SERVICE for SUNDAY 29th NOVEMBER 2020:
Advent 1 –
Announcements –
Welcome:
Leader: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you
Leader: We will have the lighting of the Advent candle.
Narrator: Today we light the candle of Hope.
[light the candle]
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah chapter 7 verse 14:
“the Lord Himself will give you a sign: a young woman who is pregnant will have a son and will name him ‘Immanuel’. (The name in Hebrew means ‘God is with us’.)”
When Isaiah spoke these words, the King of Judah, King Ahaz, was fearful of an impending invasion by the armies of Syria and Israel. Where King Ahaz was looking for hope in the coming of an army of an ally, God looks to the future birth of a child. (D Kidner, Isaiah, in New Bible Commentary p596)
We too may be fearful of impending trouble or difficulties or of an unknown future, but the promise of ‘Immanuel’, ‘God with us’, is given to us as well.
“No longer do we walk through life alone, as if God were watching us from a distance. Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection eliminated the barrier of sin and death and brought God to us, and us to God. In our darkest hours, in our saddest moments, when fear or loneliness seem to rule our lives, let us take comfort in knowing that we are not alone. Immanuel, God is with us.”
(Rose Gallion, “God with us” in Jesus: The Reason for the Season p27)
A poem, titled “Bethlehem of Judah”
A little child, a shining star,
A stable rude, the door ajar.
Yet, in that place so crude, forlorn,
The Hope of all the World was born.
(“Bethlehem of Judah” in The Greatest Gift p66)
We sing TiS 272:
“Come thou long expected Jesus”
Verse 1
Come, thou long expected Jesus,
Born to set thy people free,
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in thee.
Verse 2
Israel’s strength and consolation
Hope of all the Earth thou art,
Dear desire of every Nation.
Joy of every longing heart.
Verse 3
Born thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now thy gracious Kingdom bring.
Verse 4
By thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone.
By thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to thy glorious throne.
Charles Wesley
Prayer of Praise and Confession (from Uniting in Worship Red Book p281, An Aust Prayer Book p261, Opening Prayers p114, Leading Intercessions p81, 82 & 96, A Year of Prayer p200 & 201, Prayers for God’s People Year B p200 and 201, Amish Prayers p95, Prayers for the Seasons Year B p200, The Book of Worship p88 )
Leader: Almighty God, we give to you our praise for you are just and compassionate. You are a God who cares for those who groan under oppression and sorrow. You are a God who listens to those who cry out for help and does not pass them by. You are a God whose tender love gives comfort to the outcast and to the powerless. You step beyond social norms and cultural boundaries and religious bigotries, to embrace those whom society neglects, and to call to you those whom society rejects.
Almighty God, we give to you our praise, for you are the one who gives light to a World that lives in the darkness of sin and despair, you reveal yourself to a World that is blind to your free gift of grace and reconciliation. You are the one who has done great things for us, not that we deserve your compassion, but solely because you are a God of love and grace. We come together as your People with assurance and hope in your promise to save, for all of time and beyond Time, all those who come to you through Jesus Christ. We are awed by your power in raising Jesus Christ from death. We come together to thank you for Christ’s intercession on our behalf. We are honoured to be called your children and to be called to be in your presence.
Yet, Lord, we come before you contrite and repentant for our failings and for our disobedience. We come before you knowing that our best is still far from the way of the Gospel to which you have called us to follow.
Merciful God, we fail to control our tongue from speaking evil and our lips from speaking deceit. We pray empty words of praise while at the same time speak words that are thoughtless and unkind. We profess to be disciplined and Christ-like, yet are wilful in our thoughts and our words and our actions. We profess to be moved by the sight of the hungry and needy, yet are wasteful of our own resources. We condemn the neglect shown by others, yet fail to work towards reconciliation and harmony in even our own small corner of the World. We too often remember the smallest of hurts that we experience and fail to follow your example of being willing to forgive and to forget. Forgive us.
Merciful God, we are indifferent to the treasures of your wisdom, and fail to use the gifts with which you have endowed us. We lower our standards and disregard the influence that our conduct may have upon others. We are proud and vane and love nothing more than boasting about our own deeds and achievements. We strive for popularity and avoid criticism, we are sullen when things do not go the way we want them to, we are temperamental when challenged with the need to grow and to mature. Forgive us.
