Lectionary for Lent 6

Lectionary for Palm Sunday

Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted high, O ancient doors! That the King of glory may come in.          Psalm 24:7

Collect. Father, your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, loved the world so much that he went to the cross for our sake. So strengthen us with your-grace that we, for whom Christ died, may show forth the same selfless love and for ever walk in his ways; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading. Philippians 2:5-11. We need to pay close attention to the first few words that begin this passage “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus”. Paul begins by reminding us of the humility of Jesus Christ. As God he had surpassing power and abilities but he chose not to use these godly powers, instead walking in close obedience to the plan and purpose of God, he chose to use the powers of a human being. Then Paul records that as that obedient man he humbled himself and submitted to death on the cross. It is then that God exalted him to the Lordship that brought everything in the whole of creation under his authority. It is right and proper to rejoice in the declaration of this Lordship but we must also grasp at what cost that Lordship was obtained. Paul is addressing the congregation at Philippi and is expecting them to respond to his message. Jesus took on the form or tasks of a slave and that says Paul is what we also should do. Of course this is not a new teaching, Jesus himself reminded his followers that they were to serve and not seek to be served. A hard saying that! Before we can see the true greatness of Christ we need also to see his willingness to be obedient. Jesus did not die simply to save us; his action was always in obedience to God. Personal salvation forms a part of this obedience but it is only a part of the ministry of Jesus Christ which won salvation for the whole of creation. Furthermore, Paul is reminding his readers that the greatness of Jesus’ ministry lay in his submission to God. Similarly he wants his readers to let their lives be touched and changed as they come under the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  Once we have understood the total obedience of Jesus Christ, we are without excuse if we in turn do not submit ourselves in obedience to God and in giving him thanks and praise, serve others.

But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.  For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43–45.

Prayer. Without the servanthood of Jesus Christ we would still be estranged from you Lord God; yet by your grace and through the strength of Jesus to be obedient, we are set free and re-united with you. In perfect harmony we link our lives to your life, not through any merit of our own but because Jesus lay down his life and served according to your plan and purpose. So we praise and adore you always giving thanks for Jesus Christ our Lord. Let our lives be proof of the love we have as we serve you as servants day by day, always looking to Jesus to be our guide in all things. Amen.

Reading. Luke 19:28-40. The scene that Luke describes is very familiar to us and it is a powerful reminder that the events of Easter are almost upon us and so we read it in anticipation of a future event. Each of the gospel writers record this dramatic entry into Jerusalem and each describes the excitement and the great anticipation of a future event. For the Jews in Jerusalem their anticipation was very different from the anticipation we have prior to the Easter event. For them all the signs and signals that they were observing lead them to believe that here was the one who would liberate them from the tyranny of Rome: they recognised in Jesus the promise of Messiah, the long awaited liberator. They had heard his teaching and the many miracles of healing and provision; each sign pointed to the same conclusion, this was the one! (v 37. ) 

Luke is writing at least a generation after the death and resurrection of Jesus and so he is putting down not simply a history of events but a theological history of who Jesus was and what he had accomplished so that we the readers might know the “truth”. (Luke 1:4) His record demonstrated that Jesus is in full control of this event, even down to knowing that the colt would be ready and available. Then he describes the great honour which the disciples displayed by providing a carpeted pathway for him to ride over. The description of the praise they chanted comes from Psalm 18:26 which is an anticipation of Messiah. It is this inference that the Pharisees object to: it is not the exuberance of the crowd but the acclimation that here was the true leader of Israel. They realised that Jesus was not simply confronting the Roman occupation; he was challenging the Jewish leadership. Through it all Luke wants his readers to understand that Jesus is in total control of the events as they unfold. The Jewish leaders found him so hard to deal with that they handed him over to the Romans but it was Jesus who forced their hand. (Luke 20:19f) Luke’s description reminds us that even in a troubled world Jesus is in control, just as he was on the day of the Triumphant Entry!

Prayer. Lord, it is easy to picture the scene in our minds: “Behold he comes as king.” How glorious is that scene as we imagine it to be, with cheering crowds and waving palms. Yet it is not in cheering that Christ’s work is done but in a quiet and lonely place with you in prayer. Sometimes Lord we find more strength in the encouragement of others rather than in a prayerful union with you. Then when our enthusiasm wanes we feel let down. Help us Lord to establish a deeper communion with you in prayer, so that when the times of work and challenge come we may be ready to accomplish your will and serve you well. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our obedient Lord. Amen

Collect. It is right to praise you, almighty God, for the acts of love by which you have redeemed us through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. The Hebrews acclaimed Jesus as Messiah and King, with palm branches in their hands, crying: Hosanna in the highest! May we also, carrying these emblems, go forth to meet Christ and follow him in the way that leads to eternal life; who lives and reigns in glory with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

or

Collect. Jesus, you come to reconcile, yet suffer violence; help us to find the peace you offer, and praise your name even when other voices are raised against you; for you are the servant king, now and for ever. Amen.

Lectionary for Lent 5

Lectionary for Lent C 5

One thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Collect. Most generous God, no human words or costly gifts can ever express our thanks and praise for all that you have done for us through Christ your Son. Grant that we may gladly give you the one precious gift that we have to bring, the offering of our loyalty and love; and enable us to walk in love for others, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to you. We ask this through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Reading. Philippians 3:4b-14. Each one of us has a past: The parents we came from, the family we belong to, the education we received, the things we have done, or omitted to do; each and all of these things have shaped us into being the people we are today. Like Paul you may be proud of who you are today, as Paul was in our reading for today. In a Jewish way, Paul had reached the pinnacle of human achievement. At the other extreme you may be ashamed or uncomfortable with the person you have become. In any case Paul is saying when we come to know Jesus, we leave all of that behind; whether it is pride or despair, all is left behind as we begin to trust in Jesus and what he has done for us. In Jesus Christ a new lifestyle and a new future opens for us as we become the person that Jesus has made. Then Paul goes on to say the ultimate goal is resurrection into eternal life!

With Paul, I am sure we would say, we haven’t obtained that yet but we press on, encouraged and empowered because of who Jesus is and what he has done. As we reflect on that we recognise how gracious God has been to us and this gives us the confidence to leave the past in the past, gone and remembered no more. Now we place our trust in the future to which God is leading us. Paul recognises that as God leads us there will be both successes as well as sufferings for we will begin to live in God’s way and not the world’s way. On life’s journey we receive the power to live because we are accompanied by presence of Jesus himself.

Paul looks back on his past life and sees that compared to what Jesus is offering to him now it was all of no lasting value. On the other hand what he now has through Jesus is leading him to a fulfilment which is better than he ever dreamed of. In Christ we too can feel the same!

