Welcome:  –

Call to Worship:  –    

Amazing height of love divine!

With all God’s Church on Earth we praise

The unutterably great design,

The mystery of redeeming grace.

Wisdom, and power, and strength, and might

Our God is worthy to receive;

Honour and riches are His right,

And blessings more that we can give.

Let Earth and all Her fulness still

Rejoice His greatness to proclaim,

And everlasting praise fill

All Earth and Heaven with Jesu’s name.

  Prayer of Praise  

(Psalm 66: 1,2 to 5, 6b, 7a, 8, 19b, & 20)  

Praise God with shouts of joy!

Offer to Him glorious praises.

How wonderful are the things God does.

Everyone of Earth worships you.  They sing praises to you.

Come and see what God has done, His wonderful acts among humankind.

We rejoice because of What He did.

He rules forever by His might,

And keeps His eyes on the Nations.

Praise our God all Nations,

Let your praises be heard.

I praise God, for He listens to my prayers.

I praise God for He does not keep back his constant love from me.  Amen.

We sing two Songs

“Unto Thee O Lord”  Scripture in Song volume 1 number 104

Charles Monroe

We sing thje song: ‘Praise the name of Jesus’  Scripture in Song volume 1 number 111

Roy Hicks

Prayer of Confession   

Merciful Lord, you search our hearts and minds and find us wanting.  How often have we wandered from the path you have laid out, and have followed our cravings and desires? 

Forgive us God for the pain and disappointment that we cause you. 

We spend our time admiring others for their beauty or intelligence.  We spend our time acquiring material objects in the vain hope that they will satisfy us and give us comfort. 

Forgive us God for putting others and things before you. 

We feel that we can do better in managing our lives.  We stop listening to your voice because we are satisfied with our way of life. 

Forgive us God for trying to earn our own salvation.

  We avoid the poor and the hungry.  We avert our eyes when we see others in need because we don’t want to get involved or to share what we have. 

Forgive us God for the neglect we show to others. 

We are quick to become angry with those who hurt us or take away our time and energy. 

Forgive us God for failing to show the limitless love that you lavish upon us. 

 Merciful God, forgive our sins, cleanse our hearts of all that is impure and incorrect.  Lead us into that which is good and true and upright.  To your glory and praise.  Amen.

Assurance of Forgiveness  (from 2 Timothy 10b) 

Paul joyfully reminds Timothy:

“Salvation comes through Christ Jesus.”  It is on that assurance we have the confident hope that having confessed out sins before God, God has forgiven us and cleansed all unrighteousness from our lives.

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

Jeremiah 29:

10:  “The LORD says,

‘When Babylon’s seventy years are over, I will show my concern for you and keep my promise to bring you back home.  11  I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.  12  Then you will call to me.  You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you.  13  You will seek me, and you will find me because you will seek me with all your heart.  14  Yes, I say, you will find me, and I will restore you to your land.  I  will gather you from every country and from every place to which I have scattered you, and I will bring you back to the land from which I had sent you way into exile.  I, the LORD, have spoken.’”

2 Timothy 2:

8  Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from death, who was a descendant of David, as is taught in  the Good News I preach.  9  Because I preach the Good News, I suffer and I an even chained like a criminal.  But the Word of God is not in chains,  10  and so I endure everything for the sake of God’s chosen people, in order that they too may obtain the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus and brings eternal glory.

11  This is a true saying:

“If we have died with him. We shall also live with him.

12  If we continue to endure, we shall also rule with him.  If we deny him, he will also deny us.

13  If we are not faithful, he remains  faithful, because he cannot be false to himself.”

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Word of God.

Praise to you Almighty God.

Luke 17:

11  As Jesus made his way to Jerusalem, he went along the border between Samaria and Galilee.  12  He was going into a village when he was met by ten men suffering from a dreaded skin disease.  They stood at a distance  13  and shouted,

“Jesus!  Master!  Have pity on us!”

14  Jesus saw them and said to them,

“Go and let the priests examine you.”

On the way they were made clean.  15  When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back, praising God in a loud voice.  16  He threw himself to the ground at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.  The man was a Samaritan.

17  Jesus spoke up,

“There were ten men who were healed; where are the other nine?  18  Why is this foreigner the only one who came back to give thanks to God?”

19  And Jesus said to him,

“Get up and go; your faith has made you well.”

[Today’s English Version]

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

Passing the Peace

Whether we gather in person in our Church building or whether we gather in spirit in our homes, we remain one body, one people of God, one in fellowship and one in worship.  With that in mind, let us uplift our hands and greet those both here and those who cannot be here:

May the peace of God be with you all.

And also with you.

