Welcome: –

Call to worship: –

 Come, all who have made mistakes.
Come, all who have said or done things they regret.
Come, all who have failed to do what was right.
Come, all who want to start afresh.
Come to the God who offers hope, healing, and forgiveness.

We came. We are gathered here to express our joy and gladness.

Our hearts overflow in praise because of His Grace towards us. God of grace, you know our weaknesses,
and how we let you, ourselves and others down
by the things we say and do or fail to do.
As we come to worship, open our hearts and minds,
to learn from our mistakes,
to know more of your ways,
and live and love as Christ loves us.
Amen.

The words of Psalm 103 are taken up as we sing together Praise my Soul the King of Heaven.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn Tis 134   Praise My Soul The King Of Heaven

Introduction

In our service today our hymns and songs give rise to praise. The joy expressed by the children of Watoto, The uplifting words and tunes of some of the great hymns of the past and the personal note in more recent songs bring us into an attitude of prayer and praise which hopefully will lead us out joyfully considering our amazing relationship with God who is our Saviour and friend.

Our two readings today relate the command of Jesus to His disciples to “Go out and tell the Good News.” Followed by part of the example of the Spirit empowered message of the risen Christ after the very familiar healing of the crippled man as Peter and John went to the temple to pray.

So we led to consider the significance of a new life in Christ.

Let us sing as a prayer quietly preparing for our time of confession.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the song ‘Lead me to the cross’

Prayer of Confession

Almighty God, we read the stories of old, of psalmists and prophets, of disciples and apostles, of followers and onlookers, and ask ourselves ‘Why did they do that, why did they make so many mistakes, why did they do bad things, wrong things?’

Help us to see that we too do things that are wrong, that are not good or right. Help us to see that we make mistakes, take wrong decisions because they somehow seemed the easiest things to do at the time.

As you have forgiven those of old, so too, when we confess our failings, when we look at what we have really done and seen what we could have done better, you forgive us, you cleanse us and set us free. 

Assurance of forgiveness

Almighty God, we have confessed to you and faced our failings, let us now in penitence hear your forgiving words that assure us of your love, your forgiveness and your patience with us.

Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven.”

And we can say,

Our sins are forgiven. Thanks be to God!

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Holy Spirit of God, we thank you for dwelling within us. For your comforting presence, your assurance that the path to righteousness and goodness is with you.

 We thank you for that spark that you ignite within us that assures us of our faith, of our belief in God’s being.

Servant Jesus, Son of God, we thank you that when you walked the earth, you served those around you. You blessed them, you healed them, you cleansed them, you guided them, you washed their feet and, in accepting their hospitality, you acknowledged their worth.

Loving God, we thank you that you gave us birth, that you have nurtured and guided, loved and protected us.
Our thanks and praise never can fully express the gratitude we owe, but here and now accept our thanks and praise. To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the song ‘Thy Word is a lamp to my feet’

 Prayer of illumination

Living God, help us so to hear your holy Word that we may truly understand; that, understanding, we may believe, and, believing, we may follow in all faithfulness and obedience, seeking your honour and glory in all that we do; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture Readings

To put the readings in chronological order the Gospel reading is read first.

Luke 24:36-49

J.B. Phillips New Testament

And while they were still talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said, “Peace be to you all!”

 But they shrank back in terror for they thought they were seeing a ghost.

 “Why are you so worried?” said Jesus, “and why do doubts arise in your minds? Look at my hands and feet—it is really I myself! Feel me and see; ghosts have no flesh or bones as you can see that I have.”

 But while they still could not believe it through sheer joy and were quite bewildered, Jesus said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”

They gave him a piece of broiled fish and part of a honeycomb which he took and ate before their eyes. Then he said, “Here and now are fulfilled the words that I told you when I was with you: that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must come true.”

