Welcome: –

Call to Worship: –   

  On our recent tour around Japan, Kerry and I saw many beautiful sights.

Heian Jingu Shrine gardens at Kyoto – 10/04/2025

  This is just one part of a large garden at the Heian Jingu Shrine at Kyoto.  We were fortunate that the cherry trees were in blossom.

waterfall along Mogami River near Sakata – 12/04/2025

  One of our excursions involved a boat ride down a stretch of the Mogami River near Sakata.  During the ride, we saw this picturesque waterfall.

Moonlight at sea north of Tokyo – 15/05/2025

  On the last night of the cruise, Kerry took this photo from our balcony of the moonlight on the water.

  All of these memories remind me of the words of Psalm 148.

  The Psalmist is calling all of Creation to proclaim the glory of God and to exalt His name.  The Psalmist calls upon all of that which forms the Heavens above us, all of the hosts in Heaven, and all of that which forms this Earth on which we live, the forces of nature, the flora and fauna, and, lastly, the whole of Humanity, to acknowledge the greatness and the goodness of God.  (Leslie McCaw & Alec Motyer in Psalms in the New Bible Commentary p545)  To give praise to Him who creates and preserves all things is that purpose which unites all, all that is inanimate and all that has breath; the whole of Creation is to be linked together in the worship of Almighty God.  (Artur Weiser in The Psalms p837) 

  As we gather here today, let us join with all of Creation to offer our praise and our worship of God, the One who holds us dear to Himself, as we say these words from Psalm 148.

Praise the LORD from the Heavens, praise Him in the heights above.

Praise Him, all His angels, praise Him, all His Heavenly Hosts.

Praise Him, Sun and Moon, praise Him, all you shining stars.

Praise Him, you highest Heavens and you waters above the skies.

Let them praise the name of the LORD, for He commanded and they were created.

He set them in place for ever and ever; He gave a decree that will never pass away.

Praise the LORD from the Earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

Lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do His bidding,

You mountains and all hills, fruit trees and cedars,

Wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,

Kings of the Earth and all Nations, you Princes and all rulers on Earth,

Young men and maidens, old men and children.

Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted: His splendour is above the Earth and the Heavens.

(Psalm 148)

Prayer of Praise  

(Thanksgiving for light in Australian Prayers by Bruce Power p106) 

Most wonderful God, we thank you for the gift of light:

for its power to cheer us, enliven us, encourage and guard us,

for the Sun, rising over hills and calling us to a new day,

for moonlight and starlight, stirring a sense of wonder and serenity.

We thank you for the beauty of city lights viewed from on top of hills,

for the beauty of affection lighting up the faces of those who love us,

for the light of Human compassion in hospitals, homes, and relief agencies.

We thank you for the Supreme light of divine love

evident in the face of the man born in Bethlehem and who grew up in Nazareth,

for the radiance of Christ’s goodness, grace and self-sacrifice,

for his light in his Church, exposing, challenging,

and showing us the way to new Creation;

for his radiance in our individual lives,

uncovering, rebuking, forgiving, renewing and guiding us.

Most wonderful God, we praise you for the light to the World,

for the ‘Son’ that is never eclipsed; glory be to you now and for ever.  Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn whose words are below. The tune can be heard by going to YouTube via the link provided. The YouTube audio is for another hymn with the same tune.

“O praise ye the Lord!  Praise Him in the height”  TiS96  AHB83

www.youtube.com/watch?v=suJULriXL7Q

Verse 1 of 3

Sing praise to the Lord! Praise him in the height;

rejoice in His word, you angels of light;

you heavens adore Him by whom you were made,

and worship before Him, in brightness arrayed.

Verse 2 of 3

Sing praise to the Lord, all things that give sound;

each jubilant chord re-echo around;

praise Him who has brought you His grace from above,

praise Him who has taught you to sing of His love.

Verse 3 of 3

Sing praise to the Lord! Thanksgiving and song

to Him be outpoured all ages along:

for love in Creation, for Heaven restored,

for grace of salvation, sing praise to the Lord!

