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Aurora Energy LLC 1204-1206 1st Avenue Fairbanks Alaska
During our holiday in Alaska last year, we spent a couple of days on our own in Fairbanks. On one of these days, I undertook a walking tour from where we were staying, along a walking path by the Chena River, to Downtown Fairbanks. Along the way I saw this building, which apparently is a coal fired power plant operated by Aurora Energy LLC.
I took the photograph because it displays the name of the Company on the side of the building, intending to show it to our granddaughter whose name is Aurora.

Oops!
As I was continuing along the footpath, I noticed what appeared to be a large dent in the wall of the building, apparently from a truck that had backed into or drove along the wall.

And, it was a BIG Oops!
When I stopped to look, I saw that whatever had backed into or drove along the wall, had ripped off five pipes that were attached to the wall, and, in doing so, had severed cables that were inside these pipes. Quite a major mistake, and quite major damage. Due to the absence of any barricades around the site, I gathered that the presence of the cables hanging out of the pipes didn’t pose any threat to any people or vehicles that would be passing by.
But that didn’t negate the fact that the incident and its associated damage was caused by someone’s negligence. And I am certain that this ‘someone’ didn’t pass it off as ‘just one of those things’, and that their Manager didn’t just say, “She’ll be right mate.”. And, unless there were extenuating circumstances leading up to the incident, such as an earthquake or a meteor strike, this Manager would have addressed this ‘someone’s’ error to the fullest degree allowed to them under Aurora Energy’s personnel policies.
When we look at our lives, we come face-to-face with the identical scenario. We, all, must accept that we, too, have erred in our relationship with God. We, too, have been negligent in being faithful to the will and purpose of God for us. We, too, have damaged our relationship with God. God, our ‘Manager’, is in His rights to address our negligence to the fullest degree allowed to Him as our Creator and God.
Yet, what do the Gospel accounts tell us? We find Jesus proclaiming,
“God has chosen me to bring Good News.” (Luke 4: 18)
And this Good News involves “liberty” from the hold of sins on our lives, “freedom” from the oppression of sin in our lives, and “salvation” from the punishment that we deserve because of our sins. (Luke 4: 18 & 19)
We have gathered here today to celebrate our “liberty” and our “freedom” and our “salvation”. We have gathered here today to express our earnest and everlasting thankfulness to God for His lovingkindness lavished upon each of us. We have gathered here today to offer our worship and praise of Almighty God.
Prayer of Praise
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 to be in your presence.
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, 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.
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.
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn ‘Sing we the King who is coming to reign’
Verse 1 of 5
Sing we the King who is coming to reign,
glory to Jesus, the Lamb that was slain,
life and salvation his Empire shall bring,
joy to the nations when Jesus is King.
Chorus
Come let us sing; praise to our King,
Jesus our King, Jesus our King.
This is our song who to Jesus belong,
glory to Jesus, to Jesus our King.
Verse 2 of 5
All men shall dwell in His marvellous light,
races long severed His love shall unite,
justice and truth from His sceptre shall spring,
wrong shall be ended when Jesus is King.
Chorus
Come let us sing; praise to our King,
Jesus our King, Jesus our King.
This is our song who to Jesus belong,
glory to Jesus, to Jesus our King.
Verse 3 of 5
All shall be well in His Kingdom of peace,
freedom shall flourish and wisdom increase,
foe shall be friend when His triumph we sing,
sword shall be sickle when Jesus is King.
Chorus
Come let us sing; praise to our King,
Jesus our King, Jesus our King.
This is our song who to Jesus belong,
glory to Jesus, to Jesus our King.
Verse 4 of 5
Souls shall be saved from the burden of sin,
doubts shall not darken His witness within,
Hell hath no terrors, and death hath no sting,
love is victorious when Jesus is King.
Chorus
Come let us sing; praise to our King,
Jesus our King, Jesus our King.
This is our song who to Jesus belong,
glory to Jesus, to Jesus our King.
