean will give up everything to gain the one pearl that outstrips in value all the others put together. Such are the joys of finding the kingdom of heaven. The final parable is of a dragnet that is taken out to sea by boat and hauled onto the shore with ropes, a common practice for some of Jesus’ followers on the Sea of Galilee. However, not all the fish can be consumed. According to Leviticus 11, only fish with scales and fins can be eaten by a Jew. Fish such as eels, and any shellfish, are not kosher and must be rejected. The dominant idea is of separation at the end, as it was also with the parable of the wheat and the weeds earlier in Matthew Chapter 13. So the themes in the Gospel reading are: miraculous growth from small beginnings; the surpassing value of the kingdom; and the separation of the righteous from the rest. We need wisdom to understand God’s words including Jesus’ parables, so we need to be attentive and listen for his voice. He calls us to repent from our wrongdoing and turn towards him, so that we recognise the “treasure” which will bring such peace and joy that we are willing to abandon the rival attractions of the world around us. Stf 713 Show me how to stand for justice Prayer of intercession Loving God, there is so much that is not right with your world, And yet we know that the best solution isn’t always for us to jump in and try to fix it. Help us to listen, help us to learn, help us to discern the work you have called us to do, and the things you are challenging us to let go of. Help us to do all that we can, all that is ours to do, and to let you – and the people in the communities we serve – be in the driving seat. Inspire us, by the gentle nudge of your Spirit we pray. Amen StF 728 O God, you search me and you know me Blessing
May the joy of the kingdom go with you. May the peace of the kingdom sustain you, and may you know the king of the kingdom, Jesus Christ, to be your friend and Saviour as you journey through this week. Amen I’m not a gardener. I don’t have a garden. In fact, I’ve got one house plant and that’s doing much better now it’s with my neighbour’s plants. This is the day that God has made holy: Let us rejoice and be glad! This is the day that God calls us together: Let us rejoice and be glad! This is the day that God calls us to praise. Let us rejoice and be glad! Stf. 455 ALL MY HOPE ON GOD IS FOUNDED PRAYER OF ADORATION & THANKSGIVING O God of the universe, we thank you for your daily care: You know us completely, you know all our needs, You are familiar with all our ways. We give thanks to you with all our hearts: We will glorify your name forever. We thank you for the natural world, For its wonder and variety, For the beauties of form, colour and texture In which we can delight. We give thanks to you with all our hearts: We will glorify your name forever. We praise you for the gift of loving and being loved, For friendship and understanding. We give thanks to you with all our hearts: We will glorify your name forever. we thank you for language, history and culture, for learning and imagination which opens up the world to us; for visions and dreams which challenge and inspire us. We give thanks to you with all our hearts: We will glorify your name forever. Help us to hear you during this time of worship, Through the songs we sing, through the words we hear, Through the conversation we share: Guide us in the way of hope, That the place of stones may become the gate of heaven And we may live to your praise and glory. Amen PRAYER OF CONFESSION Lord, we have failed you in words, thoughts and actions. We have not lived as your children, But as people who have no inheritance or hope. Forgive us for the words we have spoken to wound and hurt. Forgive us for thoughts which we have encouraged And which have led to guilt and pain. Forgive us for the actions we have taken hastily And which cast a shadow on our lives. Forgive us for the way our wrong-doing is entangled with the wrongdoing of others: Lord have mercy, with that generosity which you show towards all creation, Forgive what we have been, Help us to turn aside from despair and decay, And make us the people we ought to be, Your children of grace and love. God, in Jesus, hears the words of our prayers and our hearts. Amen. Thanks be to God LORD’S 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. 728 O GOD YOU SEARCH ME AND YOU KNOW ME Genesis 28:10-19a Jacob’s Dream at Bethel 10 Jacob left Beer-sheba and went towards Haran. 11He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. 12And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13And the Lord stood beside him and said, ‘I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; 14and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. 15Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’ 16Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!’ 17And he was afraid, and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 19He called that place Bethel. MATTHEW 13:24-30, 36-43 The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat 24 He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?” 28He answered, “An enemy has done this.” The slaves said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?” 29But he replied, “No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ Jesus Explains the Parable of the Weeds 36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.’ 