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SUNDAY 11th November Remembrance - Video service from Christ Church
Join Trevor Williams with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 6th November - Video service from Christ Church
Join Trevor Williams with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 11th September - Video service from Christ Church
Join Revd Moses Agyam with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 4th September - Video service from Christ Church
Join Trevor Williams with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 7TH AUGUST - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Janette Stevens with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday. - Apologies for the sound quality
SUNDAY 3RD JULY- VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Trevor Williams with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 5TH JUNE - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Trevor Williams with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 1ST MAY - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Trevor Williams with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 3RD APRIL - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Trevor Williams with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
(Sorry about sound issues - Via Facebook Live)
https://www.facebook.com/michael.wood.3726613/videos/715602489626743
(Sorry about sound issues - Via Facebook Live)
https://www.facebook.com/michael.wood.3726613/videos/715602489626743
SUNDAY 6TH MARCH - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Jack Roche with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
(Sorry about sound issues)
SUNDAY 6TH FEBRUARY - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join David Bagwell with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SATURDAY 5TH FEBRUARY - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Farewell service for Rev Samuel Cyuma, as he retires from ministry.
SUNDAY 2ND JANUARY - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Trevor Williams with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
Weekly Message - from Jack
Thinking about the Psalms Psalm 8 vv 1-2
O Lord, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world /Your praise reaches up to the heavens.
It is sung by children and babies/ you are safe and secure from all your enemies, and stop anyone who opposes you.. GNB
O Lord, Our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth/ who hast set Thy Glory above the heavens/ Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Everything created sings out in praise of the Creator Excellent: in this context implies high exalted as well as perfection ‘The heavens' likewise is the sky or 'the firmament’, the vastness of the universe – there is no place or thing that does not praise. Here ‘exalted’ is not physical height, it implies might and authority. There is no one, nothing in the entire universe on the same level, nothing in creation can be greater than the Creator. The creator of all must be the ruler of all. The Glory of the Creator is there for all to see in the beauty and awesome power of crearion. Even the youngest, simplest mind can see and respond to the wonders of nature and, for a childhood shut off from the experience there is real deprivation. A friend who moved out into Essex from London as a child told me that they had never seen grass before !
Sadly, many wars have been waged in the Name of God. Most notorious and regretable The Crusades, although, as with the Religious Wars, between people of the same faith, there were a great number of historical, cultural and political issues involved. The assumption that ' my enemies are God's enemies' is always a misguided and tragic assumption.
During the American Civil War, one nation two ideologies, president Lincoln, applying a lawyers logic to the problem, remarked ‘Both parties claim that God is on their side – both may be right but only one CAN be right’
Wherever and whatever the conflict, God can only be on the side of peace.
O Lord, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world /Your praise reaches up to the heavens.
It is sung by children and babies/ you are safe and secure from all your enemies, and stop anyone who opposes you.. GNB
O Lord, Our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth/ who hast set Thy Glory above the heavens/ Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Everything created sings out in praise of the Creator Excellent: in this context implies high exalted as well as perfection ‘The heavens' likewise is the sky or 'the firmament’, the vastness of the universe – there is no place or thing that does not praise. Here ‘exalted’ is not physical height, it implies might and authority. There is no one, nothing in the entire universe on the same level, nothing in creation can be greater than the Creator. The creator of all must be the ruler of all. The Glory of the Creator is there for all to see in the beauty and awesome power of crearion. Even the youngest, simplest mind can see and respond to the wonders of nature and, for a childhood shut off from the experience there is real deprivation. A friend who moved out into Essex from London as a child told me that they had never seen grass before !
Sadly, many wars have been waged in the Name of God. Most notorious and regretable The Crusades, although, as with the Religious Wars, between people of the same faith, there were a great number of historical, cultural and political issues involved. The assumption that ' my enemies are God's enemies' is always a misguided and tragic assumption.
During the American Civil War, one nation two ideologies, president Lincoln, applying a lawyers logic to the problem, remarked ‘Both parties claim that God is on their side – both may be right but only one CAN be right’
Wherever and whatever the conflict, God can only be on the side of peace.
Weekly Message - from Jack
How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land Psalm 137 ;4 A.V.
I heard a story some time ago about a holiday visitor to the Costa somewhere who complained to the Travel Agent that it was full of Spaniards !
Clearly ,they should have been warned that ‘abroad ‘ was mostly inhabited by ‘foreigners’ !
The story speaks of a time, a few short months ago, before foreign travel became fraught with uncertainties, inconveniences and financial losses resulting from covid 19 restrictions . Not so long ago it was'nt to difficult to take ourselves, in a relatively short time, to ‘a strange land’ or, at least, a ‘strange land' that had become not so strange due to our familiarity with its ways. How we react makes all the difference to our holiday experience .We may find difference, strangeness, foreign-ness stimulating and enjoyable or, like our disillusioned sun – seeker , threatening and disturbing.
I have yet to hear the present health crisis called ‘a disaster of Biblical proportions’, a cliché frequently used to signify uncontrolably massive and unimaginable awful events. There is an example of one such disaster, literally of Biblical Scale in the final chapters of the second book of Kings and the Lamentations of Jeremiah.; the destruction of the City of Jerusalem and the deportation of the people of Judah. .
Like all enslaved and deported peoples, for all time and in all places they had no choice at all about their journey to a strange land.In their case it was somewhere near the city of Babylon in what is now Iraq.
In the longer term ,many of them settled down and prospered in their “strange land” but the memory of that first traumatic experience lived on .There was hurt, bewilderment and grieving for lost friends and family and, in addition, the dark sense of lost- ness and despair echoed in the anguished cry ‘How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land ?
It was as if they felt that even their God had abandoned and forgotten them.
In terms of Church life, we have found ourselves in a very strange land, friends , familiar routines, many of the things we loved are beyond our reach and we can’t sing the Lord's songs accept to ourselves, at home !
Now, with summer passing, the weather growing colder ( in spite of the present ‘ mini-heatwave’) and days shorter, our uncertainty, anxiety and stress may begin to feel darker and grimmer, our sense of isolation and lonliness more acute. We may find it even harder to ”Sing the Lord’s song “in our once familiar “strange land” but what matters is realising ,like the people of Judah in Babylon ,that it is where God wants us to be and discovering what it is that he wants us to do there.
Out of the tragedy and despair of the Biblical exiles grew a faith and trust that God had neither forgotten nor abandoned them and would, in His time, bring them to a good place; not the ‘old normal' as it had been but a better, 'new normal ' in which they would be free to worship, trust and serve as God had planned for them.
The place of our discipleship is today, not some idealised past or an uncertain and in some ways forbidding future. It is this world ,here and now in which we are placed : to work , to prove the quality of our Faith and to do God’s Will in Trust and Obedience.
And we have an extra resource; Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and for ever !
I heard a story some time ago about a holiday visitor to the Costa somewhere who complained to the Travel Agent that it was full of Spaniards !
Clearly ,they should have been warned that ‘abroad ‘ was mostly inhabited by ‘foreigners’ !
The story speaks of a time, a few short months ago, before foreign travel became fraught with uncertainties, inconveniences and financial losses resulting from covid 19 restrictions . Not so long ago it was'nt to difficult to take ourselves, in a relatively short time, to ‘a strange land’ or, at least, a ‘strange land' that had become not so strange due to our familiarity with its ways. How we react makes all the difference to our holiday experience .We may find difference, strangeness, foreign-ness stimulating and enjoyable or, like our disillusioned sun – seeker , threatening and disturbing.
I have yet to hear the present health crisis called ‘a disaster of Biblical proportions’, a cliché frequently used to signify uncontrolably massive and unimaginable awful events. There is an example of one such disaster, literally of Biblical Scale in the final chapters of the second book of Kings and the Lamentations of Jeremiah.; the destruction of the City of Jerusalem and the deportation of the people of Judah. .
Like all enslaved and deported peoples, for all time and in all places they had no choice at all about their journey to a strange land.In their case it was somewhere near the city of Babylon in what is now Iraq.
In the longer term ,many of them settled down and prospered in their “strange land” but the memory of that first traumatic experience lived on .There was hurt, bewilderment and grieving for lost friends and family and, in addition, the dark sense of lost- ness and despair echoed in the anguished cry ‘How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land ?
It was as if they felt that even their God had abandoned and forgotten them.
In terms of Church life, we have found ourselves in a very strange land, friends , familiar routines, many of the things we loved are beyond our reach and we can’t sing the Lord's songs accept to ourselves, at home !
Now, with summer passing, the weather growing colder ( in spite of the present ‘ mini-heatwave’) and days shorter, our uncertainty, anxiety and stress may begin to feel darker and grimmer, our sense of isolation and lonliness more acute. We may find it even harder to ”Sing the Lord’s song “in our once familiar “strange land” but what matters is realising ,like the people of Judah in Babylon ,that it is where God wants us to be and discovering what it is that he wants us to do there.
Out of the tragedy and despair of the Biblical exiles grew a faith and trust that God had neither forgotten nor abandoned them and would, in His time, bring them to a good place; not the ‘old normal' as it had been but a better, 'new normal ' in which they would be free to worship, trust and serve as God had planned for them.
The place of our discipleship is today, not some idealised past or an uncertain and in some ways forbidding future. It is this world ,here and now in which we are placed : to work , to prove the quality of our Faith and to do God’s Will in Trust and Obedience.
And we have an extra resource; Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and for ever !
SUNDAY 13TH SEPTEMBER - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Trevor Williams with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
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Weekly Message - from Jack
Be still and know that I am God Psalm 46;10 A.V.
It was twenty years ago now that we were the first people in a thousand years to experience not only a new century but a new Millenium.For no logical reason it was seen as a time for optimism and huge celebration although it was not without its anxieties. Remember the 'Millenium Bug’- the fear that the world's computers would be unable to reset from 1999 to 2000. Everything would come to halt, planes would fall out of the sky and there would be multiple motor accidents due to collapse of traffic control sytems !
Some concluded that such a moment must signify the end of the world and responded in various bizzare ways. I recall one group who gathered on a mountain top awaiting the arrival of a UFO and extra-terrestial aliens !
I remember having a sense of the oddities of time, encouraged by some spoilsport purist pointing out that 2001 was actually the right year to celebrate since it was actually the first year of the 21st century. The argument was that the year 2000 did not exist, like the two minutes between 23.59 and 00.01 on the 24 hour clock or the year between 1 B.C. and 1 A.D; although the event without which there would have been no Millenium probably happened in 6 BC !
How we struggle with time, and not just trying to get our minds around it either !
It passes either too slowly or far too quickly. When someone asked Albert Einstein in what way time was ‘relative’he replied ‘ when you are sitting holding hands with your beloved an hour seems like a few minutes – if you are sitting on a hot stove, a second feels like an hour !’
When we are young we ‘ can't wait' – for Christmas, the school holidays, our birthday, just to be ‘grown up’. An older, and much wiser person once said to me ‘ one day, you’ll wish you had all the time you’re wishing away' !
According to the wisdom of our age we are "time-poor" while many, many inhabitants of our ever shrinking earth have all the time in the world to discover what it means to be really poor.
Probably, like me, you have sometimes felt that there is insufficient time for all the desperately urgent things that should have been done yesterday and there never seem to be enough hours in the day or days in the week. Organisation and priorities can help keep us on an even keel but, on the other hand, we must not get too obsessed with schedules and deadlines:
Christians have another challenge that others do not experience. In their, often, well filled lives they are called to find time for God !
But, it might be argued, all our time belongs to God, whatever we are doing. This is clearly true but what we need is more focussed time. You might say time for God to find us: times of prayer, worship and reading the scriptures. Whatever our age and time in the Faith, we all need to go on growing: in spirituality, personal Discipleship and Faith. To discover what it means to be Members of our own church, of the great Church throughout the world and of the body of Christ.. Another question of time !
We can go on being slaves of time, marching to the music of time, eventually becoming victims of time; Or, as Michel Quoist (Prayers of Life) puts it, we can accept the invitation of God, who is above time, to fall in step with His time; To make time for other people, time for our loved ones, time for God, for His world and for the life of His Kingdom.
It was twenty years ago now that we were the first people in a thousand years to experience not only a new century but a new Millenium.For no logical reason it was seen as a time for optimism and huge celebration although it was not without its anxieties. Remember the 'Millenium Bug’- the fear that the world's computers would be unable to reset from 1999 to 2000. Everything would come to halt, planes would fall out of the sky and there would be multiple motor accidents due to collapse of traffic control sytems !
Some concluded that such a moment must signify the end of the world and responded in various bizzare ways. I recall one group who gathered on a mountain top awaiting the arrival of a UFO and extra-terrestial aliens !
I remember having a sense of the oddities of time, encouraged by some spoilsport purist pointing out that 2001 was actually the right year to celebrate since it was actually the first year of the 21st century. The argument was that the year 2000 did not exist, like the two minutes between 23.59 and 00.01 on the 24 hour clock or the year between 1 B.C. and 1 A.D; although the event without which there would have been no Millenium probably happened in 6 BC !
How we struggle with time, and not just trying to get our minds around it either !
It passes either too slowly or far too quickly. When someone asked Albert Einstein in what way time was ‘relative’he replied ‘ when you are sitting holding hands with your beloved an hour seems like a few minutes – if you are sitting on a hot stove, a second feels like an hour !’
When we are young we ‘ can't wait' – for Christmas, the school holidays, our birthday, just to be ‘grown up’. An older, and much wiser person once said to me ‘ one day, you’ll wish you had all the time you’re wishing away' !
According to the wisdom of our age we are "time-poor" while many, many inhabitants of our ever shrinking earth have all the time in the world to discover what it means to be really poor.
Probably, like me, you have sometimes felt that there is insufficient time for all the desperately urgent things that should have been done yesterday and there never seem to be enough hours in the day or days in the week. Organisation and priorities can help keep us on an even keel but, on the other hand, we must not get too obsessed with schedules and deadlines:
Christians have another challenge that others do not experience. In their, often, well filled lives they are called to find time for God !
But, it might be argued, all our time belongs to God, whatever we are doing. This is clearly true but what we need is more focussed time. You might say time for God to find us: times of prayer, worship and reading the scriptures. Whatever our age and time in the Faith, we all need to go on growing: in spirituality, personal Discipleship and Faith. To discover what it means to be Members of our own church, of the great Church throughout the world and of the body of Christ.. Another question of time !
We can go on being slaves of time, marching to the music of time, eventually becoming victims of time; Or, as Michel Quoist (Prayers of Life) puts it, we can accept the invitation of God, who is above time, to fall in step with His time; To make time for other people, time for our loved ones, time for God, for His world and for the life of His Kingdom.
SUNDAY 30TH AUGUST - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Jack Roche with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
Thought for the week:
Footprints in the sands of time:
Let us now sing the praise of famous men ---- There are others who are unremembered; they are dead,as if they had never existed, as though they had never been born;
Ecclesiasticus 44; 1 - - --- 9 Apochrypha N.E.B.
Back in March, British Achaeology reported that prehistoric human footprints had been observed on the beach at Happisburg, Norfolk. Fortunately there is a photographic record because, three weeks later, they were washed away by the sea !
Who were these early Britons ?– where were they going ?- what were they doing on the beach ?
They were born, lived out their ( probably short) lives, and left this unintentional record of their existence, their footprints. They remained for millenia, presumably unseen, until their appearance in the 21st century, shortly before they were washed away for ever.
This is probably down to coastal erosion so that the place where the footprints were made has only (relatively !) recently become beach, to be washed away in its turn.
For millenia, the east coast was linked to Northern Europe by 'Doggerland' - hills, valleys, forests, rivers, where humans settled, made stone tools, hunted and gathered the wild fruits of the land - all now deep under the waters of the North Sea !
So those feet may have walked in lands now lost to human eyes !
Archaeolgy can sometimes present these faint, poignant whispers of the past: the finger-tip indentations on a prehistoric pot, the army issue cooking pot on which the Roman legionary has scratched his initials and unit number, a dog’s footprint on a Roman roof tile.
These are the casual unintended memorials of ordinary life – quite different from the carved initials or scrawled grafitti, a concious reaction to the fear of annonymity, obscurity, the.
meaningleness of existence.
Ecclesiasticus is a book that seldom features as a regular bible reading, being one of the books in the Apochrypha, a collection of writings recognized as part of the Scriptures by the Catholic Church and included in its modern translation, the Jerusalem Bible, but usually omitted from other Bibles.
Some of the books in the Apochrypha relate to people and events in the Old Testament but have been recognized as originating in the years between the Old and New Testaments and are mostly in Greek or Aramaic rather than Hebrew. Consequently the Jewish Scholars accepted them as having some spiritual value but excluded them from the Old Testament proper.
Most of Ecclesiasticus strongly resembles the book of Proverbs until Ch 44 when it opens with this call to praise ‘famous men’ and then, rather like the writer of Hebrews, goes on to name the great men (mostly !) of faith and achievement the in the Old Testament. Then, rather sadly, verse nine opines that those who fail to make the 'hall of fame', who achieve nothing noteworthy may as well have never lived, forgotten as if they had never been born, lost footprints in the sands of time !
Whoever he was, he was quite wrong ! Footprints in the Sand, the popular and much loved modern parable, tell us so !
Few of us will ever achieve ‘fame’ - be commended to the admiration of future generations by statue, plaque or commemoration. But such things Paul wrote, I count as so much garbage compared with knowing Christ as my Saviour.
Whoever we are, however the world sees and judges us – we have a Saviour who walks with us every step of the way and carries us when the going gets tough !
Footprints in the sands of time:
Let us now sing the praise of famous men ---- There are others who are unremembered; they are dead,as if they had never existed, as though they had never been born;
Ecclesiasticus 44; 1 - - --- 9 Apochrypha N.E.B.
Back in March, British Achaeology reported that prehistoric human footprints had been observed on the beach at Happisburg, Norfolk. Fortunately there is a photographic record because, three weeks later, they were washed away by the sea !
Who were these early Britons ?– where were they going ?- what were they doing on the beach ?
They were born, lived out their ( probably short) lives, and left this unintentional record of their existence, their footprints. They remained for millenia, presumably unseen, until their appearance in the 21st century, shortly before they were washed away for ever.
This is probably down to coastal erosion so that the place where the footprints were made has only (relatively !) recently become beach, to be washed away in its turn.
For millenia, the east coast was linked to Northern Europe by 'Doggerland' - hills, valleys, forests, rivers, where humans settled, made stone tools, hunted and gathered the wild fruits of the land - all now deep under the waters of the North Sea !
So those feet may have walked in lands now lost to human eyes !
Archaeolgy can sometimes present these faint, poignant whispers of the past: the finger-tip indentations on a prehistoric pot, the army issue cooking pot on which the Roman legionary has scratched his initials and unit number, a dog’s footprint on a Roman roof tile.
These are the casual unintended memorials of ordinary life – quite different from the carved initials or scrawled grafitti, a concious reaction to the fear of annonymity, obscurity, the.
meaningleness of existence.
Ecclesiasticus is a book that seldom features as a regular bible reading, being one of the books in the Apochrypha, a collection of writings recognized as part of the Scriptures by the Catholic Church and included in its modern translation, the Jerusalem Bible, but usually omitted from other Bibles.
Some of the books in the Apochrypha relate to people and events in the Old Testament but have been recognized as originating in the years between the Old and New Testaments and are mostly in Greek or Aramaic rather than Hebrew. Consequently the Jewish Scholars accepted them as having some spiritual value but excluded them from the Old Testament proper.
