Welcome: –
Call to Worship: –
(Psalm 51: 14 & 15)
Spare my life, O God, and save me,
And I will gladly proclaim your righteousness.
Open my lips to speak, Lord,
And I will praise you.
Comment on Psalm 51
Psalm 51 is described as a “plea for forgiveness”. The background of the Psalm is of the writer having fallen into grievous sin. They have been made to see themselves through God’s eyes, and they are heartbroken at what has taken place in their life. They make no excuse for their actions, readily admitting their guilt, and simply accepting God’s judgement upon them. All that they can do, and depending upon God’s love and mercy, is to ask for God’s forgiveness and for the opportunity for a fresh start.
(The Lion Handbook to the Bible p338)
Although their heart is overwhelmed by shame, although they are humbled and broken by their guilt, the writer is saved from despair through their faith in the mercy of God.
(Leslie McCaw and Alec Motyer in Psalms in the New Bible Commentary p483)
And having experienced God’s mercy and grace, the writer’s response is to glorify God and to praise God for His lovingkindness. We may never have been as overwhelmed with guilt and shame as was the writer of Psalm 51, but we all, certainly, have experienced God’s love and mercy in our lives. As we gather for worship here today may we, too, glorify God and express our praise of God for the lovingkindness that He has lavished upon us.
Prayer of Praise
(from The Book of Worship p56 &163, An Aust Prayer Book p227, Opening Prayers p64 & 134, Invocations p68, Prayers for God’s People Year B p62 & 63, Moira Laidlaw Year B Transformation Sunday)
Creator Lord, we come today to worship you and to celebrate together that you are our God. You reveal your glory in the beauty and the order of the World and the Universe which you summoned into being, in the loveliness of created things, in the manner in which everything works together. You reveal your wisdom in the Laws of Physics, in the movement of the Stars across the night sky, and, equally, in the movement of electrons around the nucleus of each atom.
Infinite God, in your mercy, you encompass us in your arms. For you are our refuge and strength, you keep us safe in your care and we know that all of our hope for the future is in you. You heal us when we are disheartened, you bind up the wounds of our souls, you raise us up with new life. You promise us pure hearts so that we may truly see you, you promise us sincere love so that we may truly serve you, you promise us abundant joy for which we may truly praise you, you promise us that you will never leave us and in this we will put our trust forever.
Majestic God, your power is revealed in and through your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who is the light of the World, in whom is our hope for the forgiveness of sins and a life of blessing. He gives light to us who, when we sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, guides us into the way of peace. In him your abundant love for all people is plainly made visible and is freely made available.
Almighty God, we praise you for you are Lord of History, we praise you for your sovereign plans and purposes for our Nation. We are humbled that you have blessed us as a Nation, for the peace and security that we experience day by day, for stable and just government, for an abundance of food and resources. We thank you for the way you revealed yourself to the first peoples of this Land through your creation. We thank you that you continue to reveal yourself to us in our time according to your Holy Word. We praise you as the God who holds all peoples and Nations of the Earth in your hands. In you we put our hope and our trust. To your glory we pray. Amen.
You are invited to listen to or sing 2 Songs
“Thou will keep him in perfect peace” (Scripture in Song volume 1 number 89)
Composer anonymous
“Seek ye first the Kingdom of God” (Scripture in Song volume 1 Number 96)
Karen Lafferty
Prayer of Confession
(from Psalm 51: 3, 4, 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Merciful God, I recognise my faults, I am always conscious of my sins.
I have sinned against you, O God, only against you.
I have done what you consider evil, You are right in judging me.
Be merciful to me, O God, because of your constant love.
Because of your great mercy wipe away my sins.
Wash away all my evil and make me clean from my sin.
Sincerity and truth are what you require;
Fill my mind with your wisdom.
Remove my sin and I will be clean,
Wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
Close your eyes to my sins
And wipe out all my evil.
Create a pure heart in my, O Lord,
And put a new and loyal spirit in me.
Give me again the joy that comes from your salvation,
And make me willing to obey you. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
(from Psalm 51: 17b)
The author of Psalm 51 writes of his confidence that “God does not reject a humble and repentant heart”. Like the Psalmist, we have confessed our sins before God with humble and repentant hearts. Like the Psalmist, let us trust God to keep His promise, let us be assured that God has wiped away our sins and has made us clean 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
Isaiah 53:
1 Who would have believed what we now report. Who could have seen the LORD’s hand in this? 2 It was the will of the LORD that His servant grow like a tender shoot taking root in dry ground. He had no dignity or beauty to make us take notice of him. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing that would draw us to him. 3 We despised him and rejected him; he endured suffering and pain. No one would even look at him – we ignored him as if he were nothing.
4 But he endured the suffering that should have been ours, the pain that we should have borne. All the while we thought that his suffering was punishment sent by God. 5 But because of our sins he was wounded, beaten because of the evil we did. We are healed by the punishment he suffered, made whole by the blows be received. 6 All of us were like sheep that were lost, each of us going their own way. But the LORD made the punishment fall on him, the punishment all of us deserved.
7 He was treated harshly, but endured it humbly; he never said a word. Like a sheep about to be slaughtered, like a sheep about to be sheared, he never said a word. 8 He was arrested and sentenced and led off to die, and no one cared about his fate. He was put to death for the sins of our people. 9 He was placed in a grave with evil men, he was buried with the rich, even though he had never committed a crime or ever told a lie.