Henry Baker

Prayer of Confession

(When we fail to love in Australian Prayers by Bruce Power p87) 

We confess to you, most loving God, that although we profess honour to Jesus,

we fall far short of his call to love you with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

We are disciples of little faith; our loyalty wavers, our vision is limited,

our prayers are selfish, and our sacrifice is rare.

We confess that our love for you and our neighbours too readily grows cold.

We criticise others for the same weaknesses that lie within us but which we fail to accept and fear to reveal to others.

But, despite our sin, we know, Lord, that you are merciful.

We pray for the forgiveness that rejuvenated Peter, the compassion that healed Mary Magdalene, the grace that accepted Thomas and answered his doubts, and the love that wiped away the tears of Martha and Mary.

Most loving God, you alone can rescue us from our attempts to renew and perfect ourselves by our own efforts.

You alone can transform us into the people that you would have us to be.  Forgive us and restore us, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  In your name we pray.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from Galatians 1: 4) 

Paul writes that Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins, in obedience to the will of God.  Let us be reassured by these words of Paul, knowing that God has seen our faith and has heard our prayers.  Let us be assured that He has answered us by forgiving us and cleansing us in His sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination 

O Lord, Heavenly Father, in whom is the fullness of light and wisdom,

enlighten our minds by your Holy Spirit,

and give us grace to receive your Word with reverence and humility,

without which no person can understand your truth.

To your glory we pray.  Amen.

John Calvin

Bible Readings

Acts 11:

1  The Apostles and the other believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the Word of God.  2  When Peter went to Jerusalem, those who were in favour of circumcising Gentiles criticised him, saying,

3  “You were a guest in the home of uncircumcised Gentiles, and you even ate with them!”

4  So Peter gave them a complete account of what had happened from the very beginning.

5  “While I was praying in the City of Joppa, I had a vision.  I saw something coming down that looked like a large sheet being lowered by its four corners from Heaven, and it stopped next to me.  6  I looked closely inside and saw domesticated and wild animals, reptiles, and wild birds.  7  Then I heard a voice saying to me,

‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat!’

8  But I said,

‘Certainly not, Lord!  No ritually unclean or defiled food has ever entered my mouth.’

9  The voice spoke again from Heaven,

‘Do not consider anything unclean that God has declared clean.’

10  This happened three times, and finally the whole thing was drawn back up into Heaven.  11  At that very moment, three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea arrived at the house where I was staying.  12  The Spirit told me to go with them without hesitation.  These six fellow believers from Joppa accompanied me to Caesarea, and we went into the house of Cornelius.  13  He told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him,

‘Send someone to Joppa for a man whose full name is Simon Peter.  14  He will speak words to you by which you and all your family will be saved.’

15  And when I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came down on them just as on us at the beginning.  16  Then I remembered what the Lord Jesus had said:

‘John baptised with water, but you will be baptised with the Holy spirit.’

17  It is clear that God gave those Gentiles the same gift that He gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; who was I, then, to stop God.”

18  When they heard this, they stopped their criticism and praised God, saying,

“Then God has given to the Gentiles also the opportunity to repent and live!”

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Luke 2:

8  There were some shepherds in that part of the Country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks.  9  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them.  They were terribly afraid,  10  but the angel said to them,

“Don’t be afraid!  I am here with good news for you, which will bring joy to all the people.  11  This very day in David’s town your Saviour was born – Christ the Lord!  12  And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

13  Suddenly, a great army of Heaven’s angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:  14  ‘Glory to God in the highest Heaven, and peace on Earth to those with whom He is pleased!”

15  When the angels went away from them back to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another,

“Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us.”

16  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the manger.

25  At that time there was a man named Simeon living in Jerusalem.  He was a good, God-fearing man, and was waiting for Israel to be saved.  The Holy Spirit was with him  26  and had assured him that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s promised Messiah.  27  Led by the Spirit, Simeon went into the Temple.  When Joseph and Mary brought the child Jesus into the Temple to do for him what the Law required,  28  Simeon took the child in his arms and gave thanks to God:

29  “Now, Lord, you have kept your promise, and you may let your servant go in peace.  30  With my own eyes I have seen your Salvation  31  which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:  32  A Light to reveal your will to the Gentiles and bring glory to your People Israel”

33  Joseph and Mary were amazed at the things Simeon said about their child, Jesus.

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn whose words are below. The tune can be heard by going to YouTube via the link provided. The YouTube audio is for another hymn with the same tune.