Most of Ecclesiasticus strongly resembles the book of Proverbs until Ch 44 when it opens with this call to praise ‘famous men’ and then, rather like the writer of Hebrews, goes on to name the great men (mostly !) of faith and achievement the in the Old Testament. Then, rather sadly, verse nine opines that those who fail to make the 'hall of fame', who achieve nothing noteworthy may as well have never lived, forgotten as if they had never been born, lost footprints in the sands of time !
Whoever he was, he was quite wrong ! Footprints in the Sand, the popular and much loved modern parable, tell us so !
Few of us will ever achieve ‘fame’ - be commended to the admiration of future generations by statue, plaque or commemoration. But such things Paul wrote, I count as so much garbage compared with knowing Christ as my Saviour.
Whoever we are, however the world sees and judges us – we have a Saviour who walks with us every step of the way and carries us when the going gets tough !
SUNDAY 16TH AUGUST - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Samuel Cyuma with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 2ND AUGUST - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Trevor Williams with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 26TH JULY - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Samuel Cyuma with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 19TH JULY - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Samuel Cyuma with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 12TH JULY - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Jack Roche with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
Thought for the Week - Week Commencing 6th July
Its free and always will be Facebook slogan until 2019 when changed to Its quick and easy
Listen to my excellent words, all I tell you is right.
What I say is the truth; lies are hateful to me.
Everything I say is true;
Nothing is false or misleading.
Proverbs 8;1-8
The book of Proverbs belongs to what the Old Testament scholars call ‘Wisdom Literature’. This covers the division of the Jewish Scriptures called ‘Writings’ - everything that doesn't belong in the other two sections, ‘Law’ and 'Prophets'.
Much of ‘Proverbs', even the word ‘proverb' has become common knowledge in English as words of advice, caution or just ‘common sense' in the form of short, memorable sayings. Also included in the Biblical 'Proverbs' are exrtended, poetic passages, such as the above, in praise of Wisdom, written as if it were 'Wisdom'.speaking.
One point of interest is that ‘Wisdom' is presented as female ( one half of the human race would probably say ‘ obviously' !) There are also strong suggestions that it is a pre-Christian concept of Logos, the active Word of God and, possibly, the Holy Spirit.
The book of Proverbs still, today, offers timely warnings of false, deceptive,lying words and devious motives but it states categorically that ‘Wisdom' offers 'truth' - by definition, trustworthy, unvarnished - the whole truth and nothing but the truth !
The challenge to Facebook's original slogan followed accusations that its services are nor ‘free’: It aquires information about us which it then passes on to advertising companies, If that sounds incomprehesible it’s following the rationale of ‘Information Technology' that knowledge and information are commodities with monetary value.
Facebook has, I know, been enormously valuable in ( cliché alert !) these difficult times, even a life-saver or at least sanity preserver. Some years ago, an old lady of 90+ of my aquaintance was introduced to Facebook. She never used her computer for anything else but it changed her life and seemed to take years off her !
We have seen incredible levels of support for good causes via social media while, on the much darker side, young people and celebrities alike are subject to ‘cyber bullying' , ‘internet trolls' and 'scams'.There seems to be some kind of universal law that any new discovery will evetually be used for all the wrong reasons: The Internet – a worldwide commonwealth of ideas- becomes better know as a paradise for fraudsters while ‘social media’ is notorious for uses that are, to say the least, anti-social.
The Old Testament makes no bones about it – Wisdom is a gift from God, only available to the godly while the opposite, foolishness, defines the ungodly; Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom (Proverbs 1;7) while The fool has said in his heart, there is no God ! (Psalm 14;1)
This is not to claim that Christians are a unique source of Wisdom, knowledge, common sense, reliability, even – let's admit it- truthfulness and in a world were 'truth' often means ‘what I would like other people to think is true' and ‘fake news’ has become a political asset, where is that ultimate source of 'Wisdom' to be found- who,or what, can we trust ?
In Paul’s day there was the same problem, even without the technology and even if no one had coined the phrase 'fake news’. His letters are full of warnings about tempting but misleading philosophies, cults that offered amazing revelations – false prophets and soothsayers ‘on the make’- he spoke of those who assailed his own reputation with falsehoods and slander.
Paul refers his readers to the Lord who could fairly claim 'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life' and in his own inimitable style assures us that ‘ He is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God’
(1 Corinthians 1; 24)
Listen to my excellent words, all I tell you is right.
What I say is the truth; lies are hateful to me.
Everything I say is true;
Nothing is false or misleading.
Proverbs 8;1-8
The book of Proverbs belongs to what the Old Testament scholars call ‘Wisdom Literature’. This covers the division of the Jewish Scriptures called ‘Writings’ - everything that doesn't belong in the other two sections, ‘Law’ and 'Prophets'.
Much of ‘Proverbs', even the word ‘proverb' has become common knowledge in English as words of advice, caution or just ‘common sense' in the form of short, memorable sayings. Also included in the Biblical 'Proverbs' are exrtended, poetic passages, such as the above, in praise of Wisdom, written as if it were 'Wisdom'.speaking.
One point of interest is that ‘Wisdom' is presented as female ( one half of the human race would probably say ‘ obviously' !) There are also strong suggestions that it is a pre-Christian concept of Logos, the active Word of God and, possibly, the Holy Spirit.
The book of Proverbs still, today, offers timely warnings of false, deceptive,lying words and devious motives but it states categorically that ‘Wisdom' offers 'truth' - by definition, trustworthy, unvarnished - the whole truth and nothing but the truth !
The challenge to Facebook's original slogan followed accusations that its services are nor ‘free’: It aquires information about us which it then passes on to advertising companies, If that sounds incomprehesible it’s following the rationale of ‘Information Technology' that knowledge and information are commodities with monetary value.
Facebook has, I know, been enormously valuable in ( cliché alert !) these difficult times, even a life-saver or at least sanity preserver. Some years ago, an old lady of 90+ of my aquaintance was introduced to Facebook. She never used her computer for anything else but it changed her life and seemed to take years off her !
We have seen incredible levels of support for good causes via social media while, on the much darker side, young people and celebrities alike are subject to ‘cyber bullying' , ‘internet trolls' and 'scams'.There seems to be some kind of universal law that any new discovery will evetually be used for all the wrong reasons: The Internet – a worldwide commonwealth of ideas- becomes better know as a paradise for fraudsters while ‘social media’ is notorious for uses that are, to say the least, anti-social.
The Old Testament makes no bones about it – Wisdom is a gift from God, only available to the godly while the opposite, foolishness, defines the ungodly; Fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom (Proverbs 1;7) while The fool has said in his heart, there is no God ! (Psalm 14;1)
This is not to claim that Christians are a unique source of Wisdom, knowledge, common sense, reliability, even – let's admit it- truthfulness and in a world were 'truth' often means ‘what I would like other people to think is true' and ‘fake news’ has become a political asset, where is that ultimate source of 'Wisdom' to be found- who,or what, can we trust ?
In Paul’s day there was the same problem, even without the technology and even if no one had coined the phrase 'fake news’. His letters are full of warnings about tempting but misleading philosophies, cults that offered amazing revelations – false prophets and soothsayers ‘on the make’- he spoke of those who assailed his own reputation with falsehoods and slander.
Paul refers his readers to the Lord who could fairly claim 'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life' and in his own inimitable style assures us that ‘ He is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God’
(1 Corinthians 1; 24)
SUNDAY 5TH JULY - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join Trevor Williams with this Sunday mornings worship. Available to watch from 10:30am on Sunday.
SUNDAY 28TH JUNE - VIDEO SERVICE FROM CHRIST CHURCH
Join us for our first video service brought to you from Christ Church Wickford. Join us again Sunday 5th July.
ORDER OF SUNDAY SERVICE
21 – 06 – 2020
Acts 2; 43-47
The theme for General Assembly some years ago was ‘What on Earth is the Church For’- a question that we are being forced to consider at the moment and perhaps discovering that we are not too sure of the answer ourselves ! In the second chapter of Acts the earliest ever answer to the question !
Koinonia, a fairly common word, was given a very special significance to the life of the Believers together: Beyond the idea of Fellowship , it was having ALL things in common .- food, money, property, everything!
A form of Church life that was born of their enthusiasm for their new life in Christ, never became an established practice, but it’s a reminder that the Church is essentially people, relationships, with each other and with Christ.
What makes anyone who comes in ,come again ,even make habit of it ?
Beyond the conventional welcome – a feeling of coming home”, such an indefinable ‘feel good’ factor that just wants to be part of it, to belong !
Prayer Throughout the New Testament we find the Church praying- for guidance and strength, giving thanks for blessings, praying for each other , for the sick, for forgiveness ,even for authorities that were persecuting them!
Deep ,all embracing ,trusting prayer. nothing too mundane , trivial ,basic ,no situation too hopeless to bring to God in prayer and rises from the roots of the soul to lift up those who cannot, or will not pray for themselves.
Apostles Teaching: That first generation of Believers heard the Gospel from the Apostles, the very words of Jesus. They treasured every word, remembered ,eventually wrote them down. Somehow it became a dead Word, locked away, too dangerous for the common people – it took a hard, long ,cruel struggle to set The Word free – to change the course of history, nations, whole societies. The Word that, for many today, is all they have to confront evil, oppression, injustice, violence, crushing persecution, Whatever it demands of us in our time, our Calling is to be open for the Holy Spirit and the Living Word of God to Lead us where He wills ?
‘What is the Church for?’ What its always been for !
To treasure and safeguard the Gospel- not for ourselves but for a world that will only realise its value when it has finally lost it – To be a place of prayer lifting up the world, our nation our neighbours to the throne of grace. A people of prayer: lives ,work ,witness undergirded and steeped in prayer.
Breaking bread and sharing the cup to live out our fellowship together. Belonging to one another because together we belong to Christ.
The theme for General Assembly some years ago was ‘What on Earth is the Church For’- a question that we are being forced to consider at the moment and perhaps discovering that we are not too sure of the answer ourselves ! In the second chapter of Acts the earliest ever answer to the question !
Koinonia, a fairly common word, was given a very special significance to the life of the Believers together: Beyond the idea of Fellowship , it was having ALL things in common .- food, money, property, everything!
A form of Church life that was born of their enthusiasm for their new life in Christ, never became an established practice, but it’s a reminder that the Church is essentially people, relationships, with each other and with Christ.
What makes anyone who comes in ,come again ,even make habit of it ?
Beyond the conventional welcome – a feeling of coming home”, such an indefinable ‘feel good’ factor that just wants to be part of it, to belong !
Prayer Throughout the New Testament we find the Church praying- for guidance and strength, giving thanks for blessings, praying for each other , for the sick, for forgiveness ,even for authorities that were persecuting them!
Deep ,all embracing ,trusting prayer. nothing too mundane , trivial ,basic ,no situation too hopeless to bring to God in prayer and rises from the roots of the soul to lift up those who cannot, or will not pray for themselves.
Apostles Teaching: That first generation of Believers heard the Gospel from the Apostles, the very words of Jesus. They treasured every word, remembered ,eventually wrote them down. Somehow it became a dead Word, locked away, too dangerous for the common people – it took a hard, long ,cruel struggle to set The Word free – to change the course of history, nations, whole societies. The Word that, for many today, is all they have to confront evil, oppression, injustice, violence, crushing persecution, Whatever it demands of us in our time, our Calling is to be open for the Holy Spirit and the Living Word of God to Lead us where He wills ?
‘What is the Church for?’ What its always been for !
To treasure and safeguard the Gospel- not for ourselves but for a world that will only realise its value when it has finally lost it – To be a place of prayer lifting up the world, our nation our neighbours to the throne of grace. A people of prayer: lives ,work ,witness undergirded and steeped in prayer.
Breaking bread and sharing the cup to live out our fellowship together. Belonging to one another because together we belong to Christ.
Thought of the week (Week Commencing: 15th June)
Isaiah 43; 16-21
A few days ago I seized a window of opportunity to mow the lawn !
I had been putting it off with the excuse that it was too dry and the grass wasn’t growing much anyway - then we had some rain, so too wet to cut !
The window of opportunity was a brief dry spell which I suspected, rightly as it turned out, would not last – So, when the rain came again I could admire my lawn neatly trimmed and looking fresh and green !
Walking up and down with the lawn mower provides useful thinking time and I found myself looking back in wonder at the length of time that we have been in this strange situation. We had a great deal of church activity planned for Lent, Easter and beyond but other concerns intervened and we have spent that time trying to keep together though apart and almost trying to remember what church was like !
It isn’t easy, even for the best Bilical scholars and linguists, to place the prophecies of isaiah in their historical context and there are numerous occasions when God’s people are discouraged from looking back at the expense of looking to the future. This passage could well fit the plight of the people of Judah, the last free remnant of the israelite tribes until they too were conquered by the Kingdom of Babylon and carried off into captivity, somewhere in modern Iraq.
Eventually many of them adjusted to the ‘new normal' settled down, went into business, prospered and did not want to go back even when the chance was offered to them but this would have been the early days, when the sense of hurt and loss was still fresh and sharp. The line in psalm 137 says it all – How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land ?
It took time and a lot of faith to overcome their vision of the future as a return to the past and accept the ‘New Thing' that God was doing. That involved, equally, those who stayed away, eventually creating the ‘diaspora’ Jewish communities all over the civilized world, and 'the remnant' that returned to Jerusalem and found its fulfillment in the new Testament.
When mowing the lawn, I always think of the words of a church friend who, like many others in that church, was a farmer. He likened life to ploughing a straight furrow: Fix your eyes on a point ahead as your guide and don’t keep looking back !
Eventually, the year that never was will be behind us and we be able to look out for the new thing that God is doing.
The Christian congregation in Rome was functioning under great pressure, not least in the difficulties involved in meeting together. Offically, they did not even have the legal right to exist. Their only consolation was to fix their eyes upon Jesus (Hebrews 12.2) Author and Finisher of our Faith (KJV) , on whom our Faith depends from beginning to end (GNB) or pioneer and perfector of our Faith ( RSV), I like the idea of ‘pioneer' someone we can trust to know the way because he walked it before us.
-Jack Roche
A few days ago I seized a window of opportunity to mow the lawn !
I had been putting it off with the excuse that it was too dry and the grass wasn’t growing much anyway - then we had some rain, so too wet to cut !
The window of opportunity was a brief dry spell which I suspected, rightly as it turned out, would not last – So, when the rain came again I could admire my lawn neatly trimmed and looking fresh and green !
Walking up and down with the lawn mower provides useful thinking time and I found myself looking back in wonder at the length of time that we have been in this strange situation. We had a great deal of church activity planned for Lent, Easter and beyond but other concerns intervened and we have spent that time trying to keep together though apart and almost trying to remember what church was like !
It isn’t easy, even for the best Bilical scholars and linguists, to place the prophecies of isaiah in their historical context and there are numerous occasions when God’s people are discouraged from looking back at the expense of looking to the future. This passage could well fit the plight of the people of Judah, the last free remnant of the israelite tribes until they too were conquered by the Kingdom of Babylon and carried off into captivity, somewhere in modern Iraq.
Eventually many of them adjusted to the ‘new normal' settled down, went into business, prospered and did not want to go back even when the chance was offered to them but this would have been the early days, when the sense of hurt and loss was still fresh and sharp. The line in psalm 137 says it all – How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land ?
It took time and a lot of faith to overcome their vision of the future as a return to the past and accept the ‘New Thing' that God was doing. That involved, equally, those who stayed away, eventually creating the ‘diaspora’ Jewish communities all over the civilized world, and 'the remnant' that returned to Jerusalem and found its fulfillment in the new Testament.
When mowing the lawn, I always think of the words of a church friend who, like many others in that church, was a farmer. He likened life to ploughing a straight furrow: Fix your eyes on a point ahead as your guide and don’t keep looking back !
Eventually, the year that never was will be behind us and we be able to look out for the new thing that God is doing.
The Christian congregation in Rome was functioning under great pressure, not least in the difficulties involved in meeting together. Offically, they did not even have the legal right to exist. Their only consolation was to fix their eyes upon Jesus (Hebrews 12.2) Author and Finisher of our Faith (KJV) , on whom our Faith depends from beginning to end (GNB) or pioneer and perfector of our Faith ( RSV), I like the idea of ‘pioneer' someone we can trust to know the way because he walked it before us.
-Jack Roche
ORDER OF SUNDAY SERVICE
14 – 06 – 2020
GREETING & SCRIPTURE SENTENCE
Good morning everybody. Let us “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever…” (Psalm 100)
Hymn: I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart (sing twice)
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING
Lord Jesus, there is heaven in your eyes of compassion - noticing human fears and tiredness, and yearning to see people gathered and refreshed.
Lord, there is heaven in your voice of possibility – knowing that the harvest is ready, good fruit in lives that seemed bruised and dry.
Lord, heavens is near, when you are near; the kingdom is here, for you are here. Save us, summon us, show us, scatter us – to discover the real of Good News, and the reign of grace; in your name we pray. Amen.
Lord Jesus, there is heaven in your eyes of compassion - noticing human fears and tiredness, and yearning to see people gathered and refreshed.
Lord, there is heaven in your voice of possibility – knowing that the harvest is ready, good fruit in lives that seemed bruised and dry.
Lord, heavens is near, when you are near; the kingdom is here, for you are here. Save us, summon us, show us, scatter us – to discover the real of Good News, and the reign of grace; in your name we pray. Amen.
READINGS:
Exodus 19:3-8
3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Nowif you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
Matthew 9: 35-10:1, 5-8
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
10: 1, 5-8Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, and drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”
Hymn: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed thy name
Exodus 19:3-8
3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Nowif you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”
7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. 8 The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.
Matthew 9: 35-10:1, 5-8
35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
10: 1, 5-8Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
5 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, and drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”
Hymn: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed thy name
SERMON
BRINGING THE KINGDOM OF GOD CLOSERNow if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession (Ex 19:5).
God said to Moses to go to the people of Israel:
“You are going to say how I carried them on eagles’ wings and brought them to myself. Moses summoned the elders of the people and told them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. All the people responded: ‘we will do everything the Lord has said.’”
This lesson represents the success in God’s mission, and provides the template and steps we who are involved in God’s work should follow, how God’s message through his messengers should be received: we should listen to God and obey his command, in order to encourage the people to respond positively.
That is the process by which God’s kingdom comes: messengers listening and obeying God. Sharing no more than God’s – original – will/message with the people. Like Moses, Paul to paraphrase the process above, he told the Romans that they have been justified through faith, so they have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. They also glory in their sufferings and know that suffering produces perseverance, character and hope. This ought to emerge through our message, testimony, feeling for this time; we should express it in plane words.
The lesson from Exodus applied to the time of the disciples. But we learn from Matthew 9:35 (ff) that Jesus also went to all the towns teaching, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom and healing every disease. Surely, the message also applies to us; the Lord does the same among us; he sees our sufferings and anxieties even as we speak. Yet, in Matthew’s time, the Lord noticed that the people were harassed and helpless; then he had compassion on them. Likewise, the Lord watches over us and knows that things like these are happening now with us too. As he saw the need for the disciples to go doing the same as he did when he was on earth: telling the disciples to Go in their turn proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven has come near, having the authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease; in this way, the Lord wants us to do our best.
Friends, the issue today is not literally about the leprosy, or raising the dead or drive out demons as such, these issues are also here in other forms and need to be tackled. God is telling us to obey him fully and keep his promise that out of all nations we become his treasured possession. Justified by faith we go and proclaim the coming of God’s kingdom nearer to the people. Clothed with the Spirit, God’s power, let us get up, do our best, starting from where we are. The signs of the kingdom’s coming are the healing, all forms of afflictions, demons driven out and the people expressing their gratefulness in Jesus’ name. Amen.
BRINGING THE KINGDOM OF GOD CLOSERNow if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession (Ex 19:5).