10 The LORD says,
“It was my will that he should suffer; his death was a sacrifice to bring forgiveness. And so he will see his descendants; he will live a long life, and through him my purpose will succeed. 11 After a life of suffering, he will again have joy; he will know that he did not suffer in vain. My devoted servant, with whom I am pleased, will bear the punishment of many and for his sake I will forgive them. 12 And, so, I will give him a place of honour, a place among great and powerful men. He willingly gave his life and shared the fate of evil people. He bore the sins of many and prayed that they might be forgiven.”
Acts 2:
22 In a loud voice Peter spoke to the crowd,
“Listen to these words, fellow Israelites! Jesus of Nazareth was a man whose divine authority was clearly proven to you by all the miracles and wonders which God performed through him. You yourselves know this, for it happened among you. 23 In accordance with His own plan, God had already decided that Jesus would be handed over to you; and you killed him by letting sinful men crucify him. But God raised him from death, setting him free from its power; because it was impossible that death should hold him prisoner.
32 God has raised this very Jesus from death, and we are all witnesses to this fact. 33 He has been raised to the right hand side of God, his Father, and has received from Him the Holy Spirit, as was promised. What you now see and hear is his gift that he has poured out on us.
36 All the people of Israel, then, are to know for sure that this Jesus, whom you crucified, is the one that God has made Lord and Messiah.”
37 When the people heard this, they were deeply troubled and said to Peter and the other Disciples,
“What shall we do, brothers?”
38 Peter said to them,
“Each one of you must turn away from their sins and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins are forgiven; and you will receive God’s gift, the Holy Spirit. 39 For God’s promise was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away – all whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.”
Romans 5:
6 For when we were still powerless and helpless, Christ died for the wicked at the time God chose. 7 It is a difficult thing for someone to die for a righteous person. It may even be that someone might dare die for a good person. 8 But God has shown us how much He
loves us – it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us! 9 By his sacrificial death we are now put right with God; how much more, then, will we be saved from God’s anger! 10 We were God’s enemies, but He made us His friends through the death of His Son. Now that we are God’s friends, how much more will we be saved by Christ’s life! 11 But that is not all; we rejoice because of what God has done through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has made us God’s friends.
This is the Word of God.
Praise to you Almighty God.
Mark 2:
1 A few days later Jesus went back to Capernaum, and the news spread that he was at home. 2 So many people came together that there was no room left, not even out in front of the door. Jesus was preaching the message to them, 3 when four men arrived, carrying a paralyzed man to Jesus. 4 Because of the crowd, however, they could not get the man to him. So they made a hole in the roof right above the place where Jesus was. When they had made an opening, they let the man down, lying on his mat. 5 Seeing how much faith they had, Jesus said to the paralyzed man,
“My son, your sins are forgiven.”
6 Some Teachers of the Law who were sitting there thought to themselves,
7 “How does he dare talk like this? This is blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!”
8 At once Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he said to the,
“Why do you think such things? 9 Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven.”, or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat and walk.’? 10 I will prove to you, then, that the Son of Man has authority on Earth to forgive sins.”
So Jesus said to the paralyzed man,
11 “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home!”
12 While they all watched, the man got up, picked up his mat, and hurried away. They were all completely amazed and praised God saying,
“We have never seen anything like this!”
Mark 8:
31 Then Jesus began to teach his Disciples,
“The Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected by the Elders, the Chief Priests, and the Teachers of the Law. He will be put to death, but three days later he will rise to life.”
Mark 9:
30 Jesus and his Disciples left that place and went on through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where he was, 31 because he was teaching his Disciples,
“The Son of Man will be handed over to men who will kill him. Three days later, however, he will rise to life.”
Mark 10:
32 Jesus and his Disciples were now on the road going up to Jerusalem. Jesus was going ahead of the Disciples, who were filled with alarm; the people who followed behind were afraid. Once again Jesus took the twelve Disciples aside and spoke of the things that were going to happen to him.
33 “Listen,” he told them, “we are going up to Jerusalem where the Son of Man will be handed over to the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law. They will condemn him to death and then hand him over to the Gentiles, 34 who will make fun of him, spit on him, whip him, and kill him; but three days later he will rise to life.”
This is the Gospel of our Lord.
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.
You are invited to listen to or sing the Hymn “Teach me to Love”
[This hymn is being sung to the tune Stockport (Yorkshire).]
Verse 1 of 3
Teach me to love, this is my earnest prayer,
May the compassion of your heart I share.
I seek to give as you did freely give,
May I unselfishly for others live.
To cheerless lives whose outlook is so bleak
with lovingkindness I would want to speak.
Verse 2 of 3
Teach me to love, this is my earnest path,
shed from me all impulse to act with wrath.
When I am wronged by others may I seek
your help to smile and turn the other cheek.
Teach me restraint and not to counteract
with thoughtless words, instead with grace and tact.
Verse 3 of 3
Teach me to love, this is my earnest plea,
May all the Spirit’s graces shine through me.
Tear from my heart all hate and foolish pride,
Teach me to live like Christ, the Crucified.
So, in my heart your goodness always prove,
as you have loved, O Lord, teach me to love!
