Welcome: –

Call to worship: –

Come, let’s shout praises to God,
and raise the roof for the God who saved us.
Let’s march into his presence singing praise,
lifting the rafters with our songs.
And why?
Because God is the best.
Drop everything and listen,
listen as God speaks.

We continue in prayer:

Prayer of praise:

God, we your people love you.
We’ve come today to praise you,
to listen to your word and to learn from you.
We are different from each other:
young and old, quiet and loud,
serious or frivolous, tired or lively.
Help us all to worship you

with one heart and mind.
Amen.

Introduction:

Today as we worship together we read from the first chapter of 1 Timothy where Paul describes how much greater is the grace of God than his own sinful nature. We hear the great pronouncement that.

” the grace of our Lord rose higher than my sin, and I found it in the faith and love of those whose lives are lived in Jesus Christ. This is a saying on which we can rely, and which we are completely bound to accept, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am chief. This was why I received mercy–so that in me Jesus Christ might display all that patience of his,

The gospel in one short passage. Uncomplicated and to the point.

Paul then launches into unbounded thanksgiving and praise

 ” To the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, to the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

So today we can rejoice along with Paul with our thanksgiving and praise as we hear God’s message for us today.

We once again hear the familiar parables of the “lost and found” and we try to comprehend how outlandish Jesus was when he told them. That God actively goes out to search for those who are lost. The masterful storyteller finds a way in the back door to slip rather hard-hitting teaching through his parables

When I teach the children in my Religious Instruction classes I try to make the messages meaningful in the context of their experience. It’s constantly a challenge to place the time we talk about God and Jesus firmly into their everyday not just for half and hour on a Wednesday. I try to share my life, I try to be interested in the things they are doing,. I try to have fun. And also participate in some of their school activities. We sing together. We have jokes. We wonder about the world. I talk about my family. We complete our workbooks and I handout my “book marky things” for them to colour and take home. It’s amazing how much happens within that 30 minutes.

(Isn’t that what we have to do when we meet for an hour or so on a Sunday.  We are reminded about God’s grace towards us, so that we know deep in our hearts and minds that God is with us, Christos, at all times.)

This the song that I start every lesson with “God is for me”

This is my song about the Lost and Found sheep:

God is for me

From Cry Hosanna collection Swedish melody copyright unknown

God is for me though I am little.

God is for me when I am dumb.

God is for me if I’m lazy,

or mischievous or glad or glum.

Think of it. Can you imagine?

Think of it. God is for me!

Think of it. Can you imagine?

God loves even you and me!

This is my song about the Lost and Found sheep.

Have you seen my sheep? © Ian Kerr Sep 2013

I had a flock of hungry sheep

I went to look for grass

I took them to the greener hills

Beyond the mountain pass

The grass was green, the water fresh

It was a pleasant spot

But when I turned to count them all

A hundred there was not

Have you seen the sheep?

The sheep that’s gone astray?

He was with the other sheep

I saw him just today

Have you seen the sheep?

The sheep that’s gone astray?

I’d better go and look for him

I’ll set out right away.

I left the flock munching grass

I took my shepherd’s crook

Up and down the mountains

And the valleys I did look

And finally I spied him there

Caught in a thorny tree

I got him out, I took him home

I’m as happy as can be

Chorus

Sometimes when we go astray

And get a little lost

God goes out to look for us

No matter what the cost

He brings us back – He brings us home

And when we’re safe and sound

Cheering and rejoicing

For the one who has been found

CODA

I have found the sheep

The sheep that went astray

It’s time for me to celebrate

Rejoice with me today.

We sing the Song TIS 143 Immortal, invisible, God only wise 

Welsh melody word  Walter Chalmers Smith 1824 – 1908 Moderator of the free Church of Scotland reknown for this hymn of praise – set to a Welsh tune

We say together the words of Psalm 51

Be merciful to me, O God,
because of your constant love.

Because of your great mercy
wipe away my sins!

Wash away all my evil and make me clean from my sin!

I recognize my faults;
I am always conscious of my sins.
I have sinned against you—only against you—
 and done what you consider evil.

So you are right in judging me;
 you are justified in condemning me.
I have been evil from the day I was born;
 from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful.

Sincerity and truth are what you require;
 fill my mind with your wisdom.
Remove my sin, and I will be clean;
 wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear the sounds of joy and gladness;
 and though you have crushed me and broken me,
 I will be happy once again.

Close your eyes to my sins
 and wipe out all my evil.

Create a pure heart in me, O God,
 and put a new and loyal spirit in me.

Let us sit quietly and meditate and allow the words of this song speak to us.

Song TIS 685 Lord I come to you      

We continue in stillness as we open our hearts and pray:

Prayer of confession:

O God, when we have closed doors
where we should have opened them,
forgive us.
When we have stayed in the box
where we were called to break out,
forgive us.
When we have bubbled ourselves so thoroughly
that we cannot even perceive
what is outside our experience,
forgive us.