Prayer. Almighty God before whom all in heaven and earth must bow, we give you all thanks and praise for all that in Jesus Christ you have accomplished. Jesus lives and reigns with you. Through the victory that he has won, all things are being gathered together under your authority. In such a great victory you have called each of us by name and drawn us into your family. Forgive us that so much of our lives are spent in re-living the past. Often we find it hard to forgive ourselves for the mistakes we made; sometimes we are so afraid of making mistakes that we hesitate to step out for you, even when we feel constrained to do so. Oh Lord, give us no other desire than to own no other Lord than Jesus; to hold complete devotion  to his name and fix our trust in him alone. Grant that for all of our lives we would have no other view in mind than to honour and serve him. And to you be all glory and honour; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, One God forever. Amen

Reading. John 12:1-8. John fills this remembrance with symbolism, It occurs after the raising of Lazarus; as such it is a celebration of life, it is the promise of new life that Jesus declares. Jesus had opened the tomb and called Lazarus to come out from the darkness. Thus Lazarus had come back into life, the life that Jesus by his death and resurrection now offers. So that story forms part of what is happening here. John is contrasting the two different reactions to Jesus and this new life he gives. It is a contrast between self sacrifice and being self centred.

Judas had his eye on the material needs. On the surface it is always important to be prudent and not overspend. As the treasurer he has a legitimate right to speak about the finances. However, John reminds us that other factors clouded the issue; “He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.”  John 12:6.

This tells us many things about Judas but at the core of what we see is that he is self focussed. His needs and his way are what counts. Even if he was not a thief his way would still have been working against Jesus. Judas is essentially rejecting the offer of new life. He has seen all that Mary has seen, heard more teaching than she would have heard and yet he comes to a very different conclusion. Judas was not interested in the offer from Jesus; he was determined to follow his own agenda.

John contrasts that action with the actions and responses of Mary. Though to us this is a charming incident of devotion towards Jesus, at the time of Jesus it would have been almost unthinkable in polite company. Mary let down her hair in a public spectacle of great humility as she anointed Jesus’ feet. John’s graphic description shows us that for Mary she in lost in love for Jesus. No one else is visible when in his company. In her view he stands alone. John is describing an intimate act of worship.

The gift that Mary offers is one of great extravagance, equivalent to a year’s wages for a worker. A pound, if you think of it as a volume is a large amount. To put the whole box on the feet of Jesus is an action of anointing, or embalming, once more pointing to Jesus’ death and resurrection. John ends this part of his description with the comment that the whole house is filled with perfume. John wants us to understand that the new life that Jesus offers is full of fragrance but more importantly wants us to know that like Mary our full attention needs to be on Him in worship and service.

Prayer. Lord, guard our hearts and minds as we offer ourselves in prayer to you again today. Help us to be diligent and sincere in our praying. May there be no complacency or half- heartedness as we offer praise to you. Rather, help us to be true to ourselves and to you as we bow before your throne of grace, not presuming on your forgiveness but recognising how great is your love for us. Help us by your power to support one another as together we seek to serve you. May our different gifts and skills be combined together in a wonderful harmony of praise and worship that honours you and brings others to join in adoration and wonder. This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Collect. God of all generosity, your grace is free, yet it demands our lives. Help us to serve you, not counting the cost; may we be poured out as a living sacrifice, loving the world for love of you and the sake of Christ. Amen.

Lectionary for Lent 4

Lectionary for fourth Sunday in Lent

While the prodigal was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20

Collect. Gracious Father, you are truly compassionate to all your children, for you remember that we are but dust. So fill us with your love, that, rising above our weaknesses, we may always remain true to Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading. 2 Corinthians 5:16-21  Paul is recognising that Jesus fully human and also fully divine is a hard thing to understand. They had known him as a man now they have to see his powerful divinity. We come from the other direction; for we see him as God and need to understand his continuing humanity. He is the Saviour yet as a human through his salvation he has changed the status of every believer. With that in mind Paul is urging us to see each other in a different light. It has become common to emphasise my relationship with Jesus and let’s not down play that relationship but here in this passage Paul is emphasising that through reconciliation Jesus has gathered each believer onto himself. We now live as it were, under the mantle of God and through God’s power we have been changed. As Ephesians says everything about us has been changed even down to the faith to believe in what God has done for us through Jesus. In one great transaction we have been reconciled with God for our old life has gone a new life has been put into place. We are now viewed by God as being linked in love with Jesus. When God sees us he also sees Jesus! Amazing! However that change is more than personal it is universal, that is to say each believer has been fully changed. This reconciling with Jesus brings also a ministry of reconciliation. Indeed as we read the text, if we are not prepared to be reconciled with those around us how can we claim to be reconciled to God? As someone once said, “The only exercise some folks get is jumping to conclusions and running people down.” I am sure that would not apply to you, however anyone who has been forgiven and reconciled to God will in turn be forgiving and reconciling towards others for whom Jesus Christ died. Why? Because anyone who is in Christ is a New Creation, the old has gone and the new has come. With the new you comes a new way of living out your godly way!

Prayer. Gracious Father; In humble recognition of all that Jesus Christ has won for us, we bow before you and give you all thanks and praise. Through him alone you have won for yourself a people who will be called by your name and we are privileged beyond measure, to be counted among those who the love of Jesus Christ has redeemed. In all times and seasons, you give us life and health and daily strength; we draw our life from you, it is your gift to us. Grant that we, being aware of your great love, may also live our lives loving and caring for others. Empower us by your Spirit to serve you with all faithfulness until that day when we see you face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reading. Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32. The man who welcomed sinners and ate with them. Parables are often used as moral examples but that is to sell the parables of Jesus far too short. Jesus used parables as teaching tools, tools which revealed deep theological and biblical insights. Our passage for today is prefaced by the criticism of the “righteous’ Pharisees. The Pharisees were filled with religious fervour and even their name suggests that they were separatists who kept apart not only from Gentiles but also fellow Jews who they thought were unclean. Luke recalls that Jesus used three parables to refute their criticism namely the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost sons. It is this final parable that we read today and it is probably one of the best known of Jesus’ parables. The younger son acted selfishly by demanding his inheritance long before the death of his father. As such he disrespected his father and abused his love and generosity. He moved away and so was far from his father’s oversight. He squandered his inheritance with selfish living until he found that he was feeding pigs in order to survive. From a Jewish perspective handling such an unclean animal would have been a horror beyond our imagining. In dire straits the reality of his positions shocks him and he craves the comfort and security of home. In an extreme example of understatement Luke writes “He came to himself”, and it is then that the younger son longs for the forgiveness that will allow him to be once more under his father’s roof even as a lowly servant. In contrast the father longs for his son to return and out of love welcomes him, and in a break with tradition runs to greet and embrace his lost son. Here is the indication that the father is prepared o accept the shame of a disobedient son and reintroduce him to sonship. Together, the father with the whole household, celebrate the younger sons return. Though the son is not worthy, all is forgiven.

