Welcome: –

Call to Worship: –

(from Psalm 9: 1, 11, 8, 9, 10, 12, 16, 2) 

I will praise the Lord, with all my heart;

I will tell of all the wonderful things He has done.

Sing praise to the Lord, who rules in Zion!

Tell every nation what He has done.

God rules the World with righteousness;

He judges the nations with justice.

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,

A place of safety in times of trouble.

Those who know the Lord, will trust Him;

God does not abandon anyone who comes to Him.

He remembers those who suffer, He does not forget their cry,

God punishes those who wrong them.

The Lord has revealed Himself by His righteous judgements,

And the wicked are trapped by their own deeds.

I will sing with joy because of the Lord,

I will sing praises to Almighty God.

Comment on Psalm:

The writer of this Psalm is declaring their personal thankfulness to God and invites the Assembly of God’s people to gather to sing their praises to God as well.  They praise God’s righteous rule over all Nations on Earth.  They praise God for His gracious care for all people.  They rejoice in the comfort in knowing that God is their refuge in time of trouble.  (Leslie McCaw & Alec Motyer in Psalms in New Bible Commentary p456 and Artur Weiser in The Psalms p149 to 152)  This is the God whom we have gathered here today to worship.  May we, too, readily declare our praise and our thanks of God in this assembly of God’s people.

Prayer of Praise

( from Prayers of God’s People Year B p139, Opening Prayers Year B p78, Aust Prayer Book p236 & 237, Uniting in Worship red book p263, A year of prayer p120 to 125) 

Almighty God, we give you the praise that you deserve.  We witness with awe the enormous power of your care that surrounds us.  When our circumstances threaten to swamp us we know that we can put our trust in you.  For you are our unfailing helper and guide, our refuge in time of stress and trouble, the source of everlasting love.  Though storms may rage about us and cause us to be afraid, we need not despair because you preserve us and deliver us from all of our fears. 

   In the beginning of creation your Word subdued the chaos; in the fullness of time you sent your son, Jesus Christ, to rebuke the forces of evil and bring forth a new creation.  By that same power, transform our feeble trust into a strong faith and hope in your saving presence.

   Through the cross and the great miracle of the resurrection you have rescued us from the domain of darkness.  You have ransomed us from the bondage of sin and given us new life.  We honour your name because of your transforming power in our lives.  We thank you for the work of the Holy Spirit, indwelling in our lives and changing us from the inside out.  We rejoice in the assurance that our sins are forgiven.  We are aware of our eternal indebtedness to Christ, who paid an incomprehensible price to set us free. 

   All knowledge belongs to you.  All wisdom originates with you.  No-one ever gave you instruction or counsel.  Humanity is like a drop in a bucket or a speck of dust, less than nothing.  Yet you hold our souls securely in your loving hand.  Because you are greater than all the forces of Satan, no-one can ever snatch us away from your tender care and safe keeping.  You are the only wise God, our saviour, the one who keeps us from falling.  All glory and majesty, dominion and power belong to you alone, now and forever.  Amen.

Hymn

“I sing the mighty power of God”  TiS119  AHB40  MHB46

ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhDK9vzUDYw

Verse 1 of 6

I sing the almighty power of God

That made the mountains rise,

That spread the flowing seas abroad,

And built the lofty skies.

Verse 2 of 6

I sing the wisdom that ordained

The Sun to rule the day;

The Moon shines full at His command,

And all the stars obey.

Verse 3 of 6

I sing the goodness of the Lord

That filled the Earth with food,

He formed the creatures with His Word,

And then pronounced them good.

Verse 4 of 6

There’s not a plant or flower below

But makes your glories known;

And clouds arise and tempests blow

By order from your throne.

Verse 5 of 6

All creatures, numerous as they be,

Are subject to your care;

There’s not a place where we can flee

But God is present there.

Verse 6 of 6

God’s hand is my perpetual guard,

He guides me with His eye;

Why should I, then, forget the Lord,

Who is for ever nigh.