John Peterson (adapted)
Sermon
In the Junior section of this Catechism is found this question, Question number 7, found on page 4:
“WHAT DID JESUS DO FOR US?
It is accompanied by this answer:
“He lived for us and died for us and rose again for us.”
“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15: 3
The essence of this instruction for the reader is clear and simple:
“Christ died for our sins.”
In the Senior section of this Catechism is found this question, Question number 22, found on page 16:
“HOW ARE OUR SINS FORGIVEN?”
It is accompanied by this answer:
“We are forgiven by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, who died for our sins.”
The essence of this instruction for the reader is, again, clear and simple:
“Christ died for our sins.”
Charles Hunter, writes in his book titled “What a Christian Believes and Why”:
“Unquestionably, according to the teaching of Scripture, our Lord’s supreme work for the salvation of (Humanity) was accomplished in his death.” (page 72)
Alan Catchpoole writes in his book title “The Wisdom that Founded the Earth”:
“(By his death, Jesus Christ) made the only sacrifice which has any effect in reconciling (Humanity) to God.” (page 131)
George Fisher writes in his book titled “History of Christian Doctrine”:
“Rejected by the Jews, (Jesus) is nevertheless conscious that the deadly blow aimed at his cause will open a way to its final victory. His death will be the means of spiritual deliverance, a ‘ransom’ for many, the ground of the forgiveness of sin.” (page 24)
You will find many such references in many such books written by many such Christian authors, because this truth is central to our faith and to the Sacrament of Holy Communion.
It is critically important that we are familiar with this Biblical truth that Jesus Christ died so that our sins are forgiven, because ‘The World’ seeks to deny it and to denigrate it. And we will look at that issue shortly.
What we need to look at, firstly, is that this is the consistent message in Scripture.
The Prophet Isaiah, writing “in the latter half of the sixth century BC” (Introductory note in Today’s English Version 1986 edition p552) , relayed God’s messages to him concerning “God’s Servant”. One such message is today’s reading from Chapter 53 of the Book of Isaiah. In the twelve verses which we read today, two thoughts are repeated over and over again.
Firstly, that God’s Servant would suffer at the hands of others:
“we despised him and rejected him” (verse 3a)
“he endured suffering and pain” (verse 3b)
“we ignored him” (verse 3c)
“he endured the suffering … the pain” (verse 4)
“we was wounded … beaten” (verse 5)
“treated harshly” (verse 7)
“he was arrested and sentenced and led off to die” (verse 8a)
“no one cared about his fate” (verse 8b)
“he was put to death and buried though he had never committed a crime” (verses 8c & 9)
Secondly, that the suffering of God’s Servant was the means for the forgiveness of people’s sins:
“because of our sins he was wounded” (verse 5a)
“we are healed by the punishment he suffered” (verse 5b)
“he was put to death for the sins of our people” (verse 8c)
“his death was a sacrifice to bring forgiveness” (verse 10b)
“through him my purpose will succeed” (verse 10c)
“my devoted servant .. will bear the punishment of many and for his sake I will forgive them” (verse 11b)
But about whom is Isaiah writing? Who is this “Servant” about whom Isaiah is writing?
John Sawyer, in his Commentary on the writings of the Prophet Isaiah states, in reference to this passage:
“(Recent) discussion (among scholars) has hinged on the identity of the “servant”: is he Cyrus or Zerubbabel or Jeremiah or the Prophet himself? Or does it refer to an ideal figure such as Moses or a Davidic Messiah? Is it even a prophesy about Jesus? Commentators nowadays emphasize the continuity of the passage with what has gone before, and address themselves to the question of what it says about the servant rather than who he is.” (John Sawyer in Isaiah The Daily Study Bible vol II p143)
This is a surprising and disappointing remark by John Sawyer, given the account that Luke has recorded for us in Acts 8: 26 – 39 of the meeting between Philip the evangelist and the Ethiopian Treasury Official. The Ethiopian Official was struggling to understand this very same passage from Isaiah 53, pondering the identity of the person about whom the Prophet Isaiah was writing.
And we read in Luke’s account:
“The Official asked Philip, ‘Tell me, of whom is the Prophet saying this?’ … Then Philip began to speak; starting from this passage of Scripture, he told him the Good News about Jesus.” (Acts 8: 34 & 35)
If it was as clear to Philip that, in this passage from Isaiah 53, the Prophet Isaiah was prophesying about Jesus Christ, why is it not as clear to the so-called scholars and commentators to whom John Sawyer is referring?
We need to be clear in our understanding that, six centuries before the birth of His Son, Jesus, God was preparing the World for how He was planning to reconcile Humanity to Himself through Jesus. We need to be clear in our understanding that this identical message is consistently presented in the New Testament writings.