It is then that the elder son, the “righteous one,” returns and shows not only his deep resentment to his brother but also his anger and disobedience towards his father. He vehemently refuses to accept the decision his father had made to unify the family. By rejecting the deep love his father had towards the younger son he displayed his deep resentment towards his father. Though we may feel some sympathy for the elder brother this sympathy is misplaced for both have the same selfish disregard for their father. With the same deep love the father goes out to his elder son and almost begs him to reconsider. Here again is a break with tradition and protocol.  The father’s insistence is that by accepting back the younger brother the position of the elder brother is in no way compromised. All is forgiveness, acceptance and love.

If the younger brother represents the sinners and tax collectors then the elder brother represents the Pharisees. Maybe even yet they may come in a share in the feast. Above all the parable describes the great love and forgiveness of God, reaching out to both the younger and the older son. His love continues despite the waywardness of his children; as the psalmist says. “His love endures forever”(Psalm. 136.)

Prayer. (This is a portion of a prayer written by William Wilberforce)

Surely the experience of all good men confirms the proposition that without a due measure of private devotions the soul will grow lean. But all may be done through prayer — almighty prayer, I am ready to say — and why not? For that it is almighty is only through the gracious ordination of the God of love and truth. O then, pray, pray, pray!

Father we are so thankful that your great love surrounds us at all times. May the love you have for us touch our hearts and change our lives that we may always show love and care towards all those we meet. May our love reflect your love and at all times give you the honour and glory that are yours. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our lord. Amen

Collect. Father of all mercy, careless of your dignity you look for us, and welcome us home. Give us the grace to love as we have been loved; in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lectionary for Lent 3

Lectionary for the 3rd Sunday in Lent.

O God, your steadfast love is better than life, so my lips will sing praise to you. I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name. Psalm 63:3-4

Collect. Holy and merciful Father, you never leave your children abandoned but always reveal your name to them. Break through the hardness of our minds and hearts, so that we may learn to receive your teachings with childlike simplicity, and bear the fruit of true and continual conversion. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading. Isaiah 55:1-9. This passage comes after Isaiah’s servant song and the declaration of a Covenant of Peace. Therefore in its setting the invitation is to come and participate in the reign of peace that God wishes to begin. After holding out a whole raft of promises the passage ends with the renewed invitation to “seek the Lord while he may be found” and then the understanding that, “My ways are not your ways!” So often in life it has become commonplace to believe that God is, if not against, then certainly displaying anger towards his people. Some well meaning sermons even encourage the understanding that God was determined to punish his people but is that really the way it is? One of the stand-out passages of scripture for me is from Hosea 11 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. The more I called them, the more they went from me; … Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms; but they did not know that I healed them”. Hosea 11:1–3.NRSV. This presents quite a different understanding of God’s dealings with his people. For me it projects a hunting echo of God’s great love for his people along with the sorrow brought about by their estrangement. Yes God did allow their exile from the Promised Land, but was that a punishment or was it the consequence of their failure to live in obedience to his Covenant and commandments? God had led them from slavery in Egypt into a land of freedom. It was a place where they did begin to flourish; but then disobedience grew and they turned away from God and his ways. It was after they turned away from God and after many warnings by each succeeding prophet that the exiles occurred. Yet through it all God remained faithful and as our reading today emphasises the promise of fulfilment is as strong as ever. The promise of a return to God which will bring real blessing is still open. Yes, people may have been disobedient and life may have dealt out some harsh blows but despite that God’s love and welcome remains. 6  Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; 7  let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7 (NRSV)
We might ask how this can be, and the answer is there in the text, God’s ways and thoughts are not our ways or thoughts. He made a promise to redeem his people and that promise remains God is always true and always faithful and nothing can change that. Yet in the same way the key to remaining with God and his provision remains the same obedience to his way and will. That obedience is achievable through trusting in Jesus for as he says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. John 14:6 (NRSV)

Prayer. We thank you Lord God that through Jesus you have made a way for us to be reunited to you and so be free to love and worship you in Spirit and in truth. Trusting in Jesus we give you all thanks and praise for all the blessings that we have received. We have nothing to offer to you but thanks and praise yet through trust in him alone the wonders of Sonship are available to all your children. So with joy and thanksgiving we humbly bow before you. You alone are worthy of our wonder and adoration. To God be all glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Reading. Luke 13:1-9. Many estrangements begin with misunderstanding and as we read today’s passage it is easy to misunderstand the uncompromising statement Jesus made to his questioners, v.5. “ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” Three things to briefly touch on from the passage: failure and suffering; repentance; and the true nature of God.

Let’s begin with the Fig tree; to our ears an extra year seems quite fair but not an excessive reprieve. To Jesus’ hearers the message would have been quite different. The context of the passage began with the implied question; does God cause suffering and if he does, why? In the time of Jesus a fig tree took three years before it bore any figs, then according to Leviticus for the next three years the figs remained unpicked, they were the “first fruits’ and belonged to the Lord. Then the owner came for three years looking for figs but found none. Therefore the extra year of reprieve meant the owner would by then have waited for ten years without any fruit. Now ten years in a garden is a very long time. The message from Jesus would have been crystal clear; the Lord God has been and continues to be excessively patient with Israel.

In the first part of the passage the implied question is “Why does God allow these terrible things to happen? Was it because of their sin?

In the first disaster it was Pilate who caused the deaths. Pilate was a weak, cruel, godless man. They knew that for they all lived under his tyrannical rule. The second incident was an accident and in both cases it did not mean that those killed were in any way guiltier than those who escaped or survived. What happened were sad events of life though not caused by God. At the same time Jesus is also saying that those who suffered were not therefore more worthy nor afforded special favour from God. Life is a mixture of joy and sorrow and in all of life’s events the love and patience of God remains, always the same, as the parable that Jesus taught reminded them. In every case God is loving, caring and forgiving. God had covenanted to lead his people to security and freedom, that had not changed and still has not changed. In other words God is always open and welcoming to his people and comes to them with nothing but love. To fail to begin from that clear premise as Jesus said, calls for repentance. Repentance is not simply feeling sorry for the things you have done or how you have behaved; that is a component of repentance but is not the main thing. Repentance means to change your mind, and in this case it is to change your mind about God. In order to repent you first have to understand who God is and what is his nature. Jesus was reminding them that they had to change their minds and stop failing to see the forgiveness and loving kindness of God. Questioning God does not lead to him for that implies that you are the instigator of the relationship. It is God who calls his people not the other way round. Repentance then makes life fall more readily into place for we understand more fully his nature. Furthermore through our new relationship with God we find that he is there supporting us in every circumstance of life. With God we have a glorious future. God’s patience does not wear out, neither does his love towards his people ever change.