Isaac Watts

Prayer of Confession   

Merciful God, we come humbly before you acknowledging our failures and our wantonness to wander from your path.  We confess to our deep shame that our hearts are prone to coldness towards you and towards others.

Our love for you is too often shallow and fickle to give earnest service in your name.  Our submission to Christ is too often fragile and erratic, our walk with you faltering and inconsistent.  We are too susceptible to the lures of the World and the wiles of the Devil. 

When the winds of life become blustery and the waves of strife threaten to overcome us, our faith seems so feeble.

Please forgive our sins.

At times we mirror Society and become corrupted by vice and violence and greed.  We neglect the needs of the handicapped.  We pass by injustice without raising a complaint.  We fail to give compassion to the sorrowful.

We do not treat all persons with equality or dignity.  We turn our faces away from the hopes and dreams of others and insist instead on talking only of ourselves and our so-called achievements.  We are impatient with those who are slow or cumbersome.

We are reckless with the sense of self-worth that others may hold and treat them only as people to use or to command.  We do not offer warmth or comfort to the sad and lonely, and instead profess that if people are not successful in life or always happy then it is all their own fault.

Please forgive our sins.

Merciful God, apart from your Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we cannot love you nor serve you.  Apart from the grace you give to us, we could not persevere and would fall away.  Apart from your cleansing power we could never be fit for Heaven.

Purify our minds and our mouths so that we may truly glorify you.

Grant us the grace to be faithful in our devotion to you, industrious in our proclamation of the Gospel, and untiring in our service for you.

May every aspect of our lives bring honour and glory to your name.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(from 2 Corinthians 5: 21) 

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church saying, “Christ was without sin. Bur for our sake God made him share our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness of God”.  We can have the assurance then, that having confessed our sin, we can trust that God has forgiven us, has cleansed us and has renewed us.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination  (from Holy Communion Two in Uniting Church Worship Services p21) 

O Lord, our God, you have given your Word to us that it may be a lamp for our feet and a light for our path.  Grant us grace to receive your truth in faith and love, so that we may be obedient to your Will and live always for your glory, through Jesus Christ our Saviour.  Amen.

Bible Readings

Psalm 9:

17  Death is the destiny of all the wicked, of all nations who forget God!

18  For the needy will not always be neglected, the hope of the poor will not be crushed forever.

19  Come Lord, do not let mortal humans defy you, let the nations be judged before you. 

20  Make them afraid, O Lord.  Let the nations know that they are only mortal beings.

1 Samuel 18:

6  As David was returning after killing Goliath and as the4 soldiers were coming back home, women from every town in Israel came out to meet King Saul.  They were singing joyful songs, dancing, and playing tambourines and lyres.  7  In their celebration the women sang, “Saul has killed thousands, but David tens of thousands.”  8  Saul did not like this, and he became very angry.  He said, “For David they claim tens of thousands, but only thousands for me.  They will make him King next.”  9  And so he was jealous and suspicious of David from that day on. 

12  Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David but had abandoned him.  13  So Saul sent him away and put him in command of a thousand men.  David led his men in battle,  14  and was successful in all he did, because the Lord was with him.  15  Saul noticed David’s success and became even more afraid of him.

2 Corinthians 6:

11  Dear friends in Corinth, we have spoken frankly to you, we have opened our hearts wide.  12  It is not we who have closed our hearts to you; it is you who have closed your hearts to us.  13  I speak now as though you were my children: show us the same feelings that we have for you.  Open your hearts wide.

14  Do not try to work together as equals with unbelievers, for it cannot be done.  How can right and wrong be partners?  How can light and darkness live together?  15  How can Christ and the Devil agree?  What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?  16  How can God’s temple come to terms with pagan idols?  For we are the temple of the living God!

