Welcome: –

Call to Worship: – 

(Psalm 19: 1 to 4. 6 to 9, 11 and 14) 

The heavens clearly reveal the glory of God.

The skies plainly show His handiwork.

Each day announces it to the following day;

each night repeats it to the next.

There is no language nor are there words,

there is no sound of any voice.

Yet the knowledge of the Creation’s divine ordering is proclaimed throughout the World,

it is heard from one end of the Earth to the other.

God has made a home in the sky for the Sun;

it starts at one end of the sky

and goes across to the other.

Nothing can hide from its heat.

The Law of the Lord is perfect,

and refreshes the soul.

The testimony of the Lord is trustworthy,

giving wisdom to those who lack it.

The precepts of the Lord are right,

giving joy to the heart.

Reverence for the Lord is good

and will endure forever.

The judgements of the Lord are just

and are always fair.

It is these that gives God’s People warning,

I am rewarded for obeying them.

May all the words of my mouth and all the thoughts of my heart be acceptable to you O Lord,

my refuge and my Redeemer.

Prayer of Praise

(Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year B p78, Opening Prayers p24, A Year of Prayer p52 -54, Invocations & Benedictions p71) 

  Almighty God, we gather together as your People, knowing that you are above us, but not beyond us.  Your glory is displayed for all the World to see, from one end of the heavens to the other.  The order and pattern in your Creation clearly reveal your wisdom and your power.  The rainbow is our sign of your unending care for your Creation and of your unending concern for Humanity.

  Your Laws and judgements reveal to us your desire for relationships to be based on fairness and justice.  They reveal to us those things that are pure and clean and true.  They enlighten us and guide us as to your Will for how Nations and people are to live side-by-side so as to bring about prosperity and peace.  They reveal to us the folly of Human wisdom, a wisdom that is not based on your standards and precepts.

  Help us not to be lured by the transitory pleasures of Earthly riches and compliments, but, instead, renew our spirits, calm our hearts and our minds, and remake us for wholeness and holiness, for only in that way can we truly be your beacons of light in a darkened and darkening World.  To your glory and praise.  Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing 2 Songs:

‘Give thanks with a grateful heart’  (Scripture in Song volume 3 number 509)

Henry Smith

‘Lord the light of your love is shining’  (Scripture in Song volume 3 number 580)

Graham Kendrick

Prayer of Confession    

Loving God, we look at ourselves and acknowledge that we have wilfully broken your commandments by the things we do and say.

In your mercy, forgive our sins.

Loving God, we look at ourselves and discover that often we have unknowingly failed to follow your Will for our lives.

In your mercy, forgive our sins.

Loving God, we compromise the simplicity of your Good News by insisting on the need for rituals in our worship or by stressing the need also to be and to do what is socially acceptable.

In your mercy, forgive our sins.

Loving God, we pretend that we have the abilities and the knowledge to bring about change in our lives.  We ignore the need for our heart and soul to be cleansed through your Holy Spirit.

In your mercy, forgive our sins.

Loving God, we minimise the guilt of our sins by pointing to our good works or by appealing to our good nature. 

In your mercy, forgive our sins.

Loving God, Jesus cleansed the Temple by driving out the animal dealers and the money changers.  Please cleanse from us anything that hinders or inhibits the purposes of worshipping you and of serving others. 

Transform us through your love and power.  May all that we think and do and say support the work of sharing the Good News of your grace, the forgiveness of sins, and reconciliation with you.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness    

We are called to a faith in Jesus Christ, who died on a cross and who God raised from the dead on the third day.  God showed wisdom wiser than the World’s and demonstrated power stronger than the World’s.  We have the assurance that, having confessed our sins before God, He is able to forgive us and to make us clean in His sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination

 (by John Calvin) 

O Lord, heavenly Father,

in whom is the fullness of light and wisdom,

enlighten our minds by your Holy Spirit,

and give us grace to receive your Word

with reverence and humility,

without which no person can understand your truth,

for the sake of Jesus Christ

to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all glory.  Amen.

Bible Readings

Exodus 19:

3b  The LORD called to Moses and told him to say to the People of Israel, the descendants of Jacob,  5  ”Now, if you will obey me and keep my Covenant, you will be my treasured possession.  The whole Earth is mine, but you will be my chosen People,  6  a People dedicated to me alone, and you will serve me as priests.”

Exodus 20:

1  God spoke and these were His words,  2  ” I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves. 

3  Worship no god but me

4  Do not make for yourselves images of anything in Heaven or on Earth or in the water under the Earth.  5  Do not bow down to any idol or worship it, because I am the LORD your God and I tolerate no rivals.  I bring punishment on those who hate me and on their descendants down to the third and fourth generation.  6  But I show my love to thousands of generations of those who love me and obey my Laws.

