Welcome: –

Call to Worship: –    

I came across this quotation during the week from a collation of quotations that had been published in various editions of the Reader’s Digest Magazine:

“sorrow looks back, worry looks around, faith looks up”.

  It was originally published in something titled Guideposts Magazine.  I find it inspiring for it addresses issues that we all face each day.

  “sorrow looks back” 

  That is such an apt description of our sorrow.  It could relate to an irreplaceable loss, especially of someone with whom we were very close.  Or it could relate to something that we have done in the past which we cannot undo and for which we are sorrowful, and often it is for something for which we have not forgiven ourselves.  

“worry looks around”

  You can be guaranteed that the news items presented daily to us in the newspapers or the evening news shows discuss matters that only add to our stress levels, that increase the number of things taking place around us, nationally and internationally, that create anxiety and worry for us, and a concern for what the future may hold for us.

Together, these have become a burden for us that we carry around with us throughout our daily lives.  Yet, God is saying to us “look up to me and I will give you relief from your burdens and a rest from your concerns”.

  In Isaiah 1: 18 we read the promise that God gave to His people:

“You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow.”

  If God is willing to forgive us of our errors and mistakes of the past and to wipe them away from His memory, for that is what He is saying when He states that He will completely remove the stains of our past, why should not we then forgive ourselves of the very same things, and then to move forward with wisdom and maturity sure, but also with a clear and a clean conscience.

  In Psalm we read the author’s amazing words of God’s reassurance for them, and for us;

“I love the LORD, because He hears me; He listens to my prayers.

He listens to me every time I call to Him.

The danger of death was all around me; the horrors of the grave closed in on me;

I was filled with fear and anxiety.

Then I called to the LORD, “I beg you, LORD, save me!”

The LORD is merciful and good; our God is compassionate.

The LORD protects the helpless; when I was in danger, He saved me.

Be at rest once more, my heart, because the LORD has been good to me.

The LORD saved me from death; He stopped my tears and kept me from defeat.

And so, I walk in the presence of the LORD, in the world of the living.”

  To us, too, God is merciful and good, and has enveloped us with His compassion.  To us, too, God has answered our prayers and has dealt with those things that create in us sorrow or fear or anxiety.  We, too, walk in the real presence of Almighty God beside; now, tomorrow, into the future, and beyond Time itself. 

  We have gathered together in His presence, to offer Him our worship and praise. P

Prayer of Praise  

(from Psalm 138: 1 to 8) 

I thank you LORD, with all my heart,

Boldly, O God, will I sing my praise to you.

I will praise you because of your constant love and faithfulness,

Because you have shown that your name and your commands are supreme.

You answered me when I called to you;

With your strength you strengthened me.

All the World’s Kings and Queens, all the Presidents and Prime Ministers, all the military and political and social and religious leaders, will inevitably bow down before you,

Because they will ultimately recognise the reality of your presence and acknowledge your rule and authority over all of Humanity.

They will sing about what you have done,

And about your great glory.

Even though you are so high above the Earth

You care for the lowly, and the proud cannot hide from you.

And though I walk in the midst of great roubles, you preserve my life.

You exert your power to save me from the rage and anger of those who seek to harm me.

You fulfill your purposes and accomplish everything that you promise.

Your true love, O LORD, endures for ever.  Amen.

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

The first song is ‘I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart’  (Scripture in Song vol 1 number 139)

Leona Von Brethorst

The second song is ‘Father I adore you’  (Scripture in Song volume 1 number 174)

Terrye Coelho

Prayer of Confession 

(from Romans 12: 21) 

Merciful God, we come to you confessing our shortcomings and our weaknesses.

We come confessing the times when we have not followed your decrees, when we have not obeyed your instructions.

We are called to love others sincerely and with warmth.  Forgive us for when we have not shown respect or concern to those whom you love so dearly.

Merciful God, hear our prayer.

We are called to hate what is evil and to hold on to what is good.  Forgive us for when we drift away from what is good towards those things that we should avoid.

Merciful God, hear our prayer.

We are called to let our hope in you keep us joyful and to be patient in our troubles.  Forgive us for when we despair and do not lay our burdens at the foot of the cross.

Merciful God, hear our prayer.

We are called to share the material things with which you have blessed us with those who

are in need.  Forgive us for putting ownership of things before relieving the suffering of others.

Merciful God, hear our prayer.

We are called to live humble lives and to humbly serve others.  Forgive us for when our pride or our concern for our self-image obstructs our serving of others.

Merciful God, hear our prayer.

We are called to do everything possible to live in peace with everyone.  Forgive us for when we seek to repay a wrong, or to take revenge when we are wronged, or to hold onto grudges.