Verse 5 of 5
Kingdom of Christ, for Thy coming we pray,
hasten, O Father, the dawn of the day
when this new song Thy Creation shall sing,
Satan is vanquished and Jesus is King.
Chorus
Come let us sing; praise to our King,
Jesus our King, Jesus our King.
This is our song who to Jesus belong,
glory to Jesus, to Jesus our King.
Charles Horne
Prayer of Confession
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 lives 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 in His sight.
Thanks be to God.
Prayer of illumination
Almighty, gracious Father, for as much as our whole salvation depends upon our true understanding of your holy Word, grant to all of us that our hearts, being freed from worldly affairs, may hear and comprehend your holy Word with all diligence and faith, that we may rightly understand your gracious will, cherish it, and live by it with all earnestness, to your praise and honour, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
(Prayer of Martin Bucer: 1538)
Bible Readings
Psalm 19:
7 The Law of the LORD is perfect; it gives new strength. The Commands of the LORD are trustworthy, giving wisdom to those who lack it. 8 The Laws of the LORD are right, and those who obey them are happy. The Commands of the LORD are just, and give understanding to the mind. 9 Reverence for the LORD is good; it will continue forever. The judgements of the LORD are just; they are always fair. 10 They are more desirable than the finest gold; they are sweeter than the purest honey. 11 They give knowledge to me, your servant; I am rewarded for obeying them.
12 No one can see their own errors; deliver me, LORD, from hidden faults! 13 Keep me safe, also from wilful sins; don’t let them rule over me. Then I shall be perfect and free from the evil of sin. 14 May me words and my thoughts be acceptable to you, O LORD, my refuge and me Redeemer.
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.
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.”
22 They were all well impressed with him and marvelled at the eloquent words that he spoke.
This is the Gospel of our Lord.
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
Australia Day 2025

Today we celebrate Australia Day 2025, ‘celebrating all things Australian’.
Now, there have been some negative comments made about celebrating Australia Day in any way or form on any date. There have been some negative comments made about celebrating Australia Day on this particular day, the anniversary of the establishment of the first European settlement in Australia at Sydney Cove in 1788. Those who call for an end to celebrating Australia Day, are, instead, commemorating today as “Invasion Day” or “A Day of Mourning”.
The Uniting Church in Australia issued an invitation to Congregations across Australia to mark the Uniting Church Day of Mourning last Sunday, 19th January. According to the Assembly website, the Assembly has taken the stance that, based upon its Covenant with the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC), we are called “to reflect on the dispossession and ongoing injustices faced by Australia’s First Peoples”, and that “bound together by shared faith, witness and a dream for God’s justice and healing, we walk together as First and Second Peoples, sharing in solidarity, joy and sorrow on the path to reconciliation”. (https://uniting.church/day-of-mourning-2025/)
But such a stance ignores the intent of those Organisations and those Governments Bodies of all levels of Government who choose to celebrate Australia Day today, and who also choose to celebrate Australia Day as a Day of unification and reconciliation.
The Key Messages for 2025 from the Australia Day website states:
“Australia Day is a day that reminds us of the common bond we share as Australians, connected by a desire for unity, and the promise of safety, stability and prosperity. As Australians, there is much of which we can be proud – our democracy, our shared values, the strength, diversity and generosity of our people, and our beautiful natural environment. Australia Day is a day to reflect and respect that we are all shaped by our own experiences, and to celebrate living in a Nation where everyone’s views, beliefs and contributions are valued. It is about who we are as a Nation and what we aspire to be.” (https://www.australiaday.org.au/sites/default/files/2024-08/AustraliaDay2025KeyMessages.pdf)
“On Australia Day we celebrate all the things we love about Australia: land, our sense of fair go, our lifestyle, our democracy, and the freedoms we enjoy but particularly our people. Australia Day is about acknowledging the contribution every Australian makes to our contemporary and dynamic nation. From our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have been here for 65,000 years, to those who have lived here for several generations, to those who have recently come from all corners of the globe to call our country home.