7  Do not use my name for evil purposes, for I the LORD will punish anyone who misuses my name.

8  Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy.  9  You have six days in which to do your work,  10  but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me.  On that day no one is to work; neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your Country.  11  In six days I, the LORD, made the earth, the sky, the seas, and everything in them, but on the seventh day I rested.  That is why I, the LORD, blessed the Sabbath and made it holy.

12  Respect your father and your mother, so that you will live a long time in the land that I am giving you.

13  Do not commit murder.

14  Do not commit adultery.

15  Do not steal.

16  Do not accuse anyone falsely.

17  Do not desire another person’s house; do not desire their spouse, their slaves, their cattle, their donkeys, or anything else that they own.

[Today’s English Version, New English Bible]

1 Corinthians 1:

18  For the message about Christ’s death on the cross is sheer folly to those who are being

lost, but for us who are being saved it is God’s power.  19  The Scripture says,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the cleverness of the scholars.”

20  So then, where does that leave the wise, or the scholars, or the skilful debaters of this World?  God has shown that this World’s wisdom is foolishness.  21  For God, in His wisdom, made it impossible for people to know Him by means of their own wisdom.  Instead, by means of the so called folly of the Gospel we preach, God chose to save those who believe.  22  Jews want miracles for proof, and Greeks look for wisdom. 

23  As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is an offensive stumbling block to the Jews, and nonsense to Gentiles;  24  but for those whom God has called, Jews and Gentiles alike, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.  25  For what seems to be God’s foolishness is wiser than Human wisdom, and what appears to be God’s weakness is stronger than Human strength.

[Today’s English Version, New English Bible, New International Version]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

John 2:

13  It was almost time for the Jewish Passover Festival, so Jesus and his Disciples went from Capernaum to Jerusalem.  14  There, in the Temple, Jesus found men selling cattle and sheep and pigeons, and also the moneychangers at their tables.  15  So he made a whip from cords and drove all of the men selling animals out of the Temple, along with their sheep and the cattle; he overturned the tables of the moneychangers and scattered their coins.  16  Then he turned to the men who sold the pigeons.  “Take these out of here.” he ordered, “How dare you turn my Father’s House into a marketplace.”  17  His Disciples recalled the words of Scripture:

“My devotion to your House, O God, burns like a fire in me.”  [Psalm 69: 9] 

18  The Jewish authorities challenged Jesus, saying “What miraculous sign can you show to us that can prove that you have the authority to do what you have done?”  19  Jesus answered, “Tear down this Temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”  20  “How are you going to build it again in three days?” they asked him, “It has taken 46 years to build this Temple.”

21  But the Temple he was speaking of was his body.  22  After his resurrection, his Disciples recalled what he had said, and they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had said.

[Today’s English Version, New English Bible, New International Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn ‘The heavens declare thy glory Lord’  (AHB330 MHB802)

Isaac Watts

Sermon

The Code of Hammurabiis a Babylonian legal text composed during 1755–1750 BC.  It is one of the oldest, longest, best-organized, and best-preserved legal texts from the ancient Near East.  It is written in the Old Babylonian dialect of Akkadian, purportedly by Hammurabi, sixth King of the First Dynasty of Babylon, who reigned from 1792BC to 1750BC.  The primary copy of the text is inscribed on a basalt stele which is 2.25m (7 ft 4+¹⁄₂in) tall.  The Code consisted of 282 legal judgements, with punishments that varied, based on social status (slaves, free men, and property owners).  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi) 

  What correlation has this piece of information to do with today’s readings?

  The question of whether or not the Code of Hammurabi had any influence on the compilation of the Mosaic Law received much attention from scholars of the Ancient Near East.^[47]

Sampey, John R. (1904a). “The Code of Hammurabi and the Laws of Moses. I”. Baptist Review and Expositor. 1 (1): 97–107. doi:10.1177/003463730400100109. S2CID 201274574. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.

Sampey, John R. (1904b). “The Code of Hammurabi and the Laws of Moses. II”. Baptist Review and Expositor. 1 (2): 233–243. doi:10.1177/003463730400100207. S2CID 220709977. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021.

Davies, William W. (1905). The Codes of Hammurabi and Moses. Cincinnati, OH: Jennings & Graham. ISBN 9781594621437.

Johns, Claude H. W. (1914). The Relations between the Laws of Babylonia and the Laws of the Hebrew Peoples (The Schweich Lectures, 1912). London, England: British Academy. OCLC 314669237. Archived from the original on 7 December 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2021

Everts, William W. (1920). “The Laws of Moses and of Hammurabi”. Review and Expositor. 17 (1): 37–50. doi:10.1177/003463732001700104. S2CID 147308826.