We sing the Hymn

“What shall I do my God to love”  Wesley’s Hymns number 216  MHB 77  AHB 50  TiS 122

Charles Wesley

Sermon

Screen 1

Affliction is a great leveller

  A therapy group had a meeting where each participant had to give a brief outline of their ‘pet hates’, as a way for the others in the group to get to know them better.  It came to one person’s turn, and they said:

“I dislike people with missing toes.  I’m ‘lack toes’ intolerant.”  (Terribly Cheesy Dad Jokes p8) 

  In first century Palestine, there was a deep-seated dislike and intolerance by Jews of Samaritans, those who lived in the Roman province of Samaria, located between Judea to the south and Galilee to the north.  (Augustus Buckland & Arthur Williams in The Samaritans in The Universal Bible Dictionary p425)  Because of historical events and a long-established antipathy between the ancient kingdoms of Judah and Israel, “Jewish people considered (Samaritans) irreligious, and religious Jews avoided intimate dealings with them”.  (Craig Keener in Luke in The IVP Bible Background Commentary of the New Testament p237)  The Apostle John notes in his account of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well in the village of Sychar:

“Jews will not use the same cups and bowls that Samaritans use.”  (John 4: 9b)  .  In John 8: 48, we read of some Pharisees who strongly disagreed with the teachings of Jesus, calling him a Samaritan, as a way of saying that they considered everything about him as “bad”.

  In today’s passage from Luke 17, we find the lengths to which Jews living in Galilee would go to avoid travelling through Samaria on their way from Galilee to Jerusalem to the south, that is, they “went along the border between Samaria and Galilee”  (Luke 17: 11)  , travelling around Samaria before turning south towards Judea.  We also find Jesus calling the Samaritan a “foreigner”, (Luke 17: 18) 

  So, the big surprise in this account from Luke 17 is that, of the 10 lepers who Jesus met that day as he was approaching a village, one was a Samaritan while the other nine were Jews.  The big question that arises following this is, “Why is a Samaritan living and travelling with Jews?  Why are Jews willing to be in close personal contact with a Samaritan?”  The answer, of course, lies in their shared affliction, having a “dreaded skin disease”  (Luke 17: 12) 

  The Law given by God to Moses at the time of the Exodus, stipulated that people who had such a dreaded skin disease could not live in the company of others in towns and villages, but live outside of inhabited areas.  (Leviticus 13: 45 & 46)  They could not participate in everyday social interactions, nor participate in religious activities, nor offer sacrifices in the Temple, nor undertake an occupation through which to earn a living.

  In every way they were outcasts, eking out an existence and largely relying on the charity of others, living only in the company of others who shared their affliction regardless of their age or race or religion or social standing.  As Craig Keener comments, this passage from Luke 17 “illustrates the extremity of Leper’s outcast status: it erases other social distinctions.”  (Craig Keener in Luke in The IVP Bible Background Commentary of the New Testament p237)  A shared affliction is a great leveller of people.

  In a similar way, we understand that the Babylonian Emperor, Nebuchadnezzar, took anyone and everyone in Judah who survived the invasion of his army, into exile in Babylon, regardless of age or gender or infirmity or social status or religious position.  They all shared the identical ‘affliction’ of being separated from family, livelihood, culture, and Temple worship.  As the Prophet Jeremiah records:

“so the people of Judah were carried away from their land into exile”  (Jeremiah 52: 27b, also 2 Kings 25: 112 Chronicles 36: 20)  , since “the LORD became so angry with the people of Jerusalem and Judah”, because of their sins and their unfaithfulness to Him.  (Jeremiah 52: 3a) 

  And we understand that this is a warning for everyone today, for can we not say that everyone today shares the identical ‘affliction’ of faces the same judgement of God, because of their sins and their unfaithfulness to Him.

“for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”, as Paul writes to the Church in Rome.  (Romans 3: 23) 

Screen 2

“Jesus!  Master!  Have pity on us!”  Luke 17: 13

  As Jesus was entering a village this group of Lepers saw him.  Whether it was by chance that they were there at the same time or whether they had heard that Jesus was coming their way is not revealed.  What is significant is how they addressed Jesus.  We read that they stood at a distance, because they could not approach any closer because of their disease, and they shouted “Jesus. Master.  Have pity on us.”  (Luke 17: 13)  The Greek word translated as “Master” is ‘epistates’,  (Strong’s NT1988)  meaning an appointee over others or a commander or a respected teacher.  It indicates that, in spite of their life of isolation from others, they had not only heard of the great works of healing of Jesus elsewhere, but had also gained a recognition of the authority granted to him by God and were addressing him with the respect due to Jesus as a representative from God.  And we can understand the level of need underlying their plea; we can understand the earnestness and the sincerity of their plea given their, essentially, dire situation.

