Welcome: –

Call to Worship: –  

(from 1 Corinthians 12: 12, 13 and 27) 

“For Christ is like a single body with its many limbs and organs,

which, many as they are, together make up the one body.

for indeed, we are all brought into the one body, by baptism,

whether we are Jews or Gentiles, free people or slaves;

and that one Holy Spirit has been poured out for all of us to drink.

We are Christ’s body and each of us has a part to play in it.”

Comments on Paul’s words:

  Paul likens the Church to a Human body; where a single limb or organ cannot function isolated from the rest, where a single limb or organ has no more nor no less value than any other part of the body.  Paul is explaining that it is the unity of the body that keeps the body functioning and that keeps it healthy.  In like manner, it is the respect and the appreciation that we show to each other that promotes harmony and cooperation within our Church, and keeps it healthy.  (Craig Keener The IVP Bible Background Commentary of the New Testament p478 & 479) 

  Paul is explaining that the same rite of baptism is experienced by all of us, whatever racial or cultural or ethnic background.  It is through the one Holy Spirit, around us and within us, that incorporates all of us into the living unity of the Body of Christ.  (Norman Hillyer in 1 Corinthians in New Bible Commentary p1067) 

  Let us not neglect this truth as we gather together here today.  We are different people with different natures and different attitudes, but we are all part of the one Body of Christ.  May we reflect this in our praise and in our fellowship, remembering that we worship the one true God, who loves each of us just as dearly, whose Son willingly died for each of us, and who eagerly calls each of us into close fellowship with Him.

Prayer of Praise  

(Opening Prayers p63, Uniting in Worship Red Book p296 to p298, The Book of Common Worship p298, The Book of Worship p55) 

  Almighty God, we are not ashamed to call you Lord, for we want to declare to the World that in you we have found refuge from the storms of our life, that in you we have found the source of righteousness and purity, that you are the living God.  For your glory fills all Heaven and Earth.  There is nowhere in all of your Creation that we cannot see your handiwork, that we cannot glimpse the evidence of your wisdom and foresight and intellect.  We are humbled in your presence, because we cannot fully comprehend your greatness nor can we completely conceive all that there is to know about you.  Yet, loving God, we feel the warmth of your embrace and the welcomeness of your compassion.  For you are a mighty God, yet your mightiness is also in your capacity to love.

  Living God, in Christ you make all things new.  You transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, you mend the brokenness of our lives by your healing, you stop our wandering and direct our paths through your truth.  Through Jesus Christ you announce freedom from our sins and freedom from our cares and concerns.  We marvel at the power of your Word, we delight in the peace that is ours through the Gospel, we rejoice in our fellowship with you.

  Gracious God, when Jesus was born you revealed to both Jew and Gentile the completion of you plan to bring about reconciliation and redemption for all Humanity.  You announced through the choir of Angels and the visitors from the East, the wonders of your work to bring the light of your majesty to the darkest corners of our world and the darkest corners of our souls, and to cleanse the sin from the deepest parts of our world and the deepest parts of our souls.  With joy we claim the healing and the wholeness that you have provided in each of our lives.  With joy we sing your praises, for you are our God and Saviour.

  Incomparable God, in you there is only light and life.  Through you there is refreshment and renewal in our lives.  From you we receive mercy and forgiveness; from you we receive abundant blessings, all for which we are truly grateful and for which we offer you our unending thanks and praise.  To your glory we pray, Amen.

We sing the Hymn: “Make a joyful noise unto the lord”  (Scripture in Song volume 1 No132)

verse 1 of 4

Make a joyful noise unto the lord,

All ye, all ye lands,

Serve the Lord, the lord with gladness

Come before His presence with singing.

Verse 2 of 4

Know ye that the lord He is God,

It is He that hath made us,

And not we ourselves, we are His people

And the sheep of His pastures.

Verse 3 of 4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful unto Him

And bless, bless His name.

Verse 4 of 4

For the lord, the lord is good,

His mercy is everlasting,

And his truth , his truth endureth,

Endureth to all generations.  Praise the Lord.