Merciful God, we come humbly before you, seeking your forgiveness. Remove all the sin in our lives that binds and oppresses us. Give us the courage to cast off our sinful habits and to turn to you for healing. Strengthen us to follow gladly the sure path of salvation and to walk humbly in your footsteps. May we walk in the way of grace and truth all the days of our life. For this we pray. Amen
Assurance of Forgiveness (from Psalm 80: 7b and 19b)
Leader: The Psalmist declares with assurance, “Show us your mercy, Lord God Almighty, and we will be saved.” Having confessed our sins before God, we have faith that God, in His great mercy, has heard our prayers, has forgiven our sins, and has brought us back into a right relationship with Him.
All: Thanks be to God.
Sharing the Peace
Leader: The Apostle Paul expresses this greeting to the church in Corinth; “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1: 3)
In these times of restrictions and reservations regarding physical contact with others, we find new ways to share this peace within the Fellowship of God, to both those here with us today and those who are absent from our midst.
So, with upraised hands, let us share together these words of Jesus:
May the peace of God be with you.
All: And also with you.
Children’s Talk
Recently, Woolworths ran a marketing scheme involving “ooshies”, where you were given a certain number of the figures depending on what was the total of your grocery bill. Because we shop at Woollies and because Lachie works at Woollies, we were under ‘orders’ to collect a set of the figures for each of our two older grand-daughters. Any doubles or triples of the figures that we collected we were allowed keep for ourselves. I kept several for myself, including “Russell” from the movie “Up”, one of my favourites, and “the Mandalorian” because I am enjoying watching the current Disney series involving the character, based on the Star Wars movies. One of the figures is “Yoda”, also a character from the Star Wars movies. What makes this figure different is that it absorbs light and glows in the dark. So, when I wake up at 2.00am to go to the toilet, I will see a small ghostly figure shining on my bookcase.
It appears that some people have been able to create a living based on this Yoda character. I was given a book as a present titled:
“Be more Yoda – mindful thinking from a galaxy far far away”, written by a Christian Blauvelt.
On the back cover it reads:
“Master mindful living in a chaotic galaxy. Whether you are tackling impossible deadlines, coping with relationship struggles or simply trying to save the galaxy from your overbearing Father, just take a pause and ask yourself, “What would Yoda do?” Inspiring words of wisdom from Master Yoda and a host of other Star Wars mentors will guide you to a more mindful and fulfilling path in life. Make you one with the Force, we will!”
Slide 1
The on-line comments about him mention that he is a “pop culture commentator”. And you can get a glimpse of that by what he has written in this book, so as:
“Change what you can and accept what you cannot. Worse than self-doubt is self-pity – it can undermine everything and turn you to the dark side.” (P25)
“The past is familiar and safe, while the present is a gateway to unexplored possibilities.” (p33)
“A surprise can be intimidating, but don’t dump your cargo and run – fleeing a setback almost never resolves it.” (p43)
“No-one knows where they’ll end up in life, or how they’ll get there. Your dreams might shape your course of action, but life involves continuous leaps of faith.” (p55)
Now, all of this sounds like good advice for taking an active role in seeking to empower your life. It reminds you of the theme of another popular book published in 1952 titled, “The Power of Positive Thinking”.
Slide 2
But, an element of caution needs to be taken when reading such a book.
Slide 3
In his book, Christian Blauvelt talks of “seeking mindfulness”, where you take “control of your future” and become “master of your own life”. The danger of such books, I feel, is that it encourages you to presume that you can achieve “mindfulness” by and through yourself.
I do not believe that this is the approach taken by Paul when he wrote to the Church in Corinth.
Slide 4
“I am always thanking God for you. I thank Him for His grace, given to you in Christ Jesus. I thank Him for all the enrichment that has come to you in Christ. You possess full knowledge, and you can give full expression to it.” 1 Corinthians 1: 4 and 5
Paul is saying that the Christians in Corinth displayed an ability to get a grasp of truth and to express this truth to others, two gifts that were highly prized by the Corinthians because these abilities mattered most to them in their Greek culture. (C Keener in Bible Background Commentary NT p454 and N Hillyer in 1 Corinthians in New Bible Commentary p1053)
But, note that Paul is not saying that they have developed these abilities by themselves or have developed these abilities through “seeking mindfulness”. Paul states that such an enrichment has come to them “in Christ” or “in union with Christ”. It was only through their being open to Jesus that they had received the wisdom and guidance imparted by Jesus. It was only through their earnest and honest worship of and service of Jesus that this wisdom and guidance had developed and grown in their lives.