God said to Moses to go to the people of Israel:
“You are going to say how I carried them on eagles’ wings and brought them to myself. Moses summoned the elders of the people and told them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak. All the people responded: ‘we will do everything the Lord has said.’”
This lesson represents the success in God’s mission, and provides the template and steps we who are involved in God’s work should follow, how God’s message through his messengers should be received: we should listen to God and obey his command, in order to encourage the people to respond positively.
That is the process by which God’s kingdom comes: messengers listening and obeying God. Sharing no more than God’s – original – will/message with the people. Like Moses, Paul to paraphrase the process above, he told the Romans that they have been justified through faith, so they have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. They also glory in their sufferings and know that suffering produces perseverance, character and hope. This ought to emerge through our message, testimony, feeling for this time; we should express it in plane words.
The lesson from Exodus applied to the time of the disciples. But we learn from Matthew 9:35 (ff) that Jesus also went to all the towns teaching, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom and healing every disease. Surely, the message also applies to us; the Lord does the same among us; he sees our sufferings and anxieties even as we speak. Yet, in Matthew’s time, the Lord noticed that the people were harassed and helpless; then he had compassion on them. Likewise, the Lord watches over us and knows that things like these are happening now with us too. As he saw the need for the disciples to go doing the same as he did when he was on earth: telling the disciples to Go in their turn proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven has come near, having the authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease; in this way, the Lord wants us to do our best.
Friends, the issue today is not literally about the leprosy, or raising the dead or drive out demons as such, these issues are also here in other forms and need to be tackled. God is telling us to obey him fully and keep his promise that out of all nations we become his treasured possession. Justified by faith we go and proclaim the coming of God’s kingdom nearer to the people. Clothed with the Spirit, God’s power, let us get up, do our best, starting from where we are. The signs of the kingdom’s coming are the healing, all forms of afflictions, demons driven out and the people expressing their gratefulness in Jesus’ name. Amen.
INTERCESSIONS AND OFFERING
Dear Father, thank you for all your goodness in simple words that are big with mercy. We recognise more your presence in our lives during very difficult times such as these. We continue to pray that your protection and healing be manifest once again. Show your power to members of our congregation who are most afflicted, so that they may feel surrounded by your love. We pray for our families, our church, our country and the world that the fury of those who suffer from injustice and racism diminish, but rather expose the suffering by reasonable means for better solution. We pray also that the offering we prepare to give will be the source of blessing to us and to those we want to serve, and that your will be done among us and beyond. For these in your glorious name we pray. Amen.
Hymn: Colours of Day
Dear Father, thank you for all your goodness in simple words that are big with mercy. We recognise more your presence in our lives during very difficult times such as these. We continue to pray that your protection and healing be manifest once again. Show your power to members of our congregation who are most afflicted, so that they may feel surrounded by your love. We pray for our families, our church, our country and the world that the fury of those who suffer from injustice and racism diminish, but rather expose the suffering by reasonable means for better solution. We pray also that the offering we prepare to give will be the source of blessing to us and to those we want to serve, and that your will be done among us and beyond. For these in your glorious name we pray. Amen.
Hymn: Colours of Day
BLESSING
God of mercy and love, stay with us in this difficult time. Bless those who worshipped you today, and those they have blessed in your name.
And the love of God: Father and Son, and the fellowship with the Holy Spirit, be with us all, and forever more. Amen.
God of mercy and love, stay with us in this difficult time. Bless those who worshipped you today, and those they have blessed in your name.
And the love of God: Father and Son, and the fellowship with the Holy Spirit, be with us all, and forever more. Amen.
Thought of the week (Week Commencing: 8th June)
Psalm 8 Read the psalm from the King James (Authorised) version for the poetry alongside a newer translation for clarity.
Everyone agrees that verse 2 is very difficult to understand. ‘Strength' out of the mouths of babes and sucklings’ or 'Praise sung by children and babies' GNB and safety from enemies. Proverbially, ‘out of the mouths of babes --- ' has come to refer to the simple common sense of a child cutting through the clutter and complications of the adult mind and much attention has focused on the reactions and responses of children to the current situation and the extra attention from home-bound parents that it has brought.
I came across an example of ‘babes and suckings’ outwitting adult authority from China. Schools were closed there very early in the Corona virus outbreak and the government produced an ‘AP’ for home education. The government controls everything that goes on by phone of computer and Aps are closely monitored and taken down if public approval falls below a certain level. So the ‘babes and sucklings’ sent in a huge number of negative ratings, and the 'home education ap' was automatically taken down !
I sometimes have some doubts about the reassuring images on our screens of happy families all coping together with the ‘new reality’. Even the happiest families can eventually have had too much of each others company and for some, the reality is being locked up in a far from safe and happy environment. It was in the news today that reported domestic violence has increased by fifty percent since the ‘lockdown’ began !
‘The strengh' of the young is in their boundless optimism and ability to adjust and cope with whatever is their reality, while I have heard of adults becoming so fixated with the Corona situation that they have to listen in to every bit of news and obsess over every new statistic. and others who admit to themselves that they are no longer thinking rationally.
This psalm is quite clear about two things. The Lord reigns. we stand before the vastness of the universe, and we know it to be unimaginably greater than the psalmist could have know, and feel insignificant and puny. Yet God made it, gave us an alloted place in it and cares for each one of us. Where viruses fit into Creation is something that theologians might argue and theorise about but the ‘bottom line’ is Corona virus doesn’t reign – come what may, The Lord reigns !
Be Joyful always, pray at all times, Be thankful in all circumstances
1 Thessalonians 5;16-17
Joyful, prayerful, thankful ? and why not ? It's the 'all' and 'always' that is the extra challenge !
Always Joyful, even when we have a great deal to be unhappy about ?
It must be that there is much more to 'joy' than just 'happiness'.. Perhaps an inner peace, assurance, calm even when we are deeply unhappy, even plunged in grief.
If this is so, it is quite beyond human attainment. It is a gift of God, pure Grace, nothing that we can earn or do for ourselves.
Prayer 'at all times' doesn't mean a constant repetition of words or a life of devotion to the exclusion of everything else. It has to become an ongoing, unconscious activity. Like a friendship that does not need words to prove its existence.
From here, it then becomes possible to be thankful, even in all circumstances !
It isn't pretending that bad things are really good things if only we could see it, nor is it a stoical indifference to good and bad alike. Our thankfulness is because whatever the circumstances, we know that we can never be separated from 'The love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord'
(Romans 8; 39)
-Jack Roche
Everyone agrees that verse 2 is very difficult to understand. ‘Strength' out of the mouths of babes and sucklings’ or 'Praise sung by children and babies' GNB and safety from enemies. Proverbially, ‘out of the mouths of babes --- ' has come to refer to the simple common sense of a child cutting through the clutter and complications of the adult mind and much attention has focused on the reactions and responses of children to the current situation and the extra attention from home-bound parents that it has brought.
I came across an example of ‘babes and suckings’ outwitting adult authority from China. Schools were closed there very early in the Corona virus outbreak and the government produced an ‘AP’ for home education. The government controls everything that goes on by phone of computer and Aps are closely monitored and taken down if public approval falls below a certain level. So the ‘babes and sucklings’ sent in a huge number of negative ratings, and the 'home education ap' was automatically taken down !
I sometimes have some doubts about the reassuring images on our screens of happy families all coping together with the ‘new reality’. Even the happiest families can eventually have had too much of each others company and for some, the reality is being locked up in a far from safe and happy environment. It was in the news today that reported domestic violence has increased by fifty percent since the ‘lockdown’ began !
‘The strengh' of the young is in their boundless optimism and ability to adjust and cope with whatever is their reality, while I have heard of adults becoming so fixated with the Corona situation that they have to listen in to every bit of news and obsess over every new statistic. and others who admit to themselves that they are no longer thinking rationally.
This psalm is quite clear about two things. The Lord reigns. we stand before the vastness of the universe, and we know it to be unimaginably greater than the psalmist could have know, and feel insignificant and puny. Yet God made it, gave us an alloted place in it and cares for each one of us. Where viruses fit into Creation is something that theologians might argue and theorise about but the ‘bottom line’ is Corona virus doesn’t reign – come what may, The Lord reigns !
Be Joyful always, pray at all times, Be thankful in all circumstances
1 Thessalonians 5;16-17
Joyful, prayerful, thankful ? and why not ? It's the 'all' and 'always' that is the extra challenge !
Always Joyful, even when we have a great deal to be unhappy about ?
It must be that there is much more to 'joy' than just 'happiness'.. Perhaps an inner peace, assurance, calm even when we are deeply unhappy, even plunged in grief.
If this is so, it is quite beyond human attainment. It is a gift of God, pure Grace, nothing that we can earn or do for ourselves.
Prayer 'at all times' doesn't mean a constant repetition of words or a life of devotion to the exclusion of everything else. It has to become an ongoing, unconscious activity. Like a friendship that does not need words to prove its existence.
From here, it then becomes possible to be thankful, even in all circumstances !
It isn't pretending that bad things are really good things if only we could see it, nor is it a stoical indifference to good and bad alike. Our thankfulness is because whatever the circumstances, we know that we can never be separated from 'The love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord'
(Romans 8; 39)
-Jack Roche
ORDER OF SERVICE
Trinity Sunday - 07 – 06 – 2020
SCRIPTURE SENTENCE (2 Corinthians 11-13)
Brothers and sisters … strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
Brothers and sisters … strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
PRAYERS
We confess, O Lord that we have limited who has access to your love by our unwillingness to reach out to those unlike us. We have deprived people of the Good News of Christ, and deprived ourselves of the gifts and relationships you have for us. Forgive our overprotective hearts and narrow minds, and give us holy boldness to share your boundless love. We pray this day for all families everywhere. We ask that you might be especially close to those experiencing times of difficulty or need. So, open our hearts to worship you together and share the joy we experience in you. Send the power of your Spirit that we understand today’s message for us, and subsequently put it into practice.
(We say together): Our Father, who art in heaven, hollowed by thy … Amen.
We confess, O Lord that we have limited who has access to your love by our unwillingness to reach out to those unlike us. We have deprived people of the Good News of Christ, and deprived ourselves of the gifts and relationships you have for us. Forgive our overprotective hearts and narrow minds, and give us holy boldness to share your boundless love. We pray this day for all families everywhere. We ask that you might be especially close to those experiencing times of difficulty or need. So, open our hearts to worship you together and share the joy we experience in you. Send the power of your Spirit that we understand today’s message for us, and subsequently put it into practice.
(We say together): Our Father, who art in heaven, hollowed by thy … Amen.
READINGS (2 Corinthians 13:11-13)
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All God’s people here send their greetings.
Matthew 28:16-20 The Great Commission
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All God’s people here send their greetings.
Matthew 28:16-20 The Great Commission
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
SERMON
Rejoice; strive for full restoration. Encourage one another. Be of one mind, and live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
(2 Corinthians 13:11-13 & Matthew 28:16-20)
Today is Trinity Sunday: God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have been revealed. The message stresses the Great Commission, which is about going into the world to fulfil what Jesus commanded his disciples to do. It includes Christ’s promise to be always with His disciples. So, we have two things: the commandand the promise. This promise anticipates the coming of the Holy Spirit.
The saying in my culture goes: “God helps those who also helps themselves.” It means that you won’t be blamed for not doing anything, if you have no means, no physical energy or money, provided you triedand had the eagerness or willingness. Successes, fulfilments or accomplishments are mostly seen first as results of one’s own effort that is blessed by God. The good news is that we are aware, well informed of what God wants: God said it and Christ explained in plain words. Yet, the Holy Spirit guides us constantly to what is the will of God.
This happens also in many other ways, including Sunday preaching, our Bible readings, prayers and many more opportunity offered by the members of the Church or its leaders. We have very good example from the first disciples. Jesus called them and taught them. Before returning to the heavens, he gave the plan of action to his disciples and other followers: to pray always and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance, to make more disciples of all nations to the end of the world, by teaching people to obey whatever Christ has commanded the disciples.
The Gospel reading for this morning shows us that the Disciples of Christ had been attentively listening to his commands and teaching: and when they saw him, they recognised him. Thus, they worshiped him. They showed the very signs of maturity: that is why Christ told them precisely,
“Go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The two parallel things the command and the promise are together. Then, our saying is true: if you move, God comes to help. The only thing missing in our cultural understanding is that it is God who took first the initiative to save us(help people in Old & New Testaments he promised): I am always with you till the end of the age. It is also true that good work rewards and all starts in the mind. As mentioned earlier, even if you are in bed, sick or tired, you will be rewarded for your willingness. It is therefore very good to have good friends or neighbours who encourage, someone by your side who may tell you: “try!”
This is a right time to heed Christ’s message, Pentecost was a reminder– the helper promised is here – to “Go and make disciples everywhere teaching them what we have heard from Christ. There are many needs, many people who don’t know where to bang their heads, particular due to the uncertainty with Covid19 and most confusing attitude and subsequent messages. You may have realised that knowledgeable people of the world do not have clear answer to the problems we are facing. Scientific don’t understand this pandemic, economists do not know what to do to maintain stability: only God knows.
This situation has caused chaos: with added conflicts and narcissism mingled with fear. The only hope is faith in God: so, we must rejoice that we have the power of the Spirit, and go, tell the people to “strive for full restoration, to encourage one another, to be of one mind, and to live in peace: that the God of love and peace will be with them as he is with us in Jesus’ name; amen.
Rejoice; strive for full restoration. Encourage one another. Be of one mind, and live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
(2 Corinthians 13:11-13 & Matthew 28:16-20)
Today is Trinity Sunday: God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have been revealed. The message stresses the Great Commission, which is about going into the world to fulfil what Jesus commanded his disciples to do. It includes Christ’s promise to be always with His disciples. So, we have two things: the commandand the promise. This promise anticipates the coming of the Holy Spirit.
The saying in my culture goes: “God helps those who also helps themselves.” It means that you won’t be blamed for not doing anything, if you have no means, no physical energy or money, provided you triedand had the eagerness or willingness. Successes, fulfilments or accomplishments are mostly seen first as results of one’s own effort that is blessed by God. The good news is that we are aware, well informed of what God wants: God said it and Christ explained in plain words. Yet, the Holy Spirit guides us constantly to what is the will of God.
This happens also in many other ways, including Sunday preaching, our Bible readings, prayers and many more opportunity offered by the members of the Church or its leaders. We have very good example from the first disciples. Jesus called them and taught them. Before returning to the heavens, he gave the plan of action to his disciples and other followers: to pray always and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance, to make more disciples of all nations to the end of the world, by teaching people to obey whatever Christ has commanded the disciples.
The Gospel reading for this morning shows us that the Disciples of Christ had been attentively listening to his commands and teaching: and when they saw him, they recognised him. Thus, they worshiped him. They showed the very signs of maturity: that is why Christ told them precisely,
“Go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The two parallel things the command and the promise are together. Then, our saying is true: if you move, God comes to help. The only thing missing in our cultural understanding is that it is God who took first the initiative to save us(help people in Old & New Testaments he promised): I am always with you till the end of the age. It is also true that good work rewards and all starts in the mind. As mentioned earlier, even if you are in bed, sick or tired, you will be rewarded for your willingness. It is therefore very good to have good friends or neighbours who encourage, someone by your side who may tell you: “try!”
This is a right time to heed Christ’s message, Pentecost was a reminder– the helper promised is here – to “Go and make disciples everywhere teaching them what we have heard from Christ. There are many needs, many people who don’t know where to bang their heads, particular due to the uncertainty with Covid19 and most confusing attitude and subsequent messages. You may have realised that knowledgeable people of the world do not have clear answer to the problems we are facing. Scientific don’t understand this pandemic, economists do not know what to do to maintain stability: only God knows.
This situation has caused chaos: with added conflicts and narcissism mingled with fear. The only hope is faith in God: so, we must rejoice that we have the power of the Spirit, and go, tell the people to “strive for full restoration, to encourage one another, to be of one mind, and to live in peace: that the God of love and peace will be with them as he is with us in Jesus’ name; amen.
PRAYER OF INTERCESSION AND OFFERING
Dear Father, we have had the opportunity to worship you in special way, during this time of uncertainty. We thank you for the joy we have and the care you provide for us. We continue to pray for those who are suffering from the virus; we seek your healing that they may glorify you through the action of your hand.
As we still pray, we remember the nations of America that are in conflict due to different colours of their skins. Send your Spirit to people of faith that standing by its truth, they may challenge those who create endless insecurity. We thank you for the relative calm in our country and pray for new blessings.
God who gave us the Holy Spirit and wisdom, we thank you once again for all you have done for us and given us. In return, we put aside this moment to pray for ways we offer our offering to you. We pray for blessing to those who give generously, but also to those who are grateful to be served with generous hearts. Extend your blessing that those more needy people find your grace and overcome the odds of the pandemic. We pray for all these in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dear Father, we have had the opportunity to worship you in special way, during this time of uncertainty. We thank you for the joy we have and the care you provide for us. We continue to pray for those who are suffering from the virus; we seek your healing that they may glorify you through the action of your hand.
As we still pray, we remember the nations of America that are in conflict due to different colours of their skins. Send your Spirit to people of faith that standing by its truth, they may challenge those who create endless insecurity. We thank you for the relative calm in our country and pray for new blessings.
God who gave us the Holy Spirit and wisdom, we thank you once again for all you have done for us and given us. In return, we put aside this moment to pray for ways we offer our offering to you. We pray for blessing to those who give generously, but also to those who are grateful to be served with generous hearts. Extend your blessing that those more needy people find your grace and overcome the odds of the pandemic. We pray for all these in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
BLESSING
Now, let us go forth as God’s beloved, knowing the fullness of God’s presence through the grace of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. May we all be strengthened and encouraged to share the Good News of God’s welcome and the healing of everyone we meet. Amen.
Now, let us go forth as God’s beloved, knowing the fullness of God’s presence through the grace of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. May we all be strengthened and encouraged to share the Good News of God’s welcome and the healing of everyone we meet. Amen.
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Thought of the week (Week Commencing: 1st June)
"We will have to get used to a new ‘normal' after lockdown" offers a rather depressing prospect but, among all the ‘normal’ things currently on the banned list, I hadn’t though of Christian Aid Week. Almost everything, from distribution of literature and envelopes to house-to house collecting is out of the question. Like other charities, Christian Aid has been using the available media to state its case but current circumstances are not encouraging. For many, charitable donations are ‘loose change' and with so many potential donors worried about future prospects, income and employment the ‘charity begins at home’ sentiment may take over.
This Sunday we will be focussing on Acts chapter 2 and the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Disciples at Pentecost, infringing all the 'lockdown' regulations !
They were all together, in one place (regulation 1) They all began to talk at once, with no idea of safe distances (regulation 2) Then they rushed outside and began interacting with crowds of strangers, from all over the known world ( several regulations). Finally they baptised and laid hands on thousands of people ( every regulation in the book !)
They had been in ‘lockdown' under orders from the Risen Lord – stay there until the Spirit Comes - now the Spirit was come, in power - they were released from 'lockdown’ and the Spirit was released into the world !
That can all sound very vague and ‘ churchy’ to anyone coping, in diferent ways, or not coping, with the current situation and it can raise difficult questions to answer - where and what is ithe Holy Spirit and how does it work ?
Thanks to the interpretive genius of the Apostle Paul we can answer - I don't know but I know it when I see it !
The Spirit produces love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. There is no law against such things as these, Galatians 4; 22
In fact, current regulations have made these 'fruits of the spirit' in much greater demand and I fancy they will continue to be so in the weeks to come.
Jack
This Sunday we will be focussing on Acts chapter 2 and the gift of the Holy Spirit to the Disciples at Pentecost, infringing all the 'lockdown' regulations !