Composer Unknown

We sing the song: “I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart”  (Scripture in Song volume 1 No 139) 

Composer Unknown

Prayer of Confession 

(With love to the World w/e 31/01/2016, The Book of Worship pp55, Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year c pp44 & 45, Amish Prayers p45)  

  Merciful God, we come before you contrite in soul and spirit because we know that we have failed you in so many ways. 

  We confess that there is so much in our lives, in our thoughts, in our words, and in our actions, that displeases you and saddens you.

  Merciful God, forgive us for when we have failed to listen to you, for when we have turned away from you and pretended that we can no longer hear your voice.  Forgive us for when we have refused to heed your advice and scorned your wisdom, for when we have turned away from you and pretended that we knew all the answers.

  Forgive us for when we have failed to trust you, for when we did not have the courage to obey you, for when we have turned away and rejected your love.  In your mercy, forgive us.

 Merciful God, forgive us for when we have failed to be your witnesses to the World around us.  Forgive us for when we were more afraid of stepping on people’s toes than on challenging their self-assurance.

  Forgive us for when we have failed to be your calming voice in the surrounding turmoil, for when we have failed to be your revealing light in the surrounding darkness.  In your mercy, forgive us.

 Merciful God, forgive us for our pride that prevents us from stooping to help someone or from getting our hands dirty.  Forgive us for our laxity in being regular in reading the Bible or spending time in prayer with you.

  Forgive us for when we are not excited when a new day dawns, because each day is a gift from you to be treasured.  In your mercy forgive us our sins and our shortcomings. 

Cleanse us from all that darkens our souls and prevents us from true fellowship with you and with others.

  Through your Spirit may we be diligent to live out our faith in our words and our deeds, in our conversations and our relationships.  In your name we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Psalm 19: 12b, 13b and 14b) 

  The writer of Psalm 19 clearly states that it is only God who can remove from our live our hidden faults and our wilful sins.  It is God who is our redeemer and the one who frees us from the hold of sin in our lives.  Having confessed our sins before God, let us hold onto this truth, assured that God has listened to our pleas and that God has answered us by forgiving our sins and cleansing our souls.

  Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination 

(from Uniting in Worship Book 1 number 12 p599) 

  Prepare our hearts, O Lord, to receive your Word.  Silence in us any voice but your own.  In hearing these words may we perceive new truths that you seek to teach us, and may we perceive your will that you seek for us to follow, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Bible Readings:

Nehemiah 8:

¹  By the seventh month the people of Israel were all settled in their towns.  On the first day of that month they all assembled in Jerusalem, in the square just inside the Water Gate.  They asked Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law which the LORD had given Israel through Moses, to get the Book of the Law.  ²  So Ezra brought it to the place where the people had gathered – men, women, and the children who were old enough to understand.  ³  There in the square, by the gate, he read the Law to them from dawn until noon, and they all listened attentively.

⁴:  Ezra was standing on a wooden platform that had been built for the occasion.

⁵  As Ezra stood there on the platform high above the people, they all kept their eyes fixed on him.  As soon as he opened the book, they all stood up.  ⁶  Ezra said, “Praise the LORD, the great God.”  All the people raised their arms in the air and answered, “Amen!  Amen!”  They knelt in worship, with their faces to the ground.

⁷  Then they rose and stood in their places, and the following Levites explained the Law to them: Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah.  ⁸  They gave an oral translation of God’s Law and explained it so that the people could understand it.

⁹  When the people heard what the Law required, they were so moved that they began to cry.  So Nehemiah, who was the Governor, Ezra, the priest and scholar of the Law, told all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God, so you are not to mourn or cry.  ¹⁰  Now, go home and have a feast.  Share your food and wine with those who don’t have enough.  Today is holy to our LORD, so don’t be sad.  The joy that the LORD gives you will make you strong.”

¹¹  The Levites went around calming the people and telling them not to be sad on such a holy day.  ¹²  So all the people went home and ate and drank joyfully and shared what they had with others, because they understood what had been read to them.

