May welcomed Jonathan as a loved and treasured friend and thanked him for leading the worship.
Jonathan: The Lord be with you.
Response: And also with you.
Jonathan: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
Hymn 86 "Holy God, we praise Thy name" Praise to God, proclaiming his sovereignty over all that exists and our acknowledgement of his kingship over each of our lives.
Prayer of Praise Jonathan, for us all, praised God as the author of every good thing and asked that he would keep our focus on Him and grow in us a deep longing for truth and a warm desire for more love, that we might know Him, embrace Him and worship him.
Prayer of Thanksgiving we were led in thanking God for loving us from the beginning of time and for watching over us in times of trouble. Your mercy endures forever
We thanked God for our redemption. Your mercy endures forever
We thanked God for the comfort and guidance of the spirit. Your mercy endures forever
We thanked God for the many blessings showered on us and turned our thoughts to those suffering in the Australian bushfires.(a summary)
Psalm 29 Jack read this psalm, ascribing to God dominion over all creation and asking for his strength to live out our lives.
Prayer of Confession
"O God,
we confess the blindness that is not even aware of sinning;
the pride that dares not not admit it is wrong;
the selfishness that can see nothing but its own will;
the righteousness that knows no fault;
the callousness that has ceased to care;
the defiance that does not regret its own sins;
the evasion that always tries to make excuses;
the coldness of heart that is too hardened to repent.
God, we are sinners, be merciful to us...
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1John 1: 5, 7-9
Hear then Christ's word of grace to us: Our sins are forgiven. Thanks be to God."
I was so grateful for Jonathan's words that allowed me to express so fully how I feel but for which I cannot find my own words.
Hymn 488 " O for a closer walk with God" Jonathan recommended the thoughts of this hymn as New Year Resolutions. A believer expressing his longing for a closer, truer walk with God. Don't we all? And it's only our own human tendency to keep our focus on ourselves instead of on God that is stopping us.
Readings Also brought to us by Jack.
Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22. John the Baptist's declaration that he was not the Messiah but when the Messiah came He would baptize with the Spirit and would be a force unknown before. And then when Jesus did step forward and was baptized it was clear that God's hand was upon him.
John 1: 29-51 The same story but with the introduction to Jesus' ministry, as the disciples began to gather round him with his promise to them of the things to come.
Sermon "John the Baptist." Jonathan introduced John the Baptist, giving a little of his background and explaining that his task was to "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord. Remove the Obstacles to the Coming of the Prince of Peace. Repent for Your Sins"
John the Baptist came to prepare the ground for Jesus, to acknowledge Him as the chosen one and to direct people to follow him.
"We don't need to change our clothing to a camel's hair coat and leather belt, and to change our diet" but we are to take on the work of pointing people to Jesus.
But notice that it wasn't by hectoring that people came to Jesus, it was when they were taken by others.
"Perhaps we need to go back to the desert. To experience its trials and problems. To rediscover the reality of God and our motivation and impetus for our lives as Christians. So that we can experience for ourselves the message that we can then share with others.
We need, as John the Baptist did, to consistently divert attention away from ourselves to the Christ...to be a voice raised in the wilderness of a world of lost people, to call them to repentance and faith in a loving and just God." Amen.
Hymn 136 "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun does his successive journeys run" A song looking forward to the time when every knee shall bow to, and every voice be raised in praise to Jesus with the result of people experiencing freedom and rest
The Offering was taken up for God's work around us and the Notices given out.
Prayers of the People led by Jonathan asked for minds to know, hearts to love and voices to sing praise to God. The prayer was that we should be filled with His spirit and that the Church should be strengthened to stay true to its mission. Jonathan prayed that the Nations would be inspired to seek justice and peace. He directed our thoughts to those without hope and joy, that their eyes may be lifted up and that we will look to their needs and seek God's blessing for them. Jonathan then prayed for us and those whose names we had put forward for prayer support.
This was followed by a time of silent prayer and the Lord's Prayer.
Hymn 532 "Where cross the crowded ways of life" A word that God's voice is to be heard amid even the most difficult, dark and unlikely places and that even the simplest kindness done in God's name speaks of his love.
Benediction
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord: and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be amongst you and remain with you always. Amen.
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