They were all together, in one place (regulation 1) They all began to talk at once, with no idea of safe distances (regulation 2) Then they rushed outside and began interacting with crowds of strangers, from all over the known world ( several regulations). Finally they baptised and laid hands on thousands of people ( every regulation in the book !)
They had been in ‘lockdown' under orders from the Risen Lord – stay there until the Spirit Comes - now the Spirit was come, in power - they were released from 'lockdown’ and the Spirit was released into the world !
That can all sound very vague and ‘ churchy’ to anyone coping, in diferent ways, or not coping, with the current situation and it can raise difficult questions to answer - where and what is ithe Holy Spirit and how does it work ?
Thanks to the interpretive genius of the Apostle Paul we can answer - I don't know but I know it when I see it !
The Spirit produces love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. There is no law against such things as these, Galatians 4; 22
In fact, current regulations have made these 'fruits of the spirit' in much greater demand and I fancy they will continue to be so in the weeks to come.
Jack
ORDER OF SERVICE
Sunday 31 – 05 – 2020
Pentecost Celebration
INTRODUCTION
Good morning! Today is Pentecost Sunday; we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spiritto dwell among the believers, including us. He strengthens our faith and helps us understand the teaching of Jesus Christ. We spread it; make disciples, and plant churches in the world.
Although we are apart physically, we are together in “One Spirit”, to worship God, to pray for our needs and the needs of the world. This is a special celebration, because we are assured by the presence of Christ among us, with each one of us, in the form of the Holy Spirit. So, let us gladly welcome the Spirit of God among us, as we sing:
Good morning! Today is Pentecost Sunday; we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spiritto dwell among the believers, including us. He strengthens our faith and helps us understand the teaching of Jesus Christ. We spread it; make disciples, and plant churches in the world.
Although we are apart physically, we are together in “One Spirit”, to worship God, to pray for our needs and the needs of the world. This is a special celebration, because we are assured by the presence of Christ among us, with each one of us, in the form of the Holy Spirit. So, let us gladly welcome the Spirit of God among us, as we sing:
OPENING PRAYER
Lord, our God, today we celebrate the coming of your power to dwell among us and in each one of us. It is with much expectation that we have eagerly waited for this moment. So, give us strength and joy to celebrate his presence, as we worship you this morning, help us make our neighbours recognise you in our actions, relationships and speeches. Lead among us and in each one of us and take away the fear that this pandemic has brought. Holy Spirit, come closer as we still worship in this special way. We pray in Jesus’ wonderful name. Amen.
Lord, our God, today we celebrate the coming of your power to dwell among us and in each one of us. It is with much expectation that we have eagerly waited for this moment. So, give us strength and joy to celebrate his presence, as we worship you this morning, help us make our neighbours recognise you in our actions, relationships and speeches. Lead among us and in each one of us and take away the fear that this pandemic has brought. Holy Spirit, come closer as we still worship in this special way. We pray in Jesus’ wonderful name. Amen.
READINGS: Numbers 11:24-27
So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but did not do so again.
26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
Acts 2:1-6; 12-13
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ... 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
So Moses went out and told the people what the Lord had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but did not do so again.
26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 27 A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
Acts 2:1-6; 12-13
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ... 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”
SERMON PENTECOST: THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
What does this mean!
(Numbers 11:24-27 & Acts 2:1-6; 12-13)
Looking at today’s lessons, the first impression we get is that people could meet God only in/ by the tent, which represents church buildings. Generally, Christians tend to conform to that view. However, the Scripture gives alternative view: God meets people also in the community, where they are, like their homes. Since the pandemic broke out, I have a lot of problems. Some are due to poor health and related risks, others are due to the fact that I can no longer meet physically with members of our congregation - for worship and prayers, - or meet the people from the community in our church premises. Other problems are due to the fact that I can no longer visit people for face-to-face conversations. You may have the same problems. For me, some were added by the fact that I am not in my country with relatives; with the people I grow up with, shared meal with, or played with in my youth. Missing all these good things makes me feel degraded, lonely and down as I am confined in a little space. However, there is one thing I keep and hold on that does not go away nor shake: it is my trust in God.
The first impression for me is that the reading from Numbers (11:24-27) has a message for this time we are in the lockdown: we cannot meet physically or have public worship in church building, but God can be found and is at work in our homes. The reading states that the seventy people who went out to meet Moses (gathered around the tent representing the Church building) got some power of the Spiritand theyprophesied. Two other peoplewere not strictly conforming to the rules: they did not go to gather; they remained in the camp/community, butalso got some power and prophesied. There is no difference brought by going to stand around the tent. Yet, both groups were treated the same way. The account does not tell the reason - sick or asleep - why the two did not go out. The main thing I could discern from the reading is that all those men had a common element: they were listed.
While the Old Testament reading justifies our situation (in the pandemic), it also explains that the presence of the Spirit was explicitly for a time, during that time the people prophesied, but did no more. The New Testament reading (Acts 2:1-6; 12-13) presents a different aspect of the Spirit’ s presence. On Pentecost – we celebrate, – the Holy Spirit that comes had been promised. He filled all people in place and is to stay forever,to help the believers including us. The Spirit of Pentecost symbolises endless presence of Christ(God) with us and in us. We note that people heard a kind of wind and saw a kind of fire/flames: the Holy Spirit touches most of our senses. I felt sad to loose my parents, my brothers and some sisters; later on I lost most my possessions. If it were not my faith in God (the Spirit) I would feel totally lost. Though I am often weak, ill, with other negative feelings, because of the faith I never loose totally the sight of God. The Spirit of Pentecost rests on me and comforts me all the way.
In line with the reflection above, Pentecost is very significant: the Spirit comes to stay,to supportthe believers to grow stronger and bear witnesses, mainly for those committed to spread the Gospel message by word and examples like the disciples. The lesson of numbers is that the Spirit can reach people everywhere: gathered in public sphere or in their private homes. 1 Corinthians 12 also gives another function of the Holy Spirit, which is unifying the divers people (for strength). In the context of Acts 2, they were all together in one place;that was to strengthen each other: to protect them from extremist Jews. While we are apart physically now, the Holy Spirit unifies us in worship, praises and prayers like this Sunday morning, but it happens in our homes to protect us from the pandemic. The Holy Spirit also distributes a variety of gifts to be used for the common good. Yet, there is more need now; we ought to use our gifts for the benefit of many who need it. So, the Spirit diversifies the gifts according to the needs, giving discernment, while uniting the people.
The first impression most of the time is to feel that we understand all well. However, the truth is that the fierce enemy of the faith is the lack of knowledge. There are things people cannot understand on their own. Therefore, the Holy Spirit provides new mays of knowing, learning and/or makes other people understand. Acts 2 tells us that all who were there on Pentecost were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Each one heard in their own language being spoken: meaning understood what was said. The variety of gifts implies also a variety of working, to express themselves, and to learn more, but also many forms to perform worshiping and glorifying the Lord.
In short, Pentecost’s lesson, specifically for today is “a wake up call” to re-examine the various gifts we have and to make use of them for common good. Again, Pentecost symbolises the permanent and active presence of Christwithin us, among us/the believers and in each of us wherever we are: we have that power. Even though there are so many needs, there also many gifts in our congregations that could be used to respond to those varied needs. I am glad to say that many of you have teased out their gifts; this time does not encourage conformity to past practices, but praying for those who are sick, comforting those who lost theirs, keeping in touch with the lonely, encouraging others to find new ways to praise God in these difficult circumstances, to value the faith, to overcome fear and uncertainty and to seek healing. In many ways you have grasped the meaning of Pentecost (the dwelling of God’s Spirit active among you) particularly for this harsh moment. I pray for us all to keep growing deep in the Spirit and the knowledge of God, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
What does this mean!
(Numbers 11:24-27 & Acts 2:1-6; 12-13)
Looking at today’s lessons, the first impression we get is that people could meet God only in/ by the tent, which represents church buildings. Generally, Christians tend to conform to that view. However, the Scripture gives alternative view: God meets people also in the community, where they are, like their homes. Since the pandemic broke out, I have a lot of problems. Some are due to poor health and related risks, others are due to the fact that I can no longer meet physically with members of our congregation - for worship and prayers, - or meet the people from the community in our church premises. Other problems are due to the fact that I can no longer visit people for face-to-face conversations. You may have the same problems. For me, some were added by the fact that I am not in my country with relatives; with the people I grow up with, shared meal with, or played with in my youth. Missing all these good things makes me feel degraded, lonely and down as I am confined in a little space. However, there is one thing I keep and hold on that does not go away nor shake: it is my trust in God.
The first impression for me is that the reading from Numbers (11:24-27) has a message for this time we are in the lockdown: we cannot meet physically or have public worship in church building, but God can be found and is at work in our homes. The reading states that the seventy people who went out to meet Moses (gathered around the tent representing the Church building) got some power of the Spiritand theyprophesied. Two other peoplewere not strictly conforming to the rules: they did not go to gather; they remained in the camp/community, butalso got some power and prophesied. There is no difference brought by going to stand around the tent. Yet, both groups were treated the same way. The account does not tell the reason - sick or asleep - why the two did not go out. The main thing I could discern from the reading is that all those men had a common element: they were listed.
While the Old Testament reading justifies our situation (in the pandemic), it also explains that the presence of the Spirit was explicitly for a time, during that time the people prophesied, but did no more. The New Testament reading (Acts 2:1-6; 12-13) presents a different aspect of the Spirit’ s presence. On Pentecost – we celebrate, – the Holy Spirit that comes had been promised. He filled all people in place and is to stay forever,to help the believers including us. The Spirit of Pentecost symbolises endless presence of Christ(God) with us and in us. We note that people heard a kind of wind and saw a kind of fire/flames: the Holy Spirit touches most of our senses. I felt sad to loose my parents, my brothers and some sisters; later on I lost most my possessions. If it were not my faith in God (the Spirit) I would feel totally lost. Though I am often weak, ill, with other negative feelings, because of the faith I never loose totally the sight of God. The Spirit of Pentecost rests on me and comforts me all the way.
In line with the reflection above, Pentecost is very significant: the Spirit comes to stay,to supportthe believers to grow stronger and bear witnesses, mainly for those committed to spread the Gospel message by word and examples like the disciples. The lesson of numbers is that the Spirit can reach people everywhere: gathered in public sphere or in their private homes. 1 Corinthians 12 also gives another function of the Holy Spirit, which is unifying the divers people (for strength). In the context of Acts 2, they were all together in one place;that was to strengthen each other: to protect them from extremist Jews. While we are apart physically now, the Holy Spirit unifies us in worship, praises and prayers like this Sunday morning, but it happens in our homes to protect us from the pandemic. The Holy Spirit also distributes a variety of gifts to be used for the common good. Yet, there is more need now; we ought to use our gifts for the benefit of many who need it. So, the Spirit diversifies the gifts according to the needs, giving discernment, while uniting the people.
The first impression most of the time is to feel that we understand all well. However, the truth is that the fierce enemy of the faith is the lack of knowledge. There are things people cannot understand on their own. Therefore, the Holy Spirit provides new mays of knowing, learning and/or makes other people understand. Acts 2 tells us that all who were there on Pentecost were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Each one heard in their own language being spoken: meaning understood what was said. The variety of gifts implies also a variety of working, to express themselves, and to learn more, but also many forms to perform worshiping and glorifying the Lord.
In short, Pentecost’s lesson, specifically for today is “a wake up call” to re-examine the various gifts we have and to make use of them for common good. Again, Pentecost symbolises the permanent and active presence of Christwithin us, among us/the believers and in each of us wherever we are: we have that power. Even though there are so many needs, there also many gifts in our congregations that could be used to respond to those varied needs. I am glad to say that many of you have teased out their gifts; this time does not encourage conformity to past practices, but praying for those who are sick, comforting those who lost theirs, keeping in touch with the lonely, encouraging others to find new ways to praise God in these difficult circumstances, to value the faith, to overcome fear and uncertainty and to seek healing. In many ways you have grasped the meaning of Pentecost (the dwelling of God’s Spirit active among you) particularly for this harsh moment. I pray for us all to keep growing deep in the Spirit and the knowledge of God, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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INTERCESSIONS
God of mercy and power, we thank you that your promises are always fulfilled. Even today we have tasted the permanent presence of your Spirit you sent among us. Around us, among us, and everywhere, many people are uncertain of the future, fear lingers. Give us the courage and power to look forward with strong faith and hope to overcome. I pray for our congregation in particular to overcome the effects of isolation that it does not translate into spiritual loneliness. We all dream of that time we will be able to meet again physically to worship you with joy and praise you together in the church premises. Even now taht we pray in our respective homes, show your healing hand upon those of us who are sick, show mercy to those who feel lost.
As we pray for ourselves – each one, – we also pray for the church nationwide and worldwide that they may speak out the truth and point their political leaders to the best way ahead and for common good. We pray for war-torn countries that they seek the way of peace. For countries producing arms, we pray that their leaders seek other but better and peaceful ways to strengthen their economic growth. We pray for peace, and that your Spirit move all around and bring healing and harmony. For this and in your name we pray. Amen.
God of mercy and power, we thank you that your promises are always fulfilled. Even today we have tasted the permanent presence of your Spirit you sent among us. Around us, among us, and everywhere, many people are uncertain of the future, fear lingers. Give us the courage and power to look forward with strong faith and hope to overcome. I pray for our congregation in particular to overcome the effects of isolation that it does not translate into spiritual loneliness. We all dream of that time we will be able to meet again physically to worship you with joy and praise you together in the church premises. Even now taht we pray in our respective homes, show your healing hand upon those of us who are sick, show mercy to those who feel lost.
As we pray for ourselves – each one, – we also pray for the church nationwide and worldwide that they may speak out the truth and point their political leaders to the best way ahead and for common good. We pray for war-torn countries that they seek the way of peace. For countries producing arms, we pray that their leaders seek other but better and peaceful ways to strengthen their economic growth. We pray for peace, and that your Spirit move all around and bring healing and harmony. For this and in your name we pray. Amen.
OFFERTORY
Dear Father, we look upon you for all we need. We thank you for your care and blessing to us. We pray for the offering that will be given in thanksgiving, and for the support to those in need, and for the mission in the world. So, bless the hands that give whole-heartedly, in your name. Amen.
Dear Father, we look upon you for all we need. We thank you for your care and blessing to us. We pray for the offering that will be given in thanksgiving, and for the support to those in need, and for the mission in the world. So, bless the hands that give whole-heartedly, in your name. Amen.
BLESSING
The blessing of God dwell on all who know Him and praise Him! Let it spill over to all you meet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, and always. Amen
The blessing of God dwell on all who know Him and praise Him! Let it spill over to all you meet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all, and always. Amen
Thought of the week (Week Commencing: 26th May)
1 John 4; 7- end
My last thought for the week was inspired by ‘the epistle of joy’, this week it’s the ‘Epistle of love’. Chapter 4 of John’s first letter includes perhaps the best known, yet most enigmtic assertion of Christianity , ‘God is Love'. It also includes the equally enigmatic statement ‘perfect love drives out all fear’. All three key words in that text beg for clarification, definition, explanation - perhaps most of all 'perfect'.
Whatever aspect or dimension of love is intended, to others or towards God - who would claim to be 'perfect' !
Then, the word has such a limited meaning, mostly implying some optimistic, unachievable situation. The Greek word that we translate as ' perfect' teleos comes with a wider range of meanings, such as ‘whole', ‘complete’, ‘mature'; The sense is of a condition that is to be moved towards. So that is the 'love' that God is, that is the meaning when Jesus says 'be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect' in the context of loving even ones enemies, even those who hate and despise us.
So, the ‘perfect' love that casts out fear is seeing others as God sees them and loving them as God loves them
After three months legally enforced agoraphobia (fear of crowds) and zenophobia ( fear of the ‘other’) fear will remain much in evidence for a long time and there will be much need for 'love' in its ‘perfect’, Biblical sense; non -judgemental, mature, unselfish to others, trusting, obedient, hopeful towards God.
John’s meaning is more simple, and stark - The fear is fear of Judgement, which makes it clear that this is not a question of words, good deeds or good intentions. It’s not a lifelong examination, leading to our 'finals' !
Christians do not love in order to be saved, we love because we ARE saved !
Jack
My last thought for the week was inspired by ‘the epistle of joy’, this week it’s the ‘Epistle of love’. Chapter 4 of John’s first letter includes perhaps the best known, yet most enigmtic assertion of Christianity , ‘God is Love'. It also includes the equally enigmatic statement ‘perfect love drives out all fear’. All three key words in that text beg for clarification, definition, explanation - perhaps most of all 'perfect'.
Whatever aspect or dimension of love is intended, to others or towards God - who would claim to be 'perfect' !
Then, the word has such a limited meaning, mostly implying some optimistic, unachievable situation. The Greek word that we translate as ' perfect' teleos comes with a wider range of meanings, such as ‘whole', ‘complete’, ‘mature'; The sense is of a condition that is to be moved towards. So that is the 'love' that God is, that is the meaning when Jesus says 'be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect' in the context of loving even ones enemies, even those who hate and despise us.
So, the ‘perfect' love that casts out fear is seeing others as God sees them and loving them as God loves them
After three months legally enforced agoraphobia (fear of crowds) and zenophobia ( fear of the ‘other’) fear will remain much in evidence for a long time and there will be much need for 'love' in its ‘perfect’, Biblical sense; non -judgemental, mature, unselfish to others, trusting, obedient, hopeful towards God.
John’s meaning is more simple, and stark - The fear is fear of Judgement, which makes it clear that this is not a question of words, good deeds or good intentions. It’s not a lifelong examination, leading to our 'finals' !
Christians do not love in order to be saved, we love because we ARE saved !
Jack
SUNDAY SERVICE 24 – 05 – 2020, 10:30 am
Celebrating the “Ascension”
GREETING
Good Morning. It is great that we are able to worship God together and thank him for safeguarding us in this time of crisis.
Good Morning. It is great that we are able to worship God together and thank him for safeguarding us in this time of crisis.
SCRIPTURE SENTENCE (Psalm 47:1-5)
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth… God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. So we start the worship with …
Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. For the Lord Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth… God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets. So we start the worship with …
PRAYER
(As the Apostle Paul prayer for the Church of his age, so we pray for ours:)
As we find ourselves in very different times, particularly with the Covid19 pandemic,
May we, as Christ’s Church be enlightened; not for our own sake, but so we can better understand our calling.
May we, as Christ’s Church be equipped; not for our glory, but so we can better fulfil our potential.
And may we as Christ’s Church wait with confidence to be empowered by the Holy Spirit’s coming; not for our own protection and preservation, but so we can better risk doing the will of the one who is both our head and our fullness. Amen.
(As the Apostle Paul prayer for the Church of his age, so we pray for ours:)
As we find ourselves in very different times, particularly with the Covid19 pandemic,
May we, as Christ’s Church be enlightened; not for our own sake, but so we can better understand our calling.
May we, as Christ’s Church be equipped; not for our glory, but so we can better fulfil our potential.
And may we as Christ’s Church wait with confidence to be empowered by the Holy Spirit’s coming; not for our own protection and preservation, but so we can better risk doing the will of the one who is both our head and our fullness. Amen.
READINGS Ephesians 1:15-23 (Thanksgiving and prayer)
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Acts 1:1-11 (Jesus taken up into Heaven)
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Acts 1:1-11 (Jesus taken up into Heaven)
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
SERMON - EQUIPPING THE CHURCH (Ephesians 1:15-23, Acts 1:1-11)
When I started the ministry in this country, the Synod had a good programme called: Equipping the Saints. This was a very rich spiritually, theologically and practically. However, I did not grasp the meaning or the use of the word saints. Later on, a discussion was launched in the whole URC, called Catching the Vision. At first, my pastorate did not like this programme; it was not interested. As their minister, however, I could easily see the importance of the programme; it was intended to address acute issues that were quickly growing in the Church and eventually were affecting the congregations’ future and mainly the ministers.