Merciful God, hear our prayer.

We come before you God confessing our wilful disobedience to you and for following the standards of this World.

Merciful God, forgive our sins and cleanse of all that stains our life and impures our soul.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness 

(based on Matthew 16: 21) 

Jesus informed his Disciples that he was going to Jerusalem to be put to death, but that three days later he will be raised to life, reminding them of God’s great mercy and gift of salvation for Humanity.  Having confessed our sins before God, we have the faith that God, in His great mercy and grace, has heard our prayer, has forgiven our sins, and has cleansed us in His sight.

Thanks be to God.

Prayer of illumination 

(from Uniting in Worship Book 1 number 13 & 14 p599) 

  Prepare our hearts, O Lord, to be guided by your Word and the Holy Spirit, that in your light we may perceive your mercy and grace, that in your truth we may find freedom, and that in your will we may discover peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Bible Readings

Exodus 3: 

1  As he had done every day, Moses was minding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, priest of Midian.  He led the flock along the side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the great mountain of God.  2  There the messenger of the Lord appeared to him in the flame of a burning bush.  Moses noticed that, although the bush was on fire, it was not being burnt up,  3  so he said to himself,

“I must go across to see this wonderful sight.  Why does the bush not burn away?”

  4  When the Lord saw that Moses had turned aside to look, He called to him out of the bush,

“Moses, Moses.”

  5  And Moses answered,

“Yes, I am here.” 

God said,

“Come no nearer; take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground.”  6  Then He said, “I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.” 

Moses covered his face, for he was afraid to gaze upon God.”

  7  The Lord said,

“I have indeed seen the misery of my People in Egypt.  I have heard their outcry against their slave-masters.  I have taken heed of their sufferings.  8  I have come down to rescue them from the power of Egypt and to bring them up out of that country into a fine, broad land.  It is a land flowing with milk and honey, the home of Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.  9  The outcry of the Israelites has now reached me; yes, I have seen the brutality of the Egyptians towards them.  10  Come now, I will send you to Pharaoh and you shall bring my People Israel out of Egypt.”

  11  “But who am I,” Moses said to God, “that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

  12  God answered,

“I am with you.  This shall be the proof that it is I who have sent you.  When you have brought the People out of Egypt, you shall all worship me here on this mountain.”

  13  Then Moses said to God,

“If I go to the Israelites and tell them that the God of their forefathers has sent me to them, and they ask me His name, what shall I say?”

  14 God answered,

“I AM; that is who I am.  Tell them that I AM has sent you to them.”  15 And God said further,” You must tell the Israelites this, that it is YAHWEH, the God of their forefathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, who has sent you to them.  This is my name for ever; the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.  16  Go and assemble the Elders of Israel and tell them that I, YAHWEH, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to you.”

[New English Bible]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Matthew 16: 

  21  From that time Jesus began to make it clear to his Disciples saying, “I must go to Jerusalem and suffer much from the Elders, the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law.  I will be put to death, but three days later I will be raised to life.”

  22  Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  “God forbid it Lord!” Peter said, “That must never happen to you!”

  23  Jesus turned around and said to Peter, ”Get away from me Satan!  You are a stumbling block in my way, because these thoughts of yours do not come from God but from a Human point of view.”

  24  Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to come with me, you must leave self behind, carry your cross, and follow me.  25  For whoever wants to save their own life will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.  26  What do you benefit if you gain the whole World but lose your soul?  What can you give that can buy back your soul?  27  For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of his Father with his angels.  Then he will come as a Judge and will reward each one according to their deeds.”

[Good News Bible and New Living Translation]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Thoughts on Father’s Day

Slide 1

Father’s Day in Australia 2023

There is no definitive explanation why Father’s Day is celebrated in Australia and New Zealand on the first Sunday in September, though it is clear that the custom of the September date began in the mid 1930s.  An article in the Western Herald in 1964 said the day was officially designated as the first Sunday in September across the Commonwealth in 1964 and that the date was chosen for commercial reasons to distance it from other celebrations. This is similar to the date selected in Scandinavia, where November was also chosen to maximise its commercial value.

Father’s Day is a celebration that honours the role of fathers, but also grandfathers, stepfathers, fathers-in-law, and guardians (such as foster parents).  Around the world, Father’s Day is celebrated on different dates, though the day is celebrated in a similar manner, usually involving giving gifts to fathers and family activities.

  This year Father’s Day is focussing on honouring Fathers for their contribution to the upbringing of their child.  ”Celebrating the Greatest Heroes of Our Lives” is the theme of Father’s Day 2023.