37He answered, ‘The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38the field is the world, and the good seed are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen! WHEAT AND WEEDS I’m not a gardener. I don’t have a garden. In fact, I’ve got one house plant and that’s doing much better now it’s with my neighbour’s plants. I wonder if it’s because it has someone or some plant to talk with. I wonder if you are a keen gardener. And if you are, I wonder what you made of today’s gospel story, the parable of the wheat and the weeds? Though I’m not a gardener I can tell you that re-wilding is ‘on trend’. There’s a move away from manicured lawns to allow about wild growth because research tells us that when we allow the weeds to grow a bit this is healthier for our eco- system. But please remember, this isn’t a reflection on gardening but God, God’s ways, and the Kingdom of Heaven. Unusually, this parable has an interpretation. I say unusually, because on other occasions the gospels tell us that Jesus refused to interpret the parable. But here in this one we are given an interpretation. The one who sows the good seed = the Son of Man (thought to be Jesus) The field = the world The good seed = the Children of God The bad seed = the children of the evil one The one who sows the bad seed = the evil one The harvest = the end of the age And we are told at the end of the age the weeds from the bad seed will be destroyed and the wheat from the good seed will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of heaven. That seems straightforward enough, doesn’t it? Until we go back to the parable itself and realise that before the end time the weeds are not to be gathered in but left until the end time. But now it is for the wheat and the weeds to co-exist. And that doesn’t make the garden a very tidy place. Or the world. This parable reminds us that ultimately the judgement of good and evil is God’s judgement not ours. It is God in the end who will decide. It also reminds us that judgement will come in God’s time, not our time or the time when we want it to happen. It is God in the end who will bring about that judgement in God’s time, not according to what is convenient for me. The warning about not separating the wheat and the weeds too quickly is a warning about not jumping to conclusions too soon. After all it is very easy to define what we are not ourselves as evil. The church has a long history of doing this, of othering people who don’t fit the social norms. When those in power decide some people are sinful and belong outside of the fold until they become more like us. It is such thinking which led to black people being enslaved, generations of women not being educated to the same level of men and child sexual exploitation being ignored because somehow the child victims were thought to have brought it upon themselves. It is too easy to define as evil what is different or strange or what we fear. The parable for me is a warning against us not doing this. We might be uncertain or unsure, but in the end God will judge. A second problem with identifying evil is that in doing so our own actions can become evil, or at least graceless, even if our initial intention is good. Think about how high-profile criminal cases sometimes bring out mobs of people baying for blood, pounding the prison vans and threatening violence against the perpetrators. Whilst there might be genuine anger at what has happened how is this a response of grace? We need to be careful we do not lose our own humanity by dehumanising and calling other people monsters. So, for me this parable is about allowing the wheat and the weeds to co-exist. And when we can’t make sense of what’s happened to allow God to be God in the situation; because some things are God’s decision and not mine and some things need to handled in God’s time, not mine. The wheat and the weeds co-exist in the world. Wheat and tares are better for the eco-system. The wheat and the weeds co-exist in me too. Like St Paul I want to say For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. (Romans 7:19). I’m not totally good. I’m not totally evil. I like to think I’m more good than evil, but I recognise I don’t always get it right. I know goodness and evil co-exist in me. And if good and evil co-exist in me, then I think they probably exist in you. And if good and evil exist in us, then I think they probably exist in the institutions and systems which make up our lives. Like the NHS, which does an enormous lot of good; but when it fails it seems to fail terribly. Or the benefits system, which is designed to support the poorest and most vulnerable in our society, but sometimes ends up labelling people as the undeserving poor. Good and evil co-exist in the church too. I don’t mean Kingswood Methodist church. I mean every church. Of course, that’s not what we are called to be. We are called to live our community life as a vision of the Kingdom of Heaven. Even if we love our church, most of us, can’t say we know our church to be always totally good and in all circumstances. We may become disillusioned when we realise the church isn’t perfect. But the wheat and tares are likely to co-exist in every church, because the wheat and tares, good and evil, co-exist in all of us who come to church. So, for me, and for us as Christians I think the question is how do we live authentically in the world of wheat and tares where goodness and evil co-exist? The problem of evil has been debated by much better philosophers of religion than I will ever be and down through the centuries as God’s people have tried to make sense of the world in which they live. In the end for me, it may all be quite simple. I might like a tidy life and a tidy world, but that isn’t going to be whilst the wheat and the weeds co-exist. In the end I need to trust in God; and God’s love, for ultimately it will be God who decides in God’s time. And in between all I can do is seek to choose the response of goodness and love, made real to me Jesus’s life and work, in all the decisions of my life. stf 615 LET LOVE BE REAL A prayer of Intercession Loving God, we bring our prayers to you in the power of your Spirit trusting that you will hear our prayers for the world, ourselves and for your church. Faithful God, we thank you for the generations of people who have followed you in the past, especially those who have guided and inspired us. We pray for all the people who are seeking you today. Help us speak to your word of truth with confidence and in unity, so that those who are searching and listening for you, will be able to see and clearly hear your message of love and grace for them. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer Creator God, we pray for people and nations of our world whose voices are not heard as they struggle with the effects of war, flood, famine, wild-fires or drought; where anger, hatred and greed seek to destroy any hope of peace. We thank you for the many organisations who seek to bring relief, support and peace to the needy of our world. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer Father God, we thank you for all the people who continue to work so hard to keep us safe. Our Police, Fire Service, Paramedics and our NHS. We pray for our neighbours and the people we work with, that as we meet with them, you will give us understanding and insight into their cares and needs, so that we may be able to love, help and serve them. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer Gracious God, we pray for people we know who are ill, anxious or bereaved, for those who are lonely or living alone, and for those who are weary and carrying heavy burdens due to the economic effects of the rising cost of living. Please name in a moment of quiet anyone on your mind. We pray that you will lead them, and us, towards the answers to their problems and your healing and wholeness. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer Loving God, we offer ourselves to you in faith and confidence. Fill us with your Holy Spirit to guide and lead us. Show us, as we go out into the world how we can best serve you wherever we are. We commend ourselves and all people to your unfailing love. Loving and merciful God accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen stf 595 LORD WE HAVE COME AT YOUR OWN INVITATION stf 563 O JESUS I HAVE PROMISED BLESSING
May the boldness of the Spirit transform you, may the gentleness of the Spirit lead you, may the gifts of the Spirit equip you to serve and worship God; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be wit you and remain with you always. Amen This weeks theme in our series states - 'We will live in a way that draws others to Jesus.'Stf 691 - What shall our greeting be Prayer - Gracious loving Lord, we worship you. You are so powerful, majestic, loving and caring for your creation. You reveal yourself through our experience of life and in the way you invite us to be your children through Jesus. You know us by name, enfolding us in your love. Yet we confess we have spoilt your world by our greed, treated one another unfairly, valued some by what they have, ignoring the poorest. We have allowed hatred, fear suspicion to divide us, sometimes chosing to say think or do what is wrong. Forgive us. Give us courage to make amends where we can and aim to live as you call us to. May we know the peace of your forgiving love. Almighty God, thank you that you have shown us that it is your will that we should live together as your children. with understanding and respect. You sent us Jesus to guide our way to you and understand your will. You call your people into the fellowship of the church through which we may witness to your divine purpose for us all. Thank you that you empower us by your Holy Spirit, that we may offer your love and fulfill our witness to you. Through Jesu Christ our Lord, Amen Stf 489 - All I once held dear Lessons Romans 12 1 - 10 New International Version A Living Sacrifice12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Humble Service in the Body of Christ3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. Love in Action9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Matt. Ch. 13, vs. 1 - 10 & 18 - 23 The Parable of the Sower 13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.” 10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Stf 611 - Brother, sister, let me serve you Sermon - The Scotsman Dr. Sir James Simpson was a courageous scientific pioneer who discovered chloroform (which renders patients unconcious during surgery, without jepardizing recovery.) He was knighted by Queen Victoria, was president of the Edinburgh Royal College of Physicians, and was the most eminent physician of his day. Many of the discoveries he made were brought about by experimenting on himself. Shortly before his death he was interviewed for a major printed artical in which he was asked 'What is your greatest discovery?' He replied 'My greatest discovery is Jesus Christ is MY Lord and Saviour.' This weeks theme in our series states - 'We will live in a way that draws others to Jesus.' Now that isn't a new idea; in fact about 2000 years ago, the writer in his Letter to the Hebrews suggested, 'Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds.' Surely that will excite people to learn about Jesus. But here's the problem as seen by many outside the church, your all cranks! Well it must be true because everytime a Christian is portrayed on TV,, there's always something funny about them. (And I don't mean Funny Ha, ha !) I was watching a cops & robbers film on TV the other day - it wasn't my choice you understand, it was my wife's and I was stuck watching it. There was only one Christian in the story and he was definately odd. Well they always are, aren't they? Weird; cold and unloving, simpering and soppy, or calculating and