Edwards, Chilperic (1921). The Hammurabi Code and the Sinaitic Legislation (3rd ed.). London, England: Watts & Co. OCLC 1057941378

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi)

  A few of the laws in Hammurabi’s Code are “worded similarly to Old Testament passages”:

“false witness” in Exodus 23: 1 – 3 & Deuteronomy 19: 16 – 20

“treatment of slaves” in Exodus 21: 1 – 9

“loss of an animal on loan” in Exodus 22: 10 – 13

“the loss of a bull gored by another bull” in Exodus 21: 35 & 36, and

“adultery with a married woman” in Deuteronomy 22: 22

(Donald wiseman in an article on Hammurabi in The Illustrated Bible Dictionary Part 2 p606)

(see also:

Roth, Martha T. (1995a). Law Collections from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor. Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature. ISBN 9780788501043. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2021.

Wright, David P. (2009). Inventing God’s Law: How the Covenant Code of the Bible Used and Revised the Laws of Hammurabi. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195304756. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2021.)

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi)

Could these similarities indicate that when the Law of Moses was being compiled that there was a knowledge of the Code of Hammurabi and that some parts of the Code of Hammurabi were incorporated into the Law of Moses?

                            Abraham    Jacob in Haran   Israel into Egypt   Hammurabi   Exodus

Upper dates    2166-1991      1929-1900              1876                   1792-1750     1446

Old Testament Chronology in the New International Version  1985 edition

                            Abraham    Hammurabi    Jacob in Haran    Israel into Egypt    Exodus

Lower dates    2000-1825    1792-1750         1777-1735                 1706                1280

Chronology of the Old Testament in The Illustrated Bible Dictionary Part 1 p271&272  1980 edition

  If you seek to investigate the Chronology of the Old Testament, you face the issue of different dating methods.  The dating method used in the New International Version seems to indicate that the people of Israel had already settled in Egypt at the time that Hammurabi’s Code was being compiled.  As such, they were not likely to have had any exposure to Hammurabi’s Code.  However, the dating method used with The Illustrated Bible Dictionary seems to indicate that Jacob was living in Haran, at the northern part of that part of the land under the rule of Babylon, when Hammurabi compiled his Code.

  Therefore, it is feasible that Jacob developed an understanding of Hammurabi’s Code during his 20 years of working or Laban in Haran, and took this understanding back with him

on his return to the Land of Canaan.  It is, therefore, feasible that this understanding was passed down through the generations of the People of Israel to the time of Moses, an understanding which influenced their own thinking when it came to formulating their own Laws.

  Certain writers have argued for just such a direct influence.  David P. Wright, for example, asserts that the Covenant Code is “directly, primarily, and throughout dependent upon the Laws of Hammurabi”, “a creative rewriting of Mesopotamian sources “.^[166]   Wright, David P. (2009). Inventing God’s Law: How the Covenant Code of the Bible Used and Revised the Laws of Hammurabi. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195304756. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2021.) p3  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi)

  Other writers argue for an indirect influence, such as via Aramaic or Phoenician intermediaries, be it merchants or travellers.^[167]

Van De Mieroop, Marc (2016). Philosophy before the Greeks: The Pursuit of Truth in Ancient Babylonia. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691176352. JSTOR j.ctt1h4mhtb. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2021 p152  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi)

  The consensus among scholars, however, is that the similarities are a result of inheriting common traditions.^[168]

Wright, David P. (2009). Inventing God’s Law: How the Covenant Code of the Bible Used and Revised the Laws of Hammurabi. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195304756. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2021.) pvii  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi)

  In 1916, George A. Barton cited “a similarity of antecedents and of general intellectual outlook”.^[169]

Barton, George A. (1916). Archaeology and the Bible. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: American Sunday-School Union. OCLC 38608139. Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2021 p3  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi)

  But not all scholars agree with the proposition that there was any influence by Hammurabi’s Code upon the Law od Moses, direct or indirect.

  One writer, David Winton Thomas, has stated: “There is no ground for assuming any direct borrowing by the Hebrew from the Babylonian.  Even where the two sets of laws differ little in the letter, they differ much in the spirit”.^[170]

Thomas, David W. (1958). Documents from Old Testament Times. Edinburgh, Scotland: Thomas Nelson and Sons. ISBN 9780061300851.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi)

  Why should we question the suggestion that Hammurabi’s Code exerted any influence upon the compilation of the Law of Moses, either directly or indirectly through intermediaries?

  Firstly, Hammurabi’s code is a compilation of Legal Judgements, not a set of Laws as is the Law of Moses.  As such, it cannot have provided any sort of framework upon with the Law of Moses could have been created.

  Secondly, the punishments regulated in Hammurabi’s code varied, based on the person’s social status, whether they were a slave, a citizen, or a property owners.  There is no such differentiation in the Law of Moses, which applied the same way to each person.