 “Praise the Lord! You heav’ns, adore Him” 

TiS93  AHB58  MHB13 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRhmUMQE_T0

Verse 1 of 6

Praise the Lord!  You heav’ns, adore Him;

praise Him, angels in the height;

Sun and Moon, rejoice before Him,

praise Him, all you stars of light.

Verse 2 of 6

Praise the Lord for He has spoken;

worlds His mighty voice obeyed;

laws which never shall be broken

for their guidance He has made.

Verse 3 of 6

Praise the Lord for He is glorious;

never shall His promise fail;

God has made His saints victorious;

sin and death shall not prevail.

Verse 4 of 6

Praise the God of our salvation!

Hosts on high, His power proclaim;

Heav’n and Earth and all Creation,

laud and magnify His name.

Verse 5 of 6

Worship, honour, glory, blessing,

Lord, we offer unto Thee;

young and old, your praise expressing,

in glad homage bend the knee.

Verse 6 of 6

All the saints in Heav’n adore you;

we would bow before your throne;

as your angels serve before you,

so on Earth your will be done.

Richard Mant

  (https://hymnary.org/text/praise_the_lord_ye_heavens_adore_him) 

Sermon

 “Scientists Finally Solved the Mystery of How the Mayan Calendar Works”

  This was the headline of a Popular Mechanics YouTube article dated 29^th November 2024.

(https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a63052156/how-does-the-mayan-calendar-work/)

  The article states:

“While ancient Mayan culture offered various calendar types, the one that baffled scholars the most was this 819-day calendar discovered in glyphic texts.  Researchers have long believed this calendar was associated with planetary movements, especially the synodic periods—when a planet appears visually to return to the same location in the sky, as seen from Earth—of key planets.  However, each planet moves quite differently and matching up multiple planets into an 819-day span didn’t seem to make sense.

But it does when you look at it over 16,380 days (roughly 45 years), not just 819 days.  That’s a total of 20 X 819-day timelines.  Rather than limit their focus to any one planet, the Maya astronomers who created the 819-day count envisioned it as a larger calendar system that could be used for predictions of all the visible planet’s synod periods.”

  And, if you are interested, I have attached other YouTube references on this topic.

(https://www.mayaarchaeologist.co.uk/public-resources/maya-world/maya-calendar-system/)

(https://www.independent.co.uk/space/maya-calendar-mystery-solved-819-day-count-b2328893.html)

(https://news.tulane.edu/pr/researchers-solve-ancient-mystery-maya-calendar)

  However, my intent is not to dwell of this Mayan mystery, but to use it as an example of mysteries whose solution has been lost or blurred over the course of Human History.  For the People of Israel had their own enigma, whose solution became obscured to them over time, the enigma of God’s plan for the salvation of Humanity.

    Over time, the People of Israel sought to emphasise their need to obey the Law of God over their need simply to obey God Himself.  Instead of recalling the mercy and love that God demonstrated to them in the past and of their responsibility to show that same mercy and love to those whom God may also have been calling to a relationship with Him, they sought to highlight their distinctiveness above all other races.  They viewed themselves as God’s uniquely chosen People.  Their error was that they could not contemplate that God would ever seek to demonstrate the same mercy and love to Peoples of other races that He had for them.

  They failed to recall the curse given by God upon the Serpent who enticed Eve to sin, about which we read in Genesis 3: 15:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers, he will crush your head and you will strike his heal.”

  When God talks of “enmity between the offspring of the Serpent and the (plural) offspring of Eve”, it symbolises “the titanic struggle between God and Satan, played out in the hearts and History of Humankind”.  When God talks of the singular offspring of Eve, he, crushing the head of the Serpent and of the Serpent striking his heal, it is referring to a promised outcome in the future, a promise “fulfilled in Christ’s victory over Satan.”  (Ronald Youngblood in Study Note in the NIV Study Bible p11) 

  The author of the Letter to the Hebrews makes reference to this when they write:

“(Christ) too shared in their Humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the Devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”  (Hebrews 2: 14 & 15) 

  The point I am making is that this curse and promise was made before there was a Nation or People of Israel, and reads as a reference to all of the future offspring of Eve, that is, all of Humanity over the many millennia, and not solely to the People of Israel.