It is a day on which we pay respect to the stories, histories and contributions of the Australians who lived, worked and fought for the values and freedoms we often take for granted. And it is a day we celebrate the diversity of this nation’s people with our various cultures, traditions and belief systems.” (https://cms.australiaday.org.au/about)
“Australia Day is a day of national pride and celebration for Australians. It is a day for Australians to celebrate their country’s diverse culture, heritage, and achievements. It reflects on the nation’s history, including Indigenous heritage and European settlement, while also highlighting contemporary Australian achievements and multiculturalism. The day encourages unity and a sense of belonging among Australians of all backgrounds.”
(https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/australia-day-2024/)
That is the stance that I believe should be taken be all Australians on Australia Day. It accepts the reality of who we are as a Nation as we move further into the 2020s. It doesn’t seek to whitewash those negative aspects of our past that represent pain for some and shame and dismay for others. It, instead, provides a framework for working together as a people for the betterment of all who call Australia ‘home’.
The Church of God has always stressed the need to acknowledge the wrongs of the past, to confess our part in the wrongs of the past, and to seek forgiveness from God and from those who have been wronged. But, we are to also move into the future as a people, united in celebrating what we have in common, celebrating the hope and the promise which the future holds for all of us as God’s people, and expressing our thanks to Almighty God for what He has provided for us here in our Great South Land.
Prayer
We praise you, God of the Universe, for this Nation of ours, for its contrasts of landscape and climate, for its times of droughts and times of floods, for its times of abundance and beauty. We praise you for the stability of its Governments, for the ready provision of education and health care and housing, and for basic and accepted freedoms to choose how we live and work and believe.
We accept the realities of our History, with its struggles in adversity, with its loss and grief, with its failures and neglect, with its inequality and poverty, with its injustices and abuses committed against peoples of different colours and races and cultures and creeds.
We ask for your forgiveness of us, when by acts of commission or by our failure to act, we have contributed to the needs of others not being met, or we have contributed to the discrimination shown to another Human being who is equally valued and equally loved by you, or we have contributed to the acceptance of the presence of inequity and neglect when none should exist.
We pray for the healing of our Nation, that you will eliminate any divisiveness and mistrust that divides us. We pray that you will encourage those who have been wronged in the past and in the present to be moved to forgive the pain that they have experienced, to forgive the loss that they have suffered, to forgive the abuse that has been hurled at them, and to forgive the neglect and inequality that has impacted on their life.
We pray that paths of dialogue may open within and between our communities, dialogue that will lead to cooperation and the advancement for the Common Good, dialogue that will lead to the making of constructive and positive decisions towards the advancement of all peoples.
Give us the courage to ensure that the realities of our past do not determine the realities of our future. May we not seek to take upon ourselves the guilt for the sins of others in the past, especially the sins of the Church, but lead us instead, Lord God, to celebrate what we have and who we are, to accept that “we are all part of the story”, and to seek pathways for moving forward together as a Nation.
So that we may together build a better future for our Nation, teach us to tolerate diversity, to respect all Cultures, and to care for our land and of our waters. Help us to work towards a just sharing of the resources of our Nation and of the opportunities that it affords. Give us a passionate commitment towards justice for all, and for structural and social change to improve the quality of life for all peoples in all communities, especially for the disadvantaged and the neglected.
May your authority and love be the foundations upon which we walk together as one People who share this Nation of yours. Bless us so that we might be a blessing to others. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(UCA Assembly Day of mourning 2021 Worship Resources, Anglican Defence force chaplains Australia Day worship resources 2014, https://www.australiaday.org.au/)
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn ‘All for Jesus, all for Jesus’
Verse 1 of 4
All for Jesus, all for Jesus,
all my being’s ransomed powers,
all my thoughts and words and doings,
all my days and all my hours.
Chorus
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
All my days and all my hours.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
All my days and all my hours.
Verse 2 of 4
Let my hands perform his bidding,
let my feet run in his ways,
let my eyes see Jesus only,
let my lips speak forth his praise.
Chorus
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Let my lips speak forth his praise.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Let my lips speak forth his praise.
Verse 3 of 4
Since my eyes were fixed on Jesus
I’ve lost sight of all beside,
so enchained my spirit’s vision
looking at the crucified.