critical. Or they stand alone in market places shouting 'Beware the judgement to come!' Where does such a warped idea of christians come from? My opinion is that we aren't that obvious in society; we don't want to appear pushy - forcing our faith into everyone elses face. That's not nice, not polite. So we tend to keep quiet about what we believe in so that we can't be accused of ramming it down eveyones throat. But the quieter we are the fewer people know we exist or what we stand for. Consequently only the unusual ones stand out and we're all tarred with the same brush if we mention God's love for his children and our faith in him. Meanwhile the rest of society seems full of people saying what they want, like, prefer enjoy insist is their right . It would seem this is the age in which each individual is entitled and expects to do as they want. I've just been reading a holiday brochure which states, 'Everyone is different. Welcome to a holiday as individual as you are.' Which is all very well for holidays but society doesn't work like that. Neither do churches. Churches run smoothly when eveyone is involved, working together for each other. Then we can fulfill the work God calls us to do and point others to Jesus. 'You are a community of possibilities' wrote Dennis Lennon - a writer for Scripture Union. He went on, 'So look for God's calls out of comfortable institutional predictability into limitless possibilities; moving on with Christ' I discovered that to be true for me at a Christian weekend conference in my late teens. Everyone there had a call - even me, although I ran away from it for several years - trying other things instead, one after another. Never attempting to struggle beyond the basics or demanding study and effort. Shallow roots. Jesus was concerned that our life has real purpoe - to find him as our own Lord and Saviour, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, point others to him too. So thats where the talents and gifts granted by the Holy Spirit come in; so that we may fulfill our calling, whatever that may be. In Rom ch. 12, St. Paul writing to his friends, urges them to be living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. But their sacrificial living was to be seen in their caringfor each other. Christians loving and working for other christians. He uses the illustration off the body with many limbs and organs, all working together to make the body function properly. He likes that idea, doesn't he, because he uses it and develops it you notice in some of his other letters too. So he lists these gifts for them to use for the benefit of their fellow christians. PROPHESY - or speaking God's message is very specifically for his own people who know him not, for those who don't. They wouldn't understand or appreciate it. It's to uplift, reassure, warn, encourage and educate people to know his will. SERVING - This is something we can all feel more at home doing. Yet some people stand out at it. They can help folks feel relaxed, comfortable, reassured. Bringing help to all in whatever need. Jesus healed, fed, taught served and cared for everyone who came to him. He invites us to do the same. TEACHING - My son is a teacher and he obviously thinks professionally trained people are the only ones who can teach. Quite how he thinks he learned to walk and talk, feed himself, ride a bike and do everything else which isn't taught at school, I don't know. However, we, God's people are busy doing it amongst ourselves in every conversation, fellowship and meeting, by his grace. ENCOURAGING - To be encouraging is to be caring and helpful. It's edifying, lifts pressure, excites, challenges and supports those under pressure. After being encouraged you might go on to achieve something you previously thought was beyond you. It can turn lives around. After being made redundant by my company which was closing down, I was encouraged to set up my own business, which was still going strong until I retired 16 years later. Jesus encouraged his disciples to go out on mission. They reurned excited and amazed at their success. CONTRIBUTING - This doesn't just mean money, it means time and effort too. It requires love, care and the Holy Spirit's guidance to get it right. Being generous at the right time for the right cause to the right person can have far reaching effects. Beyond our expectations. There were many sick, lame, blind people in Israel in Jesus day and he didn't just go around curing them all. But when he cured Blind Bartimaeus, Bartimaeus responded by publicly praising God and spreading the word about Jesus. LEADERSHIP - The last gift mentioned in Paul's list. Perhaps that's for a reason. Good Leadership is done with a light touch. The best leaders inspire others to do and be the best they can. Sometimes in strange ways. Do you remember one of Bruce Forsythe's favourite catch- phrases, 'I'm in charge!' Always said with a twinkle in his eye. And causing everyone to laugh and get on with it. We all have opportunities to lead in our own way. Not doing what others do with your knees knocking, but what you are capable of - reading a lesson with understanding which may be just what someone else needs and building their faith. Or again using your skill in a group so that together a task is completed. It's not our decision to take on the various responsiblities, it's the guidance of our Lord. Jesus at the centre. Paul urges unity - yes even in kingswood. Put up with, bear with those weaker than you in some way. We aren't all clever. Christian Theology is a vast subject which has been studied by great minds down the centuries yet none has claimed to be right or know it all. Jesus healed, cared for and taught, accepted and loved the Jews of his day. surely the oddest, most