Mark, in his Gospel, records for us three occasions when Jesus sought to prepare his Disciples for his death upon the cross and his resurrection, using the same imagery of him suffering unjustly at the hands of others. And his message is consistently clear:
“The Son of Man will be handed over to men who will kill him. Three days later, however, he will rise to life.” (Mark 9: 31)
Jesus mirrors the language in Isaiah 53 in his explaining the purpose of his upcoming sacrifice, when he told the Disciples:
“The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life to redeem many people.” (Mark 10: 45)
On the Day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter spoke to the crowd that had gathered around the Apostles, making reference to Jesus “(whom they) killed by letting sinful men crucify him” (Acts 2: 23) , and stating that Jesus died and was raised to life again, “so that (their) sins (could be) forgiven” (Acts 2: 38)
The Apostle Paul writes to the Church in Rome saying:
“it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us! By his sacrificial death we are now put right with God.” (Romans 5: 8b & 9a)
The Apostle John writes to the early Church saying:
“Christ himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven.” (1 John 2: 2)
And, to justify that what he is writing about is the undeniable truth, John adds that he was an eye-witness to everything about which he writes:
“We have heard it, and we have seen it with our eyes, yes, we have seen it, and our hands have touched it.” (1 John 1: 1b)
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews writes about the identical theme:
“Christ was offered in sacrifice once to take away the sins of many.” (Hebrews 9: 28)
James Muilenburg and Henry Coffin, in their Commentary on the Book of Isaiah write:
“Christians have rightly seen in this poem (from Isaiah 53) a prophesy of our Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection. It was never spiritually appropriated by the Jewish Nation nor by the devout community within it. The New Testament Church saw its fulfillment in Jesus, and it supplied an interpretation of his baffling fate. The Apostles preached their Master’s death and resurrection as the supreme disclosure of God’s love in offering His Son to die, the righteous for the unrighteous, to reconcile a sinful World to its God. (James Muilenburg and Henry Coffin in Isaiah in The Interpreter’s Bible Volume 5 p630 & 631)
We can put our trust and hope in the words that we read in The Catechism of the Methodist Church:
“Christ died for our sins”.
Mark includes in his Gospel an account of Jesus healing a paralyzed man, as do Matthew and Luke in identical accounts. The essence of the account is that four friends bring a companion, who is paralyzed, to Capernaum where Jesus was residing, with the intent of obtaining healing for their friend from Jesus. But, finding the way to Jesus blocked by a great crowd, these four friends contrived to open up the roof over the room in which Jesus was teaching the crowd (Mark 2: 2) , so that they could lower him down directly in front of Jesus so as to get his attention and to heal their friend. (Mark 2: 4 & 5)
It is then that Jesus does something that is rather difficult to understand. While acknowledging the faith of the four friends, instead of healing the man, Jesus says to him:
“My son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2: 5)
Where is the connection between forgiveness of sins and healing?
William Barclay, in his Commentary on Mark’s Gospel, writes:
“It may seem an odd way to begin a cure. But in Palestine, in the time of Jesus, it was natural and inevitable. The Jews integrally connected sin and suffering. They argued that if a man was suffering, he must have sinned.” (William Barclay in The Gospel of Mark The Daily Study Bible p40)
And we see this understanding in an account recorded by the Apostle John in his Gospel:
“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been born blind. His disciples asked him, ‘Teacher, whose sin caused him to be born blind? Was it his own or his parent’s sin?’” (John 9: 1 & 2)
But William Barclay also acknowledged that “there may be more to the story. The Jews made this connection between illness and sin. It may well have been that the man’s consciousness of his sin produced his paralysis. That being the case, any Jew would have agreed that forgiveness of sins was a prior condition of a cure.” (William Barclay in The Gospel of Mark The Daily Study Bible p40)
Whatever the case may have been, we find the emphasis of Jesus was to proclaim forgiveness on the man.
Now, we need to ask ourselves the question:
“On what basis, or by whose authority, could Jesus have proclaimed forgiveness of the man’s sins?”
There were some Teachers of the Law among those who were listening to the teaching of Jesus, and they were asking themselves this very same question:
“How does he dare talk like this? This is blasphemy! God is the only one who can forgive sins!” (Mark 2: 7)
It is important that we discern the answer to such a question.
William Barclay, in his Commentary, presents three options:
Firstly, Jesus could have been “conveying God’s forgiveness to the man”, in the same way the Prophet Nathan conveyed God’s forgiveness upon David, as we read in 2 Samuel 12: 1 – 13.
Secondly, God may have delegated or assigned to Jesus this authority to forgive sins.
Thirdly, Jesus was demonstrating his divine nature as the Son of God, and was displaying to the man the same graciousness and mercy of God.
(William Barclay in The Gospel of Mark The Daily Study Bible p43 to 45)
So, how did Jesus settle this issue? How did Jesus prove to his doubters that “the Son of Man has authority on Earth to forgive sins”? (Mark 2: 10)
Jesus answered the Teachers of the Law by healing the paralyzed man. And we read:
“So (Jesus) said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home!’ While they all watched, the man got up, picked up his mat, and hurried away.” (Mark 2: 10a – 12a)
In his healing of the man, Jesus, by his spoken words, was recreating the man’s flesh and blood, making it whole again. To the onlookers, this was reminiscent of God’s creative act recorded for us in the Creation Account in Genesis 1, for only God could create something out of nothing simply by his spoken word. Jesus was demonstrating his divine nature as the Son of God, and was displaying the same creative powers, and the identical graciousness and mercy of God. On that basis we then read that
“They were all completely amazed and praised God saying,
‘We have never seen anything like this!’” (Mark 2: 12)
Now, there some in the World who deny God’s authority and majesty, who reject any notion of their sinfulness and separation from God, and who refuse to consider God’s offer of forgiveness of their sins so as to be reconciled to God. One such group operates a Website titled “Holy Koolaid”, which I recently came across in my research for today.
