Sunday Worship – 15th October 2023 – Bradford North Circuit

(All our songs this morning are from Singing the Faith (StF) Hymns & Psalms (H&P) or Mission Praise (MP) numbers will be given where available)

Welcome to our Sunday Service, today shared on paper across our circuit and with the congregation at Baildon Methodist Church which has been prepared by Rev Phil Drake. The congregation at Baildon are sharing in communion, so the reflection on the gospel reading, which is about feasting, is illustrated with reference to bread and wine received around the table of the Lord.

Click on the blue links to follow them for bible readings and associated links

Call to worship

Rejoice in the Lord always.
Say it again: Rejoice!
The Lord is near; the Lord is here.
Rejoice in the Lord always.
Say it again: Rejoice!

Song – StF 186 or H&P 86 – Tell out my soul the greatness of the Lord

StF 255 or H&P 139 The kingdom of God is justice and joy

Opening prayers

Lord, your goodness and love
have surrounded us all the days of our lives.
We gather at your invitation,
to rejoice in you,
to bring our concerns to you,
and to know your peace. Amen.

Generous God,
we kneel in awe at your willingness to draw us into your fellowship;
in wonder at your gracious invitation to join the feast of life;
in gratitude at your care for each one of us;
in humility for your faithfulness towards each one of us.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we kneel and worship and adore you.
Amen.

Reading: Philippians 4:4-9

Reading : Matthew 22:1-14

Reflection

So much of the Christian life is built around the sharing of food. Traditionally, the great marker points of the Christian year – Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, Harvest – have been festivals, literally time for feasting. Many of the most successful initiatives of the church today are built around the sharing of food. The Alpha course I feel owes a great deal of its impact through the meals offered as a way of bringing its participants together; café style services, at which food and drink are served, have become a widespread form of Christian worship. A simple meal of sharing in bread and wine is the heart of a communion service. And as the communion liturgy can remind us, such a sharing is a foretaste of the great banquet prepared by God for all in heaven. The life of heaven itself is pictured as a wonderful rich and varied feast. To my mind, that picture is heaven is replicated each time the church opens its doors in initiatives such as the ‘Warm Welcome’ that was offered in many churches last winter.

In his ministry, Jesus seemed to spend a lot of time attending meals and parties – no wonder so many of his stories seemed to be about the same! He was criticised for being present at meals also attended by gentiles and sinners, but Jesus centred his work on reaching out to outsiders such as these. In Matthew 22, when those who are originally invited make their excuses, provision is made for others to take their place. Matthew makes a particular point of saying that good and bad alike are gathered.

Not only does this contain some surprises as to who might be included, but it also acts as a warning to Christians not to be presumptive about their inclusion in the kingdom. The strange story about the individual who was turned away for not wearing the right clothes may be precisely about this point. Christians too stand under the judgement of God, and as Paul urges his listeners in one of his letters (Colossian 3), we need to make sure that we are clothed in those qualities that express the gospel message of Christ – compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

It is a feature of Methodist teaching to emphasise that the call of the gospel is for everybody. All are called to respond to the love of God in Jesus Christ, just as all stand in need of the love of God in their lives. The main point is about invitation into the Kingdom of God, but it raises a challenge to those of us in churches as well if we want other people to come in. What are we inviting people to, what is the attraction of what they will find in our fellowship? Food is usually a good draw, but it needs something more than that. A good party needs good company, and above all a sense of joy. Whatever we offer as a church, we should do it with joy. Joy should be at the centre of all we seek to say and do in the Lord’s name. The capacity to rejoice was at the centre of Paul’s appeal to his listeners; no matter the hardships, and whatever their need, he had found the answer in being thankful and joyful in every circumstance.

Feasting is designed to be an expression of overwhelming joy. That as physical needs are met so are social and spiritual needs of all who meet – good company, laughter, a deep sense of satisfaction are all characteristics of feasting centred upon joy. Whenever we share in bread and wine at the table of the Lord let us do so in a manner of rejoicing. Thankful for all that God has done for us, ready to be sent out in good heart, ready to share the joy of the gospel message given for all.

Food for thought

Have you ever been to a party or other social occasion when you have felt ‘out of place’ because of what you were wearing or for some other reason? Put yourself into the shoes of someone who might be attending church for the first time. How might they feel out of place and what can we do to make them feel welcome?
What else might it take, apart from food and drink, to make for a good party? How can we make sure these things are being demonstrated in the life of our church?

Prayers of intercession

Loving God, from before time began, you planned a feast to which all would be invited, and all would be welcomed; a feast with plenty for all. Hear our prayer as we pray for a world that needs a party, and longs for your presence.