Sure, read these self-help books, but weigh what is contained in them against God’s Word. While it is important to be mentally committed to growing in your faith and relationship with God, let us not neglect the promise that the Holy Spirit with empower us, support us and guide us in this growth and development as daughters and sons of God.
Just like the Yoda ooshie, we are to absorb the light of Jesus Christ and to reflect that light to a World darkened by its disobedience to the Word and the Will of God.
Prayer for illumination
Leader: Let us share in this prayer for illumination as we read from the Word of God.
All: Holy and merciful God, through your Holy Spirit, instruct us that we might rightly understand the Word of Truth, and find ourselves as People who reflect the Living Word, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Isaiah 64: 1 to 9
1 Lord, why don’t you tear the sky open and come down? The mountains would see you and shake with fear. 2 They would tremble like fire boiling over a hot fire. Come and reveal your power to your enemies, and make the Nations tremble at your presence. 3 There was a time when you came and did terrifying things that we did not expect; the mountains saw you and shook with fear. 4 No one has ever seen or heard of a god like you, who does such deeds for those who put their hope in you. 5 You welcome those who find joy in doing what is right, those who remember how you want them to live. You were angry with us, but we went on sinning; in spite of your great anger we have continued to do wrong since ancient times. 6 All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind. 7 No one turns to you in prayer; no one goes to you for help. You have hidden yourself from us and have abandoned us because of our sins. 8 But you are our Father, Lord. We are like clay, and you are like the potter. You created us, 9 so do not be too angry with us or hold our sins against us forever. We are your People, be merciful to us.
(Today’s English version)
1 Corinthians 1: 3 to 9
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 4 I am always thanking God for you. I thank Him for His grace, given to you in Christ Jesus. 5 I thank Him for all the enrichment that has come to you in Christ. You possess full knowledge and you can give full expression to it, 6 because in you the evidence for the truth of Christ has found confirmation. 7 There is indeed no single gift you lack, while you wait expectantly for our Lord Jesus Christ to reveal himself. 8 He will keep you firm to the end, without reproach on the Day of our Lord Jesus. 9 God is to be trusted, the God who called you to have fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
(The New English Bible and Today’s English Version)
Reader: This is the Word of God.
All: Praise to you Almighty God.
Mark 13: 32 to 37
32 But about that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in Heaven, not even the Son; only the Father. 33 Be alert, be wakeful! You do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a person who goes away from their home. They have left their house and put their servants in charge, each with their own work to do. And they have ordered the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Watch, then, for you do not know when the owner is coming; evening or morning, before dawn or at sunrise. 36 If they come suddenly, they must not find you asleep. 37 What I say to you I say to everyone: keep awake!
(adapted from The New English Bible and Today’s English Version)
Reader: This is the Gospel of our Lord.
All: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
We sing Hymn TiS 456
“Thy hand O God, has guided Thy flock from age to age” Psalm 80
Verse 1
Thy hand, O God, has guided thy flock, from age to age;
the wondrous tale is written, full clear, on every page;
our forebears owned thy goodness, and we their deeds record;
and both of this bear witness: one Church, one Faith, one Lord.
Verse 2
Thy heralds brought glad tidings to greatest, as to least;
they bade them rise, and hasten to share the great King’s feast;
and this was all their teaching, in every deed and word,
to all alike proclaiming: one Church, one Faith, one Lord.
Verse 3
Through many a day of darkness, through many a scene of strife,
the faithful few fought bravely to guard the nation’s life.
Their gospel of redemption, sin pardoned, man restored,
was all in this enfolded: one Church, one Faith, one Lord.
Verse 4
And we, shall we be faithless? Shall hearts fail, hands hang down?
Shall we evade the conflict, and cast away our crown?
Not so: in God’s deep counsels some better thing is stored;
we will maintain, unflinching, one Church, one Faith, one Lord.
Verse 5
Thy mercy will not fail us, nor leave thy work undone;
with thy right hand to help us, the victory shall be won;
and then be all Creation, thy name shall be adored.
And this shall be their anthem: One Church, one Faith, one Lord.