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Luke 4:

¹⁴  Then Jesus returned to Galilee, and the power of the Holy Spirit was with him.. The news about him spread throughout all the territory.  ¹⁵  He taught in the synagogues and was praised by everyone.

¹⁶  Then Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and went to the Synagogue on the sabbath as he regularly did.  ¹⁷  He stood up to read the lesson and was handed the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah.  He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written:

¹⁸  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and the recovery of sight to the blind, and to free the oppressed  ¹⁹  and announce that the time has come when the LORD will save His people.”  (Isaiah 61: 1 & 2) 

²⁰  Jesus rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down.  All the people in the Synagogue had their eyes fixed on him, ²¹  as he said to them, “This passage of Scripture has come true today, as you heard it being read.”

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

  Whether we gather for worship in the Church building on Sunday morning, or whether we offer our worship in the ‘digital sphere’, it is important to recognise that, together, we remain one in Christ Jesus, we remain one in fellowship, and we remain one in worship of our God.  With that thought in mind, let us uplift our hands and greet those both here and those in their homes: May the peace of God be with you all.

  And also with you.

For the Young at Heart

Screen 1

Ooops!

  I found these remains of a model car outside one of the Lifeline bins one afternoon.  It must have dropped onto the ground as someone was emptying the bin and was overlooked, and, apparently, the truck has run over it as it was departing.

  With a bit more focus on what they were doing, whoever was emptying the bin should have ensured that everything in the bin was placed carefully in the back of the truck, and that any loose items, such as this car, were placed in a container.

  It is a reminder of something of far greater importance for us.  How much do we focus our

attention on whether or not our everyday actions, the attitudes that we display in public, our speech, our values, are aligned with what pleases God and with how God seeks for us to be as a person?

Screen 2

“The commands of the LORD are trustworthy, giving wisdom to those who lack it.”

  Psalm 19: 7 

  The writer of Psalm 19 gives us a starting point when they say:

“The commands of the LORD are trustworthy, giving wisdom to those who lack it.”

  God’s Word is trustworthy and can be relied upon to give us the right instructions as to what behaviour is pleasing to God and is uplifting and respectful to others.

Screen 3

“(God’s Word) gives knowledge to me, I am rewarded for obeying them”  Psalm 19: 11

  Verse 11 of the Psalm has these words: “(God’s Word) gives knowledge to me, I am rewarded for obeying them”.  Here we see that reading and seeking to apply the Word of God to our lives is not to be viewed as an encumbrance upon us or as a restriction on our freedom to think and to express ourselves.  There are real benefits for us in seeking to understand God’s will and guidance for us, for, surely, the Creator of the World and everything in it should know a thing or two about people and how they interact.

  May we find such reward in our lives as we read and obey the Word of God.

We sing the Hymn TiS “Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father” 

Thomas Chisholm

Sermon

There is the story of a hen and a pig who approached a church and read the title of the sermon for the coming Sunday, “What can we do to help the poor.”.  Immediately the hen suggested they feed them bacon and eggs.

The pig thought about this for a moment and said, “There is only one thing wrong with feeding bacon and eggs to the poor.  For you it requires only a contribution, but for me, it requires total commitment.”  (from 1500 Illustrations for bible Preaching, number 219 p73) 

Slide 1

Total commitment

The pig displayed a hesitancy in committing everything to helping the poor.  The people of Judah, in the last days of the last of her Kings, displayed just such a hesitancy in committing everything to God.

  Outwardly they professed to be God’s People, for did they not have the Temple of God within the walls of their City, Jerusalem?  Did they not offer the right sacrifices, and did they not keep the right religious festivals, and did they not keep the right Laws, as set out in God’s Word?  Yes, they did, but, time and again, God had to send His Prophets to warn them about their faithlessness, to correct their attitudes and to correct their behaviours.  Time after time, the People of Judah failed to match their words with their actions.  While professing to worship their God, they were worshipping the false gods of their heathen neighbours.  While professing to keeping the Law of God, they were, in reality, not living up to its precepts and standards.  While professing to be putting their trust in their God to safeguard them as a Nation, they were, on the other hand, putting their trust in the military and economic strength of their neighbouring nations to aid them in combatting their northern enemies, Assyria and Babylon.  And, we know the end result; military defeat, towns and cities overrun and destroyed, a population decimated and sent into exile far to the east, livelihoods lost, land laid waste, crops and herds and valuables plundered, and the once grand and imposing Temple sacked and in ruins.