  The Colours of Father’s Day: Black, White, and Dark Shades of Red and Blue. Father’s Day is a wonderful time set aside to honour our dads, and much of the planning includes a colour palette that is particularly suited to the occasion

Using the colours black and white along with dark shades of red and blue will give your celebration the ideal look and feel.

Black is one of the main colours used for Father’s Day.  Black represents strength and authority, which are traits many of us see in our dads.  It is also suitable due to the idea of it being a very formal, elegant shade that is quite prestigious.

When black is used in combination with red, another Father’s Day colour, it becomes powerful.  Powerful is another attribute associated with fatherhood.

In stunning contrast to black, white represents enlightenment, faith, and glory.  While our father is a strong figure in our lives, he is also a person we can turn to for advice and praise. White can mean peace and safety too.

Dark red is paired with black and white for Father’s Day.  Red, especially the darker shades, invoke feelings of warmth, excitement, power, and strength.  This is a lot for one colour to accomplish, but we also expect a lot from our fathers.  Red is associated with love and passion, and it also represents courage.

Dark blue represents knowledge and serenity as well as loyalty and compassion. As children, we turn to our dad for knowledge.  He is there to answer our questions from the time we are young children until we are independent adults and beyond.

(Jacob Olesen – https://www.color-meanings.com/colors-fathers-day-black-white-red-blue/)

I thought that I would read a few quotations about Fathers that I found.

“It is a wise father that knows his own child.”

Shakespeare from The Merchant of Venice 

  (in Collins Concise Dictionary of Quotations ref 278.12) 

“The most important thing that a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”

Father Theodore Hesburgh  C20th Roman Catholic Priest and academic

  (in Reader’s Digest Quotable Quotes p54)

“My father didn’t tell me how to live, he lived, and let me watch him do it.”

Clarence Budington Kellard – C20th American actress

  (in Reader’s Digest Quotable Quotes p54)

“A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.”

Gabriel Garcia Marquez – C20th Colombian author and journalist

“A man’s desire for a son is usually nothing but the wish to duplicate himself in order that such a remarkable pattern may not be lost to the world.”

Helen Rowland – C20th American author and journalist

“Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father.”

Lydia M. Child – C19th American abolitionist, women’s rights activist, Native American rights activist, novelist, journalist, and opponent of American expansionism

“The Way of a Man” by Lois Halderman (1920)

That paper that my dad received

Three years ago today,

Somebody run and get it quick;

He wants it right away.

So mother looks through boxes old,

We keep beneath the stair;

And I ransack the cabinet,

But the paper isn’t there.

Dad scolds the entire household;

From the guiltless butler down.

And says that all the worthless stuff,

Is just left lying round;

But everything that’s valuable,

Despite the final cost,

Is stuck where it can not be found,

If neither burned nor lost.

And so Dad keeps complaining,

Until mother starts to sing,

And then he frowns in silent rage,

And doesn’t say a thing.

The house looks like a hurricane;

Then in a fit of gloom

Small Jimmie grabs his ball and bat,

And races from the room.

And mother thinks the paper’s lost;

And sister knows it’s gone;

And Dad is tired of thinking

So he scowls and just looks on.

Then mother makes a final search,

Through Father’s private shelf,

And, there it is. He recollects,

He put it there himself.

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn: ‘I need you Lord for I have seen’  (TiS 625)

Sermon

  Reality.  How difficult is it sometimes to determine if something is real or not.

  So, how could we clarify for ourselves exactly what we are willing to define as “reality”?

  The Macquarie dictionary defines “reality” as:

“the state or fact of being real or genuine or actual or true; to view or to represent or to grasp or to understand clearly things as they really are”

  (The Macquarie Dictionary and Thesaurus New Budget Edition 1985 p332) 

  We take our calendar to be a fundamental aspect of our daily reality.  You know what day and date it is by looking at the calendar.  There is an identical calendar pre-programmed into everyone’s mobile phone.  There is a Standard prepared by the International Organisation of Standards, ISO8601, relating to agreed upon representations and formats of the Gregorian calendar.  You comfortably take for granted that tomorrow will be the consecutive numeric day on the calendar. 

  You could also perceive your daily reality in terms of the routine tasks that you undertake each day; eating your meals, doing the washing up, washing your clothes, folding and ironing your clothes, watching your favourite television show on, walking the dog.