Edward Plumtre
Sermon
Slide 1
I was reading an article on “Arabia’s Frankincense trail” in the October 1985 edition of National Geographic magazine, and came across this paragraph. Could the Qana of the article really be the Canneh of Ezekiel 27: 23?
Slide 2
Qana, which apparently now is in ruins, is located on the south west coast of the Arabian Peninsula, north east of Aden.
Slide 3
This satellite photo shows how desolate is the area around Qana.
Slide 4
This enlargement of the area shows the location of Qana, numbered 1. The author of the article had pitched his tent below the “black volcanic promontory” to the right of the photo, numbered 2.
Slide 5
Ezekiel 27
22 For your goods the merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded jewels, gold, and the finest spices. 23 The cities of Haran, Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, the cities of Asshur and Chilmad – they all traded with you.
This is the mention of the city of Canneh in the book of the Prophet Ezekiel. I was intrigued that the ‘every-day’ person in ancient Judah, who read, or to whom was read, the prophesies of Ezekiel, could possibly have been familiar with two ‘cities’ far to the south, far from the Nations surrounding Judah with which they were presumably more familiar. So, being a diligent Bible student, I though it wise to consult my library, hoping to verify this understanding from what is written in the Bible Commentaries and Bible Dictionaries on my shelves.
In the commentary for Ezekiel in The New Bible Commentary Revised, compiled by G Beasley-Murray, a then Professor of New Testament Studies and apocalyptic literature in Kentucky, is written against verse 22:
“Sheba and Raamah were in south-west Arabia.”
Good, I thought, I was on the right track. Reading further, against verse 23 he writes:
“Towns in Mesopotamia. For further information refer to The New Bible Dictionary.” (p677)
“Oh!” I thought, that is not what I wanted to read. So, I did just as he suggested. I looked up “Canneh” in my edition of The Illustrated Bible Dictionary. T Mitchell, who was then working for the Dept of Western Asiatic Antiquities of the British Museum, writes:
“Canneh. The name of a settlement or town mentioned with Haran and Eden, as trading with (the city of) Tyre (Ezekiel 27: 23). The site is unknown, but (the association with the other five towns in the verse) suggests the area of the middle Euphrates, and this has support from Assyrian documents of the 7th century BC/BCE.” (Volume 1 p235)
“Oh! Oh!” I thought. But, not to be down heartened, I consulted my edition of The IVP Bible Background Commentary on The Old Testament. In the commentary on Ezekiel, against verse 23 of chapter 27 the Editors have written:
“Haran, Canneh, Eden, Sheba, Ashur, Kilmad (Chilmad) – All these areas were to the north and east of the city of Tyre. Canneh is probably the Assyrian town of Kannu, the location of which is unknown. Eden is the town of Bit Adini, an Aramean locality west of the Balikh River in Syria.” (p714)
“Oh! Oh! Oh!”. I thought. But, I said to myse4lf confidently, let’s see what I can find “on-line”. However, at first all that I found was the same information.
Slide 6
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says much the same thing.
Slide 7
So does the Wikipedia Encyclopedia.
Slide 8
So does the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopaedia.
Slide 9
So does the 1906 edition of The Jewish Encyclopedia.
Slide 10
The Bible Atlas has Canneh located in the vicinity of the northern Syrian town of Aleppo.
Slide 11
While, the King Kames Bible Dictionary has Canneh located to the south east of the ancient city of Babylon, in Iraq, just to add more confusion to the issue.
Slide 12
But then I came across the on-line edition of Encyclopedia Britannica, in which is written:
“Canneh and Aden (Ezekiel 27: 23) were the two principal termini of the spice road of western Arabia”
So, finally, here is someone’s writing that is taking a different line of thought, in line with the author of the National Geographic article.
Interestingly, Strong’s Concordance of the Bible, lists “Canneh” as “a place in Assyria” (3656 in Old Testament words p74) and lists Eden as “the region of Adam’s home” (5731 in Old Testament Words p113). But it has as its pronunciation of Eden “ayden”, where the first “e” is pronounced as it is in “attaché” or “they” or “grey”, as the present town of Aden is pronounced, and not as the second “e” in Eden is pronounced as it is in “thief” or “seek” or “green”. Does that indicate that the Eden in Ezekiel 27: 23 could be the Aden in today’s Yemen?
Slide 13
I then came across a reference to a map titled “Israel and Ancient Trade Routes”, in which the editor, Herbert May, “identifies Eden and Canneh (in Ezekiel 27: 23)with Aden and Qana on the SW coast of Arabia, near Sheba and Hazarmavet (today’s Hadramawt)”.