As God Himself has said,

“I will make my home with my People and live among them; I will be their God, and they shall be my People”  (Leviticus 26: 12, Exodus 37: 27) 

17  And so the Lord says,

“You must leave them and separate yourselves from them.  Have nothing to do with what is unclean, and I will accept you.”  (Isaiah52: 11) 

18  “I will be your Father, and you shall be my daughters and sons, says the Almighty God.”  (2 Samuel 7: 14, 1 Chronicles 17: 13, Isaiah 43: 6, Jeremiah 31: 9) 

7: 1  All these promises are made to us, my dear friends.  So then, let us purify ourselves from everything that makes body or soul unclean, and let us be completely holy by living in awe of God.

[Revised Standard Version, Today’s English Version, New English Bible]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Mark 4:

35  In the evening Jesus said to his Disciples, “Let us cross over to the other side of the Lake.”  36  So they left the crowd and the Disciples got into the boat in which Jesus was already sitting and took him with them.  Other boats were accompanying them.  37  A heavy squall came upon them and the waves broke over the boat until is was all but swamped.  38  Jesus was in the stern of the boat, asleep on a cushion, and they roused him and said, “Master, we are sinking!  Do you not care?”  39  He awoke, commanded the wind, “Hush!”, and said to the waves, “Be still!”.  The wind dropped and there was a dead calm.  40  Jesus said to the Disciples, “Why are you such cowards?  Have you no faith even now?”  41  But they were awestruck and said to one another, “Who can this be?  Even the wind and the sea obey him.”

[Revised Standard Version, Today’s English Version, New English Bible]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

Whether we gather in person in our Church building or whether we gather in spirit in our homes, we remain one body, one people of God, one in fellowship and one in worship.  With that in mind, let us uplift our hands and greet those both here and those who cannot be here: The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

For the Young at Heart

Who has ever looked up at the sky and recognised a shape formed by the clouds?

Who is willing to describe what they have you seen?

Screen 1

(from The Gospel According to Peanuts by Robert Short p33)

Have we ever felt like Charlie Brown in this cartoon, when no matter how hard we focus or change our position, we just cannot see the shape that others say they can see in a cloud?

There is a society specifically formed so that its members can record and share cloud shapes that they have seen.  It is called The Cloud Appreciation Society. 

Screen 2

They have collated some of their photographs in a book titled “Clouds That Look Like Things”.  If you are keen you can look at it later over morning tea.  Here is a sample of some amazing cloud shapes displayed in the book.

Screen 3

A shark, seen from the road from Marrakesh to Agadir, Morocco.

Screen 4

A horse, seen over Hyde, Cheshire, United Kingdom.

Screen 5

Rowers on a lake, seen over South Leigh, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.

Screen 6

The number five, seen over Vienna, Austria.

Screen 7

A giant sniffing a row of trees, seen over Grou, Friesland, The Netherlands.

Pretty amazing isn’t it, what it is possible for you to see in a cloud.  But, we must remember that, irrespective of what we see in the shape of a cloud, a cloud is still a cloud, nothing more than a mass of water vapour in the sky.  The shape that we see is not what is there.

In contrast, the author of Psalm 9 writes that God reveals Himself, that He makes Himself visible to us, His character, His nature, His will for the World:

He rules the world with righteousness.  (verses 8a & 16)

He judges the actions of Nations with justice.  (verse 8b)

He provides a safe place of refuge for those who feel oppressed or are troubled. (verse 9)

He is trustworthy.  (verse 10a)

He never abandons anyone who comes to Him for help and reassurance.  (verse 10b)

  Unlike a cloud, what we see of God is real, not something imagined nor something made up.  The reality of God is that He rules as no Human King or Parliament has ever ruled.  He rules with incomparable concern for right living and for right decisions.  He rules with justice untainted by any influence based on power or prestige or property.  He rules with the deepest concern for those who suffer at the hands of others.  He rules with an inexhaustible compassion for those troubled by events in their life.  He is absolutely trustworthy in His dealings with people.  He is incapable of neglecting the needs of anyone who humbly comes seeking help.