  Thirdly, in Genesis 34 we have the account of the sons of Jacob slaughtering the males of the City of Shechem, in revenge for the defilement of their sister Dinah.  If Jacob and his sons were familiar with Hammurabi’s Code, as was one suggestion from looking at the Chronology of the Old Testament, this incident at Shechem clearly indicates that they did not act in accordance with any of these Hammurabi’s Codes, and, therefore, these Codes did not exert any influence upon their choice of action.

  Fourthly, a look at the Chronology of the Old Testament shows that the People of Israel spent just over 400 years in the Land of Egypt prior to their Exodus to the promised Land of Canaan.  During these 400 years, they would have been exposed solely to the Laws of the Land of Egypt, and would not have had any exposure to the Laws of Babylon.  If anything, it would have been the Laws of their Egyptian overlords that would have exerted any influence upon the thinking of the People of Israel.

  Lastly, and most crucially, the Law of Moses is always referred to throughout the Old and New Testaments as those Laws and Commandments that God passed on to Moses and which Moses wrote down as directed by God.  There is no understanding that Moses nor anyone else contributed to the wording of the Law of Moses.

  Moses always talked of God instructing him what to record as the Laws and Commandments by which the People of God were to be guided.  (Exodus 21:1, 24: 4, 34: 1, and Leviticus 1: 1) 

  Joshua talked of the Law of Moses in the same manner.  (Joshua 1: 7, 8: 31, 32,34 & 35, and 23: 6) 

  As does the writer of the Book of 2 Chronicles.  (2 Chronicles 34: 14) 

  As does Nehemiah.  (Nehemiah 8: 1) 

  As does the Prophet Malachi.  (Malachi 4: 4) 

  As does the Apostle Paul.  (Acts 13: 39, Romans 3: 21, and 2 Corinthians 3: 15) 

  As does the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews.  (Hebrews 9: 19) 

  As does Luke.  (Luke 24: 27) 

  As does Jesus himself.  (Matthew 5: 17 – 20) 

  If the Law of Moses was not compiled by Moses under the direction of God, as the Old Testament and New Testament texts state, then the Law of Moses cannot be referred to as the Law of God, but as the law of Man.

  The Pharisees saw it as their sacred duty to abide by every word and phrase of the Law of Moses, because it was held to be the very Word of God to His People.  This was the understanding that had been passed on from generation to generation, from the time of Moses.  If that were not the case, if what was declared to be the Word of God was in fact the words of people, then this basic understanding of all of Scripture must be seen to have been based upon a lie. 

  But it is not.  So then, what truths about God and about His relationship with us can we glean from looking at the Law of Moses.

  It was at Mount Sinai that God, through Moses, sought to detail the relationship that He was seeking to establish with the People of Israel.

  Firstly, God establishes His credentials.  In Exodus 19: 3 & 4 we read:

“The Lord called to (Moses) from the mountain and told him to say to the Israelites: ‘You saw what I, the Lord, did to the Egyptians and how I carried you as an eagle carries her young on her wings, and brought you here to me.’”

In Exodus 20: 1 & 2 we read:

“God spoke, and these were His words, ‘I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt, where you were slaves.’”

  The whole scene, then, is set against “the background of redemption”.  It is because of His redemptive work (in saving the People of Israel from oppressive slavery and in preserving them in their journeying through the arid countryside) that “God is claiming the right to issue commands to them.”  (Alan Cole in Exodus p150) 

  Secondly, God explains His purpose.  In Exodus 19: 5 & 6 we read God telling the People of Israel:

“The whole Earth is mine, but you will be my chosen people, a people dedicated to me alone, and you will serve me as priests.”

  The original Hebrew wording of these verses incorporates the understanding that the People are to be God’s “peculiar treasure”  [Strong’s Concordance OT5459 – seg-ool-law]  , meaning something of personal value closely held by the one claiming ownership, something of special value and wealth that is ‘shut up’ away from access by others so that it can only be enjoyed by the one to whom it is of value.  There is the explicit understanding of choice and selection.  The People of Israel are to be a group set apart from all others on Earth, specifically for God’s possession and service.  (Alan Cole in Exodus p145 & 150) 

  The essence of the whole People ‘serving God as priests’ is that they have “free access to God’s presence”  (Alan Cole in Exodus p145)  , meaning that no intermediary is necessary if they seek to talk to God, no special knowledge of God is necessary if they seek to talk with God, no special rite or ritual is necessary if they seek to talk with God, nor is there a need for them to wait for a special time of the day to talk with God.  ‘Free access” means anyone, anywhere, anytime, any circumstance.