(https://media.istockphoto.com/id/185077394/vector/moses-and-the-burning-bush-published-1877.jpg)

“Moses covered his face, for he was afraid to gaze upon God.”  Exodus 3: 6b

  We read in Exodus 3 that the daily reality for Moses was the minding of the flock of sheep belonging to his father-in-law, Jethro.  But, one day, this daily reality was challenged, for there, right in front of him, was a bush that was burning but was not being consumed by the flames.  Such a sight, unseen before and totally inexplicable, real yet seemingly unreal, drew his attention, and Moses approached it so as to get a closer look.  As he drew closer, it was then that God called him.  And we note that God called Moses by his name, “Moses, Moses.” God called out.  (Exodus 3: 4)  God sought to communicate with Moses on an intimate level by addressing Moses by his name, just as God seeks to communicate with each of us on just such an intimate level, an understanding we gain from Matthew’s recalling of Jesus stating that “even the hairs on (our) head have all been counted (by God)” and that we “are worth more (to God) than many sparrows”.  (Matthew 10: 30 & 31) 

  We read of God telling Moses to stop when he was and to not come any closer to the bush, because he was “standing on holy ground.”  (Exodus 3: 5b)  .  The reference to taking off his sandals was a reference to the typical Semitic worship practice whereby anyone approaching their god did so in bare feet.  In addition, it was a sign of Moses’ acceptance of a “servant’s position, for “a slave usually went barefoot (before their Master).”  (Alan Cole in Exodus p65)  .

  The reference to the ground being “holy” was not because of some intrinsic nature of the ground itself nor of the mountainside on which this encounter between God and Moses took place.  It was holy because of the nature of the One who was there, revealing Himself to Moses.  It was holy because of the presence there of God Himself.  (Alan Cole in Exodus p65)  And Moses recognised this, for we read that Moses was afraid to look at God and turned his face away from God.  (Exodus 3: 6b)  .

  God revealed who He was to Moses.  We read in verse 6 of God stating, “I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.”  The word “God”, here, is the Hebrew word “el-o-heem”  (Strong’s OT430)  , and is the word by which God called Himself and by which the people in the Book of Genesis addressed God.  It is a plural word being used to address a single God, and is the word used by the People of Israel, as recorded in the Old Testament, to refer to their God, who was supreme over all gods of all other Nations, far and near.  By making reference to being the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, God is identifying himself as the God who made the Covenant agreement with Abraham and his descendants for all time, as is recorded in Genesis chapters 12, 15 and 22  (Alan Cole in Exodus p65, John Walton Victor Matthews & Mark Chavalas in Exodus in the IVP Bible Background Commentary of the Old Testament p79)  .  Thus, when Moses later returned to Egypt to share with the Israelites God’s call to him to lead them to the ‘promised land’, Moses was not bringing to them the revelation of “a new or unknown god”, but “a fuller revelation of the One whom they had already known (from the history of their ancestors).”  (Alan Cole in Exodus p66)  

  A serious concern for Moses was whether or not the People of Israel would accept the reality of God appearing to him in the burning bush and the reality of God’s promise to bring them out of Egypt and to lead them to the promised land of Canaan.  We read this in verse 13, when Moses asks of God, “If I go to the Israelites and tell them that the God of their forefathers has sent me to them, and they ask me His name, what shall I say?”  We understand that ‘names’, in the ancient Middle East, “were believed to be intimately connected to the essence of the individual and to give knowledge of their nature.”  (John Walton Victor Matthews & Mark Chavalas in Exodus in the IVP Bible Background Commentary of the Old Testament p80)  .  Therefore, Moses is not asking for the “bare name of God which may not have been made known to them beforehand”, but, rather, he was asking for “the inner significance of the name that they had already known.”  (Hywel Jones in Exodus the New Bible Commentary p124) 

  How does God answer this question?

  In verse 14 we read God stating, “I AM; that is who I am.  Tell them that I AM has sent you to them.”  The phrase “I AM, that is who I am”, or “I will be what I will be” is, in Hebrew, “ehyeh ser ehyeh”, and is derived from the Hebrew word “haw-yah”  (Strong’s OT1961)  ,that is translated to mean “to exist or to be or to become”.  (Alan Cole in Exodus p68)  What God is claiming through this phrase is, “I exist whereas all idols have no being, I will be understood by my acts and my words of revelation, and my revelation to you calls for a response of faith”.  (Alan Cole in Exodus p68)  When this phrase is spoken quickly, as the one word, it is similar in sound to the Hebrew word “Yahweh”  (Strong’s OT3068)  , translated as “self-existent and eternal”.  This was the Jewish National name for God.  (Alan Cole in Exodus p68) 

  This is the name that God calls Himself, as we read in verses 15 and 16, where God states “I, the LORD”.  In effect God is saying, “I, Yahweh”.  In verse 12, where God addresses Moses’ concern that he is unprepared and unskilled to appear before Pharaoh, God reassures Moses by stating “I am with you.”  This phrase too is derived from the Hebrew word “haw-yah” and is a play on the name “Yahweh”.  (Alan Cole in Exodus p68) 