  Just as importantly, those who refuse to acknowledge the rule of God over their lives, judge themselves to be at fault, because of their refusal to accept what is obvious if we only open our spiritual eyes, the reality of God. 

Screen 8

I will praise the Lord, with all my heart;

I will tell of all the wonderful things He has done.

Sing praise to the Lord, who rules in Zion!

Tell every nation what He has done.  (Psalm 9: 1 & 2) 

  It is upon that understanding that the author of Psalm 9 commences their Psalm with such praise of God: 

I will praise the Lord, with all my heart;

I will tell of all the wonderful things He has done.

Sing praise to the Lord, who rules in Zion!

Tell every nation what He has done.  (Psalm 9: 1 & 2) 

Let us take reassurance from these words, that whatever we may face in our lives, we too can put our trust in God; a God who does not abandon us in our time of need, a God who is our refuge in times of trouble and uncertainty.  And, even in times of uncertainty regarding international tension and conflict, we must accept that it is God who is in control because God’s righteous rule must ultimately triumph over the unjust, oppressive and unrighteous actions of Humanity.  It is God’s Will that is being fulfilled.  It is His Kingdom that will prevail.

Hymn

“We have heard a joyful sound”  MHB316

[sung to the tune Jesus Saves – there is no introduction]

Verse 1 of 3

We have heard a joyful sound;

Jesus saves!  Jesus saves!

Spread the gladness all around:

Jesus saves!  Jesus saves!

Bear the news to every land,

Climb the steeps and cross the waves,

Onward! ‘tis our Lord’s command:

Jesus saves!  Jesus saves!

Verse 2 of 3

Sing above the battle’s strife

Jesus saves!  Jesus saves!

By his death and endless life,

Jesus saves!  Jesus saves!

Sing it softly through the gloom,

When the heart for mercy craves,

Sing in triumph o’er the tomb,

Jesus saves!  Jesus saves!

Verse 3 of 3

Give the winds a mighty voice,

Jesus saves!  Jesus saves!

Let the Nations now rejoice,

Jesus saves!  Jesus saves!

Shout salvation full and free

To every strand that ocean laves,

This our song of victory,

Jesus saves!  Jesus saves!

Priscilla Owens

Sermon

Screen 1

“There are no ugly women, only lazy ones.”

Helena Rubenstein

(from Pocket Positives p30)

  Helena Rubenstein, businesswoman and cosmetics entrepreneur, is recorded to have once remarked, “There are no ugly women, only lazy ones”.  I could not find a context for this saying of hers, and you can understand these words in a number of ways.  However, being a major innovator in the cosmetic industry, she had firm grounds for stating that “there are no ugly women”, because of her claims that her cosmetics were able to transform any woman into a ‘person of beauty’.  But it is the rest of her quote that is of interest, because she is supporting the old adage that “Beauty is only skin deep”.  She seems to be saying that although, on the ‘outside’, a woman may be a person of beauty, on the ‘inside’, she may be anything but that, she could be “lazy”.  Helena Rubenstein is admitting that her cosmetics, while able to transform the ‘outside’ of a woman, are incapable of transforming the ‘inside’ of a woman; her character, her nature; the real person who she is in life.

Screen 2

A heart, seen over Sedona, Arizona, USA

  In our readings last week, we came across passages that dealt with the inner person.

  One was in 1 Samuel 16 in which we read where Samuel was trying to determine which of Jesse’s sons was the one that God had chosen to be the King of the People of Israel, to replace Saul.  Samuel was impressed by Jesse’s eldest son, Eliab, and said to himself “surely he is the one God has chosen”  (1 Samuel 16: 6b)  , only for God to tell him:

“Pay no attention to how tall and handsome he is.  I have rejected him, because I do not judge as people judge.  People look at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart.”  (1 Samuel 16: 7) 

Screen 3

The heart is seen as essentially the whole of a person, their character, their personality, their mind and their will. 