  There is also the understanding that the People of Israel were to act as “God’s representative for and to all other Nations of Earth”  (Alan Cole in Exodus p145)  , a fulfillment of the promise that God gave to Abraham when God said, “through you I will bless all the Nations”.  (Genesis 12: 3) 

  The concept of being dedicated to God implies an understanding of “holiness”, a requirement for the People to be living holy lives.  And it is this understanding that introduces the third aspect of the relationship God is seeking.  In Exodus 19: 5 we read God saying to the People of Israel:

“Now, if you will obey me and keep my Covenant, you will be my own People.”

  God is, here, “defining the Terms under which He, as a Great Monarch, accepts the People of Israel as His Subjects”, under the Covenant Agreement or Treaty that He is seeking to enter into with them.  (Alan Cole in Exodus p150)  The following chapters in the Book of Exodus detail the terms of this Covenant Agreement.  (B Arnold & B Beyer in Encountering the Old Testament p113) 

  Some scholars define the 10 Commandments, which we read in Exodus 20: 1 to 17, as a prelude to or a summary of this Covenant Agreement.  But are they just a list of basic moral principles?

  J B S Haldane, a British geneticist and physiologist of the first half of the 20^th century, was once asked by some theologians, “what could be inferred about the mind of the Creator from the works of His Creation”.  Being a self-avowed atheist and Humanist, his rather irreverent reply was, “An inordinate fondness for beetles.”, an understandable statement given his knowledge that 1 of every 4 animal species existing on Earth is a beetle.  

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._B._S._Haldane quoting

1. :  Hutchinson, G. Evelyn (1959). “Homage to Santa Rosalia or Why Are There So Many Kinds of Animals?”. The American Naturalist. 93 (870): 145–159. doi:10.1086/282070. JSTOR 2458768. S2CID 26401739.
2. ^ Cain, A.J. (1993). “[no title cited]”. The Linnean. The Linnean Society of London. 9 (1).
3. ^ God has an inordinate fondness for stars and beetles. quoteinvestigator.com, accessed 31 October 2020

(See also March 1998 issue of National Geographic Vol. 93 No. 3 p103)

  When we look at the 10 Commandments, what we see is “God’s nature expressed in terms of moral imperatives”.  “God reveals himself precisely in these 10 moral commandments”.  (Alan Cole in Exodus p152 & 152)  In obeying what is set out in the 10 commandments, the People of Israel would be implementing the moral principles that underly God’s nature.  The Commandments make known “the Will of God for the Israelites”  (Brevard Childs in Exodus p371 and B Arnold & B Beyer in Encountering the Old Testament p113)  , which the People accept, for we read in Exodus 19; 8 and 24: 7 the People of Israel readily declaring:

“We will obey the Lord and do everything that He has commanded.”

  One writer puts it this way:

“Laws are a part of life, whether they are natural Laws of the Universe or divine Laws prescribed by God.  We should not break any of God’s Laws any more than we should attempt to break the Laws of Nature.  Trying to break the Law of Gravity, for example, by jumping off a high cliff, only proves (that) the Law is true, and only breaks the person who jumps.  So it is with God’s Laws.  Breaking them only hurts us and proves that God’s Laws are just and true  [Psalm 19: 7 to 10]  .  On the other hand, obeying God’s Laws is the right response to God’s grace, not as a means to salvation, but as the response to salvation (already received).”  (B Arnold & B Beyer in Encountering the Old Testament p113) 

  The writer of Psalm 19 describes God’s Laws in terms of them being “pure and clean, bringing joy and enlightenment to a person’s heart and to the person’s need for protection and cleansing from sin”.  (The Lion Handbook to the Bible p331)  The context and the purpose of God’s Laws are clarified in this Psalm.  The writer addresses God in verse 14 as “my refuge and redeemer”.  We see repeated here that God’s work of redemption is the basis for God prescribing His Laws as the basis for our relationship with Him and for our relationships with others.  The writer is careful to stress the critical importance that “(our) words and (our) thoughts be acceptable” to God, something that can only be realised as and when we obey God’s Laws.  But, it is not an acceptance that is forced upon us nor agreed to grudgingly, for the writer joyfully declares:

“They are more desirable than the finest gold; they are sweeter than honey.  They give knowledge to me; I am rewarded for obeying them.”  (verses 10 & 11) 

And, so, the pattern for a fulfilling life and for fellowship with God was made plain and clear to the People of Israel.  But in a very real sense, it is being made plain and clear to us, for so, too is God detailing the relationship that He is seeking to establish with us. 

  We, too, are God’s “peculiar treasure”, something of personal value closely held by God who is claiming ownership of us, considering us as something of special value and wealth.

  We, too, have free access to God’s presence”, meaning that no intermediary is necessary if we seek to talk to God, no special knowledge of God is necessary if we seek to talk with God, no special rite or ritual is necessary if we seek to talk with God, nor is there a need for us to wait for a special time of the day to talk with God.  ‘Free access” for us as well, means anyone, anywhere, anytime, any circumstance.