  But, as some writers noted, captivity and exile in Babylon apparently cured the People of Judah of idolatry,  (Henrietta Mears in What the Bible is all about p151 & Henry Halley in Halley’s Bible Handbook p173)  for we have this passage in Nehemiah 8: 1 where the People of God asked Ezra the Priest to read to them from the Word of God.

  To put this passage into context, sometime after the exile, commencing in 539BCE with the conquest of Babylon by the Persian Emperor Cyrus, the rulers of Persia had allowed any of the People of Judah to return home who wished to go.  Houses within Jerusalem and in towns throughout Judah had been rebuilt.  The Temple had been rebuilt, despite some initial lethargy to commence the rebuilding and despite initial opposition from enemies of the People of Judah to the rebuilding.  Ezra, a priest, had been sent back by the Emperor Artaxerxes, “in order to see how well the Law of God (was) being obeyed”, as we read in Ezra 7: 14b.  Ezra is described as having “devoted his life to the study of the Law of the LORD, to practicing it, and to teaching all its laws and regulations to the People of (God)”.  (Ezra 7: 10)  Ezra organised the Temple worship, and organised the Priests, the Levites, and the musicians who were to lead the Temple worship.  Around the same time, Nehemiah, the cup-bearer to the Emperor Artaxerxes, was sent back to be the Governor of Judah for a period of 12 years.  (Nehemiah 5: 14)  During that time he provided the stable political backing and the practical wisdom for Ezra to undertake his work.  (Henry Ellison in From Babylon to Bethlehem p38)  Nehemiah coordinated the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem and the re-erection of the City gates, despite opposition from leaders of the surrounding Persian Districts, Sanballat of Samaria, Tobiah of Ammon and Geshem from Arabia.  (Nehemiah 2: 10 & 19, 4: 2 & 7, 6: 1) 

Slide 2

A rebuilt Jerusalem

A rebuilt Temple

A ‘rebuilt’ People of God

  Nehemiah 7: 73 concludes with these words: “the People of Israel (were) settled in the towns and cities”.  Nehemiah 8: 1 states, “the People of Israel then assembled in Jerusalem and asked Ezra to read to them from the Book of the Law”.  It has been suggested that such an assembly could not have taken place before the city walls had been re-erected and the city gates re-installed, and before it was demonstrated to their enemies that not only did the People of Israel have the support of the Persian Emperor but, more importantly, the protection and power of their God behind them.

  There was, at that time and place, this general feeling of accomplishment, of having homes in which to live, land which they could till and on which they could raise herds, and a rebuilt Temple in which to worship, as well as a feeling of security from hostile neighbours, and, finally, a knowledge that there was a strong and God directed leadership to guide them into the future.  Unlike the past, when they were content to sit back and rest on their laurels, the People of God now sought to hear from the Word of God.  And there is some indication that the People of God had not heard from the Word of God since their return from exile.  (Arthur Cundall in Nehemiah in New Bible Commentary p408) 

  We read that the people gathered in the square just inside the Water Gate.  (Nehemiah 8: 1)  We read that “men, women and children old enough to understand” were gathered.  (Nehemiah 8: 2)  And, we read that Ezra was standing on a platform that had been built for the occasion.  (Nehemiah 8: 4a)  So we understand that this gathering was prearranged and not spontaneous, and that the gathering place was carefully selected.  The Water Gate was not one of the City Gates and was sited to the south of the Temple complex.  As such, it was not scared ground, meaning that the gathering was not exclusively for men, but was also for women, for children of both genders, for people who were ritually unclean, for foreigners, and for anyone else who may have been excluded from Jewish religious worship.  (Henry Ellison in From Babylon to Bethlehem p47)   No-one was to be denied hearing from the Word of God.