Prayer. All loving and forgiving God have mercy on us when we think and act contrary to your will and purpose. Forgive us when we choose to follow our own ways and turn aside from your choose path for us. Surround us with your love and give us courage in our suffering and when times are hard, and true humility in our victories and our successes. Save us from being proud, rather, help us to trust you fully in all situations. By the power and protection of our Lord Jesus Christ keep us always in your race until that day when we meet you face to face with all the company of heaven. This we pray, through our Savour Jesus Christ. Amen

Collect. You call us to turn around, God of patience, whoever we are; help us to accept our need, but help us more to find the freedom and energy of forgiveness, and the joy of knowing you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lectionary for Lent 2

Lectionary for the second Sunday in Lent.

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!     Psalm 27:14

Collect. Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves. Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading. Philippians 3:17 to 4:1. There is always heartbreak when someone you love goes off the rails or chooses a path that leads them towards danger. Paul is feeling that heartbreak as he pens this passage to the church at Philippi. Through his pain he draws their attention to the need to live a life that is worthy of someone who is following Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Previously in his letter Paul has urged the Philippians to work out their salvation with “fear and trembling” (Phil. 2v12) He is not asking them to doubt their salvation but to grow in their understanding of what God’s salvation means for them. He reminds them along with the warning, that God is at work in them, enabling them to fulfil His will! Now he is using a practical example to encourage them to take careful notice of the way they live out their Christian lives. Paul is reminding them that every day there are challenges which can begin to draw us away from trust in Jesus the Saviour. Becoming a Christian is like a three stage plan, namely, repent, believe and be baptised. (There is much we could say about these three issues but we will rush on quickly). The emphasis that Paul is making is that the new life we live following conversion is to be a Christ like life; one that honours Jesus. He reminds the Christians that our citizenship into God’s Kingdom is securely kept with God; a place where no rust or moth can destroy it: each one of us can rest assured that our citizenship is perfectly secure. However that statement of security has a future component because our citizenship is vested in Jesus Christ and Paul says we are waiting for Jesus to bring our authority of citizenship with him. At the same time God is transforming our aging and decaying bodies into bodies like the glorious body that the resurrected Jesus now has! (Isn’t that a stunning thought!) A glorious body equipped to live life in the new creation that God is preparing. All that is in the future and in the meantime Paul is urging the believers to stand firm in the things of the Lord. We are to live our lives in anticipation of what is to come and while we wait we live in the way that we will live in God’s New Creation, with love and kindness, forgiveness and integrity, always trusting in what Jesus Christ has done.  Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matthew  5:16.

Prayer. Gracious God With trepidation I come into your presence for you know the wanderings of my mind but my heart is set on you. I come trusting in your mercy through all generations. All grace, majesty and authority belong to you and from you come all the blessings that this life affords. As I go through this day guide me that I will be your true disciples. Grant me the wisdom I need to live this day honouring your name. Grant to me the patience I lack as I mingle with others. Give me the courage to live by your commands and love all those I will meet today. Above all may the witness I give honour you and lift high the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in whose name I offer my petitions to you. Amen.

Reading. Luke 9:28-36. You will remember that a few Sundays ago we looked at the passage that we read today, the Transfiguration, it is worth revisiting. In this carefully crafted passage Luke draws three things neatly together. Firstly there is the humanity and the divinity of Jesus. Though Luke doesn’t use the word transfiguration Matthew and Mark in their record of the event do and that word signals that Jesus was changed from the inside. What was inside was being revealed. This begins to answer the question in the gospels often pose; “Who is this?” Here that question is answered!

Then Luke goes on to describe the strongest affirmation of God’s approval; “This is my chosen and beloved Son – listen to him!” The Power of the God-head is vested in him. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Mt 28:18. All the authority from God in God and now presented before the three chosen disciples not as an imagined dream but in reality!   It reminds me of the hymn from Wesley: “Our God contracted to a span; incomprehensively made man” (T.i.S. 305). It is hard for our human minds to grasp and yet Jesus is the well beloved Son who is fully human and also fully divine! Finally Luke describes the meeting with Moses and Elijah. Moses was revered in Israel as the great leader and law giver. We often have a negative attitude to “the Law” and yet for the Jews it was loved for it taught them how to be in relationship with their Creator God. Similarly Elijah was the herald of the Messiah, destined to announce the great era of restoration. The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Jeremiah 33:14. In Luke’s description this threesome of Jesus, Moses and Elijah, represents the fulfilment of the prophetic promises.  

“For in him every one of God’s promises is a “Yes.” For this reason it is through him that we say the “Amen,” to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians  1:18–20.. Jesus sums up all that God has promised throughout the whole history of Israel. He went up the mountain to pray and as he prayed the disciples saw suddenly that the glory of God was fully in Jesus Christ. Here was an epiphany like no other, the Messiah fully human and yet fully God. This was the promised Messiah bringing to fulfilment the great promises of God. Luke adds that they didn’t speak of this, while in Matthew and Mark they are reminded to speak only after the resurrection. Only after the resurrection did the disciples begin to understand what this transfiguration meant and because they understood they were equipped to declare to the world that through Jesus Christ, God had begun a New Creation. A new creation in which peace and justice would be available to all:: where death would be swept away and pain and suffering would be at an end: and where God would be the only authority.

Prayer. Lord God we call on you the Ancient of Days, for before time began you were the one in whom life and love resided. In your hands you hold the future and all that is to come. In Jesus you have brought into our human lives, light and love, peace and joy. So we praise you and give all thanks to you. Through your grace you have rescued us from sin and death and through Jesus brought into being a New Creation. By your Spirit’s power grant us eyes to see and hearts to know the wonders of all that you have achieved through Jesus Christ our Lord. Strengthen us to live as your people and so lift high the name of Jesus Christ the one through whom salvation comes. All praise and glory belong to you Almighty God. Amen

Collect. O God, your promises are very great; in times of crisis, when all around us is giving way, strengthen us to trust in you, and the approach of your reign of peace; this we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Lectionary for Lent 1

Lectionary for the First Sunday in Lent.