  As with the People of Israel, we are to act as “God’s representative for and to all other Nations of Earth, to declare to the World the glory and goodness of God.

  And, being dedicated to God implies an understanding of “holiness”, a requirement for us to be living holy lives.

  The Apostle Paul, in writing to the Church in Corinth, declares, “by means of the foolish message we preach, God decided to save those who believe.”  (1 Corinthians 1: 21)  Norman Hillyer in his Commentary on 1 Corinthians, notes that the verb “believe”, in this verse, is in “the present continuous tense, indicating a constant attitude”  (Norman Hillyer in 1 Corinthians in the New Bible Commentary p1054)  .  We are called to maintain this constant attitude of belief, a belief in a wise and powerful God, who seeks for us to be his precious treasure, who, by His grace, has made available to us redemption from sin and everlasting reconciliation with himself.  Like the writer of Psalm 19, may we have a constant attitude of joy and reverence for God, who is our refuge and redeemer.

  I will leave you with this poem that I read during the week.

Together, lord, we seek your will;

we bow before you – yielded still;

we come today, as oft before,

and with each coming love you more.

(from Our Daily Bread 2 March 2008)   Amen.

Prayers for Others

Almighty God, knowing of your love for all of Humanity, especially of your compassion for the needy, we come to you with our cares and our concerns.

We bring to you our prayers for the World around us and for people individually.

We pray for those in positions of authority and power in this world,

that they may turn away from pride, greed and worldly ambition and learn your ways of justice, reconciliation and peace for the good of all people.

We pray for the countless numbers of your children who suffer in this world because of flood or drought, lack of food, clean water or medical help and supplies,

that you will inspire those who can assist to be generous of what they have, and that in the long term you will inspire those who can guide and direct the means for the local people to be able to provide for themselves.

We pray for the members of our levels of governments,

that you will guide their deliberations and keep their focus on addressing the issues that burden the poor and the marginalised in out community.

Please strengthen those in our community who have responsibility for teaching and training,

that they may give leadership in the way you have commanded.

We pray for an end to injustice in our community,

that you will inspire and encourage us to make changes, and guide us in cleansing the practices and systems that promote and sustain it.

Please heal the brokenness and violence in our community that devalues Human life,

Inspire our leaders to work towards protecting the innocent and vulnerable from harm.

We pray for those recovering from the adverse effects of the current floods and bushfires,

that you will grant them the strength to cope with their loss, the guidance to navigate the process to obtain the assistance that they need, and the hope of a renewed life and livelihood.

We pray for all who are ill or injured and under medical care,

that you will relieve their pain, and restore their health and wholeness.

We pray for those who are working to develop and promote effective vaccines against diseases,

that you guide their research, inspire their research, and make provision for the development and distribution of these vaccines where the are required.

Lord, we pray for your church during this season of Lent. We pray that all of us who believe in you will be strengthened to remain faithful to our calling;

to work for understanding and unity where we have created divisions and to show your love and compassion to each other and to all your children.

Cleanse from our hearts any pretence of privilege and knowledge, but, instead, grant us wisdom and insight by your Holy Spirit,

so that, cleansed from all greed and self-seeking, we may become a living temple of your love.

Grant us a deeper appreciation of your Commandments,

so that we may allow your determination of what is right and just to form our conscience and guide our decisions.

(Raymond Chapman in Leading Intercessions p59)

Norman Wallwork in Companion to the Revised Common Lectionary  vol 5  Before we Worship p26

Copyright © 2024. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/3LentB030324/ideas_other.html

We pray for the people of Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands.

We give thanks for the important roles political leaders here have played in European integration, for how people here have led in creative solutions to environmental, economic, and cultural challenges, for how churches here have overcome barriers and reached out to assure a good life for all, and for the ecumenical contributions that have come from this area, and their continuing support.

We pray for overcoming cultural, linguistic and political barriers and suspicions that remain divisive, for the haunting legacies of colonization and quests for economic gain, for immigrants who are alienated or marginalized in these societies, and for greater tolerance and solidarity with all in these societies and around the world.

Prayer for Faith, Hope and Love

Let us pray for Faith:
That it will be the fruit of right hearing.
That at all times there will be people
with an open mind and open ears
who will listen sharply to your word
and pay attention to the needs around them.
Let us be such people.  

Let us pray for Hope:
That it will be the fruit of a living faith.
That at all times there will be people
growing towards the light,
continuously filled with courage and never cease being hopeful.
Let us be such people.  

Let us pray for Love:
That she is the fruit of a living faith and hope.
That at all times there will be people
never giving up being alarmed
about the continuing existence of the earth:
The care for animals and entire environment
that lend assistance in friendship,
that abolish loneliness,
that help working out sorrow and grieve,
that show sympathy with joy.  

We pray to you, O Lord.
Let us recognize one another
in deeds of faith, hope and above all through love.