Chorus
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Looking at the crucified.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Looking at the crucified.
Verse 4 of 4
O what wonder! How amazing!
Jesus, glorious King of kings,
deigns to call me his beloved,
lets me rest beneath his wings.
Chorus
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Resting now beneath his wings.
All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
Resting now beneath his wings.
Mary James
Sermon
An American commentator, Francis Maxwell, contributed an article for an on-line publication, Meidas Touch, dated 30th Dec 2024, titled:
“Trump supporters post their regret after MAGA civil war erupts”.
In this article she states:
“MAGA has taken to social media to complain that Trump has now turned on their wishes.”
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOjfUm7siFs&ab_channel=MeidasTouch)
Another American commentator, Ariel Messman-Rucker, contributed an on-line article for Yahoo News, dated 3rd January 2025 titled:
“Watching MAGA meltdown & weep over Trump backtracking on his campaign promises has us cackling”.
In her article, she states:
“Republicans came out in droves to vote for Donald Trump in the Presidential election, but those same MAGA devotees are regretting their vote now that it’s clear that the President-elect doesn’t care about them.”
(https://www.yahoo.com/news/watching-maga-meltdown-weep-over-144716857.html)
Now I am not trying to make a public political statement one way or the other concerning the competence of Donald Trump to undertake his roles and responsibilities as President of the United States of America. And I am certain that you would be able to find on-line articles written by people who have not regretted their decision to vote for Donald Trump to be the current President of the United States of America. All I am doing is providing examples of people who have expressed a regret for their past actions. And, to put this in the language of the Church, the two articles to which I have referred are examples of people who are repenting of the error of their past actions.
For this is what we see in today’s reading from the Old Testament Book of Nehemiah.
Some writers have noted that 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. Those who returned from exile in Babylon were doing so with a renewed faith in their God, and a repentance for and rejection of the idol worship of their forebears.
To put this passage into context, some 50 years after the deportation of the People of Israel to exile in Babylon, 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 re-established the Temple worship, and organised the Priests and the Levites, who were to lead the Temple worship.
Several years later, 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)
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, they had 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 their God who had restored them to their homeland, as well as a feeling of security from hostile neighbours. And, finally, they grasped onto the 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 the 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 the reading 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. (from Nehemiah in The Lion Handbook edited by David and Pat Alexander 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. (Robert Albion in Christopher Columbus in the Encyclopedia International Volume 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 1492/1493, 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 edited by Michael Green article 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)
They were overwhelmed with grief at the extent of their failures (from Nehemiah in The Lion Handbook edited by David and Pat Alexander 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 the message behind the words that were being read to them. (Nehemiah 8: 12) (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 with open minds and open 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) Luke is informing his readers that Jesus made a “great impression” on those who heard him teach, in the many villages and towns throughout Galilee, (Howard Marshall in Luke in The New Bible Commentary p896) , to the extent that he had a high reputation as a teacher of the Word of God (John Carroll in Luke A Commentary p108) .
His effectiveness as a teacher of God’s Word 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 in that city, (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, Matthew 7: 29)
The synagogue was not a place where the rites and rituals of the animal sacrifices were undertaken. That took place only at the Temple in Jerusalem. The synagogue was a place for “the offering up of prayer and praise, and for listening to instruction in the Law of God, for the cultivation of the mind and heart and of a moral conscience.” (Walter Bowie in Luke in The Interpreter’s Bible Volume 8 p89) As such, it was a ready and available means for Jesus to reach the people of Galilee on the Sabbath with his teaching and the message of his mission to bring reconciliation with God.
William Barclay writes that at this point time, “people’s hearts were hungry for the Word of Life” (William Barclay in Luke The Daily Study Bible p42) , undoubtedly because of the ministry of John the Baptist in awakening in people their need to commit to a life of faithful worship and service of their God, and preparing them for faithful teaching from the Word of God.