  God is not idly playing with words nor just making puns with Moses, God is bringing a “fuller self-revelation” to Moses.  (Alan Cole in Exodus p66)  God is revealing to Moses, and ultimately to the People of Israel, that He is not to be viewed just as “a self-contained incomprehensible Being.  He is a God of intent, intending (the building up of) a future relationship between Himself and the People whom He seeks to lead.”  (Brevard Childs in Exodus p76)  “God will prove Himself to be ever dependable and sufficiently resourceful to meet every need of his People.”  (Hywel Jones in Exodus in the New Bible Commentary p124) 

  God will reveal that He is more powerful than the mighty Pharaoh of Egypt, more powerful than the pantheon of Egyptian gods or the gods of any other Nation through whose land the Israelites must journey.  God will reveal His authority over His Creation and over all Nations in this World in such a manner as to force Pharaoh to send the People of Israel away from Egypt, in such a way as to sustain the People of Israel on their journeying through the wilderness and, finally, and in such a way as to deliver them to the Land that He promised would be their inheritance.

  “The grounds for Moses being sent (to Pharaoh) do not rest on his abilities nor on any personal endowment, but solely on his being a vehicle for the fulfilment of God’s plan for the salvation of God’s People.  (Brevard Childs in Exodus p74) 

”Get away from me Satan!  You are a stumbling block in my way,”  Matthew 16: 23a

  Peter, also, was challenged as to what he considered to be a daily reality.  Earlier in Matthew chapter 16 we read of Peter’s declaration about Jesus.  We read, “Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.’”  (Mathew 16: 16)  We read of Peter being commended by Jesus for his perception, and of Jesus proclaiming, “Peter, you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church.”  (Matthew 16: 18a)  Yet, a few verses later we read of Jesus rebuking Peter, saying “Get away from me Satan!”  (Matthew 16: 23)  , mirroring Jesus’ rebuke of Satan at the time when Satan tempted Jesus during his 40 days in the wilderness.  (Matthew 4: 10)  We then see Jesus talking to Peter and using the same imagery that Jesus had used earlier.  Where once Peter was described as a rock foundation upon which God could build, now Jesus describes Peter as a stumbling rock upon which people could fall.  (Matthew 16: 23)  Where had Peter got it so wrong?

  Peter was aghast at the intent of Jesus journeying to Jerusalem so that he could be arrested, undergo physical and emotional abuse and a mock trial, and then to suffer a humiliating and cruel death.  It was inconceivable to Peter that “the living God should submit His Son to such humiliation and cruelty”  (Randolph Tasker in Matthew  An Introduction and Commentary p160)  , so he draws Jesus aside to tell him so.  Peter’s thinking reflected contemporary Jewish thought of the time that found “no reference to a suffering Messiah in the Hebrew Scriptures.”  “Jewish writings had much to say about the final resurrection of the dead, but nothing about the resurrection of a single martyr.”

(https://unsplash.com/photos/j8GdoFixasA)

“They came to a place called Golgotha, there they crucified him.”  Matthew 27: 33a, 35a

  (There was) nothing in their background that prepared the Disciples of Jesus for the notion that Israel’s expected champion would suffer a shameful death (at the hands of foreign conquerors).”  They were expecting the exact opposite.  “The Messiah was expected to inflict suffering and death on Israel’s enemies and on the wicked within Israel, not to experience it himself.”  (Douglas Hare in Matthew p193)  

  They had neglected the lessons from the account of the call of Moses.

  Was God going to demonstrate to the Egyptians His incomparable power and authority just because He could do so?  No, God’s intent was that through His incomparable power and authority He was going to deliver His People from oppression and slavery.  So, too, is God’s plan through Jesus, His son, to similarly deliver Humanity from oppression and ‘slavery’.  As we read what Paul writes to the Church in Rome, “For though at one time you were slaves to sin, you have obeyed with all your heart the truths of the Gospel message that has been presented to you and have been set free from sin to become the slaves of righteousness.”  (Romans 6: 17 & 18) 

  Was God revealing himself to the People of Israel as being some remote unapproachable God?  No, God revealed that He was seeking a personal relationship with his People.  God revealed His compassion for His People in their time of suffering.  So, too, is God’s revelation to Humanity through Jesus, His son.  As we read what Paul writes to the Church in Rome, “But God has shown us how much He loves us – it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5: 8) 