Slide 3

No-one was to be denied hearing from the Word of God.

  We read that Ezra read from dawn until midday, about six hours, if you presume that dawn was at 6.00am.  That’s a long time for Ezra to read to the People.  But, even so, Ezra could not have read all of the Law in six hours.  Hence, we conclude that Ezra only read what portions he considered most important.  We read that there were Levites present who were to explain the Law to the People.  Hence, we can conclude that Ezra would read a passage of a few paragraphs, and then pause as it was then explained to the People by the Levites.  We have a list of 13 Levites in verse 7, hence we can conclude that the People were split into at least 13 smaller groups.  (Henry Ellison in From Babylon to Bethlehem p48)  We know from contemporary records that the common language spoken by the people at that time was Aramaic.  The Word of God, though, was written in Hebrew.  Therefore, the Levites were, firstly, to translate what had been read from Hebrew into Aramaic.  Secondly, they were to give an oral commentary on the text, to interpret what the people had heard so that it made sense to them and so that the people could apply it to their every-day situations and relationships.  (The Lion Handbook to the Bible p310) 

  It has been said of Christopher Columbus that he was a successful mariner, an excellent navigator, and an intrepid explorer, convinced from his observations that land lay a relatively short distance to the west.  (Encyclopedia International Vol 5 p62)  Although there are some indications that Vikings may have settled in present day Canada many centuries before Columbus sailed his first voyage in 1492, his journeyings are still credited with being the first recorded European contact with the American continent.  However, some have presented an alternative understanding of Christopher Columbus.  Firstly, they point out, he didn’t know where he was going.  Secondly, he didn’t know where he was when he got there.  And, thirdly, he didn’t know where he had been when he returned home.  (from 1500 Illustrations for Bible Preaching number 1443 p390) 

  The People of God, in like manner, did not know what was contained in the words that they were to hear when Ezra read from the Word of God.  We read in verse 9: “When the people heard what the Law required, they were so moved that they began to cry.”  As one, all the people were moved to shed tears upon hearing God’s Word.  (Henrietta Mears in What the Bible is all about p151 & Henry Halley in Halley’s Bible Handbook p173) 

Slide 4

As one, all the people were moved to shed tears upon hearing God’s Word.

  They were overwhelmed with grief at the extent of their failures  (The Lion Handbook p310)  ,at the realisation that they had fallen short of God’s requirements for their lives, at the sudden awareness that there was something missing, some omission, from what they considered to be what was right and acceptable to God.  (Henry Ellison in From Babylon to Bethlehem p48)  The old Commandments had been heard anew.  The people were no longer to automatically keep some old traditions, nor to imitate the practices of their forebears or of their neighbours.  God had spoken personally to each individual through His Word and they had understood.  (Henry Ellison in From Babylon to Bethlehem p49)  The public reading of the Law had brought true repentance in individuals and a revival in their faith and of their worship of their God.  (Henrietta Mears in What the Bible is all about p151 & Henry Halley in Halley’s Bible Handbook p173)  God’s truth had been revealed to those who had listened.

Slide 5

God’s truth had been revealed to those who had listened.

  We hear God’s Word being read at least on a weekly basis.  We read God’s Word ourselves.  We can read it in a language with which we are familiar and can readily understand.  We have innumerable aids to help us to understand both the individual words that we read as well as the meaning behind whole passages.  Most of us have listened to sermons that must number in the hundreds.  But how many of us are moved to tears at any time when we read or listen to God’s Word?  How many of us, when we hear the Word of God, suddenly become aware of that omission in our lives that prevents our words and our thoughts from being acceptable to God?  (Psalm 19: 14) 

  We read in verse 5 that the people stood up when Ezra read from the Law, which was a Middle-Eastern show of respect for God.  (Job 28: 8)  We read in verse 6 that the people raised their arms in the air and shouted “Amen!  Amen!,” which was a sign of their dependence upon God.  (Psalm 134: 2)  We read in verse 6 that the people humbled themselves before God by prostrating themselves, their faces to the ground.  (Ezekiel 2: 1)  (John Walton, Victor Matthews & Mark Chavalas in The IVP Bible Background Commentary of the Old Testament p478)  The people had the right approach towards God, their hearts were open to God speaking to them.  As a result they were listening to the voice of God, they heard what was being said and they responded.  Do we have the right approach towards God when we read or listen to His Word?  How many times does God speak to our hearts, only to find that we are not listening to Him?  How many times do we listen to the Word of God only with our ears and not with our hearts?