They consider this account of the healing of the paralyzed man in Mark 2 and the forgiveness of his sins, and ask the question:
“If Jesus Christ could forgive sins while he was alive, why did he need to die so that peoples’ sins could be forgiven?”
On the surface, it appears to be a valid question. For we do read that Jesus forgave the man’s sins while he was alive, and that Jesus forgave the man’s sins because he was the Son of God. So, following on from that, as the Son of God, could not Jesus have continued to live, and, in continuing to live, continued to forgive people’s sins as and when forgiveness was required? And, if that is the case, if forgiveness of sins did not require the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then the foundation upon which the Church has based its theology, and the foundation for our prayers and our hymns, and of the Sacrament of Holy Communion, is flawed and false and a misleading lie perpetrated by the Church.
However, we must be careful not to expend time and energy in the fruitless exploration of such a question, for this question is not being asked out of a sincere desire to learn the truth, but out of a desire to deny the truth of the Gospel and to denigrate those who profess a faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ. Indeed, the web page on which this site asks the above question is titled:
“This verse secretly undermines all of Christianity”.
I seek to reassure you that there is an answer to their question. But first, I want to highlight three failings which underly their stance.
In their asking this question, they display a selective approach to the Bible, only considering those verses that they consider are pertinent to their specific stance and intent; in fact, displaying the very same approach upon which they seek to criticise the Church.
Secondly, ‘Holy Koolaid’ is disregarding the consistent Biblical narrative that God took the initiative to reconcile Humanity to Himself because Humanity is unable to reconcile itself to God by its own efforts.
Alan Catchpoole writes,
“Christian salvation is designed to rescue (Humanity) from the consequences of Adam’s rebellion. (Jesus Christ) made the only sacrifice which has any effect in reconciling (Humanity) to God. Hebrews 9: 14, 10: 4 & 14 (Alan Catchpoole in The Wisdom that founded the Earth p98 & 131)
Sidney Collett writes:
“The Old Testament reveals Christ the Messiah; the New Testament reveals Jesus the Saviour. So that, if we study the Old Testament in the light of the New Testament, we see Jesus Christ; while if we look at the New Testament through the light of the Old Testament, we see Christ Jesus.” (Sidney Collett in The Scripture of Truth p192)
Thirdly, in basing their argument on the Mark 2 account of the healing of the paralyzed man, ‘Holy Koolaid’ is, in fact, admitting that this account justifies the understanding of the divinity of Jesus Christ, for that is the conclusion that we drew from the account. If they accept the factuality of this incident, how, then, can they argue that there was no need for Jesus to make his sacrifice for the salvation of Humanity, when, by their own admission, they agree that Jesus, as the divine and sinless Son of God, was the only one who could obey the call of God to fulfill God’s plan to reconcile Humanity to Himself, by making the ultimate sacrifice of dying on behalf of sinful Humanity, which Jesus himself explained during his ministry was the purpose and intent of his incarnation. If they don’t accept the factuality of this account, upon what grounds could they base their argument except to claim that the Church has based its theology and worship on myth and fairytale, what is unsubstantial and is unsubstantiated. I would contend that it is their argument that is based on what is unsubstantial and is unsubstantiated Getting back to their question why it was necessary for Jesus Christ to die for our sins, the answer lies in the consideration of the whole aspect of the death, the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus Christ back to Heaven.
After Jesus was arrested and brought before the Council of the Chief Priests, the Elders and the Teachers of the Law, when he was asked:
“Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed God?”,
he declared to them:
“I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right side of the Almighty and coming with the clouds of Heaven.” (Mark 14: 61b & 62) , quoting from Psalm 110: 1 and Daniel 7: 13.
On the Day of Pentecost, Peter declared to the crowd that had gathered:
“(This very same Jesus) has been raised to the right side of God, his Father.” (Acts 2: 33)
He repeated this statement before the Jewish Council of Leaders when he was arrested saying:
“God raised (Jesus) to His right side as Leader and Saviour, to give the People of Israel the opportunity to repent and have their sins forgiven.” (Acts 5: 31)
Stephen repeated this statement before the Jewish Council of Leaders when he was arrested, and was stoned for doing so. (Acts 7: 54 – 60)
The Apostle Paul in his Letters and the author of the Letter to the Hebrews both attest to this belief by the early Church. (Colossians 3: 1, Hebrews 1: 13 & 12: 2)
So, what does the Ascension of Jesus mean for us and the Church?
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews writes,
“Christ, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective forever, and then he sat down at the right side of God.” (Hebrews 10: 12)
Jesus achieved through his death and resurrection what he could not achieve if he was alive, provide the means for the forgiveness of all sins, of all people, for all of Time.
Jesus, in his ascension, is no longer limited by living in a physical body. Jesus can be ‘approached’ by anyone, anywhere, anytime, anyhow.