  The People of Israel also failed to recall the identical promise that God gave to Abraham  (Genesis 12: 3 & 22: 18)  , to Isaac  (Genesis26: 2-4)  , and to Jacob  (Genesis 28: 14)  , that “All peoples of Earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.”

  It is acknowledged that God did specifically bless Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and their immediate descendants.  But God’s promise to each of these Patriarchs continues by saying that His blessings would not stop with them or their descendants, but that through their descendants God would bless all of Humanity, “all peoples of Earth” as the blessing reads.

  Peter made reference to these promises to those Jews who had gathered in the Temple to listen to his preaching, when he said,

“The promises of God through His Prophets are for you, and you share in the Covenant which God made with your ancestors.  As He said to Abraham,

‘Through your descendants I will bless all the people on Earth.’  (Genesis 12: 3 & 22: 18)  And, so, God chose His Servant (Jesus) and sent him to you first, to bless you by making every one of you turn away from their wicked ways.”  (Acts 3: 25 & 26) 

  Paul, too, made reference to this promise to the Gentile Churches in Galatia, when he writes in his Letter to them saying,

“The Scripture predicted that God would put the Gentiles right with Himself through faith.  And, so, the Scripture announced the Good News to Abraham:

‘Through you God will bless all (of) Humanity.’

Abraham believed and was blessed: so all who believe are blessed as he was.”  (Galatians 3: 8 & 9)  (Ronald Youngblood in Study Note in the NIV Study Bible p25) 

  The People of Israel also failed to recall the words of the Prophet Isaiah where he said of God that “(God) will remove the cloud of sorrow that has been hanging over all the Nations”  (Isaiah 25: 7)  .  They failed to recall the words of the Prophet Isaiah where God made a promise to the People of Israel, “I will guard and protect you and through you make a Covenant with all People.”  (Isaiah 49: 8b) 

  God was demonstrating to the People of Israel the lengths that He would go to show His love for all peoples of the World, peoples beyond the borders of the People of Israel.  The Prophet Isaiah spoke of God’s chosen Servant who would be “a light for the Gentiles, that (will) bring (God’s) salvation to the ends of the Earth.”  (Isaiah 49: 6b)  These were the very words spoken by Simeon when he saw Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus in the Temple, one week after the birth of Jesus: “with my own eyes I have seen your Salvation, O LORD, which you have prepared in the presence of all Peoples; a light to reveal your will to the Gentiles.”  (Luke 2: 30 to 32a) 

  Even the Apostle Peter, in spite of his and the Apostles enthusiasm to “preach the Good News about Jesus the Messiah each day in the Temple and in people’s homes”, as we read in Acts 6: 42, failed to grasp that the angel choir on that first Christmas evening was referring to God’s salvation work being among all peoples of all Nations all over the whole of the Earth, not just to the Jewish People who were spread over the whole of the Earth.

  The angel proclaimed, of “good news for you, which will bring joy to all the people”  (Luke 2: 10)  , not just to the People of Israel.

  The choir of angels sang of “peace on Earth to those with whom He is pleased  (Luke 2: 14)  , not just to the People of Israel.

  It was at the time of Peter’s visit to Cornelius, the Roman army officer, and to those who were gathered in his home, and the visible witness of God’s work among these people who were present as Peter spoke of Jesus, exactly as Peter had seen God at work among the Jewish people in Jerusalem and Judah, that God revealed to Peter how limited was Peter’s appraisal of the extent of God’s plan.  “I now realise,” Peter is quoted as saying,” that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis.  Whoever fears (God) and does what is right is acceptable to Him, no matter to what race they belong.  God has given to the Gentiles also the opportunity to repent and live.”  (Acts 10: 34 & 35, 11: 18b)  Peter needed to look at the World through God’s eyes and to marvel at God’s magnanimity towards all people, rather than to base his perceptions of God at work upon the biases and the prejudices which the Jews built up over the centuries and which they had used to colour their view of non-Jews for so many centuries.

