Service for Sunday 23rd June, which was conducted by Mrs Moana (Ana) Teulilo-Schaaf

Welcome: –

Call to Worship: Psalm 9:9-20 (NIV): –

⁹The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
¹⁰Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

¹¹Sing the praises of the Lord, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.
¹²For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cries of the afflicted.

¹³Lord, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,
¹⁴that I may declare your praises in the gates of Daughter Zion,
and there rejoice in your salvation.

¹⁵The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.
¹⁶The Lord is known by his acts of justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands.

¹⁷The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God.
¹⁸But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.

¹⁹Arise, Lord, do not let mortals triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence.
²⁰Strike them with terror, Lord; let the nations know they are only mortal. Amen

Prayer of Praise:

Almighty and Ever-Living God, we come before you with hearts full of praise and thanksgiving on this 5^th day of Pentecost. We praise you, O God, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who descended upon the apostles in tongues of fire, filling them with power and boldness to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. We thank you, Lord, for the Spirit who unites us as one body, breaking down the barriers of language, culture, and race, and binding us together in your love. We praise you, Holy Spirit, for your presence in our lives, guiding us into all truth, comforting us in our sorrows, and empowering us to live out our faith with courage and joy. You are the breath of life, the fire that refines, and the wind that moves us to action. We stand in awe of your mighty works and the ways you transform our lives. We exalt you, O Lord, for the gifts of the Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. May these gifts flourish in us, that we may serve you faithfully and proclaim your glory to all the earth.

Holy Spirit, we rejoice in your presence among us today. Fill us anew with your power and grace, that our lives may reflect your love and bring honour to your name. Praise be to God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—now and forever. Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the song: SiS 481 ‘Come on and celebrate’

Prayer of Confession:

(Responsive)

Spirit of the Living God, as we gather to celebrate the gift of your presence among us, we are mindful of the ways we have fallen short of your call.

Holy Spirit, we confess that we have not always listened for your voice or followed your guidance.

We have not used the gifts you have given us to their fullest potential.

We have been slow to respond to the needs of others and quick to seek our own comfort.

We have not always spoken your truth or acted in your love.

We have harboured grudges and resentment, and we have failed to forgive as you have forgiven us.

Forgive us, we pray. Renew our hearts and minds.

Fill us with the fire of your Spirit, that we may serve you with joy and walk in your ways.

Empower us to be your witnesses in the world, sharing your love and grace with all we meet.

Come, Holy Spirit, and transform us.

Make us bold in our faith, steadfast in our commitment, and compassionate in our actions.

All: Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness:

Hear then Christ’s word of grace to us,

‘Your sins are forgiven’.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination:

Holy Spirit, as we come to your Word, we pray for your divine guidance and inspiration.

Spirit of Truth, open our hearts and minds to your presence. Illuminate your Holy Scriptures for us, that we may receive your message with clarity and understanding.

Kindle in us the fire of your love, and guide us into all truth. Remove any distractions or barriers that keep us from fully engaging with your Word. May your Word take root in our hearts and bear fruit in our lives. Transform us by your grace, and empower us to live out your teachings with courage and conviction. As we listen to your Word today, may we be filled with your wisdom and strengthened by your Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit, and speak to us now. Amen.

Bible Readings

1^st Reading: 1 Samuel 17:32-49 (NIV)

David and Goliath

³²David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” ³³Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” ³⁴But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, ³⁵I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. ³⁶Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. ³⁷The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” ³⁸Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. ³⁹David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. ⁴⁰Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. ⁴¹Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. ⁴²He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. ⁴³He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. ⁴⁴“Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” ⁴⁵David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” ⁴⁸As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. ⁴⁹Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

This is the Word of God

Praise to you Almighty God.

2^nd Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 (NIV)

As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. ²For he says,

“In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”

I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.

Paul’s Hardships

³We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. ⁴Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; ⁵in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; ⁶in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; ⁷in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; ⁸through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; ⁹known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; ¹⁰sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. ¹¹We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. ¹²We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. ¹³As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.

This is the Word of God

Praise to you Almighty God.

Gospel Readings: Mark 4:35-41 (NIV)

Jesus Calms the Storm

³⁵That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” ³⁹He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. ⁴⁰He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” ⁴¹They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

This is the Word of our Lord

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the song: TiS 158 – ‘God has spoken by his prophets’

Sermon: :

“Faith in God’s Power” Overcoming Challenges with Courage and Trust”

Pray: Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation, enlighten our hearts to understand the depths of your love and the breadth of your grace. Speak through your servant today, that we may hear your voice and not just human words. Come, Holy Spirit, fill this place and fill our hearts. In Jesus’ name, we pray.