  In last week’s passage from Psalm 137 we read:

“By the rivers of Babylon we sat down; there we wept when we remembered Zion. (for) How can we sing a song to the LORD in a foreign land?”  (Psalm 137: 1 & 4) 

  This highlights the despair shared by those in exile, relating to their shared feeling of not only being abandoned by God and being punished by God, but of being in a foreign land that lay beyond His influence, and of God being incapable of coming to their aid because of the interference by the gods of the Babylonians.

  The dire situation of the 10 lepers and of the Jewish exiles in Babylon, is mirrored in Paul’s writings concerning the people of today:

“Now we know that everything in the Law applies to those who live under the Law, in order to stop all Human excuses and bring the whole World under God’s judgement.  For no one is put right in God’s sight by doing what the Law requires: what the Law does is make people know that they have sinned.”  (Romans 3: 19 & 20) 

Screen 3

“On the way they were made clean.”  Luke 17: 14b

  Elsewhere we read of Jesus healing someone by a physical means or a touch of his hands, as we do in Luke 5: 13.  Here we read Jesus giving them an instruction, “Go and let the priests examine you.”  (Luke 17: 14)  This is a reference to the instructions set out in Leviticus 14 regarding anyone who seeks confirmation that they had been cured of any dreaded skin disease.  It was the role of a priest to inspect the person to verify that there were no longer any signs or symptoms of the disease and then to offer firstly a sacrifice for purification and secondly a sin offering.  Only in this way could a person be accepted back into their family and community and village and, most importantly, back into the religious life of the people.  This is the intent behind the words of Jesus.

  We read that the 10 listened to the words of Jesus, they trusted in the words of Jesus and they obeyed the words of Jesus, for, immediately, as they commenced to make their way, “they were made clean”  (Luke 17: 14)  This showed that the 10 had a strong faith in Jesus, strong enough to move them to do exactly as he had instructed them to do.  And what was the result?  They were made clean.  Now the Greek word translated as clean is “katharizo”  (Strong’s NT2511)  .  This doesn’t mean just a simple wiping clean or a rinsing clean.  It has the meaning of being purged or of being purified.  The 10 Lepers had been renewed completely, their physical bodies regenerated; a clear indication that it was accomplished solely by God’s re-creative powers.  But this was not the only result, because, now, they had the hope of restoration; restoration with family and community, of having a village life and an occupation, of being once more able to participate in the public worship of God and of offering sacrifices for their sins.  It represented a total healing and of a renewed life.

  And, is not this what God promised to those who had been exiled in Babylon?  Did not God promise restoration and renewal to them?

“I will show my concern for you and keep my promise to bring you back home.  I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.  You will call to me.  You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you.  Yes, I say, you will find me, and I will restore you to your land.  I will gather you from every country and from every place to which I have scattered you, and I will bring you back to the land from which I had sent you way into exile.”  (Jeremiah 29: 10 to 14) 

  And, is not this the same promise of God about which Paul writes to Timothy, saying:

“and so I endure everything for the sake of God’s chosen people, in order that they too may obtain the salvation that comes through Christ Jesus and brings eternal glory.  This is a true saying:

‘If we have died with him. We shall also live with him.

If we continue to endure, we shall also rule with him.’”  (2 Timothy 2: 10 to 12) 

Screen 4

“one of them came back, praising God in a loud voice”  Luke 17: 15

  Can we understand, then, the reaction of the one who returned, the gratitude behind their response.  We read that he falls down in humbleness at the feet of Jesus, loudly expressing his thanks and his praise to God for the healing and the wholeness that was now his.  G B Stern in his book on Robert Louis Stevenson said that “silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone”.  (Quotable Quotes p81)  William Ward once said that “feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it”  (Quotable Quotes p81)  The one who returned was indeed showing the correct response, expressing his thankfulness for the blessing and the healing he received.

  And I believe that Luke records this incident because he was seeking to highlight that which Jesus confronted his listeners, whether they were Disciples or Pharisees, the challenge to act on what they heard from Jesus, not like the nine who turned their back on Jesus and kept on walking, but like the one, who responded with humbleness before God and with gratitude in their hearts.  (Michael Wilcock in The Message of Luke p159, 167) 

  Jeremiah writes that God will be able to work in the lives of the exiles because they will have the right attitude to God, for Jeremiah records God saying to them:

“You will seek me, and you will find me because you will seek me with all your heart.”  (Jeremiah 29: 13) 

  Paul writes:

I give thanks to God, whom I serve with a clear conscience.”  (2 Timothy 1: 3)  .