Slide 14
And the Yemen News Agency also makes reference to this connection between Aden and Qana with the Eden and Canneh in Ezekiel, although its website does repeat the Encyclopedia Britannica entry ‘word for word’.
So, we have some documents and maps which certify that the Eden and Canneh of Ezekiel 27: 23 are in northern Syria, while some say they are in eastern Mesopotamia in present day Iraq, while others say they are in southern Arabia in present day Yemen. Which is it then?
Slide 15
Does it matter where Canneh is or was?
What is the context of the passage from Ezekiel 27?
Does it really matter where Canneh is or was? Well, in a way, yes it does, for, surely, after centuries of Old Testament and Middle Eastern research and study, how could a town mentioned in the Bible not be identified today, even as a mound of ruins? Does that mean, then, that Ezekiel couldn’t remember the locality to which he was referring, or didn’t know the name of the locality, or was he just making up a locality? Did Canneh really exist at all? And if any of this were the case, how much credibility, then, can we attach to the writings of Ezekiel?
Part of the solution lies in the context of Ezekiel 27. It is part of a series of prophesies telling of God’s judgement upon the then powerful city-state of Tyre, to the north-west of Jerusalem, foretelling its destruction and desolation, punishment for their celebrating the downfall of Jerusalem, one of their major commercial competitors, and for not repenting before God for their own sins. (Ezekiel 26: 2)
Slide 16
The measure of a true Prophet of Israel:
- Gives honour to the Lord God
- Demands the living of a holy life in obedience to God’s commands and statutes
- Their prophesies are fulfilled
One way to gauge whether a Prophet in Israel was truly speaking on behalf of God was to use three measures.
Did Ezekiel give honour to the Lord God? Yes, for throughout his writing he continually referred to God as “Sovereign Lord”.
Did Ezekiel demand a holy life in obedience to God’s commands and statutes? Yes, for in his writings he condemned Israel and the surrounding Nations for their idolatry and sinfulness.
Were Ezekiel’s prophesies fulfilled? Yes. Ezekiel made his prophesy concerning Tyre in the year that the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem, 586BC/BCE. The very next year Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to Tyre and conquered it after a siege lasting 13 years.
Henry Halley, in his Bible Handbook writes that the historical events were “an amazing fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophesy that Tyre “nevermore should have any being”. (Ezekiel 26: 14 & 21, 27: 36 and 28: 29) (p255)
Slide 17
Ezekiel’s audience and the People of Tyre knew to what city of “Canneh” he was referring.
It is God who is in control of Time and Space and History
Ezekiel’s audience and the People of Tyre knew to what city of “Canneh” Ezekiel was referring. Because it is not so clear for us today where this city is located, does not detract from the central message of what Ezekiel was writing, that it is God who is in control of Time and of Space and of History.
The writer of Psalm 80 reminds the People of Israel of this when they write of God delivering His People out of Egypt and of establishing them as the Nation of Israel.
“You brought a grapevine out of Egypt,
You drove out other Nations and planted it in their land,
You cleared a place for it to grow.” (v8 to 11)
Artur Weiser, in his commentary on this Psalm writes:
“During the recapitulation of the saving deeds of God, the People know themselves to be near their God, who steadily accomplishes His saving purpose until He has reached His goal.” (The Psalms p549)
Slide 18
“No-one has ever seen or heard of a god like you, who does such deeds for those who put their hope in you. You welcome those who find joy in doing what is right, those who remember how you want them to live.” Isaiah 64: 4 and 5
In today’s passage from Isaiah’s Book the Prophet addresses God saying, “No-one has ever seen or heard of a god like you, who does such deeds for those who put their hope in you. You welcome those who find joy in doing what is right, those who remember how you want them to live.” (Isaiah 64: 4 & 5)
In this latter part of his Book, the Prophet Isaiah addresses two issues, the goodness of God and the grief that God’s People have brought upon themselves because of their disobedience and ungratefulness. Their Lands were being ravaged by foreign invaders, and their hearts were being ravaged by their sins. (D Kidner in NBC p623)
In verse 4 of chapter 64, Isaiah talks of the ‘control’ of God. Who can be compared to God, Isaiah writes, in terms of the control that God exercises over His Creation, over Heaven and Earth and over all that they contain? There is no person on Earth, nor can any other god be conceived, who is in any way comparable to the God of the Israelites. This is well illustrated when we consider the great deeds that God has done for those who put their hope in Him, hope for the present and hope for the future.