Richard France writes,
“It was thus, in the place of honour and authority, that his followers were to envisage him from now on, no longer limited by time and space, but dynamically present with them, always, everywhere.” (Richard France in The Man they Crucified A Portrait of Jesus p171)
Paul writes to the Church in Ephesus stating:
“Christ rules there (at the right-hand side of God) above all Heavenly rulers, authorities, powers, and lords; he has a title superior to all titles of authority in this World and in the next. God put all things under Christ’s feet and gave him to the Church as supreme Lord over all things.” (Ephesians 1: 21 & 22)
Paul writes to the Church in Rome stating:
“For Christ died and rose to life in order to be the Lord of the living and of the dead.” (Romans 14: 8)
Francis Foulkes writes:
“The Ascension, like the resurrection, is emphasised as being the work of God the Father. It is His honouring His Son with he highest possible honour, but also the demonstration of His power. (Francis Foulkes in Ephesians An Introduction and Commentary p63)
Slide 21
The Holy Spirit is our advocate and helper.
On the night before his arrest, Jesus instructed his Disciples concerning the coming of the Holy Spirit as “their Helper who would stay with them forever”. (John 14: 16)
He added:
It is better for you that I go away, because if I do not go, the Helper will not come to you. But if I do go away, then I will send him to you.” (John 16: 7)
Randolph Tasker writes:
“Jesus (instructs them that, once he) has reached his destination (at the right-hand side of God), he will be able to make available to them the help that only the divine Spirit can bring (to) them. As they bear their witness they will be aided by the Advocate, who, while acting as their defendant, will also expose the World’s errors.” (Randolph Tasker in John An Introduction and Commentary p179)
Paul writes to the Church in Rome stating:
“Christ Jesus, who died, and was raised to life and is at the right-hand side of God interceding with him for us.” (Romans 8: 34)
Geoffrey Wilson writes:
“The risen Saviour is also the Mediator in the place of supreme authority and power in Heaven, an assurance that his people shall follow him there.” (Geoffrey Wilson in Romans A digest of Reformed Comment p153)
The Ministry of Jesus Christ involved all of his life, his death, his resurrection and his ascension. The Ministry of Jesus, God’s Messiah, continues for each of us today, with Jesus as God’s appointed Prophet, King, and High Priest.
Alan Catchpoole writes:
“It must not be imagined that the Ministry of Christ Jesus for the redemption of his people and the saving of the world concluded with the ascension. It I true that his triumphant death and resurrection are the guarantee that his people will be saved and that this World will reach its appointed end in God’s good time. But there is a sense in which his saving work is not yet done! In his risen and exalted position at God’s right-hand side in glory Christ Jesus continues to work for Humanity’s salvation. (Alan Catchpoole in The Wisdom that founded the Earth p159)
Let us rest assured that Christ Jesus continues to care for each and every one of us, so that we can join with Charles Wesley in these words of praise:
All praise to the Lamb, now accepted I am
Through faith in the Saviour’s adorable name.
Hallelujah, ’tis done! I believe on the Son,
I am saved by the blood of the Crucified One.
Amen.
Offering
Offering Prayer
“For the life that you have given” TiS774
[This hymn is being sung to the tune Austria – there is no introduction.]
[This YouTube is for another hymn so disregard the words – only the one verse is needed.]
For the life that you have given,
For the love in Christ made known,
With these fruits of time and labour,
With these gifts that are your own:
Here we offer, Lord, our praises;
Heart and mind and strength we bring;
Give us grace to love and serve you,
Living what we pray and sing.
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Prayers for Others
Lord of abundant life, keep your Church alert,
to the needs of those around us who become hurt or lost in the wilderness of modern life.
Keep us alert to the introvert or to the sensitive person,
who puts on a bold front but who suffers behind the façade.
Keep us alert to the disabled or disfigured person,
who may be suffering behind closed doors.
Keep us alert to the overworked person,
weary and exhausted in body, mind and spirit.
Keep us alert to the unemployed,
who is feeling useless, rejected, frustrated, and angry.
Keep us alert to the bewildered person,
who is ‘bushed’ by life, and who needs encouragement and guidance.
Keep us alert to those are needing to make difficult decisions,
who face confronting times in their life or who are bearing heavy burdens.
Lord of the wilderness, keep us alert also to our own deep needs.
When our path becomes rough, or our thirst begins to burn, give us not what we desire, but what we truly need.
(Contemporary Wilderness in Australian Prayers by Bruce Prewer p150 7 151)
Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that in Christ, we may find the fulfillment of the deepest hungers of our hearts and nourishment for our life’s journey.
We pray for Ministers and Pastors of your Church, empower them to bring the true bread of life to all who seek your peace.
We pray that we may lay aside our old habits and attitudes that rob us of life and become new persons of love and service in Christ.
We pray that you will open our minds and hearts to recognize the manna that you send into our lives and give us the courage to utilize it.
We pray for a spirit of understanding, that Christ will free us from narrow thinking and help us take on the mind of Christ so that we may see and understand your vision for life.
We pray for a deepening of trust in your providence, that we may live in the present and be freed from the compulsions to hoard or stockpile.
We pray that we may appreciate all the blessings and opportunities that you have given us rather than complain about that which we do not possess.
We pray for all who are experiencing the wilderness in their life’s journey, that they may encounter Christ in their loneliness, a new vision in times of confusion, and renewed energy when the path ahead seems endless.
We pray for freedom from grumbling and complaining, that we may be transformed by Christ and come to a new understanding of the people and the situations that lead us to negativity.