(© Rev. Pieter Post)

Prayer for people in need

Dear God,
there are so many people in need!
Like everyone in this world,
refugees are in need of a place to live,  
a warm bed, food, clothing, a decent wash…  
Dear God, you know that we need all those things,
but, most of all, we need people who care,
to share our love, our hope and our future.
We need to be needed.
Dear God, you know that we are in need.
Come and give us a hand!  Amen.

(From http://www.ccme.be/members-info/)

Prayer

Lord, we pray for the world,
for the world in which we live.
We pray for the girl who says:
I don’t want to live anymore
and for the boy who confesses:
I sometimes want to end it all.
We pray for the new-born baby
with an uncertain future.
Lord, we pray for the world,
for the world in which we live.

Lord, we pray for all the people,
all the people in this world
who feel scared or upset;
who are ill or lonely.
We pray for people around the world
who have no freedom or no family.
Lord, we pray for all the people
all the people in this world.

Lord, we pray for the world,
for the world in which we live.
We pray that the world will not collapse
under the weight of violence and hate
and that our eyes will remain open
to beauty and goodness,
so that we may also pray:
Lord, we thank you for this world,
the world in which we live.  Amen.

(from the Dutch Dienstboek Schrift Maaltijd en Gebed, p. 793 no 65)

We pray that the Scripture Union South East Queensland and Southern Qld/Northern Rivers FDM teams will be refreshed and refocused for the mission to be held from 4^th – 6^th March.

We give thanks for the wonderful work achieved through the SUFM team in Pt Vincent on SA’s Yorke Peninsula.  The number of participants exceeded expectations and many of them were keen to accept a Bible or New Testament to call their own.

We pray for Sophie Valastro, our new Ministry Coordinator, as she finds her feet in the ACT office.

We give thanks for the newly appointed Emerge Coordinator in Tasmania, Sue Tomlinson, praying for Sue in the delivery of our brand new school’s program developing senior school leaders across Tasmanian schools.

We give praise for Mark & Deb Dubbelman, the Team Leaders for the new Breakaway Youth Autumn camp, praying for them as they build a team and camp to serve youth with a parent or loved one in prison.

We pray over the Central West NSW Mission Expo in Molong, NSW, that people would be encouraged by good news stories from school ministries, answer the call to fill a vacant position, or prayerfully/ financially support local school ministry opportunities.

SU SEQ-Prayer-Guide-March-2024.pdf

We give thanks to you, God, for Bible Society Lebanon which is offering hope to Syrian and Iraqi children in refugee camps through Bible-based literacy courses.  We pray for the wellbeing of these children growing up under harsh conditions.  We pray for the literacy team as they carefully facilitate this program and that through this program, children would be enabled and encouraged to integrate into the formal education system.

We pray for the Centre for Public Christianity (CPX) team in the lead-up to Easter, that you would open doors of opportunity in the Australian media to speak arrestingly about the death and resurrection of Jesus and what it means for all of us today.

We pray for United Bible Societies (UBS) China Partnership as they seek to distribute Bibles to millions of Christians in China.  We pray for an uninterrupted supply of Bibles to reach the vast number of Christians in China.  We pray for approval from the authorities to issue Bible print permits.  We pray that Christians who receive Bibles may understand God’s word with conviction and that they will have open hearts.

We pray for Koorong’s warehouse and store teams as they navigate Koorong’s new systems, that they can work efficiently to fulfil the backlog of store transfers and customer orders, especially in the lead up to Easter.  We thank you God for the unwavering dedication and resilience of all Koorong teams in the face of this season of change as they find strength in Jesus to serve him and his church in Australia and beyond.

We pray for Bible Society of Egypt’s Bible-based literacy program, praying that each student will successfully build their literacy skills while gaining a better understanding of the Scriptures.  We pray for wisdom as the team continues to grow the program, despite the political uncertainty and upheaval of the country.  We pray that the students experience personal and spiritual development.

We thank you God for the impact that Bible Society of Egypt’s literacy program is making for students like Mariam: “I gained so much from the class. I made decisions about my life. I learned more about my character. I learned to feel my value and know I have a mission … It made me believe I can do whatever I want in the future — like become a doctor … Tomorrow will be even better because of what we are learning.”

Bible%20Society%20Prayer_Letter_-_March_2024.pdf

Lord God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your lovingkindness.  To your glory we pray.  Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn ‘Courage, brother!  Do not stumble’  (MHB987)

[This hymn is being sung to the tune Love Divine by John Stainer.]

Verse 1 of 6

Courage, brother!  Do not stumble,

though your path be dark as night;

there’s a star to guide the humble:

trust in God, and do the right.

Verse 2 of 6

Let the road be long and dreary,

and its end far out of sight;

foot it bravely – strong or weary:

trust in God and do the right.