Then he opened their minds so that they could understand the scriptures, and added, “That is how it was written, and that is why it was inevitable that Christ should suffer, and rise from the dead on the third day. So must the change of heart which leads to the forgiveness of sins be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Jesus commissions them with the new message

 ^“You are eye-witnesses of these things. Now I hand over to you the command of my Father. Stay in the city, then, until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Acts 3:12-23

J.B. Phillips New Testament

 When Peter saw this he spoke to the crowd. “Men of Israel, why are you so surprised at this, and why are you staring at us as though we had made this man walk through some power or piety of our own?

It is the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, who has done this thing to honour his servant Jesus—the man whom you betrayed and denied in the presence of Pilate, even when he had decided to let him go.

But you disowned the holy and righteous one, and begged to be granted instead a man who was a murderer! You killed the prince of life, but God raised him from the dead—a fact of which we are eye-witnesses.

It is the name of this same Jesus, it is faith in that name, which has cured this man whom you see and recognise.

Yes, it was faith in Christ which gave this man perfect health and strength in full view of you all.

“Now of course I know, my brothers, that you had no idea what you were doing any more than your leaders had. But God had foretold through all his prophets that his Christ must suffer and this was how his words came true.

Now you must repent and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that time after time your souls may know the refreshment that comes from the presence of God. 

May your word live in us.

And bear much fruit to your glory.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn TIS 161  ‘Tell out my soul’

This is a great hymn is based on Mary’s song of praise.

Message

Earlier in Acts we find a description of the Early Church in Jerusalem is both attractive and challenging. Our context is different, but this does not prevent us from recapturing something of the vibrant generosity found within the Church and in its outreach. At a time when so many suffer from insecurity, economic anxiety and loneliness, we need to show that ours is a welcoming and generous faith, one that listens, cares, acts, and engages with people where they are.

This is the essence of our faith. A faith that celebrates freedom from the consequences of sin (thrown into the deepest ocean) and freedom to go out beyond our changed lives as we share in the good news of our new life in Jesus so today in our readings Jesus commissions his devoted followers to share that new life and become His essence in the world.

The passage from Acts follows the miraculous healing of the crippled man as Peter and John went to the temple to pray. Peter, in his newly found courage, takes up the challenge of addressing the gathered crowd explaining that here everyone is witnessing God’s work and that what was promised in Scripture is becoming a reality before their eyes. Peter challenges all present to repent and turn to God.

In the four gospels the conclusions vary.

Matthew concludes

“ Jesus came and spoke these words to them, “All power in Heaven and on earth has been given to me. You, then, are to go and make disciples of all the nations and baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

 Teach them to observe all that I have commanded you and, remember, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”

While Mark has Jesus saying,

 “You must go out to the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature”

John gives us his reason for recording some of his experiences with Jesus.

“Now it is this same disciple who is hereby giving his testimony to these things and has written them down. We know that his witness is reliable. Of course, there are many other things which Jesus did, and I suppose that if each one were written down in detail, there would not be room in the whole world for all the books that would have to be written.”

Luke writes

“While he was in the act of blessing them he was parted from them and was carried up to Heaven. They worshipped him, and turned back to Jerusalem with great joy, and spent their days in the Temple, praising and blessing God.”

But we know that Luke isn’t finished. The gospel of Luke continues in the Acts of the apostles where we find that….

^“On one occasion, while he was eating a meal with them, he emphasised that they were not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise.

“You have already heard me speak about this,” he said, “for John used to baptise with water, but before many days are passed you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.”

This naturally brought them all together, and they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

To this he replied, “You cannot know times and dates which have been fixed by the Father’s sole authority. But you are to be given power when the Holy Spirit has come to you. You will be witnesses to me, not only in Jerusalem, not only throughout Judea, not only in Samaria, but to the very ends of the earth!”

One word stands out for me. WAIT! Jesus’ followers were told to WAIT for the Father’s promise, that promise being the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Luke 11:9-13 reads

And so I tell you, ask and it will be given you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. The one who asks will always receive; the one who is searching will always find, and the door is opened to the man who knocks.”