Jesus made the most of the opportunities presented to him to reach out to the people to meet this need. Their response to the teaching of Jesus was identical to the response of the people gathered in Jerusalem who heard the teaching of Ezra and the Levites. Those who listened to the teaching of Jesus responded with a revival in their faith and of their worship of their God, for they had also listened with open minds and open hearts as God’s truth had been revealed to them.
But why was this so, in both circumstances, separated as they were by hundreds of years? What connection is there between listening with an open mind and an open heart to the teaching of God’s Word and a subsequent response of a revival in one’s faith and a commitment to a life of faithful worship and service of God?
There is a connection because God’s Word appeals to those who listen with an open mind and an open heart.
John Stek writes,
“God’s Words faithfully represent God’s righteous will. They fulfill their purpose in the lives of those who honour them.” (John Stek in Study Note in The NIV Study Bible p808)
John Stek portrays the understanding that God’s very nature and God’s will as He involves Himself in Time and Space and History, are embodied in the Commandments and precepts and judgements and statutes as they had been collated in The Law as compiled by Moses and as was commonly called The Law of God. It was The Law of God which Ezra read to the people who had gathered in Jerusalem. It was from the Law of God that Jesus taught the people who had gathered in the synagogues across Galilee. John Stek is saying that God’s purpose in providing The Law of God is fulfilled in people honouring The Law by applying to their life, to their everyday interactions and relations
Artur Weiser in his Commentary on Psalm 19 writes,
“In the Law, the will of God is manifested to educate and to save, and is the basis of a firm trust in the lovingkindness of God. It offers sure guidance for the duration of life, and comprises the most precious good known, righteousness, ranked higher than all Earthly values and pleasures, the ultimate value and supreme good.” (Artur Weiser in The Psalms p202)
Artur Weiser also recognises that the goodness (verse 9), and purity (verse 10), and trustworthiness (verse 7), and fairness (verse 9), and justice (verse 9) embodied in “the Will of God”, is manifested in The Laws which He passed down to the People of Israel. And the intent of passing these Laws onto the People of Israel was “to educate and to save“ them as the Race of people whom He loved. The benefits from obeying The Laws of God were that they provided sure guidance to one’s life, that they led one on a path of righteousness, and that obedience led to “a firm trust in the lovingkindness of God”.
As such, it is not difficult to understand the appeal of The Word of God to those who earnestly and diligently seek to listen with an open mind and an open heart.
John Sclater, Edwin McNeill and Frank Ballard wrote a Commentary on the Psalms as part of volume 4 of The Interpreter’s Bible. In it they write,
“our words and our thoughts are to be guided as if Christ were at our elbow” (John Sclater, Edwin McNeill Poteat & Frank Ballard in Psalms in The Interpreters Bible volume 4 p105)
Here, they are saying that if we are honest and earnest in our seeking to reap the benefits from applying the Word of God to our lives, as is the intent of God, then we are to live our lives as if Jesus was standing at our elbow observing us and encouraging us as we apply God’s wisdom and guidance to all that we do and say and think.
That is the challenge for each of us as we leave here today and go into the World. Amen.
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn: ‘I am his, and He is mine’
(MHB443 and Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number 193)
Verse 1 of 4
Loved with everlasting love,
Led by grace that love to know,
Gracious Spirit from above
Thou hast taught me it is so!
O, this full and perfect peace!
O, this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease,
I am His, and He is mine.
In a love which cannot cease,
I am His, and He is mine.
Verse 2 of 4
Heav’n above is softer blue,
Earth around is sweeter green!
Something lives in every hue
Christless eyes have never seen;
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow
Flow’rs with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know,
I am His, and He is mine.
Since I know, as now I know,
I am His, and He is mine.
Verse 3 of 4
Taste the goodness of the Lord:
Welcomed home to His embrace,
All His love as blood outpoured
Seals the pardon of His grace.
Can I doubt His love for me,
When I trace that love’s design?
By the cross of Calvary
I am His, and He is mine.
By the cross of Calvary
I am His, and He is mine.
Verse 4 of 4
His forever, only His,
Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss
Christ can fill the loving heart!