We started monthly discussions of those issues: sometimes as part of the service, other times in special church meetings. Gradually, everybody was on board; they actively participated and enjoyed the outcome. Finally, I discovered that these discussions were excellent way to equipping the church (the saints as it were). Members started opening up, sharing about their journey of coming to Christ, as well as their struggles and our hopes. We found that it was a means to grow in Spirit and Wisdom, but also to glorify the Lord. The debates became a response to most of my prayers to get strength and wisdom - as it was my first pastorate and had not grown up in the English culture - to be able to handle an English congregation. The words below from Paul represented well my prayer:
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…” (Eph 1:17-18)
Certainly, I was not praying for my congregation as such, but mainly for myself to be able to get on well with them and be a helpful element to the congregation. As we were going through the two programmes, I understood equipping the saintsas growing to a higher lever, mainly a spiritual one. I felt also that I was catching the vision of the future for us together, as we were slowly doing with good pace responding to the concern of the church as a whole and the concerns of individual congregation. Reading the scripture for this Sunday has made me realise that today’s situation requires of us to take such stand of asking God to give us the Spirit of Wisdom and revelationso that we might know better him. We ought to pray to God to open our eyes, to enlighten the eyes of our hearts in order to know the hope to which God has called us. It is in such very difficult time (like Covid-19) when we need such strong faith, and truly seek God.
Today’s readings included Luke 24: 44-53, accounting for the ascension of Jesus we celebrate today, that should be in reality forty days after Easter and ten days before Pentecost. The latter will be celebrated next Sunday. We do not need to read Luke 24; it is repeated in Acts 1:1-11. I have just to say that before the ascension, we learn that Jesus opened the minds of the disciples so that they could understand the Scriptures, as we need it today. Jesus also affirmed the disciples to be witnesses of the things that had happened. He added: ‘But stay in the City until you have been clothed with the power from on high’. Acts 1:5-10 reiterates it, and reads: ‘But in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ The disciples’ questions showed that they had not yet understood it, Jesus repeated in other words the 3rdtimes: ‘But you will receive the power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…’ Then, he was taken up before their eyes into the sky…
Here we have excellent examples on how to equip the church, the saints. It is by repetition of the truth from the Jesus’ actions and promises (even if it requires doing it many times), this means vigilance. Equipping the church is done receiving the Power from on high. It is also by seeing and appreciating Christ’s actions in the world and waiting for the power to come on us. Amid this very difficult time, if we recognise his presence among us and understand his words, will and promises, we will also recognise the ways in which the Lord comes back. Let us pray for this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
We started monthly discussions of those issues: sometimes as part of the service, other times in special church meetings. Gradually, everybody was on board; they actively participated and enjoyed the outcome. Finally, I discovered that these discussions were excellent way to equipping the church (the saints as it were). Members started opening up, sharing about their journey of coming to Christ, as well as their struggles and our hopes. We found that it was a means to grow in Spirit and Wisdom, but also to glorify the Lord. The debates became a response to most of my prayers to get strength and wisdom - as it was my first pastorate and had not grown up in the English culture - to be able to handle an English congregation. The words below from Paul represented well my prayer:
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of Wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your hearts may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you…” (Eph 1:17-18)
Certainly, I was not praying for my congregation as such, but mainly for myself to be able to get on well with them and be a helpful element to the congregation. As we were going through the two programmes, I understood equipping the saintsas growing to a higher lever, mainly a spiritual one. I felt also that I was catching the vision of the future for us together, as we were slowly doing with good pace responding to the concern of the church as a whole and the concerns of individual congregation. Reading the scripture for this Sunday has made me realise that today’s situation requires of us to take such stand of asking God to give us the Spirit of Wisdom and revelationso that we might know better him. We ought to pray to God to open our eyes, to enlighten the eyes of our hearts in order to know the hope to which God has called us. It is in such very difficult time (like Covid-19) when we need such strong faith, and truly seek God.
Today’s readings included Luke 24: 44-53, accounting for the ascension of Jesus we celebrate today, that should be in reality forty days after Easter and ten days before Pentecost. The latter will be celebrated next Sunday. We do not need to read Luke 24; it is repeated in Acts 1:1-11. I have just to say that before the ascension, we learn that Jesus opened the minds of the disciples so that they could understand the Scriptures, as we need it today. Jesus also affirmed the disciples to be witnesses of the things that had happened. He added: ‘But stay in the City until you have been clothed with the power from on high’. Acts 1:5-10 reiterates it, and reads: ‘But in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.’ The disciples’ questions showed that they had not yet understood it, Jesus repeated in other words the 3rdtimes: ‘But you will receive the power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses…’ Then, he was taken up before their eyes into the sky…
Here we have excellent examples on how to equip the church, the saints. It is by repetition of the truth from the Jesus’ actions and promises (even if it requires doing it many times), this means vigilance. Equipping the church is done receiving the Power from on high. It is also by seeing and appreciating Christ’s actions in the world and waiting for the power to come on us. Amid this very difficult time, if we recognise his presence among us and understand his words, will and promises, we will also recognise the ways in which the Lord comes back. Let us pray for this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
INTERCESSIONS
Lord our God, we have gathered in less spectacular way, to praise you and thank you together for protecting us during this time of great nervousness. We thank you that you have kept us faithful to your Gospel message, and strong in our relationship as members of the Christian family. We pray for those among us who have been affected in their health that your healing hand touch them. We also pray for those who have had loss of family members; comfort them.
As we still pray, we lift to you the leaders of country and the Church nationwide and worldwide that they may seek wisdom to lead by example, and with all-embracing love. Give us courage also to keep praying for them, and as we pray for ourselves, help us remember our neighbours.
Teach us to find ways and means to keep our Christian faith strong during theses challenges, and to learn from them, be more equipped and witness to your protection. For all concerns we have remembered and those we haven’t but are real – you know all of them, – and we pray for them too, in your wonderful name. Amen.
Lord our God, we have gathered in less spectacular way, to praise you and thank you together for protecting us during this time of great nervousness. We thank you that you have kept us faithful to your Gospel message, and strong in our relationship as members of the Christian family. We pray for those among us who have been affected in their health that your healing hand touch them. We also pray for those who have had loss of family members; comfort them.
As we still pray, we lift to you the leaders of country and the Church nationwide and worldwide that they may seek wisdom to lead by example, and with all-embracing love. Give us courage also to keep praying for them, and as we pray for ourselves, help us remember our neighbours.
Teach us to find ways and means to keep our Christian faith strong during theses challenges, and to learn from them, be more equipped and witness to your protection. For all concerns we have remembered and those we haven’t but are real – you know all of them, – and we pray for them too, in your wonderful name. Amen.
Blessing
Thought of the week (Week Commencing: 18th May)
Philippians : Read the whole thing – its not very long and well worth it
As Janette mentioned in last weeks ‘Friday Roundup’, during our 'catchup' phone call, we likened our current lockdown situation to Paul’s letter to the Phillipians – one of the so-called 'prison epistles', Janette’s commentary on the Letter points out that Paul was not locked up in a prison but under some form of house arrest. In fact, Paul's 'lockdown' allowed unlimited visitors as well as gifts and correcpondence, obviously all delivered by hand !
The letter reveals that Paul has had the compny and support of Timothy and Epaphroditus and later, as revealed in the letter to Philemon, the runaway slave, Onesimus, and there has clearly been an interchabge of letters concerning the serious illness and near death of Epaphroditus ( 2; 25-30)
There has obviously been a very close and caring relationship with the Philippian Church. The opening sentences ( 1;1-8) follow the usual formalities but there is a depth of personal feeling when he speaks of the joy with which he rmembers them in his prayers for them.
There are a number of points that tell us a great deal about Paul’s attitude to his confinement which, we know, was his own deliberate choice. Cleared of all charges by the Romn authorities in Judea he insisted on his right, as a Roman citizen, to appeal before the Emperor in Rome, with the sole intention of preaching the Gospel and linking up with Peter and the Christians there. V14 speaks of the effect of his presence there on the morale of the Roman church.
Paul is very careful in stating his philosophy of self-reliance vv11-13 learning at any time, in any place and any conditions to be content. So he emphasises the value of the gifts that Epaphroditus had brought. The fact that his far off friends cared so much for him rated even higher than the comfort and practical usefulness of the gifts.
He is fully aware that his life may be at stake bur, even this is no cause for despair. But it would be wrong to accuse him of mindless optimism, The reality is that all is according to God’s will ( v14) and even that outcome would be within His purposes and to the advancement of the Gospel.
There is good reason for Philippians to be called 'The Joyful Epistle’. Paul rejoices in the faithfulness and love of his Phllippian friends and in the the tie of their shared Faith although many miles apart. He rejooices in his own situation because although he is physically restrained his words are not and it has advanced the cause of the Gospel. Scholars argue about the meaning of 1;13, and the original word Praetorium which could mean, as taken by the Good News version, the Emperor’s personal bodyguard although the most likely meaning is slaves and minor officials of the Imperial household. Finally, Paul bids his Philippian friends, who clearly had problems of their own, REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS and, I’ll say it again REJOICE.
Sometimes, our situation might feel like ‘house arrest’, if that isn’t to trivial compared with Paul's situation, bur we too have this feeling of uncertainty about the future, if not apprehension.
He has a great deal to say to us here about Faith, Trust and comittment. He tells us to learn how to be content in whatever circumstances we find ourselves and, above all, to
REJOICE IN THE LORD !
The letter reveals that Paul has had the compny and support of Timothy and Epaphroditus and later, as revealed in the letter to Philemon, the runaway slave, Onesimus, and there has clearly been an interchabge of letters concerning the serious illness and near death of Epaphroditus ( 2; 25-30)
There has obviously been a very close and caring relationship with the Philippian Church. The opening sentences ( 1;1-8) follow the usual formalities but there is a depth of personal feeling when he speaks of the joy with which he rmembers them in his prayers for them.
There are a number of points that tell us a great deal about Paul’s attitude to his confinement which, we know, was his own deliberate choice. Cleared of all charges by the Romn authorities in Judea he insisted on his right, as a Roman citizen, to appeal before the Emperor in Rome, with the sole intention of preaching the Gospel and linking up with Peter and the Christians there. V14 speaks of the effect of his presence there on the morale of the Roman church.
Paul is very careful in stating his philosophy of self-reliance vv11-13 learning at any time, in any place and any conditions to be content. So he emphasises the value of the gifts that Epaphroditus had brought. The fact that his far off friends cared so much for him rated even higher than the comfort and practical usefulness of the gifts.
He is fully aware that his life may be at stake bur, even this is no cause for despair. But it would be wrong to accuse him of mindless optimism, The reality is that all is according to God’s will ( v14) and even that outcome would be within His purposes and to the advancement of the Gospel.
There is good reason for Philippians to be called 'The Joyful Epistle’. Paul rejoices in the faithfulness and love of his Phllippian friends and in the the tie of their shared Faith although many miles apart. He rejooices in his own situation because although he is physically restrained his words are not and it has advanced the cause of the Gospel. Scholars argue about the meaning of 1;13, and the original word Praetorium which could mean, as taken by the Good News version, the Emperor’s personal bodyguard although the most likely meaning is slaves and minor officials of the Imperial household. Finally, Paul bids his Philippian friends, who clearly had problems of their own, REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS and, I’ll say it again REJOICE.
Sometimes, our situation might feel like ‘house arrest’, if that isn’t to trivial compared with Paul's situation, bur we too have this feeling of uncertainty about the future, if not apprehension.
He has a great deal to say to us here about Faith, Trust and comittment. He tells us to learn how to be content in whatever circumstances we find ourselves and, above all, to
REJOICE IN THE LORD !
SUNDAY 17th MAY - Sermon
(1) OPENING SCRIPTURE Psalm 66:8-10
Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. For, God tested us and refined us like silver.
(2) Hymn 2249 - Songs of Fellowship: Come people of the risen King
(3) READINGS: Act 17:24-25
24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
1 Peter 3:13-18
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
John 14: 15-21 Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
1 Peter 3:13-18
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
John 14: 15-21 Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
(4) Hymn 8 Songs of Fellowship: All hail the Lamb
(5) SERMON: Do not fear: God gives everyone life and breath; Christ gave us the Advocate
Today’s message reminds us that the God, who made the world and every-thing in it, is the Lord of heaven and earth. He gives everyone life and breath, and everything else (Acts 17:24-25). In his 1st letter (3:13-18), Peter built a rhetorical question on a similar statement. He asked: “who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?” He continued: “but even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear; do not be frightened. Rather in your heart revere Christ as Lord. Give an answer to everyone who asks you the reason of you hope, do it with gentleness and respect, keeping clear conscience; those who speak maliciously against you will be ashamed. It is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.”
The Gospel of John (14:15-21) declares that Christ promised the permanent help, the advocate (the Holy Spirit) to those who love him and keep his commandments. It is the Spirit of Truth but the world cannot accept him (the truth), because the world neither sees him (this truth), nor knows him (as the truth). *I have found how this is true, a reality even in our own time and context. I have understood much more what the word “world” means, which includes the people who deny the reality (the truth). Those who don’t value transparency and impartiality: it is their way to reject the existence of God. Yet, they do it in many ways, sometimes awkwardly, other times maliciously or cynically. I have seen that it is mostly a sign of denying Christ.
I had never carefully listened to politicians before, as I did this time when politicians are dealing daily or hour with the Coronavirus, outlining how they are tackling it. They state that they have done perfectly well: listen to Trump how many times he mentions words: great job, fantastic, billion of dollars, etc. Likewise, our Government boast their efforts: in spending, pretending doing the best and for the interest of all and every one in this country. Yet, the elderly are dying unnecessarily in homes, and carers have no protection gear.
Mine has been to write an article suggesting that religious leaders have not contributed enough effort either in the fight against this pandemic. Which-ever religion, status and context one belongs to, they should be doing their best helping the nation to heal, guiding politicians, because religious are best placed to know and to see the truth: they often meet closely and listen impartially to the public and see and know better its needs. Indeed, there has been religious contribution in praying and implementing the Government protection measures. But, these alone are not enough; religious leaders could have done much better also extending practical actions and material supports, but also openly talking to political leaders, to eradicate the politics of lies – in speech and reports, – and evasion of the reality and the truth.
Friends, the message for these days is very clear: we should remember it; Peter’s exhorts us believers to be always ready to answer every question about the reason of our hope, which is that we see and know the Truth that we have the Spirit of God in us. Thus, we should overcome fear of harm and of death, and not be frightened if we testify about the truth with gentleness and respect, keeping clear conscience, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
The Gospel of John (14:15-21) declares that Christ promised the permanent help, the advocate (the Holy Spirit) to those who love him and keep his commandments. It is the Spirit of Truth but the world cannot accept him (the truth), because the world neither sees him (this truth), nor knows him (as the truth). *I have found how this is true, a reality even in our own time and context. I have understood much more what the word “world” means, which includes the people who deny the reality (the truth). Those who don’t value transparency and impartiality: it is their way to reject the existence of God. Yet, they do it in many ways, sometimes awkwardly, other times maliciously or cynically. I have seen that it is mostly a sign of denying Christ.
I had never carefully listened to politicians before, as I did this time when politicians are dealing daily or hour with the Coronavirus, outlining how they are tackling it. They state that they have done perfectly well: listen to Trump how many times he mentions words: great job, fantastic, billion of dollars, etc. Likewise, our Government boast their efforts: in spending, pretending doing the best and for the interest of all and every one in this country. Yet, the elderly are dying unnecessarily in homes, and carers have no protection gear.
Mine has been to write an article suggesting that religious leaders have not contributed enough effort either in the fight against this pandemic. Which-ever religion, status and context one belongs to, they should be doing their best helping the nation to heal, guiding politicians, because religious are best placed to know and to see the truth: they often meet closely and listen impartially to the public and see and know better its needs. Indeed, there has been religious contribution in praying and implementing the Government protection measures. But, these alone are not enough; religious leaders could have done much better also extending practical actions and material supports, but also openly talking to political leaders, to eradicate the politics of lies – in speech and reports, – and evasion of the reality and the truth.
Friends, the message for these days is very clear: we should remember it; Peter’s exhorts us believers to be always ready to answer every question about the reason of our hope, which is that we see and know the Truth that we have the Spirit of God in us. Thus, we should overcome fear of harm and of death, and not be frightened if we testify about the truth with gentleness and respect, keeping clear conscience, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
(6) PRAYERS OF INTERCESSIONS
Father, we thank you for the means you provided for us to remain united in this time of pandemic. Heal all our members; give comfort to those grieving. We pray for the healing of our nation and the world. We pray for political leaders to head the truth, extend love and seek to provide all-encompassing support to the public. Give courage to religious leaders and the members to challenge the politics of division and blind eye, rather to guide for the best of all and for a future with hope and love for one another; in your name; Amen.
(7) Hymn Songs of Fellowship 365 Heal our Nation
(8) BLESSING
As members of the body of Christ, may your secret acts serve to empower your witness, that you may astonish the world with Christ’s love and humanity. Amen.
Thought of the week (Week Commencing: 11th May)
The Eternal God is thy refuge – And underneth are the Everlasting Arms.
Deuteronomy 33; 27 K.J.V.
A few years ago I came across a new word; a gift to Scrabble players and Countdown contestants except that it was not then in the official Countdown dictionary. It was part of the Danish language course at Morley College, in central London and attracted the attention of the BBC. (BBC News Magazine) The word in question is hygge (Pronounced hooga ), described as the Danish art of living cosily although an equally valid translation of what may be untranslatable is 'wellbeing'
The lecturer, Susanne Nilsson, attributed the significance of hygge to Denmark's "long, cold winters - with up to 17 hours of darkness per day in the depths of winter, and average temperatures hovering around freezing, people spend more time indoors, meaning there's greater focus on home entertaining. Hygge could be families and friends getting together for a meal, with the lighting dimmed, or it could be time spent on your own, reading a good book - It works best when there's not too large an empty space around the person or people. The idea is to relax and feel as at-home as possible, forgetting life's worries'.
Hygge sounds like everything that, currently, we do not have. We have all the ‘at home’ that we can handle and a large empty space around us has become obligatory. As for 'getting family and friends together for a meal !
Steadily, what began as a set of neccesary precautions begins to feel like the new ‘normal'. How will the world, our society emerge from it - What will we have become ?
The pronunciation of hygge sounds rather like 'huggy' which may not be a coincidence, since it has been proposed that 'hug' originated in the Danish component of our language and culture.
Fear, of one another, is soon aroused much slower to fade.and literal hugs are difficult from two metres apart !
Here is one of my favourit hymns. Actually its two halves of one verse in an original seven verse hymn, and is more often classed as a ‘doxology’ It feels like a great big, eternal hug from God - which is perhaps what Moses had in mind in this last address to the Israelites as they moved into the unknown future: From desert nomads to resident communities in the rich and fertile land of Canaan – a place of promise - and of challenge !.
How good is the God we adore,
Our faithful unchangeable Friend:
Whose Love is as great as His Power
And neither know measure nor end.
‘Tis Jesus the First and the Last,
Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home:
We’ll praise Him for all that is past,
And trust Him for all that’s to come.