 Jesus had said to the Disciples in the Upper Room, at the Passover feast prior to his arrest and trial, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my Disciples, if you love one another.”  (John 13: 34b & 35)  Jesus didn’t say, “As I have loved you, so you must love all your fellow Jews.”, instead Jesus said, “so you must love all people, just as God, through me, loves all people.”

  This too is our heritage.  As those who have declared our faith and hope in the saving work of Jesus Christ, we too are included among those whom God declares to be “His People”.  As those who bear witness to the forgiveness of sin and to reconciliation with God, we too are included among those whom God holds near and dear to Himself.  We can take reassurance from the words of the Apostle John when he writes of God saying “To anyone who is thirsty I will give the right to drink from the spring of the water of life, … I will be their God and they will be my Children”.  (Revelations 21: 6b and 7b) 

  This is the assurance that God grants to us, that He will uphold us each day of our lives, and that He is the deliverer of our salvation now and in the life to come.  May this give us the peace of mind and soul that is God’s gift to those whom He loves.  And may we too join in the chorus praising God and declaring how great He is, above all that is on Earth and in Heaven.

  I found this poem during the week:

“God sees in us a masterpiece

that one day will be done;

His Spirit works throughout our lives

to make us like His Son.”

(David Sper quoted in Incomplete by Cindy Hess Kasper in Our Daily Bread 12 March 2009)

May these words inspire us in the weeks and months ahead.  Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing a Hymn which can be heard using the YouTube via the link provided.

“Jesus, strong and kind”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5Y8s-Sz_ac

Words and Music by Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson, Michael Farren & Colin Buchanan

Offering

Offering Prayer    

Almighty God, as our response to your unending love we offer these gifts to you.  Bless and guide their use so that the message of your promise of reconciliation with God and fulfilment in life may be shared around the Globe, and give hope to those mired in desolation and despair.  To your glory we pray, Amen.

Prayers for Others

Almighty God, we hear of the destitute and of the poor, and the terrible plight of those affected by bush fires and cyclones and earthquakes.

Please provide relief for their current suffering and hope for a meaningful future. 

May the World acknowledge your power and authority as the ruler of all.  May Governments and those in positions of power and decision making seek your will and guidance.

May they act to bring health and prosperity to all and not wealth and status for the few.  May peace and justice be the driving forces among peoples and not division and prejudice.

Have mercy on the lonely and the grieving, those who feel shut off from the company of others and withdrawn into a world of self-absorption. 

May they feel your presence close by and experience the comfort and the peace of mind that only you can give to them.

We pray for those who are ill or injured. 

May they know your healing so that they may again experience health and wholeness in their lives. 

We pray for those who provide care and comfort to them,

that they will see the reward for their efforts. 

Bless our families as we gather and as we are apart,

that we will value their presence and welcome their company. 

Bless and inspire the Church Worldwide to witness to your grace and to declare your great work of the forgiveness of sin. 

Let it not be tempted to deviate from this call so as to seek honour or position or any reward offered by the World, lest its ministry be diluted and its witness made ineffectual. 

May there be unity within the Church; may we not be content with divisions or accept contention between factions as a fact of life. 

May we all seek a unity of purpose to bring your light to an ever-darkening World.

(from Leading Intercession p101, Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year C pp91 & 92)

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.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing a Hymn which can be heard using the YouTube via the link provided.

 “Praise the Lord who reigns above”

[This song is an adaptation of MHB14]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkd8kKjWO9c

Charles Wesley

as performed by Leigh Nash

Benediction    

“Lord may I be a shining light

for all the World to see,

your goodness and your love displayed

as you reach out through me.”

(by David Sper in The Bus Driver by Dave Branon in Our Daily Bread 17 April 2009)

And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you always.  Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing THE Benediction Hymn which can be heard using the YouTube via the link provided.

“May the grace of Christ our Saviour” 

Hymns and Songs number 45  AHB373  TiS777 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdWpddjTsmw&ab_channel=ChetValleyChurches

John Newton