Heav’n and Earth may fade and flee,
First-born light in gloom decline;
But while God and I shall be,
I am His, and He is mine.
But while God and I shall be,
I am His, and He is mine.
George Robinson
Offering
Offering Prayer
Almighty God, as we bring these gifts, we remember that all that we have belongs to you and is given by you. We remember that it is not in holding onto your gifts that gives fulfillment but that it is found in using them to bring about your Kingdom and your will on Earth. Please bless these offerings for your service. May they be used to bring your light to the World and relief to those in need. To your glory we pray. Amen.
Prayers for Others
Loving God, there is so much happening in our World today that needs fixing. There are so many aspects of our Society that needs reshaping.
There are so many people grieving or suffering from the hands of others or in desperate need of the basic things so that they can simply keep living.
Come into the hearts of all with your transforming love; break down the barriers that hold people apart.
May there be forgiveness where now there is hatred. May there be reconciliation where now there is tension and separation. May there be understanding where now there is confusion and blindness. May there be compassion and benevolence where now there is ambivalence and callousness.
We pray for those seeking to bring peace into the World. We remember those who suffer to reveal where there is greed and abuse, and where there is hatred and oppression.
Give them courage to continue their efforts, but also, Lord, please comfort and assure them that they are doing your work in the World, making it a fairer and more just World for the young and the weak and the powerless.
We pray for those in Government and those in positions to make life changing decisions that affect others.
Direct their choices and their attitudes so that they will put the benefit of others ahead of their own self gain, that they will be guided by your love and your precepts rather than those of the World around them. May they be led to act to bring glory to your name alone.
Healing God, we ask that you would mend the broken in heart and in spirit, that you would heal the sick and the ill, that you would free those enslaved by addiction and habit, that you would bring peace to those troubled in mind and soul.
Give courage and energy to those who task it is to provide aid and comfort. May they be encouraged in their work and see the benefits of healing and wholeness in the lives of those under their care.
Bless our families and guide us to fulfil in our lives your command to love. Shield from harm the children in our community, giving love and wisdom to parents and those who have responsibility for their care.
Have pity on those whose hearts are hardened by pride and envy so much so that they have forgotten how to love. Come to those who feel unloved and unwanted and give them an understanding of their worth as your children.
May your glory fill our Churches, and may our worship be always acceptable in your sight. Inspire your people with such true and unfailing love that we may draw together in unity and shine as your light into the World around us.
Quicken our love for others so that our capacity to care, to understand and to share may increase. May there be no ill feeling or action on our part toward another such that they are repelled from fellowship within your Church.
Other Prayers (Not used in the church service)
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 an 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 and further the mission of Jesus in all the ways which the Human family needs healing and enlightenment.
We pray for teachers 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 is calling them to use their lives and gifts in the service of others.
For the members of all levels of Government and local councils, 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 the common good.
We pray for all who steward Earth’s resources, that we may recognize all of Creation as your gift to us and grow in awareness of our responsibility to care for the Earth.
We pray for all who struggle with emotional and mental illness, that they may come to know a time of your favour and receive peace and relief from their struggles.
We pray for all who are dying, that they may be reconciled with those who are important to them and peacefully commend themselves to your healing embrace.
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.
We pray for all who are ill, that the healing mission of Jesus will continue through our care for the sick, and may they experience support and assistance from their faith community.
We pray for peace and a reduction in international tensions, that you will give all leaders a bigger vision of your calling for Humanity, and remove fear and greed from their hearts.
[Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/3OrdC012625/ideas_other.html]
Almighty God, we pray for the peoples of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
We are thankful for the ancient cultures and religions that have been sustained in this area for millennia, for those who continue to pursue peace in the midst of ethnic strife and terrorism, and for Christians who practice their faith even when they are a small, often discriminated minority.
We pray for women and others in these countries who are deprived of basic freedoms and human dignity, for those who misuse or exploit religious identity for extremist political ends, for the wise use of the benefits of oil and other natural resources for the sake of all, and for the emergence of stable democratic societies based on the rule of law, social justice, and respect for religious and other freedoms.