  Was God going to deliver the People of Israel from oppression in Egypt and then leave them to sort out the rest of their lives for themselves?  No, God promised to lead them to the promised land of peace and plenty, and continue to be personally involved in their lives, individually and as a Nation.  So too is God’s promise to Humanity through Jesus, His son.  As we read what Paul writes to the Church in Rome, “Now that we have been put right with God through faith, we have peace with God through our lord Jesus Christ.  We were God’s enemies, but He made us His friends through the death of His son.”  (Romans 5: 1 and 10) 

  Did God choose to send Moses to appear before Pharaoh because of the vast gifts and abilities of Moses?  No, God chose Moses solely on the basis of his availability.  God promised to empower Moses and to equip him for every situation and circumstance that he would face.  It was through the submission and obedience of Moses that God could work through His plan for His People during their time of oppression in Egypt.  So, too, was God’s plan for Humanity completed.  As we read what Paul writes to the Church in Rome, “all People will be put right with God through the obedience of the one man, Jesus Christ.”  (Romans 5: 19b) 

  Peter and the people of his day had forgotten the need to submit one’s will to God’s will, to forget oneself and one’s daily reality, and to obey the call of God to follow His leading into the future.  Hence, we read Jesus instructing his Disciples, “If any of you wants to come with me, you must leave self behind, carry your cross, and follow me.”  (Matthew 16: 24) 

  Jesus highlights the need for his followers to cease being “self-centred and to become God-centred”.  (Randolph Tasker in Matthew p161)  They must subordinate their wants and desires to “God’s will” and to submit their thinking to “God’s thinking.”  (Douglas Hare in Matthew p195)  They must understand right from the start that they are forfeiting their lives, surrendering completely their lives to Jesus, accepting and expecting that, in so doing, they may be following Jesus to a similar pain and suffering which he faced.

  Moses appeared barefoot before God, as God’s servant.  So too are we to approach God with ‘bare feet’ as it were, as servants of the Living God.

  What is our own daily reality?  Today’s readings correctly portray the God of the Bible as the one true Living God, who demonstrates a concern for liberating people from their errors of the past and the present, liberating people from belief systems that are both false and oppressive, and who calls people back into a right relationship with Him. 

  The God who liberates us also makes a demand for obedience, but, in this obedience, we will find freedom and the way to real life.  (Walter Brueggemann, Charles Cousar, Beverley Gaventa, & James Newsome in Texts for Preaching  A Lectionary Commentary  Year A p462) 

  I will leave you with this poem:

“Saviour, let me walk beside Thee, let me feel my hand in Thine;

Let me know the joy of walking in Thy strength and not in mine.”

by ……… Sidebotham     (from Our Daily Bread  July 31 2007) 

  Amen.

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774 

[This YouTube clip 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

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 all who are suffering for the sake of the Gospel,

that you will protect and sustain those who risk their lives to bring the Gospel message or medical care to those in difficult or distant places.

We pray for all who are discouraged by the burdens of life,

that your compassionate love will renew their hearts and lead them through their struggles.

We pray for all who live amidst civil discord and conflict,

that you will break the cycle of violence, heal the divisions that exist within the civic community, and protect the innocent.

We pray for all recovering from storms, floods, and wildfires,

that you will ease their suffering, give them strength, and help them to find the resources that they need to rebuild their homes and lives.

We pray that public figures in our Parliaments and Councils may respect the human dignity of each other,

so that they will find ways to address the real issues of our world and of our nation without denigrating the character or intent of another person.

We pray for those who are starving or malnourished,

that you will remove the bureaucratic barriers the block food distribution, help people to more aware of hunger around them, and come to the aid of those who lack food, particularly children.

We pray for the Church,

that the fire of the Holy Spirit will embolden us to give witness to God and to courageously follow the example of Jesus.

Copyright © 2023. Joe Milner. All rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. – https://liturgy.slu.edu/22OrdA090323/ideas_other.html

Father God, creator and sustainer, we thank you for nurturing us. We praise you that your care and protection surround us. On this Fathering Sunday, we remember all the people who have nurtured us, especially the important men in our lives, those who have seen, not just with their eyes, but with their heart.

We remember fathers, whose families are torn apart by jealousy, fighting and misunderstandings.
We remember fathers who are older, but who still bear the responsibility of raising children and grandchildren.  And we remember fathers who mean well, but make mistakes.

We remember fathers who are unable to support their children, and are forced into unimaginable decisions, who have to sell a child into marriage or human trafficking in order to feed his other children.

We remember men who, because of various circumstances, are unable to become fathers.  We remember fathers who have adopted children and fathers who given up their rights as fathers.

We remember fathers who rejoice in the achievements of their children, who joyfully watch a new generation take hold.  We remember fathers who are single parents, who through personal sacrifice and perseverance provide a loving home for their children.

