Tuesday 17 October 2017

Sunday Service Marsden Road Uniting Church 8 October 2017






I was unable to attend this service but was moved by the written message that I received.

Gathering God’s People

 Call to Worship

(Abingdon Worship Annual 2011)

O Lord, you are God. There is no other God but you.

We renounce all that we have allowed to come between us.

O Lord, we worship you. We praise and honour your name.

We worship you on this, your holy day.

For your love, for your word, for all that you have given:

O Lord, we thank you and praise you. We love you.

 

Hymn TIS 745: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God”

 

Opening prayer

Almighty God, your word bursts forth into our lives like a glorious sunrise. You speak, and our hearts rejoice. You command, and our eyes are opened. The sound of your voice brings revival to our souls. Your words are purer than the finest gold. True and righteous one, living Word, light our way. As we listen to your Spirit, may the words of our mouths and the thoughts of our hearts be accepted in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. Amen.

With this short Prayer, I was immediately transported to a different place. How easily we can forget what God means to us and what God does in our lives. This prayer, and ones like it, can draw us back.


A Prayer of Confession

No matter how righteous we imagine ourselves to be, Lord, your perfect word reveals our imperfections all too clearly.

No matter how hard we strive to fulfil the requirements of your law, we always fall short. We have forgotten that righteousness and perfection come not from rules and regulations but from faith.

We have ignored the truth that your righteousness comes from faith.

Open our eyes to see that all we have accomplished is nothing compared to knowing Christ as our Lord. Let us count everything as loss, that we might gain heaven and be found blameless in Christ.

In the name of the Saviour we pray. Amen.

And with this, we rest in God, relying on divine strength to achieve that which is impossible on our own.


Declaration of Forgiveness

Take heart; have faith. The goal is in sight. Press on to take hold of it, as Christ has taken hold of us. Have no fear; leave the past behind. Reach out for what lies ahead, for the prize, for the life to be found in Christ Jesus. Amen.


Thanks, be to God!

And the burden is lifted! And so, having made our peace with our creator, we are able to reach out to others.


The Peace

 Make the joy of God's love & forgiveness complete: share with one another the love that Christ shares with us.

Peace be with you! And also with you!


Offering Prayer

Almighty God, you gave us your commandments and asked us to live according to your holy will.  As part of your design for honourable living, we participate in this simple act of giving.  We dedicate ourselves to living lives of honesty and peace.  Amen.

 

Hymn TIS 641: “This is my will, my one command”

 

The Service of the Word

Readings: Exodus 20: 1-4, 7-9, 12-20. Philippians 3:4b-14. Matthew 21:22-46.

Firstly, Exodus brought to us the Ten Commandments. These are very straightforward and easily applied to our lives, but it is amazing how we can deceive ourselves into believing that we are keeping them, when we so far from doing so.

If we only had this passage for guidance (Philippians) and followed it, I think we would do very well. If it's not in God’s plan, then it's of zero importance to us and while we are not able to live the life we should, we are on the right path.

Matthew brings us a very serious message. Where do we fit into this story? Are we faithfully representing the landowner or are we the tenants who are self-serving and who will have everything taken from them and given to others.

Rev. John’s Reflection (in part)

God does not want the tremendous seed planted in us to fail to bear fruit. God looks for the harvest, both in our hidden depths and in the wide world around us… God does not place on us an expectation we cannot fulfill. God does not simply demand fruitfulness from us, but provides all the conditions by which this can happen. God cares deeply for his vineyard. It is on this basis that he looks for the harvest. This expectation is not a demand it is a longing.
 

 

Hymn TIS 609: “May the mind of Christ my Saviour...”

There followed the Prayers of the People and the The Lord’s Prayer 

 

Hymn TIS 606: “Son of God, eternal Saviour” Tune -  Ode to Joy

 

Benediction                 

Hear the voice of the Creator, the mighty God, the One who built the vault of heaven, who set the sun on its blazing course through the skies! Hear the words of life, declared not by speech or language or voice but written on the heart! Go forth in the name of the living Word, the One whose words bring forth the fruit of the kingdom in your own lives! Amen.

 

Hymn TIS 779: “May the feet of God walk with you,”

 

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