 “Some of you are fathers, and if your son asks you for some fish, would you give him a snake instead, or if he asks you for an egg, would you make him a present of a scorpion? So, if you, for all your evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more likely is it that your Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

We, too, are to WAIT for the Holy Spirit who empowers us to be the Lord’s people but we also must ASK and the Holy Spirit will be given. We become FROGS Fully Reliant On God.

I know I need the INSPIRATION of the Holy Spirit. The life giving “breathing in” of God’s Holy Spirit.

I have been inspired by the scriptures of old. At present my daily devotions take me through Deuteronomy and I read

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

And I know that I am to love my neighbour as I love myself.

I also read the accounts of the Saints of the early church in Acts and I am inspired and give thanks.

I read accounts of the lives of saints over millennia who have spoken up in times of adversity and persecution. Those who shaped our understanding of the gospel message, and I am inspired and give thanks.

            I read accounts of the saints in this day and age, and I am inspired and give thanks.

I think about those in my life over the years who have been part of my life and helped me along the way, and I am inspired and give thanks.

I think about circumstances and events throughout my life and recognised where God has protected, comforted and encouraged me and I am inspired and give thanks.

So today I start to realise that it is God, the Holy Spirit, who has been active in my life. I start to identify those people, times and places and recognise that yes I am a Child of God and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven and I am inspired and give thanks.

As we spend the next few weeks trying to understand the significance of Jesus death and resurrection, we look forward to celebrating not just the event of Pentecost many generations ago but SEEK and KNOCK and ASK for the Holy Spirit to enliven us and bring us closer to the Lord, creator of the Universe who is interested in and loves each one of us as His children, remembering the words that say, 

“how much more likely is it that your Heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

This empowerment, the inspiration, the breathing in of the Holy Spirit is what enables each one of us to be the people He has called us to be, so we ask for the prompting of the Holy Spirit in each and every day. We may hear the voice of our Lord through the stormy times, the busy active times or the still quiet times in the back of our minds and may we WAIT as the early disciples did and look forward to God’s guidance.

For each one of us our going out will be different, just as he numbers the hairs on our heads God uses us according to his purposes and blesses us along the way.

We do have a new life in Christ. You had better believe it.

So now as the gospel writers are really saying,

“It’s over to you!”

Amen.

The next song is also based on Psalm 103 “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name” and echoes ‘Praise My Souls the King of Heaven.

The inspiration for the song came through the opening verse of Psalm 103: It is also based on the 19th century English hymn “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” written by Henry Francis Lyte.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the song ‘Bless the Lord o my soul       10,000 reasons’ 

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Matt Redman

Offertory 

Prayer of dedication

For the blessings of this and all our days, we thank you, gracious God. Accept, we pray, not just this money but also our lives freely offered in gratitude for all you have done for us. Use them both, in this place and wherever you might take us. Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn TIS 130 ‘We plough the fields and scatter.’

Prayers for Others

 Let us bring before God:

those who have never known the transformative power of love:

We pray to you, O Lord.

those who live in fear of what others may do to them:

We pray to you, O Lord.

those who have the strength to stand up to that which is wrong:

We pray to you, O Lord.

those who have the courage and the opportunity to speak out against injustice:

We pray to you, O Lord.

those who give of themselves to help those in need:

We pray to you, O Lord.

those who work to make this world a better place:

We pray to you, O Lord.

those known personally to us who need our prayers at this time (allow time for personal reflection and prayer)

We pray to you, O Lord.

Amen.

Our 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.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn  TIS 242 ‘Lord Of The Dance’  

Lord, thank you that you don’t give up on us when we fail,
that you offer us a fresh start through your forgiveness.
Guide and teach us that we may learn from our mistakes,
And walk with us into each new day,
In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Benediction

May the blessing of God, the Father,

Jesus, the Son

and the Holy Spirit

Be with and remain with you always.

Peace be with you

And also with you.