We remember fathers who helplessly watch their children suffer and die from malnutrition because of famine, drought, flood, or war.  We pray for the fathers where recent disasters have occurred and those taking their children in hope onto the high seas.  We remember fathers whose children are sick or disabled and who will try anything to cure or help them.

We pray for fathers and their children around the world caught in the terrors of violence and living in fear — in Syria, Palestine, Afghanistan, Sudan, Sub-Saharan Africa.  We weep with the fathers of those who inflict violence on others.

Nurturing God, thank you for those who have nurtured us.  Open our eyes to the plight of so many fathers and mothers around the world for whom life is difficult.  Help us share your love and mercy with them.

Father God, in your mercy, hear our prayers for fathers around the world.  Amen.

Worship Words shares resources which may be used free-of-charge.  We acknowledge the author and Worship Words.

Prayer of Intercession for Father’s Day

Mother Father God, creator and sustainer, we thank you for nurturing us like a mother. We praise you that your care and protection surround us like a father. On this Fathering Sunday, we remember all the people who have nurtured us, especially the important men in our lives, those who have seen, not just with their eyes, but with their heart. Hear our prayer for fathers around the world.
Mother Father God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We remember fathers, whose families are torn apart by jealousy, fighting and misunderstandings.
We remember fathers who are older, but who still bear the responsibility of raising children and grandchildren. And we remember fathers who mean well, but make mistakes.
Mother Father God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We remember fathers who are unable to support their children, and are forced into unimaginable decisions, who have to sell a child into marriage or human trafficking in order to feed his other children.
Mother Father God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We remember men who, because of various circumstances, are unable to become fathers. We remember fathers who have adopted children and fathers who given up their rights as fathers.
Mother Father God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We remember fathers who rejoice in the achievements of their children. Who joyfully watch a new generation take hold. We remember fathers who are single parents, who through personal sacrifice and perseverance provide a loving home for their children.
Mother Father God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We remember fathers who helplessly watch their children suffer and die from malnutrition because of famine, drought, flood or war. We pray for the fathers where recent disasters have occurred and those taking their children in hope onto the high seas. We remember fathers whose children are sick or disabled and who will try anything to cure or help them.
Mother Father God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

We pray for fathers and their children around the world caught in the terrors of violence and living in fear — in Syria, Palestine, Afghanistan. We weep with the fathers of those who inflict violence on others..
Mother Father God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Nurturing God, thank you for those who have nurtured us. Open our eyes to the plight of so many fathers and mothers around the world for whom life is difficult. Help us share your love and mercy with them.
Mother Father God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

In the silence of this moment, hear the prayers of our hearts. [pause]
God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Merciful God, Mother and Father of us all, honour our prayers, spoken and unspoken, humbly lifted to you in faith. Amen.(photo by Hugh Abel)

We pray for the peoples of Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal.

We are thankful for the many ways in which these countries have moved beyond their colonial histories, especially the scars related to slave trade, for this area’s distinctive music and cultural practices of storytelling (griots), for economic and educational advances that have lifted some out of poverty, for promising transitions into democracy and changes in government leaders, and for the persistent, faithful witness of churches in the midst of other faiths.

We pray for those people in these societies who continue to live in abject poverty, for an end to policies, systems, and cultural practices that continue to exploit and marginalize some groups, for the fair election of more just government leaders who respect the rights of all people, and for faith communities witnessing and working together for the common good.

Prayer for The Gambia

Lord, grant our leaders the qualities of leadership they need to stride securely through our times, and on the hard-fought path of life give them a generous portion of the grace they need to lead us with a sincere heart and with wisdom.

May the difficult sacrifices we joyfully make for the development of our country reach up to you as a living plea to lavish kindness, faithfulness and power and keep watch over our land.

Lord, let us believe in your power to bring all people together and let no one deprive us of this song of unity.  Let us form the great image of the human person and community among us which fulfils your will.

We pray for peace and unity in our homeland, that we may be able to live as one family working for the betterment of our nation and her people.  We pray for all those who have to witness to their faith in situations where they are ridiculed, threatened and persecuted:

that they may find in you, Lord, the courage they need.

(Prayer submitted by the Most Rev. Michael J. Cleary CSSp, Bishop of Banjul.)

Prayer from Senegal

Lord, hear my prayer of peace and forgiveness!

Lord God, forgive the white slave-traders of Europe and over the seas!  They hunted our children like wild elephants.  They caught them, tied them up, whipped them and soiled their hands with their blood.