“Faith in God’s Power” Overcoming Challenges with Courage and Trust”

This theme highlights the common threads of faith, reliance on God’s power, and the courage to face daunting challenges present in all three passages.

These three readings, although from different contexts and authors, share underlying themes of Faith, Courage, and Reliance on God’s power in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.

I will do my best to explore of the connections between these passages.

1^st Reading in 1 Samuel 17:32-49 – David and Goliath: In this passage, young David faces the giant Goliath with confidence in the Lord’s deliverance. Despite his youth and lack of traditional armor, David’s faith in God allows him to defeat Goliath using only a sling and a stone. David’s victory demonstrates that God’s power is made perfect in human weakness and that faith can overcome seemingly impossible obstacles.

Saul and his army were petrified with fear at the sight of Goliath because they did not trust in God’s promises. From this, God reveals that your faith is perfected when you learn to trust Him to fight your battles. Also, God used the smallest and youngest member of Jesse’s household as His instrument of deliverance. From this, he reveals that our faith is perfected in your meekness, because it forces you to trust Him. Lastly, Saul failed to entice the Jews to fight by offering earthly rewards. In contrast, David exhorted the Jews to fight for God’s honour. From this, God reveals that your faith is perfected when you submit your will to his will.

2^nd Reading in 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 – Paul’s Hardships and Endurance: Paul writes about his hardships and the challenges he faces as an apostle. Despite beatings, imprisonments, and hardships, Paul endures through the grace of God. He emphasizes purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, sincere love, truthful speech, and the power of God. Paul’s endurance in the face of suffering underscores the theme of relying on God’s strength rather than one’s own.

Then our Gospel reading in Mark 4:35-41 – Jesus Calms the Storm: In this passage, Jesus and his disciples are caught in a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee. The disciples panic, but Jesus, demonstrating his divine authority, calms the storm with a command. This miracle reveals Jesus’ power over nature and serves as a lesson in faith for the disciples, who are admonished for their fear and lack of trust.

So, we come to connecting these reading.

1^st – Faith and Trust in God:

David’s Faith: David’s trust in God’s deliverance empowers him to face Goliath without fear.

Paul’s Endurance: Paul’s steadfast faith in God, allows him to endure suffering and hardship.

Disciples’ Lesson: Jesus teaches the disciples to trust in His power and presence, even in the midst of a storm.

2^nd Divine – Power in Human Weakness:

David’s Victory: Despite being young and unarmed, David’s victory over Goliath showcases God’s power in his weakness.

Paul’s Ministry: Paul’s endurance through suffering exemplifies how God’s power sustains and strengthens believers in their weaknesses.

Jesus Calming the Storm: The disciples, helpless in the storm, witness Jesus’ divine power and learn to rely on Him.

3^rd Courage and Overcoming Fear:

David’s Courage: David’s courage to confront Goliath stems from his unwavering faith in God’s protection.

Paul’s Boldness: Paul’s willingness to face hardships for the gospel demonstrates courage grounded in God’s strength.

Disciples’ Fear: The disciples’ fear contrasts with Jesus’ calm authority, teaching them to replace fear with faith.

What does it mean for us as believers?

1^st – Trust in God’s Deliverance: Like David, believers are called to trust in God’s ability to deliver them from challenges and adversaries.

2^nd – Endure Hardships with Faith: Paul’s example encourages believers to endure trials with the assurance that God’s power is sufficient.

3^rd – Find Peace in Christ’s Presence: The story of Jesus calming the storm reassures believers that Christ’s presence brings peace and that they should trust Him in all circumstances.

To conclude, the connection between these readings lies in the demonstration of faith, reliance on God’s power, ad the courage to face daunting challenges. These readings collectively teach that faith in God can overcome fear and weakness, and that His power is made perfect in our trials and challenges.

We are encouraged to trust in God’s deliverance, endure hardships with faith, and find peace in Christ’s presence. Bottom of Form

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Let us pray: Empower us, O Lord, to be not just hearers of your Word, but doers as well. As we go forth from this place, may the seeds of your message take root in our hearts and bear fruit in our lives. Grant us the courage to live out your teachings, the wisdom to follow your guidance, and the love to share your grace with others. May your Spirit continue to lead and inspire us in all that we do.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the song TiS 685 – ‘Lord I come to you’

Offering

Offering Prayer

“For the life that you have given” TiS774

[This hymn is being 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:

(Responsive)

In the joy and hope of the risen and ascended Christ, let us pray for the Church, the world, and all in need.

God of Fire and Wind, fill your Church with the breath of your Spirit. Empower us to proclaim the gospel with boldness and to share the gifts of your Spirit with all the world.