In verse 5, Isaiah talks of the ‘compassion’ of God. Isaiah reassures his listeners of the readiness of God to welcome into a warm relationship all who submit themselves before God and who seek to follow the Way of God for their lives. For only in doing so will they experience the peace and joy that brings contentment and completeness to life.
Isaiah is describing how different and distinct is the God of Israel, compared to other gods of the peoples of Mesopotamia and the ancient Near East. God willingly chooses to act on behalf of His People, as and when and how He chooses. He is not limited to Time or to Space or to Geography, nor to this ‘material world’. He does not need to be bribed or coerced into action. His involvement with people is not dependent upon what or how many gifts are offered to Him nor to the enacting of ‘magical rituals or rites’. What motivates God into action is solely His love and dedication to “His faithful followers”. (IVP Bible Background Commentary OT p640)
Derek Kidner, in writing on these verses, emphasises God’s constancy in His dealings with His People. God shows a tenaciousness in His dealings with His People that exceeds that which any person could display. He has been involved with His People over generations, longer than the lifetime of any person. And He has displayed might and power beyond that of any individual or Nation. Isaiah writes that God transcends all because He is the Maker, the Potter of verse 8, who knows all and controls all. (D Kidner in Isaiah in NBC p623)
Slide 19
“The wisdom I proclaim is God’s secret wisdom, which is hidden from Human understanding, but which He had already chosen for our glory even before the World was made.” (1 Corinthians 2: 7)
Paul, in his thinking on these verses from Isaiah 64, explains the extent to which God’s involvement in the World would go. In his letter to the Church in Corinth Paul proclaims a message of God’s wisdom, of which none of the rulers and authorities of the World could conceive nor understand, “God’s secret wisdom”, Paul states, “hidden from Humanity.” (1 Corinthians 2: 6 to 8) It was a message, Paul continues, that was not just “impossible for people to know by their own wisdom”, (1 Corinthians 1: 21) but was “offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles”. (1 Corinthians 1: 23)
Slide 20
“We proclaim the crucified Christ”, Paul states, for “God decided to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1: 23a and 21b)
“We proclaim the crucified Christ”, Paul states, for “God decided to save those who believe.” (1 Corinthians 1: 23a and 21b) It is in this statement that we see the ultimate expression of God’s control, God intervening in History with the birth of his son, the baby Jesus lying in the manger. (Luke 2: 7 and 16) It is in this statement that we see the ultimate expression of God’s compassion for Humanity, “For by Jesus we are put right with God, we become God’s holy People and are set free.” (1 Corinthians 1: 30b)
Slide 21
“God is to be trusted, the God who called you to have fellowship with Jesus Christ, our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1: 9
Isaiah writes that what God seeks from His People is a response of “submissive trust” in God’s control and compassion. (D Kidner in Isaiah in NBC p623) Paul has the identical message for the Church, for it is through our trust in God that God can work in our lives, now and in the future. As he writes, “God is to be trusted, the God who called you to have fellowship with Jesus Christ, our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1: 9)
It is the very nature of God, described for us by Isaiah, that is our guarantee that God is able to bring about what He has promised, that His kingdom will come, that His will is to be done. (Norman Hillyer in 1 Corinthians in NBC p1053)
Colbert Cartwright, in his small booklet titled “the Lord’s Prayer comes Alive”, writes, “For Jesus, God is not only the one who meets him in his quiet moments, but the one who is vitally at work in every circumstance of life to overcome evil, heal the wounds of Society, and give people Hope for the future. God is not far off but at hand. This was the Good News about God that Jesus came amongst Humanity to proclaim.” (page 9)
The crucified and resurrected Christ is the hope of our release from the bondage to sin and of our being reconciled with God. The ascended Christ is the hope of his continuing presence with us now as we journey through life. The ascended Christ is the hope of our rising with him on that final Day when we will enjoy everlasting fellowship with God.
At this advent time, then, let us remember that “the hope of all the World’ was born on that first Christmas morning, for it truly is an occasion to be celebrated with joy and praise of God. Amen.