Prayers before scripture reading:
Make us wise in your law and enlighten our thoughts with your knowledge. Sanctify our souls with your truth, and grant us to be obedient to your words so we fulfil your commandments at every hour, O Lord of all, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for ever.
O you, who enlighten the rational with the knowledge of your greatness, enlighten, O my Lord, my thoughts that I may meditate upon your holy and divine Scriptures at every hour, O Lord of all, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for ever.
(From “Prayers of The Hallowing of Addai and Mari Disciplers of the East,” English translation M. J. Birni, http://www.nestorian.org/nestorian_liturgy.html)
(https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/bahrain-kuwait-oman-qatar-saudi-arabia-united-arab-emirates-yemen)
Almighty God, we pray for the Bible Society of Burkina Faso as they run their transformational literacy project for women. We give thanks to you for the supporters who have helped fund this project. We pray for the smooth running of their literacy project and the impact of the project in the lives of the women and their families.
We pray for peace and reconciliation in South Sudan. We thank you for the Bible-based literacy initiative of the Bible Society in South Sudan seeking to impact the lives of the Shilluk people group. We pray for the students and facilitators of the literacy classes this year, that you would inspire them to pursue their education and greatly enhance their Biblical literacy.
We give you thanks for the opportunities Centre for Public Christianity had to share the good news of Christ through secular media during Christmas. We thank you for a refreshing New Year break for their dedicated staff. We pray that their efforts to spotlight Christianity in public conversations will bear much good fruit.
We pray for the Bible Society of Lebanon’s Reconcile project for refugee children, which shared the Bible’s message of reconciliation, healing, and forgiveness with 3,169 children through creative plays up to September 2024. We praise you for the distribution of 2,927 Scripture portions to children and Arabic Bibles to 194 family leaders. We pray for lasting impact, healing and transformation through your word.
We praise you for the 22 communities reached through the Bible Society of the South Pacific’s literacy program in the Solomon Islands. We pray for students to be transformed by their new skills and for BSSP’s partners, the team at the Literacy Agency of Solomon Islands, to support and motivate teachers as they guide communities to complete the program successfully.
We praise you for Omar*, a 9-year-old, who witnessed a Bible Society of Lebanon ‘Reconcile!’ play and shared, “We must open our hearts to Jesus; he is waiting at the door of our hearts, and I will open my heart to him today.” We thank you for Omar’s faith and commitment to welcoming Jesus into his life. We thank you for your Word being impressed upon the hearts of refugee children.
(Bible%20Society%20January%202025%20Prayer%20Letter.pdf)
Almighty Father, the giver of life and health, look mercifully on those who suffer from Leprosy:
stretch out your hand to touch and heal them as Jesus did during his Earthly life;
grant wisdom and insight to those who are seeking the prevention and cure of the disease;
give skill and sympathy to those who minister to the patients;
reunite the separated with their families and friends;
and inspire your people with the task set before The Leprosy Mission, that it may never lack either the staff not the means to carry on its healing work,
in accordance with your will, and to the glory of your name.
We ask this for the sake of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord.
(https://www.leprosymission.org.au/world-leprosy-sunday)
Lord God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your lovingkindness. 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.
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the hymn: ‘All for Jesus, All for Jesus’
(Hymns and Songs number 1)
Verse 1 of 4
All for Jesus, all for Jesus,
this our song shall ever be:
you, our only hope, our Saviour,
yours the love that sets us free.
Verse 2 of 4
All for Jesus, you will give us
strength to serve you hour by hour;
none can move us from your presence
while we trust your grace and power.
Verse 3 of 4
All for Jesus, all for Jesus,
all our talents and our powers,
all our thoughts and words and actions,
all our passing days and hours.
Verse 4 of 4
All for Jesus, all for Jesus,
this the Church’s song shall be,
till at last her children gather,
one in him eternally.
William Sparrow-Simpson
Benediction
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 as 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.
You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Benediction Song
‘By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered’ Verse 1
(TiS617)
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 BonhofferTranslated by Frederick Pratt Green