  Two weeks ago we touched on what is meant in Scripture with reference to someone’s heart.  And we found that the heart is seen as essentially the whole of a person’s being; their character, their personality, their mind and their will.  The Heart is conceived as being at the centre of these attributes, as governing their emotions, their attitudes, their thoughts, and their actions; their capacity to comprehend, to understand, and to reflect; their ability to learn and to apply skills.  (B Banwell in Heart in New Bible Dictionary p509) 

  What God was telling Samuel was that the quality of someone’s outward appearance was irrelevant to Him, and does not guarantee the quality of their commitment to Him.  The eldest seven of Jesse’s sons were found wanting in terms of having the “right heart” to serve God.  David, though being the youngest, though doing the lowliest of tasks of minding the sheep, though having no claim nor credentials to leadership, was the one who God perceived would put his trust in his God and not in his own abilities.  (Walter Brueggemann in First and Second Samuel p122)  David was the one with the “right heart”.

  In today’s passage from 1 Samuel 18 we see the change that comes over the ‘heart’ of Saul.  In the victory procession following the defeat of the Philistines, the women of “every town in Israel” celebrated by “singing joyful songs, dancing and playing tambourines and lyres’.  They acclaimed the military leadership of Saul, but, significantly, they had greater praise for David’s bravery and success.  Such praise of David was not intended as a rebuke of Saul’s leadership as King nor as a criticism of his failure to face up to Goliath himself.  But Saul took it that way, for we read, “Saul did not like this, and he became angry”, so much so that Saul “was jealous and suspicious of David from that day on”.  (1 Samuel 18: 8 & 9)  

  Saul had closed his heart to God.  He was no longer being led by the goodness and righteousness of God’s commands and instructions.  Instead, we see him perceiving the world through what Walter Brueggemann describes as “the prism of deep debilitating suspicion”.  (Walter Brueggemann in First and Second Samuel p137)  He perceives David as a threat and a competitor for the people’s favour and for his Kingship.  He perceives David’s action as being driven by David’s ambitions to be King and temptation to usurp him as King.

   In his blindness to the reality of God’s resolve for David to be destined to become King, Saul responds to David with unresolved hatred and bitterness.  All that David does turns out good.  Conversely, nothing works for good for Saul.  Though knowing nothing about the will of God for himself nor for David, Saul, ironically, perceives all too clearly the future for David.  (Walter Brueggemann in First and Second Samuel p138) 

Screen 4

“Saul was afraid of David”   1 Samuel 18: 12, 15 

  It is important to grasp the consequence for Saul from his failure to obey the will of God.  We read:

“Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with David but had abandoned him.”  (1 Samuel 18: 12) 

“Saul noticed David’s success and became even more afraid of him.”  (1 Samuel 18: 15) 

  Saul’s bitterness towards his failure to live up to his call to be the leader of the People of God and his jealousy of David’s success, leads Saul to fear what the future held for him, to fear the growing popularity and prestige of David in the eyes of the people whose praise for him was waning, to fear his being replaced as King by his ‘competitor’, David.  In Saul, we see his fear as reflecting the emptiness of his relationship with God.  God had “abandoned” him.  In 1 Samuel 15: 35, we read that Samuel “never again saw King Saul”, meaning that Saul was acting as King of God’s People without receiving any further guidance or encouragement from God.  Where Saul once turned to God and felt His presence, now all that Saul could perceive was an emptiness; there was nothing of God being present with him.  Without the reassuring presence of God, all that Saul could feel was his fear.

Screen 5

“I will praise the Lord, with all my heart;

I will tell of all the wonderful things He has done.”  Psalm 9: 1 

  There is such a direct contrast between the fate of Saul and the approach of the writer of Psalm 9.  The psalmist is acknowledging God as Lord of every aspect of their life.  They praise God for His gracious care for all people.  They rejoice in the comfort in knowing that God is their refuge in time of trouble.  There is no fear in their life, because of the close presence of God with them.  They praise God with all of their heart.