When we have been gatekeepers
instead of welcomers,
forgive us.
May we ditch judgementalism,
throw away condemnation.
and learn how to celebrate
the loving invitation of your kingdom.
Amen.

And knowing the assurance of forgiveness and God’s welcoming grace we also pray:

Assurance of forgiveness:

Ever-loving God,
you call us all into your family of grace.
Where we have been lost, you seek us.
You retrieve us, you untangle us
from the thorns that snare us.
Your hands are kind;
you restore us with joy.
Thank you for not only accepting us
but celebrating us, delighting in us
as we discover what it means to belong to you.
Amen.

Bible Readings:

1 Timothy 1.12-17; GNT

Gratitude for God’s Mercy

I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength for my work. I thank him for considering me worthy and appointing me to serve him, even though in the past I spoke evil of him and persecuted and insulted him.

But God was merciful to me because I did not yet have faith and so did not know what I was doing. And our Lord poured out his abundant grace on me and gave me the faith and love which are ours in union with Christ Jesus. 

This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of them, but God was merciful to me in order that Christ Jesus might show his full patience in dealing with me, the worst of sinners, as an example for all those who would later believe in him and receive eternal life.

To the eternal King, immortal and invisible, the only God—to him be honour and glory forever and ever! Amen.

 Luke 15.1-10

The Lost Sheep

One day when many tax collectors and other outcasts came to listen to Jesus, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law started grumbling, “This man welcomes outcasts and even eats with them!” So Jesus told them this parable:

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them—what do you do? You leave the other ninety-nine sheep in the pasture and go looking for the one that got lost until you find it. When you find it, you are so happy that you put it on your shoulders and carry it back home. Then you call your friends and neighbours together and say to them, ‘I am so happy I found my lost sheep. Let us celebrate!’ In the same way, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine respectable people who do not need to repent.

The Lost Coin

“Or suppose a woman who has ten silver coins loses one of them—what does she do? She lights a lamp, sweeps her house, and looks carefully everywhere until she finds it. When she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together, and says to them, ‘I am so happy I found the coin I lost. Let us celebrate!’ In the same way, I tell you, the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents.”

We sing the Song ‘The Lord’s My Shepherd’ – Stuart Townend  

Message

I give thanks for the knowledge and insight of theologian, William Barclay, who wrote his commentaries in the 1950s and other writers. I am not a scholar and always appreciate it when I read or hear the great messages and insights that are presented by faithful land godly people. May what I share today have meaning and bring us all to a closer to our and Lord and saviour, Jesus who is Christ among us.

From the Letter to Timothy, we come close to Paul’s appreciation of God’s Grace and Paul’s desire to share this good news with everyone.

He gives thanks because He is the worst of sinners.

Paul acknowledges the mercy of God who displays his patience with his rebellious nature.

He gives thanks because a lowlife like himself has been saved by the grace of the Lord of all.

Paul gives thanks because God has chosen and appointed him to bring the gospel message to those beyond the pale.

And his message is this

“Look what Christ has done for me! If someone like me can be saved, there is hope for everyone.”

If this what God has done for me then you too may come to believe in an amazing saviour Jesus who too can find the mystery that is eternal life and come to rejoice as I do. O the joy in heaven.

The lost and found parables arose out of definite situations.

“One day when many tax collectors and other outcasts came to listen to Jesus, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law started grumbling, “This man welcomes outcasts and even eats with them!” 

We find the first two of three parables that tell us that the nature of God is to go out and search for those who are lost.

Firstly, consider the parable of the lost coin.

One coin out of ten. A day’s wages which for people living on the edge of things may have meant hunger. Or as someone suggested the coin was part of traditional head dress linked together, saved for marriage, equivalent of a wedding ring which could not be taken from her.

Either way she swept the dirt and dried reed floor searching persistently (a needle in a haystack) until she found it.

Sheer joy is expressed when she finally found it. I can see her dancing around with pure joy announcing to everyone that she had found it.

God dances with the joy when one person such as me finds the joy of his amazing love.

A friend told the story of losing the tiny diamond from his wife’s engagement ring. Convinced it was in the house they searched. The floor was covered with shaggy carpet, and they covered the whole house with a fine tooth-pick and comb. There was great rejoicing when the diamond was found. Graham told the story and I too rejoiced in his joy.

Hear Jesus words again.

Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

Remember that Jesus was addressing the Pharisees who were most upset by the fact that Jesus was mixing it with the sinners, outcasts and people of the land who did not keep the law and these were not lovely little feel good stories but punched straight to the bone.

And so, The parable of the lost sheep relates the very essence of the good news which Jesus came to tell.

Pharisaic regulations regarding outcasts and sinners, stated that.