  Howard Marshall writes of “the need for gratitude to be an aspect of our faith”.  (Howard Marshall in Luke in the New Bible Commentary p914) 

  Who do we resemble?  The nine or the one?  May we be like the one who returned.  May we come to Jesus acknowledging his God-given authority.  May we listen to his words and obey him.  May we act with faith, trusting in Jesus for the promised outcome.  And may we acknowledge answered prayer and blessings received with humbleness and gratitude.

  And may we then, too, receive the reassurance, “go, your faith has made you whole.”  (Luke 17: 19)  Amen.

We sing the Hymn

“God of grace and God of glory”  AHB543  TiS611

Harry Fosdick

Offering

Offering Prayer    

“For the life that you have given”  TiS774 

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

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

Almighty God, we pray for the Church, that we may respond willingly and generously to what you ask of us each day.

We pray for a deepening of trust, that you will free us from fear and help us to grow in our awareness that with you, all things are possible.

We pray that you will guide the whole Church in listening to the Holy Spirit so that we may deepen our communion and be more faithful to the mission of evangelization and reconciliation.

We pray for Wisdom, that we may learn to ponder the events of our lives and hold them in prayer while you work in our lives and transforms us.

We pray for the grace to listen, that you will free us from all distractions and disorientation so that we may hear your voice in prayer, in events, and in our daily activities.

We pray for purification of our hearts, that your Word may enlighten us to distinguish between good and evil and form us in virtue and discipleship.

We pray for a deeper awareness, that we recognize the limits of power, beauty, fame, and wealth, and learn to trust you, who alone fulfills all our needs and wants.

We pray for freedom from attachments, that you will give us the courage to live with less and embrace our families, our community members, and the gift of each day more fully.

We pray for a greater reverence and appreciation of human life, that we may recognize your gift of life in each person, particularly in the very young and the elderly who cannot speak for themselves.

We pray for all who have experienced abuse, that you will heal and renew them, help their voices to be heard, and help all in leadership to take effective action to protect the vulnerable and powerless.

We pray for Church teachers, preachers, and Church Elders, that you will plant the Divine Word deep within them and inspire them to share it in dynamic and life-giving ways.

We pray for children who have been neglected, are malnourished, or abandoned, that you will free them from danger, and bring them to a safe and loving environment that will support them into building happy and secure lives.  Heal their wounds of body, mind, and spirit.

We pray for all who are recovering from storms or wildfires, from erupting volcanoes or earthquakes, that you will sustain them, speed the assistance that they need, and give strength to all who are helping them.

We pray for all who are ill, that you will heal the sick, strengthen those facing a long recovery, and renew the energy and enthusiasm of all who are caring for them.

We pray for greater care for the air that we breathe, that we may each take responsibility for the quality of the air that affects every person.

Copyright © 2021. Joe Milner. All rights reserved.<br> Permission is hereby granted to reproduce for personal or parish use. 

Also, Raymond Chapman in Leading Intercessions p79, and David Hostetter in Prayers for God’s People Year B p195

  We pray for greater respect for the human rights of all, especially vulnerable populations and those who work for the wellbeing of others and of the environment, and for an end to the corruption in these societies and to unsustainable exploitation of their resources.  Please increase their strength of political and social leaders and fill them with your grace.

  We pray for Team Leaders within Scripture Union that they will lead their staff skilfully and lovingly, with a focus not on the authority that they possess but on the potential that can be achieved for the work of Scripture Union throughout Queensland.

We pray for Ian and the other leaders of Religious Education classes at Bald Hills State School, that you will bless their efforts to present the Gospel and the reality of your existence to the children.  May the Holy Spirit be working in the minds and souls of the children who attend their classes.

We pray for Kylie Conomos as she seeks to provide care and guidance to those children, parents and teachers at Bald hills State School who are experiencing difficulties.  Please give to her the understanding that she needs.  Please give to her the energy and support that she needs to fulfill her tasks day-by-day.

We pray for those who haven’t been able to join us for a while, that they may know your support and comfort for them each day.  We ask that you keep them in good health and good spirits.

Eternal God, you know our problems, and have promised that you will help us to solve them.  You know what we lack, and have promised to meet our needs.  Help us to depend upon you day by day and to call upon you when life gets hard.  Loving God, we bring these prayers to you, trusting in your compassion and care.  To your glory we pray.

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.

We sing the hymn

“Jesus loves even me”  Alexander’s Hymns No. 3 number 45

Philip Bliss

Benediction 

(John Drescher in Invocations and Benedictions p143) 

May God guide our thoughts,

So that they may be filled with the knowledge of His presence.

May God Guide our words,

So that all who hear them are drawn closer to Him.

May God guide our actions,

So that He is evident in all we do and leave undone.

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

(only the one verse is needed)

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