  But they then compare themselves with “the wicked”  (verse 17)  and “the heathen”  (verse 19)  , who are understood to be those who do not acknowledge the Lordship of Almighty God, and who, instead, arrogantly claim to be in control of their destiny, and of having the power to determine the direction of their future; those who defy God’s right to rule as Creator of Heaven and Earth and who reject God’s right to rule as Lord of all. 

  “Make them afraid, O Lord.” writes the psalmist.  In other words, such people need to be made aware of the limits set on the power of mortal beings.  Only when a person acknowledges the reality of the one true Creator God can they then grasp the reality of their own Human weakness and helplessness.  (Artur Weiser in The Psalms p152)  Only when a person compares their “ephemeral nature” to the “infallible glory” of God, can they come to a right relationship with God and worship God with due awe and humility.  (Leslie McCaw & Alec Motyer in Psalms in New Bible Commentary p456) 

  The Disciples out on the Sea of Galilee during a mighty storm were only too aware of their Human weakness and helplessness.

Screen 6

Jesus commanded the wind, “Be quiet!”, and said to the waves, “Be still!”  Mark 4: 39

  Now, if you are travelling at night, you can sit in your comfortable seats inside your comfortably rooved car.  You turn on your air conditioning so that you can travel in comfort and serenely watch the scenery passing by.  If it rains, it doesn’t matter, for the roof and the windows will keep the rain out and you can turn on your wipers so that you can comfortably look out through the windscreen, turning on the demister if need be to keep the windscreen clear.  In an open boat, all sense of comfort goes overboard.  The seats are wooden and hard; there is nothing to keep out the rain and the spray from the waves; there is nothing to prevent the wind and the rain from blowing into your face and hair, nor from preventing you from getting soaked to the skin.  And we can picture the growing anxiety of the Disciples, with the wind howling through the rigging, the waves crashing against the sides of the boat, the water teeming into the boat forcing some of the Disciples to bail it out furiously, while the others rowed as hard as possible as they sought to reach shore as fast as possible, any shore if only they could catch a glimpse of which direction to head into.  And the thoughts that built up and built up in their minds, “What will become of us?  What can we possibly do to get out of this safely?”

  There was one place of comfort in the boat, high in the stern where the helmsman sat to man the rudder, a place that was sheltered and out of the water; the one place where someone could lie down and sleep.  And that was where the Disciples found Jesus, resting the deserved rest of one who gives his all in the service of others, asleep and at peace in spite of the turmoil surrounding him.  It is to Jesus that the Disciples eventually turn, and we can gauge the depths of their despair from their words, and also catch a hint of their misdirected criticism of Jesus as the one they perceived was responsible for them finding themselves in their current situation, with their lives seriously at risk.  “Teacher”, they exclaimed, “don’t you care that we are about to die?”  (Mark 4: 38) 

  Let us stop for a minute and gauge this reaction by the Disciples.  They had faithfully served Jesus during his ministry in the previous days.  They had obeyed his call to get into the boat and to make this journey across the Lake.  But, when difficulties arose, it was their own strength on which they depended, they trusted in their own ability to ride out the storm.  And when that proved to be inadequate, they panicked and sought to put the blame for their predicament onto someone else.  In some way their behaviour is only natural and, in some ways, only to be expected, for it is the exact way that King Saul and the Israelite army reacted when faced with the challenge put to them by Goliath.  But the words of Jesus indicates that the Disciples failed to grasp something and had failed to live out the teaching that Jesus had so recently given to them.

  How we see Jesus behaving tells us so much about him.  When he awoke, he too would have been aware of the wind and the waves, he too would have seen the terror in the eyes of his companions, but he reacted instead with calmness and decisiveness, albeit in an unexpected way.  We read that “Jesus stood up and commanded the wind to be quiet and the waves to be still.  And the wind died down and that there was a great calm.”