Joseph Hart 1759
The lecturer, Susanne Nilsson, attributed the significance of hygge to Denmark's "long, cold winters - with up to 17 hours of darkness per day in the depths of winter, and average temperatures hovering around freezing, people spend more time indoors, meaning there's greater focus on home entertaining. Hygge could be families and friends getting together for a meal, with the lighting dimmed, or it could be time spent on your own, reading a good book - It works best when there's not too large an empty space around the person or people. The idea is to relax and feel as at-home as possible, forgetting life's worries'.
Hygge sounds like everything that, currently, we do not have. We have all the ‘at home’ that we can handle and a large empty space around us has become obligatory. As for 'getting family and friends together for a meal !
Steadily, what began as a set of neccesary precautions begins to feel like the new ‘normal'. How will the world, our society emerge from it - What will we have become ?
The pronunciation of hygge sounds rather like 'huggy' which may not be a coincidence, since it has been proposed that 'hug' originated in the Danish component of our language and culture.
Fear, of one another, is soon aroused much slower to fade.and literal hugs are difficult from two metres apart !
Here is one of my favourit hymns. Actually its two halves of one verse in an original seven verse hymn, and is more often classed as a ‘doxology’ It feels like a great big, eternal hug from God - which is perhaps what Moses had in mind in this last address to the Israelites as they moved into the unknown future: From desert nomads to resident communities in the rich and fertile land of Canaan – a place of promise - and of challenge !.
How good is the God we adore,
Our faithful unchangeable Friend:
Whose Love is as great as His Power
And neither know measure nor end.
‘Tis Jesus the First and the Last,
Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home:
We’ll praise Him for all that is past,
And trust Him for all that’s to come.
Joseph Hart 1759
Thought of the week (Week Commencing: 4th May)
Hebrews 10; 19 - 25
‘Stay togeher- but keep apart' !
A line from one of the morale boosting TV slots; I don’t recall the exact words but the two contradictory imperatives seemed to me to reflect the complications and confusions of our present situation. we are all keeping together but with no clear idea as to when we will actually BE together and how long after that it will be 2 metres apart 'together'. In Germany, churches have been allowed to open - but no singing !
One of the defining features of 'the church' before it was ‘the church’, in Acts, is of breaking bread together, joyfully. The Greek word that we read as 'Church', Ecclesia, originally described the decision making process of Democracy, the assembly of the citizens – the demos. So, this implies, 'the church' is a gathering of people who are 'called out for a purpose.'
Yet, here, very early in the life of the Church, I think the only time in the New Testament, Christians are warned not to ‘give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing’.
Being an active Christian in First Century Rome was not easy and, on occasion, could be risky. With no legal right to exist they could, at any moment, be subject to a government clamp down and there was a constant background of harrasment, ridicule and general hostility from those who recognized them as ‘different' and hated them for it.
The reason for these falling attendances isn't clear from the text. Was it due to these quite serious pressures on Believers or was it just people ‘losing the habit ?
It’s not just putting in an appearance, although, still, for many Believers around the world, that requires consideable courage and comittment -it’s what the individual Believer misses in exercising‘concern for one another’ – helping – showing love – doing good and, finally encouraging one another. ( Hebrews 10; 24 – 25 ) In other words; faith without fellowship somehow misses the point !
Maybe our deprivation of those essential aspects of being 'the Church’ will encourage us to value them all the more when they are restored to us !
Jack .
A line from one of the morale boosting TV slots; I don’t recall the exact words but the two contradictory imperatives seemed to me to reflect the complications and confusions of our present situation. we are all keeping together but with no clear idea as to when we will actually BE together and how long after that it will be 2 metres apart 'together'. In Germany, churches have been allowed to open - but no singing !
One of the defining features of 'the church' before it was ‘the church’, in Acts, is of breaking bread together, joyfully. The Greek word that we read as 'Church', Ecclesia, originally described the decision making process of Democracy, the assembly of the citizens – the demos. So, this implies, 'the church' is a gathering of people who are 'called out for a purpose.'
Yet, here, very early in the life of the Church, I think the only time in the New Testament, Christians are warned not to ‘give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing’.
Being an active Christian in First Century Rome was not easy and, on occasion, could be risky. With no legal right to exist they could, at any moment, be subject to a government clamp down and there was a constant background of harrasment, ridicule and general hostility from those who recognized them as ‘different' and hated them for it.
The reason for these falling attendances isn't clear from the text. Was it due to these quite serious pressures on Believers or was it just people ‘losing the habit ?
It’s not just putting in an appearance, although, still, for many Believers around the world, that requires consideable courage and comittment -it’s what the individual Believer misses in exercising‘concern for one another’ – helping – showing love – doing good and, finally encouraging one another. ( Hebrews 10; 24 – 25 ) In other words; faith without fellowship somehow misses the point !
Maybe our deprivation of those essential aspects of being 'the Church’ will encourage us to value them all the more when they are restored to us !
Jack .
The Theme for this Sunday is:
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
(Based on Zechariah 10:1-2; 8-9& John 10:11-18)
1 - Let us start by listening to the song: Since Jesus came into my heart, by “Gaither”
2 - We read: Zechariah 10: 1-2; 8-9
Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime;it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people,and plants of the field to everyone. 2 The idols speak deceitfully,diviners see visions that lie;they tell dreams that are false,they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheepoppressed for lack of a shepherd. ……. 8 I will signal for themand gather them in. Surely I will redeem them;they will be as numerous as before. 9 Though I scatter them among the peoples,yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive,and they will return.
Ask the Lord for rain in the springtime;it is the Lord who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people,and plants of the field to everyone. 2 The idols speak deceitfully,diviners see visions that lie;they tell dreams that are false,they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheepoppressed for lack of a shepherd. ……. 8 I will signal for themand gather them in. Surely I will redeem them;they will be as numerous as before. 9 Though I scatter them among the peoples,yet in distant lands they will remember me. They and their children will survive,and they will return.
3 - We listen to or sing along the song: The Lord is my shepherd, by “Stewart Townend”
4 - We read: John 10:11-18
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
5 – MESSAGE (Theme):
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
[Zechariah 10: 1-2; 8-9 & John 10: 11-18]
The lesson from John 10 highlights three things, mainly that (1) the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep; the under-shepherds are the ones who go through the door and are recognised by the Great Shepherd (Christ). (2) A hired shepherd is one who does not own the sheep, he sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and flees. (3) Christ states that there are other sheep not in the fold that he must bring also, and they would listen to his voice. So, there will be one flock under the Good shepherd.
This fits in this time; John 10 also is a familiar passage. The imagery of a shepherd caring for his sheep is both heard and seen many times, in many ways. You have seen pictures of Jesus holding a little lamb. Psalms like 23 anticipated that Jesus is the Good Shepherd; so we shall not want. Jesus is also the fulfillment of Psalm 80, which is a prayer in desperate time like this of ours. We too can ask God to restore us; make his face shine again on us so that we may be saved. If you believe it, you will prevail!
We should note that the lesson is not just about the Shepherd and Sheep living in harmony. It is also about hired hand, and wolves desperately looking for a succulent meal. There is also some threatening imagery: being a shepherd is no easy task. Moses had to defend his sheep from the enemies for 40 years in the wilderness. Jesus defends his/us from the enemies’ attack, or when lost. In fact, shepherding is a first step to becoming king. The first two kings of Israel - Saul & David - were shepherds before becoming kings. So, good leaders must first be good shepherds by examples.
The picture of sheep is not however always a pleasant one. Sheep can get dirty; their wool collects dirt and need to be cleaned. Sheep may have no sense of direction; sheep easily get lost if no one is guiding, or if someone misleads them. This is the picture John 10 gives us, and is of course a portrait of our own natures. These days we are like sheep that have gone astray as Isaiah 53:6 puts it. To grasp the context of John 10, match with ours, we see that Jesus is addresses religious as well as political leaders who are blind and cannot see. Thus, they cannot guide truthfully their flocks.
On one hand, the main audience in this message is those who have the leadership duties: religious leaders as well as political leaders. Jesus defines some as under-shepherds in a bad light, who lead theirs to destruction. However, good shepherds lead theirs to abundant living: by teaching them, equipping them, feeding them, caring for them, honestly leading them in the right direction, and giving them good examples. On the other hand, the message stresses the hope we - the flock - have.
What does this have to do with this time of Covid-19, what is the purpose if the shepherd is not leading properly? That means the ordinary people are to be pitied, because wolves – the virus – has come to feast in an open buffet. Sad to say, the main problem now is not the virus, but the leadership. Thankfully, ‘we will prevail’ since Christ has been raised, he promised that the gates of hell and the wolves will not have the final victory over God’s people: the flock under the Great Good Shepherd.
The hired hand (leader) is one who does not have genuine commitment to the flock (vs. 12 & 13). They are there only to get benefits, while they do not have a deep care and concern for the well being of their people. Be mindful; when the church is much at peace, politics deceive its leaders. Yet, when the people reach the stage of most need, they leave them to be eaten by all sorts of wolves: not only with covid-19, but also no light no help. On the contrary, Jesus’ concern is light and unity for His flock. When one sheep strays because of lack of light, Jesus goes out to find ‘us’ and restores us to the fold. Christ exhorts to shepherd the flock the way he does it. Here rises the question: are the leaders going to stand by your side when times are tough, when you are going through crisis, or are they going to simply let you be eaten alive?
Jesus contrasts false leadership of the under-shepherds with what more genuine shepherds should look like. In the center of this lesson is John (10:16), which recaps the intent of the Great Good Shepherd: “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” There are more duties out there (outreach) for the leaders. The message in this Gospel is an effectual calling. Jesus is not saying: I will call some sheep and they will decide in their own will to join or not to join my flock; it is rather positive when Jesus calls, they come. The lost sheep will hopefully find refuge, in the green pastures of the Great Shepherd; it implies protection even when they were still lost.
How shall we then live? Jesus knows us individually by name, but not apart from bringing us into the fold, into the church or society and nations. The Bible condemns any attempt to live an “individualistic gospel.” Those who leave the church to live independently of it are like the one sheep that is wondering without knowing where s/he is going. But Jesus is merciful and finds that one sheep. Good shepherds of the church and society follow the leading example of the Great Good Shepherd. But, you must know at the outset, that there will be many times “we” will fail at our duty. As believers, we must remember the leaders in our prayers and be aware that they care for us; if they don’t, we must pray that they find the light and the right way.
Brothers and sisters, although today’s message is largely a call to both political and religious leaders, it is also a call for any of us, grown-up people as shepherds of the families to guide those in our households. The leadership duty is meant to preserve the well being of the people as a whole. Your goal too as leaders of your house-holds is to preserve their wellbeing: teaching your little ones, the young from their earliest days to worship, to love and respect others, let’s lead by our examples. So much so, our little flock will join the larger flock of saved ones in the community, nationwide and worldwide; all will rejoice on the Lord’s Day, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
[Zechariah 10: 1-2; 8-9 & John 10: 11-18]
The lesson from John 10 highlights three things, mainly that (1) the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep; the under-shepherds are the ones who go through the door and are recognised by the Great Shepherd (Christ). (2) A hired shepherd is one who does not own the sheep, he sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep and flees. (3) Christ states that there are other sheep not in the fold that he must bring also, and they would listen to his voice. So, there will be one flock under the Good shepherd.
This fits in this time; John 10 also is a familiar passage. The imagery of a shepherd caring for his sheep is both heard and seen many times, in many ways. You have seen pictures of Jesus holding a little lamb. Psalms like 23 anticipated that Jesus is the Good Shepherd; so we shall not want. Jesus is also the fulfillment of Psalm 80, which is a prayer in desperate time like this of ours. We too can ask God to restore us; make his face shine again on us so that we may be saved. If you believe it, you will prevail!
We should note that the lesson is not just about the Shepherd and Sheep living in harmony. It is also about hired hand, and wolves desperately looking for a succulent meal. There is also some threatening imagery: being a shepherd is no easy task. Moses had to defend his sheep from the enemies for 40 years in the wilderness. Jesus defends his/us from the enemies’ attack, or when lost. In fact, shepherding is a first step to becoming king. The first two kings of Israel - Saul & David - were shepherds before becoming kings. So, good leaders must first be good shepherds by examples.
The picture of sheep is not however always a pleasant one. Sheep can get dirty; their wool collects dirt and need to be cleaned. Sheep may have no sense of direction; sheep easily get lost if no one is guiding, or if someone misleads them. This is the picture John 10 gives us, and is of course a portrait of our own natures. These days we are like sheep that have gone astray as Isaiah 53:6 puts it. To grasp the context of John 10, match with ours, we see that Jesus is addresses religious as well as political leaders who are blind and cannot see. Thus, they cannot guide truthfully their flocks.
On one hand, the main audience in this message is those who have the leadership duties: religious leaders as well as political leaders. Jesus defines some as under-shepherds in a bad light, who lead theirs to destruction. However, good shepherds lead theirs to abundant living: by teaching them, equipping them, feeding them, caring for them, honestly leading them in the right direction, and giving them good examples. On the other hand, the message stresses the hope we - the flock - have.
What does this have to do with this time of Covid-19, what is the purpose if the shepherd is not leading properly? That means the ordinary people are to be pitied, because wolves – the virus – has come to feast in an open buffet. Sad to say, the main problem now is not the virus, but the leadership. Thankfully, ‘we will prevail’ since Christ has been raised, he promised that the gates of hell and the wolves will not have the final victory over God’s people: the flock under the Great Good Shepherd.
The hired hand (leader) is one who does not have genuine commitment to the flock (vs. 12 & 13). They are there only to get benefits, while they do not have a deep care and concern for the well being of their people. Be mindful; when the church is much at peace, politics deceive its leaders. Yet, when the people reach the stage of most need, they leave them to be eaten by all sorts of wolves: not only with covid-19, but also no light no help. On the contrary, Jesus’ concern is light and unity for His flock. When one sheep strays because of lack of light, Jesus goes out to find ‘us’ and restores us to the fold. Christ exhorts to shepherd the flock the way he does it. Here rises the question: are the leaders going to stand by your side when times are tough, when you are going through crisis, or are they going to simply let you be eaten alive?
Jesus contrasts false leadership of the under-shepherds with what more genuine shepherds should look like. In the center of this lesson is John (10:16), which recaps the intent of the Great Good Shepherd: “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” There are more duties out there (outreach) for the leaders. The message in this Gospel is an effectual calling. Jesus is not saying: I will call some sheep and they will decide in their own will to join or not to join my flock; it is rather positive when Jesus calls, they come. The lost sheep will hopefully find refuge, in the green pastures of the Great Shepherd; it implies protection even when they were still lost.
How shall we then live? Jesus knows us individually by name, but not apart from bringing us into the fold, into the church or society and nations. The Bible condemns any attempt to live an “individualistic gospel.” Those who leave the church to live independently of it are like the one sheep that is wondering without knowing where s/he is going. But Jesus is merciful and finds that one sheep. Good shepherds of the church and society follow the leading example of the Great Good Shepherd. But, you must know at the outset, that there will be many times “we” will fail at our duty. As believers, we must remember the leaders in our prayers and be aware that they care for us; if they don’t, we must pray that they find the light and the right way.
Brothers and sisters, although today’s message is largely a call to both political and religious leaders, it is also a call for any of us, grown-up people as shepherds of the families to guide those in our households. The leadership duty is meant to preserve the well being of the people as a whole. Your goal too as leaders of your house-holds is to preserve their wellbeing: teaching your little ones, the young from their earliest days to worship, to love and respect others, let’s lead by our examples. So much so, our little flock will join the larger flock of saved ones in the community, nationwide and worldwide; all will rejoice on the Lord’s Day, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
6 - A SONG FOR HEALING MOMENT and HOPE: Jerusalem City of God, by “The Hoppers”
7 - CONCLUDING PRAYER
In the raging storms, and in the still and quiet, with God in our hearts,we will win the battle. With Jesus in our hearts,we will win the battle. With the Spirit in our hearts, we will win the battle.
Blessing, laughter and loving be yours, the love of a great God, who names you and holds you; while the earth turns and the flowers grow this day, this moment, and forever. Amen !
In the raging storms, and in the still and quiet, with God in our hearts,we will win the battle. With Jesus in our hearts,we will win the battle. With the Spirit in our hearts, we will win the battle.
Blessing, laughter and loving be yours, the love of a great God, who names you and holds you; while the earth turns and the flowers grow this day, this moment, and forever. Amen !
URC - Sunday 3rd May Audio Service
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The URC have supplied a digitally available service for our congregation to listen to. These are available every Sunday from now during lock down. We aim to upload them each week for you to listen to. Please note the recording is on an external site. Please CLICK HERE TO LISTEN and then press the orange play button to start the service. This can be paused at any time by pressing the orange button again.
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Thought of the week (Week Commencing: 27th April)
Isaiah 35 ; 1-4 Times of Refreshing
I have been doing my shopping, weekly or a little over the week at Sainsbury’s at the appropriate time ( 8.00 am for us oldies !) and, although the weather was much improved on my first visit and I knew that there would be no problems once I did get inside, I found it a depressing experiance
This, my third time, the queue seemed shorter but there were new rules in force and getting through the doors took longer !
So I had around an hour in which to stand in line and ponder on how we had got where we are so quickly and easily !
Are we by nature a docile and obedient nation – was it because all of us in the queue were ‘of mature years' – or is it fear that commands our compliance ? Mostly I think it's the belief that ‘things will get back to normal’, preferably sooner rather than later.
I think my moment of depression was, for the first time, imagining that this was the new normal- that in just a few weeks we had been plunged into an Orwellian 1984, that all the imaginable distopian futures were with us here and now.
Then, later in the day, I was reminded that Easter is about Resurrection, the birth of new life out of the old !
The large potted fuscia on my back patio usually survives the winter but not, it seemed, this time. Nothing to show but dead dry stalks of last year’s growth..But there, on the apparently dead wood, were unmistakeable red/green shoots - my fuscia will again live, in glorious and abundant flower !
If you have access to the King James Bible you can encounter Isaiah's prophecy of new life and renewal in all its power and majesty. We are dealing in various ways with isolation, restrictions on our freedom, possibly, anziety and uncertainty, perhaps even, as I experienced, fits of dark forboding and depression. Meanwhile, God’s creation is bursting with new life and signs of hope !.
The spirits of Isaiah’s people could not have been lower. Their homeland was gone, they had experienced invasion by a ruthless and brutal enemy, the horrific depopulation and destruction of their city and,it seemed, their religion since their God had been unable to help them. The survivors were exiles who ‘sat down and wept’by the rivers of Babylon, in a strange land where they could not even bring themselves to ‘sing the Lord’s song’.
A dismal, endless future seemed to stretch ahead of them but the prophet was able to assure them that their God was already at work, in ways that they could not have understood, on a radical change for the better.
Soon everything would be 'coming up roses !
In our most barren wilderness times, God sends times of refreshing and signs of hope, if we only know where to look for them !
This, my third time, the queue seemed shorter but there were new rules in force and getting through the doors took longer !
So I had around an hour in which to stand in line and ponder on how we had got where we are so quickly and easily !
Are we by nature a docile and obedient nation – was it because all of us in the queue were ‘of mature years' – or is it fear that commands our compliance ? Mostly I think it's the belief that ‘things will get back to normal’, preferably sooner rather than later.
I think my moment of depression was, for the first time, imagining that this was the new normal- that in just a few weeks we had been plunged into an Orwellian 1984, that all the imaginable distopian futures were with us here and now.
Then, later in the day, I was reminded that Easter is about Resurrection, the birth of new life out of the old !
The large potted fuscia on my back patio usually survives the winter but not, it seemed, this time. Nothing to show but dead dry stalks of last year’s growth..But there, on the apparently dead wood, were unmistakeable red/green shoots - my fuscia will again live, in glorious and abundant flower !