If the confession ‘Jesus is Lord’ is on your lips, and the faith that God raised him from the dead is in your heart, you will find salvation.            Romans 10:9

Collect. Lord our God, listen to the voice of your Church, calling to you from the desert of this world. Protect us with your strong hand and outstretched arm, that, nourished by the bread of your word and fortified by your Spirit, we may conquer with fasting and prayer the persistent seductions of the Evil One. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading. Deuteronomy 26:1-11. The reading for today celebrates that time when the wilderness wandering is over and the people are settled into the Promised Land. The harvest is about to be gathered in. This gift of “first fruits” was the sign of God’s blessing on the people and was also a recognition that the whole harvest came from God and so was a gift from God in order to sustain the people. Indeed the statement to be made to the priest on duty for the day was a recognition that the bounty being brought came through the fulfilment of the promise made by God to their family ancestor. Once the harvest gift was placed on the altar it was then that the worshipper would recite the familiar prayer, “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor…” This prayer was harking back to the time of Jacob the father from whom all the tribes of Israel originated. It was a recognition that when Jacob sought to escape the famine in Canaan he took with him only seventy people and their lives were all at risk. From those seventy the whole nation of Israel emerged. Now here in the placement of these gifts the great promises of God are coming to fruition for Israel is now a great multitude. It also reminded them of the struggles that had been endured and the suffering that the people had been enabled to overcome. So the prayer was in recognition of the shared heritage each had through God’s grace; the history that reminded them of God’s faithfulness and then the confidence that God continued to be with them and so they had hope. It was a community celebration which included everyone who was participating in the blessing the harvest brought. As we commence the season of Lent this reading reminds us that God brings his blessing to us as a community. We each receive a blessing, but it is a blessing which is shared equally. It is a reminder of the unity that God’s provision brings; even the aliens are to be included. Every child of God has a shared history, rejoices in a shared faithfulness and looks forward together with confidence in  the hope of what is still to come.

Prayer. Gracious God, your generosity knows no bounds for in everything you provide for your people. Help us always to remember with thanksgiving all that you have done on our behalf. Foremost in our minds is the gift of your Son who came to restore the whole world and place it once more under your authority. Through his ministry in your name, each of us is securely linked into your family and we rejoice in the assurance that your loving care gives. Receive our thanks and praise for all the benefits that Jesus Christ has made possible. This we ask in his name. Amen

Reading. Luke 4:1-13. In different ways each Gospel is written to remind the church of who Jesus is and the authority he displays. The story of the temptations follows two important sections of Luke’s Gospel. Luke records the baptism and highlights God’s approval that Jesus is the beloved Son. Then Luke records Jesus’ Jewish ancestry taking him back to Adam the first recorded human made in the image of God. Therefore Jesus is in familial relationship with both God and humanity! His baptism signifies his submission to the Spirit’s leading and so his earthly ministry can commence. When combined with fasting, the wilderness was traditionally a place where one could be alone with God. Here then Jesus is in close communion with God as he begins this ministry. As his fast is nearing its end the devil confronts him with the tests in order to deflect him from his prayerful path. Each temptation, better translated testing, is a challenge to choose his own way rather than to submit his way to God. Each test questions the authority that Jesus now has and how he will use that authority. The first temptation is to use his authority to satisfy his immediate needs. Would he use his authority to satisfy his hunger? John in his Gospel tells us that Jesus’ food is to do the will of God, (John 4:34) and so he is prepared to deny himself and trust in God’s provision. Bread alone cannot give life to anyone.

The temptation of idolatry is to worship something other than God, in this case the devil and then to place himself in the centre of everything. Jesus reminds the devil that God is the one who stands above all other authority and is the only one who is to be served and worshiped.

Jesus had used scripture to rebut two of the devil’s attacks so now the devil uses scripture in a perverse way to further tempt him into presuming to know how God will act. In other words the devil is tempting Jesus to lead rather than trusting God to lead.

All of the devil’s temptations challenged Jesus not only about his purpose but also about his deity. In each temptation it was Jesus the man who resisted the devil: he chose to remain hungry; he chose to worship only God, staying true to him; finally he did not presume on his special relationship with God but chose the way of humility and submission. Jesus came to live life as a man and as a man he withstood every temptation that the devil presented: Like Adam, made in the image of God, unlike Adam Jesus was a true son, and carried the whole human race with him into sinless perfection. We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.  Hebrews 4:15 NRSV

Prayer. Gracious God, Jesus our Saviour trusted in you alone and so withstood the Tempter’s trials. He was tempted as we are and yet remained without sin and so we your humble servants draw near to you trusting in his works alone. Through Him we dare to approach you in prayer, offering to you all praise and honour; rejoicing in the privilege of being called your adopted children; receiving blessing upon blessing. Fill us afresh with your Spirit’s power that we may faithfully serve you in both word and deed; honouring the sacrifice of Jesus who gave himself to secure the destiny of the world, bringing into being the kingdom of God. We pray for that day when our Lord Jesus will return and all things will be under your control. In his name we pray. Amen

Collect. God our refuge and stronghold, we who know sin look to you for grace and mercy. We give you thanks for Jesus, who endured temptation for us, and did not stray from you; with our lips and lives, help us to confess his name, the name in which we pray. Amen.

Lectionary for Transfiguration

Lectionary for the Transfiguration.

A cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. From the cloud came a voice that said: ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’                               Luke 9:34-35

Collect. Let us pray (that we may be transfigured into the likeness of Christ): Almighty Father, whose Son Jesus Christ was revealed in majesty before he suffered death upon the cross: give us grace to perceive his glory, that we may be strengthened to suffer with him and be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory: who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Reading. 2 Corinthians 3:12 to 4:2. Moses holds a unique place in the life and history of the Jewish nation. During his lifetime he was to sole link between God and the people as they journeyed through the wilderness and the Promised Land. He was the great Law giver and it was the Law that was instrumental in guiding the nation in their relationship with God and each other. Here in this passage Paul reminds the Christians in Corinth of the veil which Moses used to hide the brightness of the glory of God which reflected on him after his face to face meetings. Paul uses Moses veil to represent the failure of the Jews to see that Jesus Christ has inaugurated the New Covenant. Centuries before the prophets had declared God would set aside the original Covenant and replace it with one that he would keep on their behalf. “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Jeremiah 31:33.

Now Paul states that through Christ the veil has been removed and as Christians each of them has an insight of God’s glory through all that Jesus has done. It is this glory which is changing them to be more Christlike. This inward change is being displayed by their willingness to live in obedience to God. As Ezekiel had prophesied, God will give to those who accept the New Covenant a heart of flesh to replace their hearts of stone. (Ezekiel 11:19) It is those with soft hearts who live in godly obedience with one another. New Covenant people live in Christ’s way.