We pray for strength on our daily journey, that we find our nourishment and renewal in the your Word for all our commitments and responsibilities each day. May our words and deeds show the sincerity of our faith. May our motives be pure and not driven by a desire for material reward or gain.
We pray for business and government leaders who have responsibility for food, that they will strive with new effort to alleviate the hunger and needs of the poor, of refugees, and of the victims of war. May our leaders work together to share ideas and strive for ways and means to work together to implement solutions to our problems, to ensure that all people have access to education, health care and opportunities to earn a descent income.
We pray that you will inspire generosity in those of us who have, so that we will share with those who do not. Save us from the selfishness of holding on to what we can share.
We pray for all who are participating in the Olympics, that you will protect them from harm and help them to use their gift fully for your glory.
We pray for an end to the Covid pandemic, that you will subdue the virus, heal the sick, and give strength to all who care for them.
We pray for all who are suffering from natural disasters, that you will provide hope and safety to those who have fled wildfires, courage to all who are fighting the fires, and rain for those oppressed by drought. Likewise, we pray for those who have fled floods, may they find refuge from rising waters and support to renew their lives and livelihoods.
We pray for better stewardship of Earth’s resources, that Government and business leaders will recognize the impact of their practices upon the environment and work to promote good stewardship of the air, land, and water.
We pray for the gift of peace, that you will end the violence in our cities and bring forth peace so that all can live in safety and use their talents for the good of one another. Bring into this troubled World the stability and firmness of purpose that only you can bring, so that people will live their lives for the welfare of others.
Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. https://liturgy.slu.edu/18OrdB080424/ideas_other.html
(also from Leading Intercessions by Raymond Chapman p73 and Prayers for the Seasons of God’s People Year B by David Hostetter p160 & 161)
Almighty God, we pray for the peoples of the Republic of Congo, Gabon, and Sao Tome and Principe.
We are thankful for wildlife and rainforests in these lands, and those who protect this habitat, for the oral traditions, folklore, and good practices that have been preserved, for rich minerals and economic development, although benefits need to be shared more fairly, and for healing from exploitative practices that began under colonial rule.
We pray for democratic fair elections and political stability in this region, for economic development that benefits all the people, especially those living in poverty, for the preservation of the wildlife and the land, and for the witness of the churches and other faith groups in the midst of the challenges.
PRAYERS
Lord, if you want that we should love you with all our heart, without distraction or detour,
teach us to become constant in your love.
When those without faith or law insult us, help us to forgive, O Resurrected One.
Jesus, the friend of the people of the Congo, your Father is not a God of the dead but of the living; therefore, guide us in your love, so that we may live in your presence forever.
(Louise Bakala Koumouno, People’s Republic of Congo.)
A Pygmy Prayer
In the beginning God was.
Today God is.
Tomorrow God will be.
Who could possibly make an image of God?
God does not have a body.
God is a word that springs from our mouths.
And what a word!
There is nothing more to be said.
God is the past, and yet God is.
That is what God is.
Prayer for transformation
Barriers, walls, and barbed wire mark the frontiers, O Lord.
Help us to transform them into places where we can meet, with sincerity,
as countries and as persons, so that the world will know that we are Christians
by the love with which our actions are marked.
(Louise Bakala Koumouno, People’s Republic of Congo.)
(https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/prayer-cycle/republic-of-congo-gabon-sao-tome-and-principe)
Almighty God we pray that you will bless the launch of the Koorong Canning Vale store happening this month, that this will be an opportunity to build new relationships between Koorong, Bible Society Australia, the local churches and the community. We pray for the team as they relocate an Adelaide Koorong store, for a smooth and on-schedule moving process. We pray for the ongoing integration of Koorong’s new business software system.
We pray for BSA’s CEO, Grant Thomson, and BSA’s church relations team as they engage with churches and Christian organisations, including Crossway Baptist and Youth Alive Victoria through the ‘Read This.’ Bible launch. We pray for you guidance and provision as they share the mission of Bible Society and engage the support of churches passionate about Bible mission.
We pray for your guidance and support for the Bible translation and revision work underway in the languages, Motu, Magi, Vula’a, Gogodala, Yuna, Aekyom, and Pa, supported by the Bible Society of PNG and their partners. We pray for the Aekom and Pa language projects which are currently on pause, that they will pick up soon with more church leaders involved and for an increase in resources.
(biblesociety/image/upload/v1722209171/August_2024_Prayer_Letter_-Standard.pdf)
Almighty God, we pray for the Scripture Union run Indigenous Bush Camp in the Northern Territory, that young people would come to know and love Jesus.
We pray that the many potential SUPA Clubs will advance in the right places with the right teams and that participants will have soft hearts to hear the truth.
We pray for continued connections with local schools as Scripture Union Australia explore launching more lunchtime and after-school SUPA clubs in the ACT.
We pray for the unity of the Spirit to be at work amongst the Scripture Union staff in South Australia as they forge a completely new way of engaging with churches. We pray for trust and productive outcomes.
We pray for partnerships with local churches, for mutual support as churches work in community with SU ministry, that we would also activate opportunities to support the endeavours of local church ministry.