If you have access to the King James Bible you can encounter Isaiah's prophecy of new life and renewal in all its power and majesty. We are dealing in various ways with isolation, restrictions on our freedom, possibly, anziety and uncertainty, perhaps even, as I experienced, fits of dark forboding and depression. Meanwhile, God’s creation is bursting with new life and signs of hope !.
The spirits of Isaiah’s people could not have been lower. Their homeland was gone, they had experienced invasion by a ruthless and brutal enemy, the horrific depopulation and destruction of their city and,it seemed, their religion since their God had been unable to help them. The survivors were exiles who ‘sat down and wept’by the rivers of Babylon, in a strange land where they could not even bring themselves to ‘sing the Lord’s song’.
A dismal, endless future seemed to stretch ahead of them but the prophet was able to assure them that their God was already at work, in ways that they could not have understood, on a radical change for the better.
Soon everything would be 'coming up roses !
In our most barren wilderness times, God sends times of refreshing and signs of hope, if we only know where to look for them !
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Sunday 26th April 2020
Live Life to the Full (John 10:10)
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Sunday 19th April 2020
Suggested Readings John 20; 24-29 1 Corinthians 15; 1-11
The Apostle Thomas, surnamed 'didymus' (the twin), reputed to have taken the Gospel to India, is, sadly, better known as 'Doubting Thomas', a byword for, disbelief and ‘'I'll believe that when I see it !’’cynicism. Surely his attitude was understandable, given the extreme improbability of a man certified dead and buried in a solid rock tomb now being alive, walking around, holding conversations: Wouldn't anyone incline towards other possibilities ?: In an extreme state of grief and shock did they somehow imagine it, could they be sure that it was the man that they had seen die on a cross, could it even be a trick by the authorities to trap them ?
In all fairness to Thomas, the other Disciples had to see before believing- and didn't believe their own eyes when they did ! – Even when Jesus, on three occasions, told them what to expect ‘they did not understand what this teaching meant and were afraid to ask ' (Mark 9; 30-32)
‘I don’t believe it !’ old Victor Meldrew used to say, expressing amazement and disgust that what he was seeing could really be happening. In a different sense, we may feel that what we see is too incredible, or too good, to be true – where ‘seeing' includes accepting the testimony of others.
Newspaper headlines commonly report a 'Miracle' - survival, recovery, escape, etc. in the sense of being against all the odds and probabilities. Miracles in the true sense of the word are harder to pin down. Was it an answer to prayer ? – we can’t prove it – yet, in such circumstances we do pray, on our own account as well as for people who ask us to pray for them.
During Lent we thought of Jesus rejecting temptations to satisfy His own hunger or perform magic tricks for his own reputation as a miracle worker, and there were many so called in His day. His healing miracles were life-changing for people with little hope from any other source and the three recorded raising from death were a response to grief and desperate need not just for their own sake or to impress. His love and compasion spilled out to do things for others what he wouldn't do for himself. His resurrection was not for himself, it was for Thomas, and the others, to 'see and believe' so that we could have the chance to believe without seeing.
Our lives today revolve around belief and trust in what we can't see. There is no single, real object called 'the internet', yet our lives increasingly depend upon it. For many, the imaginary worlds that it creates are more’real’ than reality. The technology that we take for granted may as well be magic for what we understand of it. There is so much in God’s creation that we don't, probably never will understand, so why not trust that a man who was willingly humiliated beaten and nailed to a cross to redeem the world from the price of sins committed by people not even born and , somehow, beyond our imagining, lives on to be Lord and Saviour, and call people to Himself. Not some kind of alternative reality, a new reality; A unique historical person; too real, too human for legends, too historical for mythology, too big for human institutions, power politics, even for 'religion'; too big even for death itself.
We can’t be there to see for ourselves, like Thomas and the others, to banish all doubt and uncertainty - all that we will ever have is their written evidence. But it is as reliable, if not more so, than the evidence for a great many 'historical' events and much more relevant: Did any great person who ever lived still have such a hold on so many hearts and minds across all boundaries of race, nationality, cultures ?
This year, Lent has mirrored Christ’s time in the wilderness with a whole new intensity. We have experienced inconvenience, even deprivation in a way that we could not have imagined on Ash Wednesday, in what now almost feels like another world. For many of us, also, it has been a time alone- alone with our thoughts- our own resources – our fears. Like those first disciples, we are shut in- by fear, and uncertainty, but so is everyone else so there is only a silent, empty world outside. But, for us, Easter was not cancelled. We remain in 'lockdown' but Christ is Risen !
We cannot see yet we believe it because we feel it. Thomas is not a failure; he was the last of those who could 'see and believe' and he is there for the sake of every believer since, who has no possibility of proof, yet believes, as millions have and undoubtedly will until the end of time.
Closing thought: John Calvin’s 'Institutes of the Christian Religion’, the foundation document of both Congregational and Presybyterian theology, is a forbidding and weighty read but I found a quotation of Calvin’s that is well worth repeating.
The Gospel cannot be grasped by reason and memory only, but it is fully understood when it posseses the whole soul and penetrates to the inner recesses of the heart.
Every blessing, until we meet again.
Jack
In all fairness to Thomas, the other Disciples had to see before believing- and didn't believe their own eyes when they did ! – Even when Jesus, on three occasions, told them what to expect ‘they did not understand what this teaching meant and were afraid to ask ' (Mark 9; 30-32)
‘I don’t believe it !’ old Victor Meldrew used to say, expressing amazement and disgust that what he was seeing could really be happening. In a different sense, we may feel that what we see is too incredible, or too good, to be true – where ‘seeing' includes accepting the testimony of others.
Newspaper headlines commonly report a 'Miracle' - survival, recovery, escape, etc. in the sense of being against all the odds and probabilities. Miracles in the true sense of the word are harder to pin down. Was it an answer to prayer ? – we can’t prove it – yet, in such circumstances we do pray, on our own account as well as for people who ask us to pray for them.
During Lent we thought of Jesus rejecting temptations to satisfy His own hunger or perform magic tricks for his own reputation as a miracle worker, and there were many so called in His day. His healing miracles were life-changing for people with little hope from any other source and the three recorded raising from death were a response to grief and desperate need not just for their own sake or to impress. His love and compasion spilled out to do things for others what he wouldn't do for himself. His resurrection was not for himself, it was for Thomas, and the others, to 'see and believe' so that we could have the chance to believe without seeing.
Our lives today revolve around belief and trust in what we can't see. There is no single, real object called 'the internet', yet our lives increasingly depend upon it. For many, the imaginary worlds that it creates are more’real’ than reality. The technology that we take for granted may as well be magic for what we understand of it. There is so much in God’s creation that we don't, probably never will understand, so why not trust that a man who was willingly humiliated beaten and nailed to a cross to redeem the world from the price of sins committed by people not even born and , somehow, beyond our imagining, lives on to be Lord and Saviour, and call people to Himself. Not some kind of alternative reality, a new reality; A unique historical person; too real, too human for legends, too historical for mythology, too big for human institutions, power politics, even for 'religion'; too big even for death itself.
We can’t be there to see for ourselves, like Thomas and the others, to banish all doubt and uncertainty - all that we will ever have is their written evidence. But it is as reliable, if not more so, than the evidence for a great many 'historical' events and much more relevant: Did any great person who ever lived still have such a hold on so many hearts and minds across all boundaries of race, nationality, cultures ?
This year, Lent has mirrored Christ’s time in the wilderness with a whole new intensity. We have experienced inconvenience, even deprivation in a way that we could not have imagined on Ash Wednesday, in what now almost feels like another world. For many of us, also, it has been a time alone- alone with our thoughts- our own resources – our fears. Like those first disciples, we are shut in- by fear, and uncertainty, but so is everyone else so there is only a silent, empty world outside. But, for us, Easter was not cancelled. We remain in 'lockdown' but Christ is Risen !
We cannot see yet we believe it because we feel it. Thomas is not a failure; he was the last of those who could 'see and believe' and he is there for the sake of every believer since, who has no possibility of proof, yet believes, as millions have and undoubtedly will until the end of time.
Closing thought: John Calvin’s 'Institutes of the Christian Religion’, the foundation document of both Congregational and Presybyterian theology, is a forbidding and weighty read but I found a quotation of Calvin’s that is well worth repeating.
The Gospel cannot be grasped by reason and memory only, but it is fully understood when it posseses the whole soul and penetrates to the inner recesses of the heart.
Every blessing, until we meet again.
Jack
EASTER SUNDAY - THE HOPE EASTER GIVES US
Easter People, the People of the Resurrection
(Isaiah 40:21-31 & John 20:1-9)
(Isaiah 40:21-31 & John 20:1-9)
It is Easter Day again! However, let us distinguish Easter Sunday (the Resurrection of Jesus seen in the New Testament) from the period of Passover preparing the journey to the Promised Land (in the Old Testament). Easter as the period of Passion – the Suffering of Jesus – culminates on Easter Day. This is one of the greatest themes in the Christian History. In his book: ‘The Day the Revolution began: Reconsidering the Meaning of the Crucifixion of Jesus,’ Tom Wright, a prominent writer, clergy, and Bishop of the Church of England has produced an informed piece of literature on the subject. During this period of Easter, it will inspire you more to watch his talks on YouTube or to read his introduction or reviews from the web.
In line with Tom Wright and subsequent reviews, we can discover that Mary Magdalene’s interpretation of the empty tomb (in John 20:1-9) is not the correct one: Jesus has not been taken anywhere (v 2), rather he has left the things of mortality behind him, the strips of linen John and Simon see there. John, the disciple that Jesus loved, realises what has happened and he believes. It is not what he has read in Scripture that convinces him that Jesus has risen. Certainly, the words of the Scripture would confirm him later in his belief.
Eastertide (mainly the resurrection experience) particularly in this troubled time – with the coronavirus – the greatest theme we should focus on is: “The Hope that Easter gives us.” It would be impossible to exaggerate the value of that hope, because life without hope is not worth living. A prominent preacher suggested that Hope is to the spirit what bread is to the body. Human hope indeed is fragile; it is constantly under threat because there is so much tragedy in life. However, constant hope is the daily bread of true life. The apostles knew all about this but the crucifixion of Jesus reduced their hope to rubble. Fortunately, that was not the end because something happened that changed it: the resurrection of Christ.
The faith of the disciples was born from the direct experience of the “risen Christ” that transformed them from a group of ‘cowardly people’ into people prepared to – and did – die for Christ’s message. Thus, the death of Christ, which had seemed to be a mark of defeat, turned out to be genuine victory: the victory of love over hate, of good over evil, and of life over death. By rescuing His beloved Son from the power of death, God showed us that he vindicates those who fully trust in him. Easter resurrection then, provides us with a huge booster of hope. Yet, we should note that this is not a temporary fix, but rather is like intravenous feeding of love and hope that we receive from Christ’s own heart to our hearts.
Of course we still feel pain here in the world. However, there is also a quiet joy among us because we know well that good is stronger than evil, and that life is stronger than death for those who have believed. In such a time of uncertainty – of illnesses, death and anguish, – Easter i.e. the resurrection of Jesus, assures us that beyond suffering lies glory, beyond defeat is triumph, and beyond death is life eternal. Our disappointments may be many and our joy may be small, but our hope is great. As Christians, the resurrection of Christ is the basis of our hope; it anticipates the birth of the Church. So, we must pray God will guard this hope with grace as we wait for God’s power (Pentecost). For those who lose hope tire, the stones of the road become rougher for the feet, as the load will weigh heavier on their backs.
How different, then are things for those who have this hope? The prophet Isaiah puts it clearly: “those who hope in God renew their strength. They put out wings like eagles. They run and do not grow weary; they walk and never tire” (Is 40:31). Friends, I may repeat this again and again: “the power of God is greater than the power of death;” so, making this catchphrase our firm statement of faith during this troubled time would really nourish our spirit and make us stronger. With such hope, we would renew our strength too. Surely, it is in a fragile, mortal nature – as ours – that Christ overcame his death from the cross, thorns, scoffing and whippings. That is the way he became the pathfinder for us. If his humanity can be glorified, then so can ours. Easter is really a revolution against limitations.
This year’s Easter celebration will have no public gatherings, only at our homes and in our hearts. For Christians, crucifixion, death and mainly the resurrection of Christ is the day of change – now this is a reality – the Day the revolution began: a rebirth without returning back. That Day leads to a period of Spiritual Power, Pentecost, that gives us a new value, new status, and name: Christians, the people of the resurrection. Fear not, Christ’s resurrection is victory over fear and death; it enables us to live our lives under the brightness of immortality; sustained with the hope in Jesus it makes it possible for us to pass through the “dark kingdom of death” including the consequences of the coronavirus. In a nutshell, I pray that this Easter celebration brings the hope in each one of you all. Happy Easter!
Prayer
May the risen Lord inflame your hearts – each one of you – and raise your spirits, so that we may journey towards his Kingdom with undimmed hope! May you be good witnesses for the resurrection by the joy and hope you radiate and share! And may the Peace of God, who brought Jesus back from the dead, be with all, always; amen!
In line with Tom Wright and subsequent reviews, we can discover that Mary Magdalene’s interpretation of the empty tomb (in John 20:1-9) is not the correct one: Jesus has not been taken anywhere (v 2), rather he has left the things of mortality behind him, the strips of linen John and Simon see there. John, the disciple that Jesus loved, realises what has happened and he believes. It is not what he has read in Scripture that convinces him that Jesus has risen. Certainly, the words of the Scripture would confirm him later in his belief.
Eastertide (mainly the resurrection experience) particularly in this troubled time – with the coronavirus – the greatest theme we should focus on is: “The Hope that Easter gives us.” It would be impossible to exaggerate the value of that hope, because life without hope is not worth living. A prominent preacher suggested that Hope is to the spirit what bread is to the body. Human hope indeed is fragile; it is constantly under threat because there is so much tragedy in life. However, constant hope is the daily bread of true life. The apostles knew all about this but the crucifixion of Jesus reduced their hope to rubble. Fortunately, that was not the end because something happened that changed it: the resurrection of Christ.
The faith of the disciples was born from the direct experience of the “risen Christ” that transformed them from a group of ‘cowardly people’ into people prepared to – and did – die for Christ’s message. Thus, the death of Christ, which had seemed to be a mark of defeat, turned out to be genuine victory: the victory of love over hate, of good over evil, and of life over death. By rescuing His beloved Son from the power of death, God showed us that he vindicates those who fully trust in him. Easter resurrection then, provides us with a huge booster of hope. Yet, we should note that this is not a temporary fix, but rather is like intravenous feeding of love and hope that we receive from Christ’s own heart to our hearts.
Of course we still feel pain here in the world. However, there is also a quiet joy among us because we know well that good is stronger than evil, and that life is stronger than death for those who have believed. In such a time of uncertainty – of illnesses, death and anguish, – Easter i.e. the resurrection of Jesus, assures us that beyond suffering lies glory, beyond defeat is triumph, and beyond death is life eternal. Our disappointments may be many and our joy may be small, but our hope is great. As Christians, the resurrection of Christ is the basis of our hope; it anticipates the birth of the Church. So, we must pray God will guard this hope with grace as we wait for God’s power (Pentecost). For those who lose hope tire, the stones of the road become rougher for the feet, as the load will weigh heavier on their backs.
How different, then are things for those who have this hope? The prophet Isaiah puts it clearly: “those who hope in God renew their strength. They put out wings like eagles. They run and do not grow weary; they walk and never tire” (Is 40:31). Friends, I may repeat this again and again: “the power of God is greater than the power of death;” so, making this catchphrase our firm statement of faith during this troubled time would really nourish our spirit and make us stronger. With such hope, we would renew our strength too. Surely, it is in a fragile, mortal nature – as ours – that Christ overcame his death from the cross, thorns, scoffing and whippings. That is the way he became the pathfinder for us. If his humanity can be glorified, then so can ours. Easter is really a revolution against limitations.
This year’s Easter celebration will have no public gatherings, only at our homes and in our hearts. For Christians, crucifixion, death and mainly the resurrection of Christ is the day of change – now this is a reality – the Day the revolution began: a rebirth without returning back. That Day leads to a period of Spiritual Power, Pentecost, that gives us a new value, new status, and name: Christians, the people of the resurrection. Fear not, Christ’s resurrection is victory over fear and death; it enables us to live our lives under the brightness of immortality; sustained with the hope in Jesus it makes it possible for us to pass through the “dark kingdom of death” including the consequences of the coronavirus. In a nutshell, I pray that this Easter celebration brings the hope in each one of you all. Happy Easter!
Prayer
May the risen Lord inflame your hearts – each one of you – and raise your spirits, so that we may journey towards his Kingdom with undimmed hope! May you be good witnesses for the resurrection by the joy and hope you radiate and share! And may the Peace of God, who brought Jesus back from the dead, be with all, always; amen!
Call To Prayer
MAUNDY THURSDAY
9th April
(Exodus 12:1-4 [5-10], 11-14; Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19;
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 and John 13:1-17, 31b-35)
Tonight, light a candle and sit together in your family to read these readings
Today is Maundy Thursday, we should be worshiping and celebrating the Holy Supper tonight. Yet, our life as well as the life of people in the whole world is confronting the Covid19. Church buildings are locked, but the hearts of the faithful are widely open: we are praying more than ever. Members of our congregation are connected more than ever by thoughts, prayers, telephone calls and social media. We are closer to our God than ever.
The passages we read for today trace the sacred strand that runs between the institution of Passover in the Old Testament, and that of the Holy Communion in the New. Exodus (chapter 12) is about the preparation that God told Moses and Aaron to make before the Passover, that moment leading up to the Exodus. From then on, the New Year is now to be counted from this time known as Nissan - falling in March or April, - to celebrate the time when individuals sharing the faith become a “people”. The Passover itself is given so as to be a day of remembrance, to be celebrated as a “perpetual ordinance”.
The very important theme of remembrance is rooted in the Hebrew nation and is to be recognised ever afterwards. It carries through Psalm 116, a thanksgiving hymn that, similar to Psalm 30, celebrates the deliverance of God’s people from near death distress: so sung, “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications (v1)”. We should also sing so, noting that the reason for being rescued is not simply our own survival; it is rather so that we in return may walk before the Lord (v9) and pay our vows to the Lord “in the presence of all his people” (vv14 & 18). Thus, the Psalmist declares – as we ought to do now - that he will lift up the cup of salvation reminding us of a three fold lift: the cup served in the Passover ceremony, the cup of redemption, and that life-giving cup offered by Jesus Christ at the Passover act in the Upper Room.
First Corinthians (chapter 11) is the earliest account we have about the last event. The night of remembrance Jesus reiterated that we no longer simply remember God’s mighty redemption of the old in the Exodus - which the Passover meal symbolised for those who had believed, - but now it is Christ’s present work of redemption in each of our lives as well. The feast of Passover and the Sacrament of Communion thus meld to remind us of all God’s work on our behalf, making the Holy Supper (The Lord’s Supper), our worship tonight or prayer an acted sermon until he comes again. The Gospel of Matthew (26: 26-28) and mainly John (chapter 13) remind us of Christ’s own words: that it is an act perpetuating the faith and symbolising the humility of the service.
Friends, in this period of suffering from the Corona virus and subsequent confusion due to the lockdown, let us prove our faith in the Lord who gives us the Hope. There is nothing greater for Christians than the Hope that Christ alone gives us. Christ is nearer; He reminds us to keep our lamps burning until he comes. Tonight, this act of faith makes a big difference, during a time of turbulence in particular like this. Thus, I wish you all more and more strength and more faith, which brings our Lord nearer.