For those of us who do not come from a Jewish heritage discussion about the law can seem disconnected and not so important; yet we must not miss the point that Paul is presenting: Belief in Jesus changes us in every way. Jesus gave his all to allow for a new beginning for us and indeed for all creation. Our response can be nothing less than turning our back on the old and accepting the New.

Prayer. All of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. And so, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We go on to give you praise and honour, all the more through Jesus Christ our Lord. Lord we pray that you will touch our hearts again and renew our trust and faith in you. May our life and living honour you and in all things give thanks for the love and power that Jesus gives. May each one of us be a faithful ambassador for the Saviour of the world. Amen.

Reading. Luke 9:28-36. Jesus took with him his most trusted companions as he went up the mountain to pray. It was while in prayer that this scene unfolded. Moses and Elijah are named as talking to the transfigured Jesus and according to Luke they speak about his ‘departure’.  Departure is the English word used for “exodus”, used in the Greek. Exodus is a biblical word with deep significance. We know that the Exodus was the journey that took the Israelites from slavery into the freedom of the Promised Land and so this reminds us that their discussion is about the journey that Jesus is preparing to take. The enormity of the cross was to take all creation from the slavery of sin and decay into the freedom of the Kingdom of God. Luke is linking the Glory of Jesus’ transfiguration with the shame and abandonment of the cross. “He was transfigured that he might be disfigured, that we who are disfigured might be transfigured”. As always suffering and glory belong together; indeed they cannot be separated if God’s purposes are to be achieved.

The original Exodus began a new nation for the ten tribes. The Exodus taken through the cross brings into being the Kingdom of God that Jesus announced at the commencement of his earthly ministry. Thus through the cross a new people of God is being formed. The cross then is a pivotal point which will determine the outcome of all that Jesus desired to do. The meeting with the two key figures from Israel’s history combined with the glory of God which enfolded the whole prayer, time brought a moment of great encouragement to Jesus. Although Luke does not use the word “transfigured” this word is used in both Mark and Matthew’s description of this incident. This word has the sense of being changed from the inside out rather than some covering coming upon him. It is a reminder that Jesus is at once both human, relating to the apostles and also divine and so relating to God. This revelation is so profound that it is no wonder Peter “did not know what to say!”

It brought a profound and lasting effect on the apostles who witnessed the transfiguration for years later Peter still held this special time in his memory. (2Peter 1:16ff) For the Apostles and the early church Luke’s emphasis on the command of God to recognise Jesus as God’s Son and to “listen to him” was so important. Grasping Jesus humanity was no issue for the early disciples for they had lived with Jesus on a daily basis, but recognising his divinity would have been more difficult. Today as Christians we recognise Jesus divinity, this is our great tradition. However, recognising his humanity, a humanity which was part of the transfiguration, is more difficult for us. It is the transfiguration which reminds us that Jesus was and still remains both human and divine! Jesus understood and still understands the struggles we face living in a fallen world. Luke’s next recollection of Jesus ministry reminded them and us that the change that the cross began is still not fully complete and like Jesus we need to live in the tension of suffering as well as Glory. The truth does set us free but the realities of daily life also cause us to experience pain. Thanks be to God that the Lord Jesus reigns and the time will come when every pain will be eased and every tear will be wiped away.

Collect. Living Lord, fulfiller of human hopes, on the mountain we see your glory; help us to listen to you, help us to believe you, that whether we are on the heights or in the depths, we shall be at your side now and for ever. Amen.

Prayer, O Lord, who on the holy mount didst reveal to chosen witnesses thy well-beloved Son wonderfully transfigured: mercifully grant unto us such a vision of His divine Majesty that we, being purified and strengthened by thy grace, may be transformed into his likeness, from glory to glory; through the same Jesus Christ thy Son, our Lord. Amen. {Canadian Prayer Book}

Lord Jesus we give you all thanks and praise that we look to you alone for the guidance and the comfort we need for daily living. You are the living Lord and in your hands is the destiny of the whole creation. This Lord gives us the hope that sustains us in the struggles of life. So once more we come to you for that fulfilling grace without which we could not go on. We thank you that your love for us is renewed every day. Out of your fullness we have all received what we need to be your disciples. May all we do reflect our joyful thanks and praise. Amen

Collect.  Living Lord, chosen of God, under the shadow of the cross, you are transfigured in glory; help us always to believe, and discern your majesty even in the midst of suffering; this we ask for your sake. Amen.

(Collects as always from; Uniting in Worship.)

Lectionary for Epiphany 7

Lectionary for  Epiphany 7

Jesus says: ‘Love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.’ Luke 6:35, 36

Collect. God of compassion, keep before us the love you have revealed in your Son, who prayed even for his enemies; in our words and deeds help us to be like him through whom we pray, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reading. 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-50. For the Greek thinkers in the congregation in Corinth the idea that a person once dead could live again was incomprehensible; yet for Paul the idea that the spirit of a person could exist separated from the body was equally incomprehensible. Apostles would be still living who had seen Jesus in bodily form and Paul himself had been spoken to by Jesus and so they and the New Testament writers simply accept the fact that Jesus is alive. For those who did not have that privilege it was a hard concept to comprehend but Paul is determined to reveal to the believers the understanding that Jesus is alive. Furthermore he is trying to help them understand that the time will come when they too will be equipped with a body fit for the kingdom of God. One of the Greek words associated with resurrect (anistanai) means, “to stand up” and has the implication that God’s power has made the person stand after being dead! Paul uses the argument that Adam represents the being created from the dust, while the resurrected Jesus represents the New Man, the being returned from the dead only by God’s power. He is the man from heaven and in due course every believer will bear the same heavenly body as Jesus. That which was true for the Corinthian believers to grasp is also true for each believer today; what is perishable cannot participate in what is imperishable therefore each one of us must be changed in order to be not only like Jesus but also be with Jesus. We live now in this world by the breath of God which gives us life. This life allows us to live and function in the creation that God has brought into existence. Through the victory of Jesus over death he rules as Lord over God’s Kingdom. By his grace we too will live in God’s Kingdom so filled with the life giving Spirit that we will be fully equipped the live in the New Creation surrounded by the presence of God.