Slide 6

How many times do we listen to the Word of God only with our ears and not with our hearts?

  Like Ezra, Jesus had the task of speaking God’s Word to the people.  Like the Levites, Jesus had the task of translating and interpreting God’s Word so that people could make sense of it and understand how it applied to their lives.

  We read that Jesus taught in the synagogues throughout Galilee, to the praise of everyone who heard him preach.  (Luke 4: 15)  His effectiveness as a teacher of the Law was such that “news about him spread throughout the territory”.  (Luke 4: 14)  In last week’s passage from John 2 concerning the miracle of Jesus at the wedding in Cana, we are told that Jesus went to stay in Capernaum,  (John 2: 12)  where Mark records that he also spoke in the synagogue,  (Mark 1: 21)  and where “the people who heard him were amazed at the way he taught, .. for he taught with authority”.  (Mark 1: 22) 

Slide 7

“the people who heard him were amazed at the way he taught, .. for he taught with authority”.  (Mark 1: 22)

  Matthew is careful to note that in travelling here as he did, Jesus was preaching “in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali” just as it states in the passage in Isaiah 9: 1 to 7 with reference to God’s future King who would be “a great light (for) the people who walk in darkness”.  Here, Matthew carefully explains that Jesus was fulfilling Isaiah’s prophesy concerning the work and witness of the promised Messiah.

  It is against this background that we then read that Jesus returned to Nazareth, his home town.  As usual, on the Sabbath Jesus went to the local synagogue.  On this occasion, none too surprisingly given his newly acquired reputation and the stories that were circulating concerning his recent preaching elsewhere, Jesus was asked to read from the Scriptures and to present a short sermon.  On being handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, Jesus turned to the passage we recognise as Isaiah 61: 1 and 2:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has chosen me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save His people.”

  Luke records that Jesus rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant and sat down.  And that all the people in the synagogue “had their eyes fixed on him”.  (Luke 4: 20)  And little wonder that they did, for Jesus had read from the passage that contained the declaration by God’s chosen servant,  (Michael Wilcock in The Message of Luke p61)  God’s promised Messiah.  (G Coleman Luck in Luke  The Gospel of the Son of Man p47)  Their eyes were wide open with expectancy.

  And Jesus didn’t disappoint them, for his short sermon was the message that, “even as they were listening to the words being read, Isaiah’s prophesy was coming true, that Jesus himself was God’s Servant long foretold”.  (Michael Wilcock in The Message of Luke p61) 

Slide 8

Jesus told those listening that he, himself, was God’s Servant long foretold

  The surprise which we infer was reflected on the faces of those present would have been due to two things.  Firstly, it was that Jesus claimed it for himself, hardly something expected, for, though he was a good teacher, he was not what the people expected in a Messiah.  Secondly, that Jesus spoke of an immediate fulfillment of the prophesy, something which was also hardly expected, for the fulfillment was expected to take place in some future grand Messianic era.  (Craig Keener in The IVP Bible Background Commentary of the New Testament p199) 

  In this short sermon, Jesus gave a concise discourse on the fulfillment of the passage that he had just read.  “There was the note of its present fulfillment, for what the Prophet had foretold was finally coming true.  There was the note of personal fulfillment, for the one who the Prophet had foretold was to be anointed with God’s Spirit was Jesus himself.  And, finally, there was the note of a gracious fulfillment, for the era of God’s salvation had arrived.”  (I Howard Marshall in Luke in New Bible Commentary p896) 

Slide 9

God’s truth had been revealed to those who had listened.  But that did not guarantee its acceptance.

