(All our songs this morning are from Singing the Faith (StF) numbers will be given where available)
Welcome to our Sunday Service, today shared on paper across our circuit and with the congregation at Thornton Methodist Church which has been prepared by Brian Gamble one of our local preachers.
Click on the blue links to follow them for bible readings and associated links
We are worshipping this morning in many different places
We all approach worship with different needs and different expectations
But we all join with one purpose
To meet with God and give him our praise and thanks.
let’s join together as we sing
Song – StF 8 – God with us, creator, Father, bringing everything to birth
We join together in prayer
Amazing God, you are greater than anything we could ever imagine
More wonderful than our deepest joy
More powerful than anything we will ever know.
You are the author of the whole of creation.
You are Lord, holding all things in your hand
You are love, continually seeking to bring all people into the joy of fellowship with you.
We adore you and lay our whole lives before you as we declare our love for you.
And we praise you because you showed your love for us in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus, your son.
Father we thank you for your patience with us, for understanding our fears and frustrations.
We thank you that when sorrow, loss, anguish or despair might have overwhelmed us the love and compassion of Jesus has held and healed us.
Your presence enriches our lives and gives us hope in the future.
Your grace is sufficient for our every need.
May we always be filled with thankfulness.
Father we know we are not the people you want us to be.
We’re never content, never satisfied with what you have provided.
We get anxious, angry, envious, jealous, more concerned for our own needs than those of others.
Open our lives again to your fatherly love.
Hold us, forgive us and transform us so that
We will find peace and joy in Christ our Lord.
Amen
Song – StF 495 – Dear Lord and Father of mankind forgive our foolish ways
Reading
Song – StF 471 – Teach me to dance to the beat of your heart
Reflections on the reading
Although we are approaching Advent and Christmas, the gospel reading is from Passion Week.
Jesus was in Jerusalem and he knew that he would be facing the end of his earthly ministry very soon. He spent much of his time in the temple teaching and healing.
There is a sense of urgency in his teaching during this week, he wants to be sure that his followers understand completely what life in his kingdom is about. He became the centre of attention which annoyed the religious leaders and so his confrontations with them became more forthright.
We have heard how they challenged his authority. But, undeterred, he told parables which criticised the example they showed to the people. So they plotted to get rid of him. They tried to trap him with questions about taxes, the marriage laws, the greatest commandment, but Jesus proved his wisdom and beat them at their own game.
Can you imagine how these public discussions must have attracted large crowds. There would have been many there who were resentful of the position held by the Scribes and Pharisees. The Scribes were experts and full time, professional teachers of the Law. The Pharisees were a religious sect who interpreted the Law, applying it to daily living. Now Jesus openly calls them hypocrites.
They were the people who had succeeded to the seat of Moses. It was Moses who laid down the law as given to him directly by God and the scribes and Pharisees had the authority and responsibility to teach the law to others.
In modern language they ‘talk the talk but don’t walk the walk’. They knew the law so what they said should be followed but not their actions.
I think it is fair to say that not all the religious leaders were corrupt. We are mainly told about those who were trying to preserve their status by getting rid of Jesus.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the son of God, that he became human, died for our sins and now reigns in heaven has the responsibility to pass on that belief. However, those who are called to preach the word have a greater responsibility. Paul wrote to Timothy, “Peach the word, correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction”. ( 2 Timothy 4:2) We must be seen to try to live according to the word we preach. As Paul told the Philippians, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourself.” ( Philippians 2:3)
We live in a world that celebrates self-promotion, where success is often measured by how much we can accumulate or achieve. Yet, Jesus presents a radically different perspective. He teaches that true greatness is found not in being served, but in serving others; not in exalting ourselves, but in humbling ourselves. Humility is a virtue that is often misunderstood and undervalued in our society.
The Pharisees loved the place of honour at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues. They loved to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. But Jesus warns against this kind of pride. He says, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted”. (Matthew 23 : 12)
You will perhaps remember , in Dickens’ “David Copperfield’, the character of Uriah Heep, whose principal gratification in life is impressing upon people how ‘umble he is. This is a false humility which is in fact just the opposite. He took pride in his display of humility.
True humility is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength: It takes courage to admit our need for God, to put others before ourselves, to become a servant. But when we do, we find that humility is not a burden but a blessing. It frees us from the need to prove ourselves, to compete with others, to strive for the approval of the world. It allows us to rest in God’s love and grace, to find our worth in Him rather than in our achievements or possessions.
Writing to the people in Ephesus Paul exhorts them to, “be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace”. (Ephesians 4: 2-3)
Many thousands of books have been written, with many millions of words which can be summed up as follows:-
In the kingdom of heaven all are equal.
All are loved equally by God.
All are servants, obedient only to God.
So there are no axes to grind, no Joneses to keep up with, nothing to be jealous of, no personal possessions to fight over, no borders to protect.
The kingdom of heaven is not in some far off place and time. The kingdom of heaven is here and now and our aim is to be included, to live that life of worship, praise and humble service, now.
Song – StF 272 – From heaven you came, helpless babe
Prayers for the world
Father we pray for the whole church, for every denomination and sect, which you called into being through your son.
We are aware that you meant your church to be a blessing to all people everywhere.
We ask that, by your Holy Spirit your church may be daily renewed
And empowered for the task for which you gave it life.
The Lord hears our prayers.
Thanks be to God
We pray father that we and all our fellow Christians may be ready for any sacrifice, any action, any declaration which will clearly demonstrate faith, hope and love
To our neighbours, family and friends and everyone we meet.
The Lord hears our prayers.
Thanks be to God
We pray for Christians to whom obedience to your word has brought persecution, sorrow or loss.
And we give thanks for those who are involved with feeding the hungry, seeking the lost, healing the broken or enabling the defeated.
The Lord hears our prayers.
Thanks be to God
We pray that you will give strength, perseverance and resources to those who are helping to restore the lives of people devastated by floods, earthquakes, storms and fires.
And we pray for peace in all the parts of the world where there is fighting, country against country, tribe against tribe, party against party.
We pray for the Land which we call Holy. For the people of Gaza and Israel.
There is always a way to solve disagreements, help people everywhere to find solutions instead of violence.
The Lord hears our prayers
Thanks be to God.
We pray for those who you have made your special people.
Who do all they can to make others special too.
Who are your servants, caring for the sick or the dying, caring for those whose lives and emotions are in need of healing
The Lord hears our prayers.
Thanks be to God
We pray for people whose faith has lost meaning
Whose worship is just ritual and empty words.
who no longer feel your presence, power and love.
Whose life is all darkness and pain.
May they see the joy and goodness and light of Christ in the lives of his people and regain it for themselves.
The Lord hears our prayers.
Thanks be to God
We pray for friends we know who have been crushed by indifference
For those who have suffered grief
Who are left numb by sorrow or loss
who are ill
Or need to make decisions about their future needs.
The Lord hears our prayers.
Thanks be to God
We pray for ourselves.
As we face all the uncertainties of life, sorrows, hurts, disappointments and failures
May we know the assurance of Christ’s presence, power and love.
Father give us strength, hope and faith.
The Lord hears our prayers.
Thanks be to God
The Lords Prayer
Song – StF 611 – Brother, sister let me serve you
Through this coming week may the peace of God which transcends all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge of Christ Jesus.
The Grace