We pray for chaplains running Coffee and Chat groups with parents. May it be an opportunity to bless more families and share the importance of chaplaincy with them
We pray for Scripture Union’s inaugural Inspire Creator’s Day Camp and for young people to be blessed and find Jesus amongst their creative expression.
(Scripture%20Union%20Prayer-Guide%20July%20to%20September%202024.pdf)
Almighty God, we pray for the high numbers of children being diagnosed with leprosy in Sri Lanka, that The Leprosy mission Sri Lanka can find these cases early, so that the children can be cured and have a future without disability.
We pray for continued good relationships with district and regional Ministry of Health officers, as district and regional Leprosy Action Plans are developed to improve early detection of leprosy cases and secure better treatment.
We pray for the continued growth of the Leprosy People’s Association of Sri Lanka as it works to assist both its members as well as the wider community in improving their inner wellbeing and food security.
We thank you God for the faithful service of church leaders, who have mobilised their congregations as well as leaders from other faiths to raise awareness of leprosy, reduce stigma, give practical support, and find new cases of leprosy.
We pray for the people affected by leprosy in Sri Lanka, who are mostly farmers or fishermen, hit hard by climate change. We pray for new initiatives to support them to adapt to the changing seasonal patterns and increased disasters they now face.
We pray for the success of a new project that brings together many stakeholders including Government officers, people affected by leprosy, The Leprosy Mission and its partners Kaveri Kala Manram and Alliance Development Trust to detect the many hidden leprosy cases across the country.
We thank you God for the increased – albeit fragile – political and economic stability. We pray that the cries of the people of Sri Lanka for justice and a wise and honest Government would be met and political stability would be restored for the long term
We pray for efforts of The Leprosy Mission Sri Lanka in its supporting people affected by leprosy to support themselves through peer counselling and livelihood development, and its offer of support with ensuring community members know how to obtain the benefits and rights they are owed by the government and look to bless the wider community through their seed banks, leprosy awareness raising, and training on improved nutrition at low cost.
We pray for good health and wisdom for the office holders of Alliance Development Trust, for Godfrey Yogarajah – CEO, and for Raghu Balachandran – Director, Relief & Development.
We pray for good health and wisdom for the office holders of Kaveri Kala Manram, for Rev Santhanapillai – President and for Rev TS Joshua – Executive Director
We pray for good health and wisdom for the office holders of Leprosy Association of Sri Lanka, for Mr Amarasinga – President, and for Shahana Inparasa – Director.
(The%20Leprosy%20Mission%20Prayer%20Guide%202024.pdf)
PRAYERS OF THE CONGREGATION
We pray for those who undertake Religious Instruction classes at Bald Hills State School in the coming weeks. Guide them in their preparation for the
words to say and the approach to take with the children in their classes.
We pray for Kylie Conomos, the Scripture Union Chaplain at Bald Hills State School, as she addresses the concerns and needs of children, parents and teachers at the Bald Hills State School.
We pray for the wife and family of the young father who passed away suddenly recently. Please comfort them as they grieve on their loss and deal with the changes that his passing brings to their lives.
We pray for those who we have not seen for some time and who are unable to attend worship regularly. Please guide and comfort them in their particular circumstances. May they be aware of your care for them as they meet what each new day brings.
Merciful God, you sent your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to walk among us. He heard the cries of the people and shared with them the Good News of the Kingdom. Hear our prayers this day and answer them so that your greatness may be known by all. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
You are invited to listen to or sing the Hymn: “Thy faithfulness, Lord, each moment we find” Wesley’s Hymns number 5 MHB311
[This hymn is being sung to the tune Laudate Dominum (Parry).]
Verse 1 of 4
Your faithfulness, Lord, each moment we find,
So true to your word, so loving and kind.
Your mercy so tender, to all the lost Race,
The vilest offender may turn and find grace.
Verse 2 of 4
The mercy I feel to others I show,
I witness to all the Jesus I know;
You all may find favour who come to His call,
O come to my Saviour, His grace is for all.
Verse 3 of 4
To save who were lost, from Heaven He came,
Come, sinners, and trust in Jesus’s name,
He offers you pardon, He bids you be free,
“If sin be your burden, O come unto me!”
Verse 4 of 4
Then let us submit His grace to receive,
Fall down at His feet and gladly believe;
We all are forgiven by means of his death,
With God interceding for sinners beneath.
Charles Wesley
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 sing Hymn: “When the Roll is called up Yonder” (Alexander’s Hymns No.3 number 70)
James Black
Benediction
(from Invocations and Benedictions by John Drescher p87)
As we go out into the World, let us bear witness to the faithfulness of God, let us praise God for His goodness and mercy, and let us follow God’s will today and always.
And may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, rest upon you and remain with you always. Amen.
Benediction Song
“Now to him who loves us saves us” TiS771
[This recording has piano music only – there is a short introduction.]
[Only the one verse is needed.]
https://hymnary.org/media/fetch/179720
Now to him who loved us, gave us
Every pledge that love could give,
Freely shed his blood to save us,
Gave his life that we might live,
Be the Kingdom
And dominion
And the glory evermore.
Samuel Miller Waring
Service for Sunday 7th July, which included communion, and was conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber 
Service for Sunday 27th August, which was conducted by Mr Geoffrey Webber. 
Service for Sunday 15th January 2023, which was be conducted by Mr Ian Kerr 