  Why did he act in this way?  Firstly, because he knew who he was, for he was the Son of God, who had been present at the very moment of creation, wielding his creative force over the primeval chaos to bring order, as we read in John 1:3, Colossians 1: 16 and Hebrews 1: 2.  He knew what power and authority he could wield over the wind and the waves to quell the storm that had arisen.  Secondly, he knew that his ministry had only just started, and that he had much more to accomplish before he would be asked to sacrifice himself on a cross in Jerusalem.  He knew that his life would not end then and there, as the Disciples had feared.  For don’t we read in John’s Gospel how, at one time, Jesus confidently went to Jerusalem to celebrate a feast and to teach in the Temple, knowing that there were some who were seeking to arrest him on sight.  But he went none-the-less because, as we read in John 7: 30 and 8: 20, “no one laid hands on him because his hour had not yet come”.  So, too, on this occasion on the lake, no harm would come to him because his hour had not yet come.

  And, so, he criticises the Disciples in their acting the way that they did to their situation.  “Why are you frightened?” he asks, “Have you no faith?”  The Disciples trusted in themselves, but Jesus trusted in the power of God.  The Disciples had seen Jesus demonstrate his divinity in many ways in the previous days, yet they had not fully grasped the significance.  The Disciple had only recently been told by Jesus “I will also send you out to preach and you will have the authority to drive out demons”, as we read in Mark 3: 14 & 15.  This had not yet happened, so were they to accept that these were empty, meaningless words spoken by Jesus, or should they have understood that, somehow, God would see them through the storm so that these words of Jesus could be fulfilled and that they too would participate in the spreading of the Gospel message among God’s people?

  In acting as he did, Jesus again demonstrated his divine nature, his control over created things.  And we can understand why the Disciples were so in awe of Jesus, for none but God could do such things and, therefore, they were, truly, in the very presence of God. 

Screen 7

“let us purify ourselves from everything that makes body or soul unclean, and let us be completely holy by living in awe of God”  2 Corinthians 7: 1 

  The question for us is, do we live in fear of God or do we live in awe of God?

  Saul lived a life full of fear because he had closed his heart to God and had abandoned his call to follow God and to remain close to God.

  The heathen spoken of in Psalm 9 were oblivious to their need to fear the all-encompassing power and authority of God, deluded by their misconception of being able to determine their own destiny, misguided in thinking that they could be gods of their own making.

  David lived in awe of God, because, when he put his trust in God, he could see God at work in his life, fulfilling God’s will and purpose in the World and bringing about God’s Kingdom.

  The Disciples in their fear for their safety amidst the storm, failed to recognise God as their refuge in times of trouble.  Yet when they turned to Jesus, they were in awe of the power of God to save and preserve them.

  The Apostle Paul’s advice to the Church in Corinth was to separate themselves from all that was ungodly, from all that was not of God, to purify themselves from everything that makes body or soul unclean, and to be completely holy by living in awe of God.

  Whenever we face storms in our own lives, whenever the wind and the waves of strife threaten us, let us not panic as did the Disciples nor as did King Saul.  Instead, let us act with calmness and decisiveness, let us bring our needs to God in prayer and anticipate God acting in our lives.  Let us, too, put our trust and hope in God with our whole heart, as did David and as did Jesus, in God, who truly is our refuge and place of safety.  Amen.

Hymn

“What shall I do my God to love”  TiS122  AHB50  MHB77

Verse 1 of 6

What shall I do my God to love,

My loving God to praise?

The length, and breadth, and height o prove,

And depth of sovereign grace?

Verse 2 of 6

Your sovereign grace to all extends,

Immense and unconfined;

From age to age it never ends,

To reach all Humankind.

Verse 3 of 6

Throughout the World its breadth is known,

Wide as infinity;

So wide it never passed by one,

Or it had passed by me.

Verse 4 of 6

My trespass was grown up to Heav’n;

But far above the skies,

In Christ abundantly forgiven

I see your mercies rise.