  God’s truth had been revealed to those who had listened.  But that did not guarantee its acceptance.  In his short sermon Jesus offered hope to a Humanity that hungered for righteousness and thirsted for reconciliation with God.  But that did not guarantee that Humanity would accept the gift that God offered.

  May that not be the case with us.  May our ears be open to hear the good news that Jesus has proclaimed.  May our minds be open to comprehend the good news that Jesus proclaims.  And may our hearts be open to accept with praise and thanksgiving the good news that Jesus proclaims, such that with the Psalmist, we can say with total commitment and with total confidence, “O LORD, you are my rock and my redeemer.”  (Psalm 19: 14b)  Amen.

We sing the Hymn “Sing we the King who is coming to reign”  MHB116

Charles Horne

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774 

[ sung to the tune Austria – there is no introduction]

[This YouTube is for another hymn so disregard the words – only the one verse is needed]

For the life that you have given,

For the love in Christ made known,

With these fruits of time and labour,

With these gifts that are your own:

Here we offer, Lord, our praises;

Heart and mind and strength we bring;

Give us grace to love and serve you,

Living what we pray and sing.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Prayers for Others

Let us come before God with our cares and our concerns.

Let us come before God with our cares and our concerns.

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may recognize our identity as members of the Body of Christ and manifest the Good News in our lives, our families, and our workplaces.

We pray for openness to the Holy Spirit, that we may nurture and develop the gifts that the Spirit has given us and use them to build up the Body of Christ and in service of others.

We pray for the gift of discernment, that leaders and every member of the Christian community will listen for your invitation to further the mission of Jesus in all the ways which the Human family needs healing and enlightenment.

We pray for pastors and preachers, that you will inspire them with words that will renew the faith of those who hear them and encourage them to greater trust in your providence.

We pray for greater openness to your Word, that we may allow your Word to enter our deepest selves, enlighten the darkness of our hearts, and free us to live as your daughters and sons.

We pray for all who are discerning their vocation, that you will lead them to people and experiences which will help them recognize how you are calling them to use their lives and gifts in the service of others.

We pray for the members of all levels of our Government, that the Spirit will move them to greater cooperation, guide them in addressing the greatest issues in people’s lives, and inspire them with ways promote justice and the common good.

We pray that we may recognize all of creation as God’s gift to us and grow in awareness of our responsibility to care for the Earth and exercise good stewardship of the Earth’s resources.  Teach us to use our resources for the relief of suffering and want, and not for personal gain or profit.

We pray for all who struggle with emotional and mental illness, that they may come to a time of where they receive your peace and relief from their struggles.

We pray for healing within churches, that you will free us from rivalries and past wounds so that we can work together in serving Christ who brought forgiveness to all.  Inspire your Church to be a true witness to the World of your grace and mercy to all of Humanity.  May it have the courage to confront false idols and prophets, and highlight that other religions are but the deceit of Satan.

We pray for those who are ill, that they will experience healing and wholeness in their lives, and may they experience support and assistance from those who are close to them. 

We pray for the doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other care givers who are treating those suffering from Covid-19 and its effects.  Please give to them the guidance and understanding that they need to promote healing for those under their care.  Give them the energy and endurance to sustain their work each day.  Encourage them with the understanding that they are your workers, undertaking your tasks od bringing healing and relief to those who are suffering and in need.

We pray for those in Tonga and Fiji who have suffered from the effects of the recent volcanic eruption.  We pray for swift delivery of goods and services to meet their immediate needs for clean water, food and shelter, and so that repairs to homes and infrastructure can take place.

We pray for peace and a reduction in international tensions, that you will give all leaders a bigger vision, remove fear from their hearts, and remove troops from borders in Eastern Europe.

Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/ 

(Raymond Chapman in Leading Intercessions Year C p92, David Hostetter in Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year C p43)

We pray for the peoples of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, amidst the ethnic, religious, social and international tension in the Persian Gulf and in and around the Arabian Peninsula.  We pray those who continue to pursue peace in the midst of such strife and terrorism, that you will strengthen their efforts, that you will bring fruit to their efforts, and that the world will be led to give weight to moves for peace.  We pray for the encouragement of Christians who practice their faith in these Nations even when they are a small, often discriminated minority.