Bless my people, Lord, those who seek their own faces under the threat of being recognized. May they continue to seek you in spite of the cold and famine that eats at their very bones, at their very insides.  The woman who laments her absent husband, the fiancée her lost love, the mother her dead son, bless those who have lost loved ones, may we all unite under your love.

With your help, may all the people of Europe, Asia, Africa, and all who have sweated blood and suffering look beyond and see the haloed heads of my people. Extend a warm handshake to them so that we may all interlace our fingers to belt the earth in fraternal love.

(Excerpted from “Prayer for Peace and Brotherhood”, Sedar Senghor, president of Senegal, 1960-81. Hallelujah for the Day, ed. Anthony Gittins, Liguori/Triumph, Ligouri MO, USA, 2002, p.103.)

(https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/cape-verde-the-gambia-guinea-guinea-bissau-senegal)

Despite the focus of some organisations on Bible engagement, – especially amongst young people – are declining. 

We pray for the work of the Bible Society in Northern Ireland as they work across denominations with the Bible, and other engagement resources, to raise the levels of Biblical literacy and help bring more unity to Christians and society.

We pray for the work of the Bible Society in Jordan in cooperation with local churches with their programs to reach out to refugee families from Syria, Iraq and Yemen, and underprivileged Jordanian families, with practical support, basic needs, and the word of God.  

We pray for the work of the Bible Society in the South Pacific as they progress with two new Bible translations and two Bible revisions in the Tongan language, the priority being the completion of the Tongan Contemporary Bible, which will meet the needs of the younger generations, as the translation uses today’s Tongan language.

(https://www.biblesociety.org.au/our-work/#projects)

We pray for the new fortnightly SUPA Club / Youth Group that’s started up at the Salvation Army in New Norfolk, Tasmania, that through SU’s partnership with local churches young people will be blessed.

We pray Scripture Union International’s Bible Engagement Marketplace Event on Tuesday giving SU people around the world a chance to share excellent Bible 5 engagement materials.

We pray for the SU team in the ACT as they prepare for Zone 40 Adventure Camp and Noisy Forest Camp happening at the end of this month.  We pray for the leaders, campers and all who are involved in making these camps possible.

We pray for the Camps and Missions team in VIC as they prepare to run New Team Member Training next week, that God would infuse these individuals with his energy and passion for sharing the good news with children, young people and families.

We pray for the Redland City Mayoral Pastoral Breakfast happening on Friday morning, for your blessing and inspiring for the local teachers, church leaders and community government representatives who will be gathering to speak about and pray over the impact of school chaplaincy in this region.

We pray for the Fairfield Evangelical Association of Scripture Teaching Supporters afternoon tea happening in Western Sydney on Saturday, that this gathering is encouraging and productive for all who attend.

(SU Prayer-Guide-SEP-2023-SEQLD.pdf)

We pray that for an accountant to be employed by The Leprosy Mission Sudan, who can help with financial reporting.  

We pray for the small team of TLM Sudan, that you can give them wisdom when they deal with partners like the Ministry of Health, and the Humanitarian Affairs Commission.  

We pray for an end to the bloodshed in Sudan, so that patients are able to access the clinics without of road blocks or financial issues, and for enhanced safety of our teams. 

We pray that they and their families can continue to attend church safely.

We pray for patients who are being diagnosed with leprosy for the first time and need to receive treatment, as well as patients who require follow[1]up for reactions, wounds, and other leprosy complications.  

We pray for your support for patients who struggle to access healthcare elsewhere because of the stigma surrounding leprosy.  

We pray for the training offered to the many doctors in Sudan who are not aware of leprosy and other Neglected Tropical Diseases.  

We pray for the success of the dermatology clinic that operates every Thursday.

(The%20Leprosy%20Mission%20Prayer%20Diary%202023.pdf)

We pray for those who undertake Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School this year.  Guide them in the words to say and the approach to take with the children in their classes.  May the Holy Spirit challenge the children in the RI classes to come to a closer relationship with you.

We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Scripture Union Chaplain at Bald Hills State School.  Please guide and equip her as she seeks to address the concerns and needs of children, parents and teachers at the school.

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

You are invited to listen to, or join in singing the Hymn ‘O Jesus I have promised’  (TiS 595  AHB514  MHB526)

John Ernest Bode

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 ‘Softly and Tenderly’  (Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number 115)

Will Thompson

Benediction    

“Seek God in your shadowed hours

But seek Him too when all is fair,

Share with God Life’s sweetest flowers

As well as all your grief and care.

In radiant ways or pathways dim

Walk in close company with Him.

(“Light and shade” by Elsie Campbell in Sunlit Ways, Pickering and Inglis Ltd, 1970)

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

“I am His, and He is mine.”  (Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number 193)

Wade Robinson