Verse 5 of 6

The depth of all-redeeming love

What angel tongue can tell?

O may I to the utmost prove

The gift unspeakable.

Verse 6 of 6

Come quickly, gracious Lord, and take,

Possession of your own;

My longing heart be pleased to make

Your everlasting throne.

Charles Wesley

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774 

[to be 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.

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that by your grace, we may live as new creations, no longer living for ourselves but for Christ.

We pray for a deepening of our faith, that you will draw us into a deeper trust so that we may grow in our ability to rely upon you in every circumstance.

We pray for a calming of the storms in our lives, that you will sustain us through the challenges of each day, give us the courage to make decisions, and grant us enduring hope when we cannot foresee tomorrow.

We pray for freedom from fear, that you will lead us from fear and worry to the trust of discipleship through the words of Scripture.

We pray for fidelity to those to whom we are committed, that we may be faithful to our spouses, children, community members, friends, and faith communities, encouraging and supporting one another along life’s journey.

We pray for all who work in science and medical technology, that respect and love for Human life may always guide their research and their use of knowledge.

We pray for all travellers, that you will smooth and quiet the way before them and guide them safely to their destination.

We pray for all who are ill, that you will bring an end to the pandemic, restore the sick to health, and strengthen all caregivers.

We pray for an end to violence, that you will turn hearts from violence, protect all innocent people from injury, and restore confidence in people seeking to live their daily lives.

We pray for all who are recovering from storms and floods or enduring drought, that you will curb the extremes of nature, ease the suffering of those impacted, and fill their hearts with hope for renewed lives and livelihoods.

We pray for Peace, that you will open communication between people of diverse cultures and ethnic groups so that new avenues may be found to build trust and promote justice for everyone.

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

We pray for the young family at Bald Hills that has recently lost their father following a vehicle accident.  Please continue to comfort and reassure them of your constant care for them.

We pray for the family of Violet, that they will not lose hope that a successful means can be found to remove the tumour that has returned.  Please comfort Violet as she undergoes treatment.

We thank you for those who lead Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School, that you will continue to encourage and guide them in this important task.  We pray that your Holy Spirit will work in the hearts and minds of the children who attend the classes, opening their understanding to the good news of your offer of redemption and reconciliation in their lives.

We thank you for the work that Kylie Conomos is undertaking with the children, parents, and teachers at Bald Hills State School.  Please encourage her in her role as chaplain, giving her the strength and wisdom to deal with situations as they arise.

We pray for those who we have not seen for some time:

We pray that they will know your presence close to them each day.  We pray for your continued care and protection over them.

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.

Hymn

“Count your blessings”  Alexander’s Hymns No. 3  No. 153

Verse 1 of 4

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Chorus

Count your blessing, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God has done!

Count you blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Verse 2 of 4

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,

And you will keep singing as the days go by.

Chorus

Count your blessing, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God has done!

Count you blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Verse 3 of 4

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold;

Count your many blessings, wealth can never buy

Your reward in Heaven, nor your home on high.

Chorus

Count your blessing, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God has done!

Count you blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Verse 4 of 4

So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be disheartened, God is over all,

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Chorus

Count your blessing, name them one by one;

Count your blessings, see what God has done!

Count you blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Johnson Oatman jr

Benediction    

Let us purify ourselves from everything that makes body or soul unclean, and let us be completely holy by living in awe of God.  Let us praise the Lord with all of our heart, because we have seen all the wonderful things He has done.  And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you always.  Amen.

Benediction Song

We will be singing a new Benediction song over the coming weeks.

“Now unto him who is able to keep”  Scripture in Song Volume 1 Number 72

[there is an introduction]

Now unto Him who is able to keep,

Able to keep you from falling,

And present you faultless before the presence of His glory

With exceeding joy,

To the only wise God, our saviour,

Be glory and majesty,

Dominion and power,

Both now and forever.  Amen.

Olive Wood