awkward, annoying, rebellious of people - except perhaps for the person sitting next to you! David Bosch (a Mission Studier) wrote - ' Churches are a movement. An Institution is, by it's nature, conservative. Institution Churches tend to keep everything calm, pleasing many; Movement Churches may incite wonder, delight disturbance and resentment together. Institutional Churches are passive, yielding belatedly to influences from outside; Movement Churches are active, creative imaginative innovators. They influence. An Institutional Church becomes a community of predictability; Movement Churches assume the Lord is active in the affairs of society and seeks to discern his wisdom there. It's a community of possiblities. Now, everyone of us IS actively involved. Sow generously. God is generous, magnanimous, profligate with the seed. And we carry that seed of his love, proved by our Salvation through Jesus Christ. How well are we growing; what harvest produce for our Lord? What sort of Church are we? Amen Stf 692 - Your hand O God has guided Prayers - Loving Lord, we hear your call to go out into the world. But we want to stay here in fellowship together. We care for one another, living perfectly adequate Christian lives just as we are. Why go out into a world of strangers? May your Spirit convince us that your love is to be shared, your Salvation for everybody. So equip us with hearts overflowing with Good News courage and resolution. You call us to take your message. We use lots of pious words and phrases in our worship. But Lord we aren't really sure what they mean,so how can we use those words we scarcely understand to people who have never heard them? We pray your Spirit will give us the right words to use, of comfort, concern, joy, peace and love to those who so need them, provoking a deep response. You ask us to tell everyone. Yes we know your love is for all, but surely you should send someone else who understands their needs and wouldn't put their foot in it. We pray that your Spirit will break down barriers that separate, so that even we may bring your healing love into the lives of your children everywhere, for Jesus sake, Amen. The Lord's 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 415 - The Church of Christ in every age. Benediction - Go into the world to serve God and our neighbours.
May we know we are united with God, the Church, all Christians May these become a reality in our lives, our relationships, our attitudes. So may the blessing of our one God who has called us by one faith, Inspire us, encourage us and give us joy and love, For the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. Father, you are the source of creation, the giver of life. Jesus, you are the one who embodies the freedom God offers, embracing life as it should be lived. We do not come here to God’s house because we have to ,but because we want to. Jesus has invited us, and we have accepted with joy and thanksgiving. We come to offer God our praise and adoration, to learn of God’s love and the life Jesus offers, so that we may live and love better day by day, following Him, living his way. StF 75 From all that dwells below the skies Prayers Almighty God we rejoice that we worship you with your people across the world in north, south, east and west, that your praise is sung in grand buildings and in open air, by young and old. We join our praises with those who have served you in the past and will worship you into eternity. Father, you are the source of creation, the giver of life. Jesus, you are the one who embodies the freedom God offers, embracing life as it should be lived. You showed the great love of God in your death and resurrection. Holy Spirit, you are the inspiration and motivation to live the kingdom life here and now as you have guided God's people through the ages. God of truth and love, we confess we have not always lived the kingdom life and followed the example of Jesus. Be merciful to us and we ask for your forgiveness thorough Jesus Christ our Lord. May God grant us pardon and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus, Amen : StF 25 God is here! as we his people Psalm 145:8-19 New International Version 8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. 9 The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. 10 All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you. 11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, 12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. 14 The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. 16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing 17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. Matthew 11:28-30 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” SF 322 How sweet the name of Jesus sounds Message What does it mean to rest? How can we know the compassion the Psalmist promised? Picture someone staggering down a railway station platform with heavy suitcases and seeing at the end of the platform a poster - Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Yes please! How does Jesus bring rest? Human life brings all kinds of burdens in the midst of the joys and the church is not immune to adding to these pressures. In the verses from Matthew we hear something of the conflicts of religious authorities with John the Baptist and Jesus. There is a picture from a childrens game. John the Baptist sang the dirge. He was austere, living in the desert. Jesus played the pipe, he was different, mixing with all kinds of people including those regarded as sinners. It was the ordinary people and the outcasts who responded to both of them - not the learned religious leaders. Looking at the crowds Jesus sees people being dragged from pillar to post by all kinds of poor leadership; in