Paul’s teaching challenges us to reach beyond the limits of our experience and believe that because Jesus lives we too will live and by living we will glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God;[1]

Prayer. Great and glorious Lord: Forgive us when we try to limit your capacity to be and to do by the limits of our minds and so miss the greatness of your glory. Enlarge our vision of all that you have accomplished through Jesus Christ our Lord. Through your Spirit’s power refresh our faith and help us to stand firmly on the victory that Jesus Christ has won for all of creation. All glory and honour belong to you Lord God. Amen

Reading. Luke 6:27-38. Following Jesus’ teaching on the blessings and the woes Luke moves on to his teaching about how to live as God’s people. Jesus begins by addressing those who “hear”, or in some versions “listen”. To listen is not only to pick up the meaning of the words but to act on them. Listening always implies the obedience which is to follow. In this teaching Jesus is giving a new twist on the laws of ancient Jewish society. ( c/f Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 16:18ff) We often think of the choice to live apart as the Jews did, was a negative thing. However, the laws that God prescribed for his people were designed to build a community in which all of the Jews would have both justice and respect. This was to be the way God’s people were to live. Now in Luke, Jesus is describing how God’s people will live in the kingdom that God is preparing through Jesus. (We remember that foundationally Jesus came preaching about the kingdom of God which by his coming was now available to all). Thus Jesus is describing how to live in God’s Kingdom even before it is fully inaugurated. As with the laws of the ancient Hebrews, by following these commands every one receives the justice and respect that God demands. However though we see the sense of these teachings we also recognise how difficult it is to follow through with them for we still live in a sinful world. To follow this way of life will leave us open to be vulnerable and yet surely that is the point of what Jesus is saying. Trusting in our own strength and holding on to our resources means that we are no longer trusting in what God supplies. Furthermore we have to listen as well to the teaching that demands that we love enemies and so forth; this then also means that we are to act with discernment guided by love. Love is the main requirement that goes before all that Jesus is teaching. Love will always cause us to act in the best interests of the person who is loved. This requirement demands that more than ever to live in the way that Jesus describes calls us to live in even closer harmony with God.

Prayer. Holy Lord God, our heavenly Father, your Son offered a ministry of love to the weak and powerless and always looked with compassion on those in need. Help us your servants who long to follow more closely in the footsteps of Christ to listen to your word and by your power like him seek to serve those in need. Give us the wisdom and insight we need so that our service honours you and brings true relief. May we not serve simply to assuage our guilt but in order that your gospel may be more boldly and completely be proclaimed. Through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen

Collect. God of extravagant love, you have bestowed so much upon us; give us thankful hearts, that we may welcome our neighbour and forgive those who wrong us; in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989), Ro 8:19.

Lectionary for Epiphany 6

Lectionary for Epiphany 6

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending its roots by the stream; without care in a year of drought, it does not cease to bear fruit.          Jeremiah 17:7-8

Collect. Almighty and everliving God, whose Son Jesus Christ healed the sick and restored them to wholeness of life: look with compassion on the anguish of the world, and by your power make whole all peoples and nations; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Reading. 1 Corinthians 15:12-20. The Christian life revolves around Jesus Christ the Lord and Saviour. He is the one who gives to each believer the confidence that our past is dealt with; in the present we are sustained by him and the future is assured, all because he lives. The whole life of faith in Jesus Christ is built on the understanding that Jesus lives. Today’s passage then highlights a serious issue for Paul to address. When addressing this problem in the Corinthian church Paul had two different groups of people to encourage and teach.

Paul’s trusted method of preaching the gospel was to go to the local synagogue first and so speak to Jews and “God fearers”. Then he would use that base of Christian converts to reach out into the wider community. Thus we can confidently say that the congregation in Corinth would have been made up of members from both a Jewish as well as a Pagan background. Jews were Hebrew thinkers and the majority of people from Corinth were Greek thinkers. This diverse range of people made for a huge difference when discussing resurrection.  For a Jew, body mind and spirit made up one unit and one part could not exist without the others. Greek thinkers on the other hand thought the spirit could exist apart from the body, many thought that the spirit was immortal. To cut to the chase and bypass many things that could be said, the bible is a Hebrew book, written from a Hebrew perspective. Therefore Paul is arguing that Jesus has been raised from the dead not as a spirit but as a body, a whole new man. The Apostles’ creed, a key document of the Church reminds us that we “Believe in the resurrection of the body”; not only that, we also believe that life will begin again.

For Paul this discussion with the Corinthians addressed the core of the faith for if Christ has not been raised then everything else in the faith is of no account; that is why Paul ends his argument with the emphatic statement that Christ has been raised and is the hope of all believers, both those living as well as those who have died. Paul is writing to people who had not only met him personally but, because of the itinerant nature of the early church’s  ministry, would also have had the opportunity to meet the original Apostles or at least people who were closely related to them. In other words Paul is reminding them of facts they already would have heard from others. As such he is assuring them that despite their doubts and fears their faith in the risen Lord Jesus can and will sustain then now and into the future.

Prayer. Holy God, you are the Lord and giver of life and it is you who sustains us despite our doubts and fears. To you alone we turn for in you is the hope not only of life eternal but daily living. Guide us by your Spirit to keep close to you  and sustain us in the faith for Jesus has paid the price of our salvation and through his resurrection power we have obtained mercy and grace from your hand. Bless us with the power of resurrection life that we may be unafraid to serve you and through our living bring you honour and praise. By your power may our new life be a beacon to those whom you are calling so that they and we together may taste the joys of eternal life, now and forever. Amen

Reading. Luke 6:17-26. As Luke relates this important aspect of Jesus ministry he makes his readers aware that the choosing of the apostles by Jesus was done in association with God. Another example that Jesus only did what his Father commanded: Yet at the same time it is Jesus’ choice, he is the one who chooses those who will continue his earthly ministry. Jesus chooses them to be Apostles. An apostle is one who is sent out for that is what the Greek word means; one who is sent out, we might say to be an ambassador. Thus they are chosen for a particular ministry task. Jesus teaches them by watching him and listening to his words and soon he will send them out to try to emulate his message and mission. As Jesus maintained his own personal relationship with God, so he encourages all his disciples to have a close personal relationship with God. The close relationship was important for many reasons, not least was the understanding that the message that Jesus brought was contrary to the way of the world. His preaching and ministry brought hope to the people without worldly influence; the poor will receive the blessing of the kingdom, the hungry will be satisfied, the sad will have joy. This is not the way it works in the society to which most of us belong. Here the rich are all powerful and demand and receive the services they want; Jesus teaches a very different way. With that in mind we see that to be called to be an apostle with that message is to advocate a lifestyle which is contrary to unredeemed human nature! The message that the apostles proclaimed did cause them to often be in conflict with the rulers, the rich and the powerful. It is only when we reflect on the difference that Jesus’ message is that we recognise how radical it is and how demanding was the call to be an apostle. Nevertheless it was the faithfulness of the apostles to continue to proclaim the message of Jesus that has brought the message of Jesus right through until the present day.