Prayer
May the Lord remain among you (among us all) as one who serves, and may you too come to have a heart like his own. The Lord be with you; His Peace surround you. Amen!
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 and John 13:1-17, 31b-35)
Tonight, light a candle and sit together in your family to read these readings
Today is Maundy Thursday, we should be worshiping and celebrating the Holy Supper tonight. Yet, our life as well as the life of people in the whole world is confronting the Covid19. Church buildings are locked, but the hearts of the faithful are widely open: we are praying more than ever. Members of our congregation are connected more than ever by thoughts, prayers, telephone calls and social media. We are closer to our God than ever.
The passages we read for today trace the sacred strand that runs between the institution of Passover in the Old Testament, and that of the Holy Communion in the New. Exodus (chapter 12) is about the preparation that God told Moses and Aaron to make before the Passover, that moment leading up to the Exodus. From then on, the New Year is now to be counted from this time known as Nissan - falling in March or April, - to celebrate the time when individuals sharing the faith become a “people”. The Passover itself is given so as to be a day of remembrance, to be celebrated as a “perpetual ordinance”.
The very important theme of remembrance is rooted in the Hebrew nation and is to be recognised ever afterwards. It carries through Psalm 116, a thanksgiving hymn that, similar to Psalm 30, celebrates the deliverance of God’s people from near death distress: so sung, “I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications (v1)”. We should also sing so, noting that the reason for being rescued is not simply our own survival; it is rather so that we in return may walk before the Lord (v9) and pay our vows to the Lord “in the presence of all his people” (vv14 & 18). Thus, the Psalmist declares – as we ought to do now - that he will lift up the cup of salvation reminding us of a three fold lift: the cup served in the Passover ceremony, the cup of redemption, and that life-giving cup offered by Jesus Christ at the Passover act in the Upper Room.
First Corinthians (chapter 11) is the earliest account we have about the last event. The night of remembrance Jesus reiterated that we no longer simply remember God’s mighty redemption of the old in the Exodus - which the Passover meal symbolised for those who had believed, - but now it is Christ’s present work of redemption in each of our lives as well. The feast of Passover and the Sacrament of Communion thus meld to remind us of all God’s work on our behalf, making the Holy Supper (The Lord’s Supper), our worship tonight or prayer an acted sermon until he comes again. The Gospel of Matthew (26: 26-28) and mainly John (chapter 13) remind us of Christ’s own words: that it is an act perpetuating the faith and symbolising the humility of the service.
Friends, in this period of suffering from the Corona virus and subsequent confusion due to the lockdown, let us prove our faith in the Lord who gives us the Hope. There is nothing greater for Christians than the Hope that Christ alone gives us. Christ is nearer; He reminds us to keep our lamps burning until he comes. Tonight, this act of faith makes a big difference, during a time of turbulence in particular like this. Thus, I wish you all more and more strength and more faith, which brings our Lord nearer.
Prayer
May the Lord remain among you (among us all) as one who serves, and may you too come to have a heart like his own. The Lord be with you; His Peace surround you. Amen!
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Palm Sunday Virtual Service 2020 - Christ Church
Thank you to Michael for this content.
Thoughts for Palm Sunday (5th April 2020)
As we approach Easter we are reminded again about the coming of God’s Kingdom here on earth, and the hope that this can bring in our current situation.
In a world full of suffering and unrest we are aware of a sense of foreboding and anxiety within our society and as Christians we look to offer some uplift and encouragement to those around us.
The Jews in the days of Jesus lived a life of oppression, fear and persecution and longed for liberation from the way of life that was causing them so much pain and grief. So often we know this is mirrored today in our own earthly journeys and in the midst of this world wide pandemic we look for a glimmer of hope to move us forward in a positive way.
The Jewish people of the day had seen the events and actions of Jesus, and recognised within this the fulfilment of Holy Scripture. It was therefore on this day that we recognise as Palm Sunday that they honoured Him and cheered Him as their King, someone who would free them once and for all from their daily fears and anxieties.
However, when some of them realised that their own personal hopes and aspirations were not being met, they turned on Him and clamoured for His crucifixion.
It was not until sometime after the resurrection of Jesus that people looked back and could begin to understand the real reason for His mission and the meaning of His Kingdom.
It is often in our distress that we too look back and see how God has revealed Himself in Jesus, often in ways that we have not expected so that we can see a glimmer of light in our darkness.
So often as we reflect it seems for us as Christians that God has blessed each one of us by revealing God’s love to us in our times of deepest need, giving us the power and strength to overcome our adversities.
It is the knowledge of God’s past love that can surely help us in our present situation and give us the faith and trust that He is with us now and in the future.
Our Palm Sunday celebrations are enhanced for us as we know the ultimate end of the story and recognise the real mission of Jesus, who came to restore God’s Kingdom here on earth.
As our hearts are open to this amazing fact we realise that nothing, not even the Coronavirus can separate us from His love revealed in Jesus.
So may the life and ministry of Jesus fill our hearts and minds today with the great truth revealed in Paul’s letter to the Romans chapter 8 verses 37-39 where we read and are reminded that in spite of all the difficulties we face: “Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us enough to die for us.” says Paul “For I am convinced that nothing can separate us from His love. Death can’t and life can’t. The angels won’t, and all the powers of hell cannot keep God’s love away. Our fears for today, our worries for tomorrow, or where we are—high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean—nothing will be able to separate from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when He died for us” (Life Application Bible ).
May these words resound in our hearts as we approach Easter and give us all the hope and strength that we need at this difficult time.
Trevor
In a world full of suffering and unrest we are aware of a sense of foreboding and anxiety within our society and as Christians we look to offer some uplift and encouragement to those around us.
The Jews in the days of Jesus lived a life of oppression, fear and persecution and longed for liberation from the way of life that was causing them so much pain and grief. So often we know this is mirrored today in our own earthly journeys and in the midst of this world wide pandemic we look for a glimmer of hope to move us forward in a positive way.
The Jewish people of the day had seen the events and actions of Jesus, and recognised within this the fulfilment of Holy Scripture. It was therefore on this day that we recognise as Palm Sunday that they honoured Him and cheered Him as their King, someone who would free them once and for all from their daily fears and anxieties.
However, when some of them realised that their own personal hopes and aspirations were not being met, they turned on Him and clamoured for His crucifixion.
It was not until sometime after the resurrection of Jesus that people looked back and could begin to understand the real reason for His mission and the meaning of His Kingdom.
It is often in our distress that we too look back and see how God has revealed Himself in Jesus, often in ways that we have not expected so that we can see a glimmer of light in our darkness.
So often as we reflect it seems for us as Christians that God has blessed each one of us by revealing God’s love to us in our times of deepest need, giving us the power and strength to overcome our adversities.
It is the knowledge of God’s past love that can surely help us in our present situation and give us the faith and trust that He is with us now and in the future.
Our Palm Sunday celebrations are enhanced for us as we know the ultimate end of the story and recognise the real mission of Jesus, who came to restore God’s Kingdom here on earth.
As our hearts are open to this amazing fact we realise that nothing, not even the Coronavirus can separate us from His love revealed in Jesus.
So may the life and ministry of Jesus fill our hearts and minds today with the great truth revealed in Paul’s letter to the Romans chapter 8 verses 37-39 where we read and are reminded that in spite of all the difficulties we face: “Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us enough to die for us.” says Paul “For I am convinced that nothing can separate us from His love. Death can’t and life can’t. The angels won’t, and all the powers of hell cannot keep God’s love away. Our fears for today, our worries for tomorrow, or where we are—high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean—nothing will be able to separate from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when He died for us” (Life Application Bible ).
May these words resound in our hearts as we approach Easter and give us all the hope and strength that we need at this difficult time.
Trevor
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Reflections on our present situation - 29th March 2020
Being in enforced periods of isolation has given some of us a renewed opportunity to come aside in quietness and solitude and recognise God’s presence in the stillness, realising the truth of those words in Psalm 46 “Be still and know that I am God”. This has given us a unique chance to deepen our relationship with Him.
We do know of course that God is indeed with us in every moment of our lives and that we can experience Him in many different ways. Through the power of His Spirit we become aware of His presence in all the ups and downs of everyday living and in every situation. Knowing this enables us to experience great comfort at this difficult time and to know that we are not alone.
In our awareness of this, in the past few months our house group has been exploring the work of the Holy Spirit and all that this can mean in our daily walk with God.
We have discovered that the same life-giving Spirit, who was there at the creation of the world, is the same on-going Spirit who sustains us and empowers us in our lives day by day. This realisation means that our lives can be controlled and directed by God in whatever circumstance we find ourselves and may reassure us that He is able to be our comfort and strength in this present time of crisis.
We know from Holy Scripture that this power of God’s has always been there and was fulfilled in the life of Jesus, who at His baptism experienced the fullness of God’s power and authority descending upon Him and from that moment onwards He fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies about Himself.
We know that as Jesus read the prophets he quoted Isaiah 61 v 1 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach the Good News to the poor.” So the fulfilment of the Spirit’s power came in Jesus - what wonderful news for our world. It is in Jesus that we see the world turned literally upside down where weak and dispirited people are made new. As we encounter our current situation and many of the difficulties that we are facing, we too cling on to that hope of His power and authority within our own lives and in the lives of others to support us all in our own weaknesses and troubles.
The sceptics of our faith will say “That’s your belief, but all this happened 2,000 years ago so how can that help us today?”
Well, in our studies of this our house group discovered that God has great plans for each one of us and that His life-giving Spirit who was there at the beginning of time is still alive and continues for all eternity and is part of our lives day by day.
We know this because just before He died Jesus promised that He would send another Comforter, another Person to be with them, and with us forever (John 14 v15). This means that as Christians we have the ongoing power to cope with everything that this world can throw at us, and beyond into all eternity.
For our encouragement and hope the message of the Spirit’s power is given to us in every book of the Bible. Interestingly, in the house group we were just about to look at the words in the book of Revelation (the final book of the Bible) when the Coronavirus came on us.
As we reflect on our current situation we gain comfort from the book of Revelation which is about great times of turmoil and tribulation and is full of metaphors and references to The Holy Spirit. In fact we are led to believe that John, the writer of the book, wrote the words whilst “In the Spirit.” Barely conscious in human terms, John was taken in an experience by the Spirit on a journey of exploration of the New World that God is creating for us. We notice that John did all this “in the Spirit”.
What wonderful comfort we can gain from this in these trying and difficult times.
Unable to be with each other in bodily form, how often do we say “I will be with you in Spirit.” In other words, I will journey with you as close as I can without physically touching you or having any physical contact. The messages we receive and give to each other at this hard time mirror the images of God who may seem distant physically, but in reality is closer to us than even breathing itself and gives us that sense of His presence in a real and meaningful way.
This great gift of God revealed and given to us through Jesus gives us an ongoing knowledge of power and strength which can be ours today, and can transform our lives from fear and anxiety into a wonderful experience of hope, knowing that we do indeed worship a God who is the same yesterday, today and forever.
May this uncertain time bring us all back to a new and deeper understanding of God’s power and love.
May He bless each one of us and protect us in the name of Jesus and give us the knowledge of His ongoing presence through His Holy Spirit.
Let us keep praying for each other, our world and those who we love, giving thanks to God that He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus and may this knowledge keep us safe and protect us now and evermore.
Trevor
We do know of course that God is indeed with us in every moment of our lives and that we can experience Him in many different ways. Through the power of His Spirit we become aware of His presence in all the ups and downs of everyday living and in every situation. Knowing this enables us to experience great comfort at this difficult time and to know that we are not alone.
In our awareness of this, in the past few months our house group has been exploring the work of the Holy Spirit and all that this can mean in our daily walk with God.
We have discovered that the same life-giving Spirit, who was there at the creation of the world, is the same on-going Spirit who sustains us and empowers us in our lives day by day. This realisation means that our lives can be controlled and directed by God in whatever circumstance we find ourselves and may reassure us that He is able to be our comfort and strength in this present time of crisis.
We know from Holy Scripture that this power of God’s has always been there and was fulfilled in the life of Jesus, who at His baptism experienced the fullness of God’s power and authority descending upon Him and from that moment onwards He fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies about Himself.
We know that as Jesus read the prophets he quoted Isaiah 61 v 1 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach the Good News to the poor.” So the fulfilment of the Spirit’s power came in Jesus - what wonderful news for our world. It is in Jesus that we see the world turned literally upside down where weak and dispirited people are made new. As we encounter our current situation and many of the difficulties that we are facing, we too cling on to that hope of His power and authority within our own lives and in the lives of others to support us all in our own weaknesses and troubles.
The sceptics of our faith will say “That’s your belief, but all this happened 2,000 years ago so how can that help us today?”
Well, in our studies of this our house group discovered that God has great plans for each one of us and that His life-giving Spirit who was there at the beginning of time is still alive and continues for all eternity and is part of our lives day by day.
We know this because just before He died Jesus promised that He would send another Comforter, another Person to be with them, and with us forever (John 14 v15). This means that as Christians we have the ongoing power to cope with everything that this world can throw at us, and beyond into all eternity.
For our encouragement and hope the message of the Spirit’s power is given to us in every book of the Bible. Interestingly, in the house group we were just about to look at the words in the book of Revelation (the final book of the Bible) when the Coronavirus came on us.
As we reflect on our current situation we gain comfort from the book of Revelation which is about great times of turmoil and tribulation and is full of metaphors and references to The Holy Spirit. In fact we are led to believe that John, the writer of the book, wrote the words whilst “In the Spirit.” Barely conscious in human terms, John was taken in an experience by the Spirit on a journey of exploration of the New World that God is creating for us. We notice that John did all this “in the Spirit”.
What wonderful comfort we can gain from this in these trying and difficult times.
Unable to be with each other in bodily form, how often do we say “I will be with you in Spirit.” In other words, I will journey with you as close as I can without physically touching you or having any physical contact. The messages we receive and give to each other at this hard time mirror the images of God who may seem distant physically, but in reality is closer to us than even breathing itself and gives us that sense of His presence in a real and meaningful way.
This great gift of God revealed and given to us through Jesus gives us an ongoing knowledge of power and strength which can be ours today, and can transform our lives from fear and anxiety into a wonderful experience of hope, knowing that we do indeed worship a God who is the same yesterday, today and forever.
May this uncertain time bring us all back to a new and deeper understanding of God’s power and love.
May He bless each one of us and protect us in the name of Jesus and give us the knowledge of His ongoing presence through His Holy Spirit.
Let us keep praying for each other, our world and those who we love, giving thanks to God that He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus and may this knowledge keep us safe and protect us now and evermore.
Trevor
MOTHERING SUNDAY
(Exodus 2:1-10 & Luke 2:39-52)
March 22nd is Mothering Sunday: a special moment to consider mothers’ central role in their children’s lives. With this in mind, we reflect on the story of Moses and his mother (Exodus 2:1-10), and Jesus and his mother (Luke 2:39-52). This is a special time to appreciate what good mothers do for their children, but also how good children respond to their mothers care. Any motherhood has difficult and enjoyable sides. In Jesus’ childhood, Mary and Joseph had the responsibility for the family. Becoming parents brings other tasks. The Bible teaches us a lot about the care (motherhood) of Mary, the fatherhood of Joseph, but also the Fatherhood/Motherhood of God.
Considering the examples above, we may understand how God must suffer, as he watches us make mistakes, which he is longing to protect us from, as mothers protect their children. Yet God has given us the precious gift of choice, to run our own lives the way we choose. A good parent, or mother won’t take that away. Think of the ways mothers suffer when children do not behave correctly, especially when there are dangers facing them, or in time of difficulties like war, hunger and diseases like virus. Too much freedom for children in societies is a big challenge to mothers.
A Lebanese poet said that parents are like the bows, while their children are the arrows. Today is a special day for mothers, because of their care (motherhood); Mary and Joseph showed that mothers are always together with fathers (both physically and spiritually), especially when it concerns their children. As the poet suggested, it is true that you can point your child in the right direction, but once they have left home, there is not much you can do to change the way they go. However, as a parent, you always keep trying. On the way home from the Temple, when Jesus’ mother could not see her son, they took the trouble to go all the way back to Jerusalem to find him.
Surely, when Moses and Jesus were children, they behaved like other children. They went missing, causing anxiety to their mothers. As any mother they had influence on their children and loved them: they sung lullabys, asked questions and sought to know whereabouts the children would be. Indeed, the children loved their mothers too and often went shopping for their mothers. Likewise, any good children obey their mothers - doing what the mothers ask them to do. This time, the coronavirus is fiercely spreading, killing many people; it might be very worrying for mothers to find proper ways to keep their children in the right situation. Thus, when we pray today, we should remember to commit both mothers and children to God.
Wonderful mothers always take great care to put their children on a right path into the world, whatever it takes. However, once the children have gone, there is no easy way to call them back. The decision never to interfere in their children’s lives is one of the hardest sacrifices mothers have to make. As children, the least we can do for our mothers in turn is to ask for and listen to our mothers’ wise advice, being grateful to them in all ways, and telling them that we are thankful and love them. There is so much more that you can do to express your gratitude to your mothers. Praying to God for your mother, and once in a while offering a little bunch of flowers to her symbolise that you are grateful for the care from your mother and that you love your mother.
A short prayer:
Dear Lord, we thank you for you created us and gave us parents who care for us. Today, we especially thank you for our mothers and pray that you continue to surround them, strengthen them and bless them for the mothering task, the caring task they have, which impacts our welfare. We pray for this in your wonderful name. Amen.
Considering the examples above, we may understand how God must suffer, as he watches us make mistakes, which he is longing to protect us from, as mothers protect their children. Yet God has given us the precious gift of choice, to run our own lives the way we choose. A good parent, or mother won’t take that away. Think of the ways mothers suffer when children do not behave correctly, especially when there are dangers facing them, or in time of difficulties like war, hunger and diseases like virus. Too much freedom for children in societies is a big challenge to mothers.
A Lebanese poet said that parents are like the bows, while their children are the arrows. Today is a special day for mothers, because of their care (motherhood); Mary and Joseph showed that mothers are always together with fathers (both physically and spiritually), especially when it concerns their children. As the poet suggested, it is true that you can point your child in the right direction, but once they have left home, there is not much you can do to change the way they go. However, as a parent, you always keep trying. On the way home from the Temple, when Jesus’ mother could not see her son, they took the trouble to go all the way back to Jerusalem to find him.
Surely, when Moses and Jesus were children, they behaved like other children. They went missing, causing anxiety to their mothers. As any mother they had influence on their children and loved them: they sung lullabys, asked questions and sought to know whereabouts the children would be. Indeed, the children loved their mothers too and often went shopping for their mothers. Likewise, any good children obey their mothers - doing what the mothers ask them to do. This time, the coronavirus is fiercely spreading, killing many people; it might be very worrying for mothers to find proper ways to keep their children in the right situation. Thus, when we pray today, we should remember to commit both mothers and children to God.
Wonderful mothers always take great care to put their children on a right path into the world, whatever it takes. However, once the children have gone, there is no easy way to call them back. The decision never to interfere in their children’s lives is one of the hardest sacrifices mothers have to make. As children, the least we can do for our mothers in turn is to ask for and listen to our mothers’ wise advice, being grateful to them in all ways, and telling them that we are thankful and love them. There is so much more that you can do to express your gratitude to your mothers. Praying to God for your mother, and once in a while offering a little bunch of flowers to her symbolise that you are grateful for the care from your mother and that you love your mother.
A short prayer:
Dear Lord, we thank you for you created us and gave us parents who care for us. Today, we especially thank you for our mothers and pray that you continue to surround them, strengthen them and bless them for the mothering task, the caring task they have, which impacts our welfare. We pray for this in your wonderful name. Amen.
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