We sing Hymn MHB 635
“Jesu, my Truth, my Way” 1 Corinthians 1
Verse 1
Jesu, my truth, my way, my sure, unerring light,
On thee my feeble steps I stay, which thou wilt guide aright.
Verse 2
My wisdom and my guide, my counsellor thou art:
O never let me leave thy side, or from thy paths depart.
Verse 3
Teach me the happy art, in all things to depend
On thee. O never, Lord, depart, but love me to the end.
Verse 4
Through fire and water bring into the wealthy place;
And teach me the new song to sing, when perfected in grace!
Verse 5
O make me all like thee, before I hence remove:
Settle, confirm, and stablish me, and build me up in love.
Verse 6
Let me thy witness live, when sin is all destroyed;
And then my spotless soul receive, and take me home to God.
Charles Wesley
Offering
Offering Prayer (from Invocations p43)
Leader: Lord, giver of all good things, we give to you these tithes, the gift of our time and the works of our hands. Guide us in their use so that others may come to an awareness of your grace and also that the needs of others are met. Guide us in what is good and acceptable so that we may be an example of the love and blessing that you do not hold back from anyone. Amen.
Prayers for Others
Leader: We come before you, Almighty God, with our cares and our concerns.
We pray for greater attentiveness for the Church, that our minds and hearts may be focused upon the tasks we do, the people we love, and our service for you.
We pray for greater awareness: that the Spirit will guide us to reflection and recognition of all the thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams that are planted deep within our hearts.
We pray for those who have wandered from their relationship with you, that the memories and hopes of this season will open a doorway to you, God, who loves them.
We pray for World leaders, that they may take the long view of Human history and choose to protect and promote life and peace for all people, rather than their reputation or personal gain.
We pray for all who are suffering from violence, famine, persecution, or neglect, that you, God, will destroy the bonds that holds them and open the doors of mercy and compassion for them.
We pray for all who are seeking employment, that you will open new opportunities for them to use their gifts and provide for themselves and their loved ones.
We pray for all refugees, immigrants, and displaced persons who are awaiting a new home or a return to their home, that you will give them patience and guide lawmakers in developing the required policies and procedures to address these issues.
We pray for all who are being persecuted for their religious or political beliefs, that you will give them courage and relieve their suffering.
We pray for all who are ill, that you will heal the sick, give strength to those who care for them, and guide all who are working on vaccines and cures.
We pray for healing of our Nation: that you, God, will heal the wounds of the political enmity, restore civil dialogue, and help us to address together the greatest needs of our Country.
Copyright © 2020. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use.
The Lord’s Prayer
All: 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 for ever. Amen.
We sing the Hymn:
“All for Jesus, all for Jesus” Hymns and Songs number 1
Verse One
All for Jesus–all for Jesus, this our song shall ever be;
for we have no hope, nor Saviour, if we have not hope in thee.
Verse Two
All for Jesus–thou wilt give us strength to serve thee, hour by hour,
none can move us from thy presence, while we trust thy love and power.
Verse Three
All for Jesus–at thine altar thou wilt give us sweet content;
there, dear Lord, we shall receive thee in the solemn sacrament.
Verse Four
All for Jesus–thou hast loved us; all for Jesus–thou hast died;
all for Jesus–thou art with us; all for Jesus crucified.
Verse five
All for Jesus–all for Jesus, this the Church’s song must be;
till, at last, her sons are gathered one in love and one in thee.
Amen
W J Sparrow-Simpson
Benediction
Leader: “Prayers for big and little things
Fly Heavenward on angel’s wings,
And he who walked by Galilee
And touched the blind and made them see,
And cured the man who long was lame
When he but called God’s holy name,
Will keep you safely in his care
And when you need him, he’ll be there.”
(“For you a prayer” by Helen Steiner Rice, p19 in Loving Thoughts, Hutchinson, 1985)
Benediction Song
From “May the grace of our lord Jesus Christ” Scripture in Song volume 2 number 42 (247)
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
And the love of God our Father,
And the fellowship, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you,
For evermore, for evermore, for evermore. Amen.
At Aiden’s Parish Community
(based in 2 Corinthians 13: 14)
Service for Sunday 30th August 2020 – Mr Geoffrey Webber 
Service for Sunday 7th November 2021, conducted by Mr Ian Kerr 
Service for Sunday 10th January 2021 – Rev Louis van Laar 
Service for Sunday 30th July 2023, which was conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber. 