Don’t entrust money to them – Trust him with no secret – Don’t allow your daughter to marry him – Don’t appoint him as a guardian of an orphan – Trust him with no secret – Don’t make him a custodian of charitable funds – Don’t accompany him on a journey – A Pharisee was forbidden to be the guest of any such man or have him as a guest. – Or have any business dealings with him = Avoid contact with anyone who did not observe the law.-

Strict Jews did not say “there will be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents”

 But……….

“There will be joy in heaven over one sinner who is obliterated before God.”

They looked forward to not to the saving but to the destruction of the sinner.

Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep and the shepherd’s joy to capture the Pharisee’s attention.

Shepherds lived a hard life. It was dangerous on the mountainous terrain with dangerous paths that led past rocky cliffs with no fencing or restraining walls for protection. The shepherd risked his life for his sheep. The shepherd called; the sheep followed.

Such was the life of the shepherd. Sometimes there were communal flocks with two or three shepherds in charge who would bring the flocks home safely but with the news that there was still one shepherd out on the mountain side searching for a sheep which was lost. The whole village would be watching and waiting, and when in the distance, they saw the shepherd striding home with the lost sheep across his shoulders, when there would rise from the community a shout of joy and thanksgiving.

This is the picture Jesus drew of God.

This is what God is like. God, too, knows the joy of findings things that have gone lost.

So we can say unequivocally that God is kinder than people.

The orthodox Pharisee would write off the tax collectors and sinners, as deserving nothing but destruction – not so God. People give up hope of a sinner – not so God. God does love the folk who never stray but in his heart there is a joy of joys when a lost one is found and comes home.

No Pharisee ever dreamed of a God like that. This was a God who actually searched for his people. Maybe they could countenance that a repentant sinner who prayed for pity and might find it but he would never have conceived of a seeking love of God who went out to search for sinners.

We believe in the seeking love of God., who came to seek and to save that which is lost. We are confronted by our own short comings, missing the mark many times but we have the inner knowledge that God holds us close to him and guards our wellbeing. He will bring us back home safely.

I am reminded by the Footsteps in the Sand poem.

Footprints In The Sand

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed
he was walking along the beach with the LORD.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of
footprints in the sand: one belonging
to him, and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him,
he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of
his life there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the very
lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he
questioned the LORD about it:
“LORD, you said that once I decided to follow
you, you’d walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the most
troublesome times in my life,
there is only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why when
I needed you most you would leave me.”
The LORD replied:
“My son, my precious child,
I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you.”

Are we able to recognise our own lostness and foundness?

Are we able to recognise when we have been brought back to God or been carried in difficult times?  

If our merciful God rejoices in our rescue, can we too rejoice? In the knowledge of being rescued, forgiven and accepted can we accept how amazing that is and rejoice too?

God sought out Paul and turned his life around.

We can look to the example of Paul and share in his joy.

We can look to John Newton who discovered amazing grace, share in his joy, and praise the immortal and invisible god for we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun.

Can we adopt God’s merciful nature? If God goes out to search for his lost ones, are we also able to do that?  Are we able to go out beyond our safe places and embrace those who struggle with life?

 Yes! We can go; equipped with the confidence of our faith and the Holy Spirit that dwells within. We can accept those who we meet along the way, not demanding that they change their ways to meet our expectations but share the mercy and love we have that we have received. And then we stand back and allow the space for God to work the miracle of his amazing grace.

We sing the Song TIS 129  Amazing Grace how sweet the sound  

Offering        We will now bring our gifts

Dedication

            As we bring our offerings to you, we give back to you from the abundant blessings you have given us. May our gifts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord our God. Amen.

Prayers of the People

The cares of the world can draw us away from you, Lord.
Like a coin falling into the shadows,
sudden misfortune enters our lives and we are lost,
rolling away from all that held us safe.
We pray for all those affected by serious illness,
breakdown of relationships or loss of employment.

The temptations of the world can lead us astray, Lord.
Like sheep sighting a patch of greener grass,
we go after what is new and more exciting.
We pray for all who are tempted away
from what is right, meaningful and good.

Where darkness has descended, Lord,
when more attractive propositions beckon,
we pray that people won’t forget you –
because you won’t forget them.
And as you love and care for us,
so may we look out for one another –
to seek and to bring safely home.
Amen.

he Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name,

your Kingdom come,

your will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil,

For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours,

now and forever.  Amen

 We sing a song medley:

SIS 414          The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

SIS 404          I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever

SIS 46                        Surely goodness and mercy

Benediction

God of the lost,
open our eyes to see the world as you do.
Forgive us when we fail to see the lost.
Help us to look for those who need your love,
and give us the courage not only to offer them signs of your love
but, by our actions and words, to share your love with them.

And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Be with us and remain with us always.

Amen

Sending out song:             We will go – Watoto children’s choir