From Luke’s passage today we see that the message still confronts us with its change of values and its demands upon all who follow Jesus. Clearly believers are called to live out justice and mercy, trusting in God alone. It calls us to recognising that in biblical terms many of us are the rich and the powerful even though it doesn’t always feel that is the case. We are challenged to live our lives in his way and we can only do that be keeping our own relationship with Jesus firmly in place.

Prayer. Holy Lord God, our heavenly Father, your Son offered a ministry to the weak and powerless and always looked with compassion on those in need. Help us your servants who long to follow more closely in the footsteps of Christ to listen to your word and by your power like him seek to serve those in need. Give us the wisdom and insight we need so that our service honours you and brings true relief. May we not serve simply to assuage our guilt but in order that your gospel may more boldly and completely be proclaimed. Through Jesus Christ our Lord we pray. Amen

Collect. O God, you call us today to be part of the coming kingdom. Help us to trust in you, and not our possessions; help us to believe you, rather than our false desires; grant us peace and joy in doing your will in the name of Christ. Amen.

Lectionary for Epiphany 5

Lectionary for Epiphany 5

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory. Isaiah 6:3

Collect. Lord of hosts, whose glory fills all heaven and earth: you have entrusted to our unclean lips and fragile hands the mission of proclaiming the gospel. Strengthen us with your Spirit, that your word may find a welcome in hearts both open and generous, and so bring forth abundant fruit in every part of the world. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11. The letters to the Corinthians are some of the earliest scriptures in the New Testament. When Paul wrote this passage it is quite possible that some of the apostles were still alive and may have been known to many of the new congregations. (An Apostle was considered to be one of the key disciples who had seen Jesus alive after his resurrection!) At the time of writing probably only a generation had passed since the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, so when Paul wrote that this message was of first importance he was not over stating the gospel’s importance. Furthermore he is reminding them that this message is not something that he has assembled over time but is a message that he himself had received because it had been handed down to him by the Risen Lord. Paul always considered himself to be an Apostle following his encounter with the Risen Lord on the Damascus road and the Apostles in Jerusalem accepted him as such.

The gospel message does not build up over time; it is not an education system that little by little gives you greater knowledge. On the contrary it is the message itself that brings life and changes lives. It does this because it is vested in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The message is heard and stirs faith within the believer: With faith comes also belief and a confidence that the message makes perfect sense; Jesus’ death and resurrection brings to each believer a new life with their sins forgiven.

Paul is writing to a congregation that has huge pastoral and ethical problems and that is why Paul reminds them of the gospel message he had delivered to them. It was because of this message the church had been established. However subsequent actions and habits where causing Paul to question if they had perhaps slipped back into a previous lifestyle, that is why he asks the question if they had “believed in vain?” There is a truth here that is important for every believer: on initially coming to faith there is much enthusiasm and excitement but the real test of faith is how your life changes in the long term. Each believer is called to be a disciple of Jesus and follow in his way. The original Christian believers were called, “Followers of the Way”. This is the reason Paul is calling into question the sincerity of their faith for much of their behaviour was contrary to a true follower whose sins had been forgiven and whose life style had been sanctified. It took more than a single letter to readjust the behaviour of the Corinthian church but given the leadership of Paul, Timothy and Titus things finally improved and the gospel had its true effect. For us as we read this passage today it gives us the opportunity to ask ourselves the question is the death and resurrection of Jesus, still of “first importance” in our life and living? It is the gospel which gives us life and hope, power and strength for it is centred on the Saviour Jesus Christ.

What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:4f NRSV

Prayer. Lord Jesus Christ, the great shepherd of the sheep whose will and purpose it is to seek and save the lost, teach us in all ways to continue your ministry of proclaiming the good news of God’s salvation. Be present in power at all your church’s works of mission and service, where good news is presented. Open the ears of those who hear and the eyes of those who see that the true inner purpose of your work might re-create hearts and lives and bring them safely home to you. In all things may we your people give to you all thanks and praise as we celebrate the new life that you in your mercy have won for us. This we pray through the power of your name alone. Amen

Reading. Luke 5:1-11. Each story in Luke is filled with information and this passage is no exception. Luke reminds us that Jesus popularity as a preacher and teacher continues to grow for there is no room on the shoreline and so Jesus preaches from Peter’s fishing boat. After his teaching, Jesus turns his attention to Peter and his fishing companions. Putting down the nets is no easy task, it is hard manual work. However, having listened to his teaching, they loved and respected him enough to do as he suggests, even though he is by trade a carpenter and not a fisherman. Suddenly the net is filled to breaking point and they have to call on their fishing partners to give them the assistance they need. At that point in the story Luke puts our attention onto Peter. When Jesus’ insight or foresight is demonstrated in Peter’s workplace, Peter himself is filled with amazement being confronted by his own limitations compared to those of Jesus. The vast quantity of fish does not stun Peter it is the insight into who Jesus is that brings him to his knees. Luke makes this perfectly clear for at the beginning of the passage Jesus is honoured with the title of “Master”; after Peter’s revelation Jesus is referred to with the title of “Lord’, the title given to Jesus by the early church, “Jesus is Lord”. Thus in Peter’s life an amazing transformation has occurred and the divinity of Jesus is plainly revealed. Jesus does not need to call Peter to repentance: Peter’s experience of Jesus drives him to his knees; for him it is a true Epiphany! Having focused our attention on the divinity of Jesus Luke then introduces the promise and the command of Jesus that will be Peter’s watchword; not to be afraid but to gather people together to follow Jesus, even as Peter and his companions are following Jesus. By the time Luke wrote this passage, Peter would have been recognised as the key leader of the church and so the words of Jesus would have applied generally to all believers: Firstly to recognise that Jesus was divine, the Son of God, and secondly that his divinity would give them the confidence to reach out to others without fear. Fishing was not simply a pleasant pastime it was a way of life; similarly being a disciple of Jesus was to make a lifestyle choice to live under his authority. Luke makes it clear when he ends by saying, “They left everything and followed him”.  Luke’s reminder still applies today!

Prayer. Holy Lord. Luke’s story reminds us of our need to recognise afresh the divinity of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Before we can truly be one of his disciples we need to recognise him as Lord of all. And yet once we see him as such we can only follow him in humble yet joyful obedience. So, O Lord, stir our hearts and renew our love of Jesus; may such knowledge enable us to trust him and not be afraid. By your grace help us to face life with confidence; holding on to the promise that Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us. Grant that we may have the faith to rely on him in our work and in our play and recognise in every situation his great love for us. May we be so steeped in the love he has for us that we in turn will love those around us and so in every way give honour and praise to his Holy Name. We pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Collect. O Lord our God, we bow in your presence; we see the glory of holiness in your Son, and tremble with awe as he comes. As you lift our heads, and speak our names, we offer grateful thanks in Jesus’ name. Amen.