Verse 3 of 6

Perish policy and cunning,

perish all that fears the light,

whether losing, whether winning,

trust in God and do the right.

Verse 4 of 6

Some will hate you, some will love you,

some will flatter, some will slight;

cease from people, look above you:

trust in God, and do the right.

Verse 5 of 6

Simple rule and safest guiding,

inward peace and inward light,

star upon our path abiding,

trust in God, and do the right.

Verse 6 of 6

Courage, sister!  Do not stumble,

Though your path be dark as night;

There’s a star to guide the humble,

Trust in God, and do the right.

Norman McLeod  (verse 6 has been amended)

Sacrament of Communion

 (following Uniting in Worship 2 p162 to p222) 

The Peace

The peace of the Lord be always with you.

And also with you.

The Invitation

Christ, our Lord, invites to his Table all who love him, all who earnestly repent of their sin and who seek to live in peace with one another.

Prayer of Approach

Lord God, we come to your Table, trusting in your mercy and not in any goodness of our own.  We are not worthy even to gather up the crumbs under your table, but it is your nature always to have mercy, and on that we depend.  So, feed us with the body and blood of Jesus Christ, your son, that we may for ever live in him and he in us. Amen.

Narrative of the Institution of the Lord’s Supper

Hear the words of the institution of this Sacrament as recorded by the Apostle Paul:

  “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body which is for you.  Do this in remembrance of me.’  In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new Covenant in my blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, for the remembrance of me.  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.’”  (1 Corinthians 11: 23 to 26) 

  And, so, according to our Saviour’s command, we set this bread and this cup apart for the Holy Supper to which he calls us, and we come to God with our prayers of thanksgiving.

Great Prayer of Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

With all we are, we give you glory, God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the one and holy God, Sovereign of all Time and Space.  We thank you for this wide red land, for its rugged beauty, for its changing seasons, for its diverse people, and for all that lives upon this fragile Planet.  You have called us to be the Church in this place, to give voice to every creature under Heaven.  We rejoice with all that you have made, as we join the company of Heaven in their song:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and Earth are full of your glory.  Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed be the One who comes in the name of the Lord.  Hosanna in the highest.

We thank you that you called a covenant people to be the light to the Nations.  Through Moses you taught us to love your Law, and, in the Prophets, you cried out for justice.  In the fullness of your mercy, you became one with us in Jesus Christ, who gave himself up for us on the cross.  You make us alive together with him, that we may rejoice in his presence and share his peace.  By water and the Spirit, you open the Kingdom to all who believe, and welcome us to your Table: for by grace we are saved through faith.  With this bread and this cup we do as our Saviour commands: we celebrate the redemption he has won for us.

Christ has died.  Christ is risen.  Christ will come again.

Pour out the Holy Spirit on us and on these gifts of bread and the cup, that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.  Make us one with him, one with each other, and one in ministry in the World, until at last we feast with him in the Kingdom.  Through your Son, Jesus Christ, in your holy Church, all honour and glory are yours, Father Almighty, now and for ever.

Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever.  Amen.

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.

Breaking of the Bread

The bread we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.

The cup we take is a sharing in the blood of Christ.

The gifts of God for the People of God.

Lamb of God

Jesus, Lamb of God,

Have mercy on us.

Jesus, bearer of our sins,

Have mercy on us.

Jesus, redeemer of the World,

Grant us peace.

The Distribution

Receive this Holy Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, and feed upon him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving.

(after all have received the bread)

The body of Christ keep you in eternal life.

(after all have received the juice)

The blood of Christ keep you in eternal life.

Prayer after Communion

Blessed be God who calls us together.

Praise to God who makes us one People.

Blessed be God who has forgiven our sins.

Praise to God who gives us hope and freedom.

Blessed be God whose Word is proclaimed.

Praise to God who is revealed as the One who loves.

Blessed be God who alone has called us.

Therefore, we offer to God all that we are and all that we shall become.

Accept, O God, our sacrifice of praise.

Accept our thanks for we have seen the greatness of your love.  Amen.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn ‘Thine forever God of Love’  (MHB569  Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number269)

Mary Maude

Benediction

(from A Year of Prayer p52 – 54) 

May we have hearts that trust in God’s assurances.  May we live lives in constant gratitude for God’s love and grace.  May we worship God with gladness, rejoicing in His faithfulness and power to save and uphold 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

‘Never lose sight of Jesus’  (Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number 6)

 [For the Benediction song we are singing only the first verse and chorus.]

Verse

O pilgrim bound for the Heavenly land,

never lose sight of Jesus,

he’ll lead you gently with loving hand.

never lose sight of Jesus.

Chorus

Never lose sight of Jesus,

never lose sight of Jesus,

day and night he will lead you right,

never lose sight of Jesus.

Robert Harkness