We prayfor women and others in these countries who are deprived of basic freedoms and human dignity, that those in authority and power will realise their error and accept your standard that all people have equal value and dignity.

We pray for those who misuse or exploit religious identity for extremist political ends, that they will kneel before you , repent of their error, and turn around and work for reconciliation.

We pray for the wise use of the benefits of oil and other natural resources for the sake of all and not for a select privileged few, for the sake of eliminating want and disease.

We pray for the emergence of stable democratic societies based on the rule of law, social justice, and respect for religious and other freedoms for all peoples.

Send your peace, O Lord, which is perfect and everlasting, that our souls may radiate peace.

Send your peace, O Lord, that we may think, act, and speak harmoniously.

Send your peace, O Lord, that we may be contented and thankful for your bountiful gifts.

Send your peace, O Lord, that amidst our worldly strife we may enjoy your bliss.

Send your peace, O Lord, that we may endure all, tolerate all in the thought of your grace and mercy.

Send your peace, O Lord, that our lives may become a divine vision, and in your light all darkness may vanish.

Send your peace, O Lord, that we your children on earth may all unite in one family.

(from http://www.worldhealingprayers.com/6.html)

(https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/bahrain-kuwait-oman-qatar-saudi-arabia-united-arab-emirates-yemen)

We pray for the sustaining and support for The Leprosy Mission Bangladesh’s projects providing leprosy control, community-based rehabilitation, advocacy, research, and leprosy referral services.  We pray for the ongoing success and benefits from their research into leprosy as a major pathway to achieving zero leprosy transmission, disability, and discrimination.  We pray that they will have the necessary resources.  We pray for the success of the support TLM Bangladesh gives to the National Tuberculosis Programme in two districts to reduce the prevalence of tuberculosis.

The pandemic unsettled regular service provision for persons affected by leprosy in Bangladesh, we pray for the team as they work through these challenges and for staff wellbeing as they maintain services in the field, for their physical and mental wellbeing.

(Leprosy%20Mission%202022%20Prayer%20Diary.pdf)

We pray for the Scripture Union chaplains and staff from the Queensland office who attended prayer retreats this week, that they will be refreshed and renewed to take on their roles in the coming year.  We pray that you will uplift them in body, mind and spirit as they undertake their roles in serving the children and youth of this state. 

We pray for the work Scripture Union is undertaking in the ACT, that you will guide people with the right heart to maintain and develop the programs in schools.  We pray for the staff and volunteers in the SU office in Tasmania, that you will watch over them as they serve in your name.

We pray for the Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School, thanking you for the enthusiasm of the leaders.  We pray that your Holy Spirit may be at work in the minds and hearts of the children who attend RI classes this coming year.

We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Chaplain at Bald Hills State School, that you will guide her as her interacts with the pupils and children at the School, that she will be aware of needs and of how to respond, that she is refreshed physically and spiritually as these holidays end, so as to cope with what each day presents.

We pray for your blessing on the continuing deliberations of those on Church Council as they consider how the Congregation is to move forward in the future.

Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care.  To your glory we pray.

Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care.  To your glory we pray.

The 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 the Hymn “I am his, and He is mine”  MHB443  Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 No 193

[there is a short introduction]

George Robinson

Benediction 

(from Invocations & Benedictions p 110 & 111) 

We come to Church not to be spectators but to participate in worship.  We leave, not just as hearers of God’s word, but also doers of God’s work.  May we each go out into the World to fulfil the ministry to which God has called us, exercising the gifts which God has given to us.  And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Benediction Song

By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered”  TiS617

[sung to the tune Finlandia – only the one verse to be sung – there is a short introduction]

Verse 1 of 1

By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered,

And confidently waiting come what may,

We know that God is with us night and morning

And never fails to greet us each new day.

We shall remember all the days we live through,

All of our life before our God we lay.

Dietrich Bonhoffer

Translated by Frederick Pratt Green