particular, he sees them weighed down by the expectations of their leaders and calls them to himself because he will give them refreshment, rest, life, adventure, and company. He offers the compassion the Psalmist spoke about. Here Jesus is offering peace and the kind of leadership that will result in the formation of a community where all are looked after and all will find fulfilment. Jesus is telling the crowd they have been badly led and, as a result of that, they are burdened with impossible expectations and unending conflicts. An example was the rules around the Sabbath day. The commandments forbad work but for a reason: Six days you shall labour and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. (Deuteronomy 5:13- 14) But the authorities strove to define work in great detail to the point they forbad picking up a small load. If you broke one of the detailed rules you broke the law. The original purpose of rest in a society where people worked hard 6 days a week had got lost. There is always the challenge to the church as to whether we do the same and elaborate God's teaching. There are all kind of pressures in life today over relationships, health and money and many others. Church life can also involve burdens. As living under Roman rule could burden people as a church we have to wrestle with what society imposes on us (for sound reasons) such as the requirements of charity law and regulations about building. But sometimes we impose loads on each other in the church. Many of us are aware of the pressures, jobs that we struggle to fill, the issues that can arise. In all this we come back to the promise of Jesus of rest. But Jesus is not offering a withdrawal from life. Eleswhere he told us to take up his cross and follow him. Rather, he is inviting us to be yoked to him as he brings the rule of God into the world. He is inviting us into partnership in the fulfilment of God’s plans and purposes..It is our response to the grace and forgiveness that Jesus offers us in light of his death and resurrection. The word yoke can mean entering into submission to something - the yoke of the law or the yoke of Jesus. It can also mean the yoke that was put on animals when they were pulling a plough. The plough could be heavy but an oxen were strong. The word can mean well-fitting, the yoke was hand finished so that it tailor fitted the animals and did not gall the neck. Then the strong oxen could pull it. Sometimes the problem in the life of the church is that the yoke is not well fitting or the load is still too heavy. How much easier is it to do something if it matches our gifts There are times as individuals we need to say no and step back from roles. There are times for the church to stop things. We need to find that balance between the good and exciting ideas we want to follow and what we can do without burdening people. Jesus is not just offering a spirituality that will help us navigate a hostile world; he is offering us a role in changing that world to fit the values of his kingdom: to live in a way that draws people to Jesus, a truly fulfilling life for each one of us. It could be a public role or one not very prominent. It could be a role that seems to take little of our time but something our situation and health allow us to do. A role that we have the gifts to carry out and not burden us. That is the vision Jesus calls the church and his people to. Meanwhile we know many people are burdened and maybe we feel that ourselves. The hymn we sing know is based on the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer when he was in prison. He was a German minister who opposed Hitler and was executed. He knew what it was like to be burdened and knew the strength of Jesus in that situation. Hymn: StF 640 We turn to God when we are solely pressed Prayers of concern. We pray Father for the times when we are sorely pressed. In the quiet we bring to you what we do in the coming week where we need your guidance and strength. We pray for our families and friends when they are sorely pressed, that your healing grace may be at work in their lives strengthening them to face the future. We pray that as we walk alongside them, you will use us to bring them close to you, and they will learn of your love. We pray for a world and its people that is often sorely pressed. We pray for all in authority, that they will be respectfully conscious of the weight on their shoulders, and that they will act responsibly for the people they serve. We pray for your church across the world, especially for those who suffer persecution. We pray for our circuit, for our ministers and their families. As we live in a way that seeks draw others to Jesus we pray that you would prompt as we seek to do what we can through prayer, action, talking and giving to be an answer to our prayers. Loving Lord Jesus, we thank you for your love and grace we take your yoke upon us now. Give us rest, and lead us to those activities that you have prepared for us to do this week. Be glorified in us as we walk with you. 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. StF 608 All praise to our redeeming Lord Blessing
The Blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit goes with us until we meet around his throne. |
ServicesThese are the Worship at Home versions of the In Person Services, led by our Minister :- Each Service has the videos of the songs and a transcript of the Sermon or reflection.
The Song references (StF) are from the Singing the Faith song book.
The videos of the songs are linked to YouTube or vimeo which may have advertising which Kingswood Methodist Church does not endorse.
CCLI:6021
CCLI Streaming:140014 LOML licence LE-0021384. Archives
January 2024
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