The service began with an
acknowledgement to the original carers of the land who were grateful to the
land and its creator for all it offered them and replayed with care and
reverent respect.
The Call to Worship
declared that God, knowing our hunger and thirst, provides generously for us so
that we will be satisfied and praise God for that.
So in the Opening Prayer we
prayed to God that our hunger and thirst will be met in a way that satisfies
our whole being.
However in our Confession
we admitted to seeking to satisfy our hunger and thirst in transitory ways that
left us still hungry and thirsty. For this we asked for forgiveness:
Help us abandon our careless ways and
self-seeking schemes that we might return to you, our provider and sustainer.
In response Rev. John declared our
forgiveness:
God is
faithful and will not allow us to be tempted beyond our abilities.
Even in our brokenness, God provides
a path to wholeness.
When we confess our shortcomings, God
has mercy on us and is generous with forgiveness.
Through Christ Jesus, we are
forgiven.
Thanks be to God!
Then having found our peace we
offered that peace to each other.
Offering
Prayer
As we enjoy the rich feast you have
provided, we know that there are those who want for food and drink. Multiply
the offerings we share today, that they may bless those in need. May the
spiritual nourishment we receive today strengthen us for continued service in
your name.
The Service
of the Word.
The First Reading: Isaiah
55:1-9
The Gospel
Reading: Luke 13: 1-9- brought to us by Christine.
Preaching
of the Word – Planting
Seeds of Hope
Rev John spoke
of living an intentional life as a disciple of Jesus. He began by relating the
story of an immigrant to New Zealand from Iran who despite his many regrets at
leaving his home and all the difficulties of making a new life in another land
and culture, did so because of the danger of remaining in his home country.
And because he
intentionally made a new life in New Zealand and made choices for that to come
about, he was able to do so successfully and as a result enjoys a new life.
Rev. John then said:
In much the same way, following
Jesus is an intentional act. It is a choice and as Jesus said, “If any want to
become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and
follow me.” Following Jesus is an intentional, thought-out decision that leads
to a new way of life…
To a certain extent, this means we ought to be deliberate
with the choices we make. One of the expectations of discipleship is that we
are actively involved in a relationship with God where we are making wise
choices to help this relationship grow. Should we choose to be passive in our
faith, we are in a sense letting life pass us by without embracing the
opportunity to receive the gifts…
The intentional choices made
today are like seeds of hope that will blossom tomorrow…
When
we think about this we could relate it to the story of the tree the owner
ordered to be destroyed. The manager pleaded for another year to fertilize it
and care for it. This week someone suggested the tree hadn't borne fruit was
that the manager had neglected it up until that point. Perhaps our spiritual
lives haven't blossomed and borne fruit because we have neglected them. A point
to ponder.
Making a real investment in the faith
is an issue in our time, but we are not alone.When Jesus teaches about becoming one of his
followers, we must recognise that he is teaching this lesson to his own
disciples…
Jesus is inviting his disciples
into a deeper, more serious form of discipleship. Jesus is speaking about
commitment and dedication. If you are one of those people attending church who
have not invested in the church, then perhaps this scripture is teaching you to
get invested. Investing in the faith comes with a price…
So,
just “turning up” isn't all that is required. We must intentionally attend to
feeding our souls on the nourishment offered by God, however that comes to us.
We say no to ourselves so that
we can say yes to God.
I witnessed my friend Bruno make sacrifice after sacrifice for the good of his
family and his faith. He might have had a promising career in his homeland
because of his college education, but he gave this up so that he and his family
might live in freedom…
Makingthe most of our life in Christ involves sacrifices and intentional
choices. Each day we have the opportunity to choose whether or not we will
follow the way of Christ. Fortunately, we are helped in this decision by the
church, which teaches us to live intentionally. The church encourages our
participation in Christian practices like prayer, worship, ministry, and
hospitality.
That
may mean less time spent in other pursuits but also it certainly does mean more
time listening for God’s guidance, in whatever form that may come.
Benediction
Our search for God continues.
Our hunger and thirst will return.
Seek God in all places. Seek God with
your whole being.
We will call on God and know that God
is near.
And may that same Almighty God, Creator,
Redeemer and Giver of Life bless you and keep always.
Amen.
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