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Second Sunday after Epiphany

What follows is a worship service which, I pray, you can participate in at a time(s) that are convenient to you. This 'service' will take about forty five (45) minutes.

I pray that you will feel called to ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE in this service.

The text that is in regular typeface (that is what you are reading at the moment) is to be read quietly, while the text that is in
bold face (like you are reading right now) is meant to be read aloud.

Opening Hymn:

Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we commence our praise and thanksgiving.

When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:

A Call To Worship:

We meet in the name of God,

Creator of the universe,

source of true humanity,

mother and father of all. Amen.

An Assurance of Forgiveness:

(click the 'play' button below to listen)

The Absolution
00:00 / 00:18

The Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, and your faithfulness to the clouds.

The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):

Almighty God, whose Son our Saviour Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Our first reading for today:

(click the 'play' button below to listen)

Isaiah 62:1-5
00:00 / 01:32

Our second reading for today:

(click the 'play' button below to listen)

1 Corinthians 12:1-11
00:00 / 01:25

Gradual Hymn:

Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we raise out voices in praise and thanksgiving.

When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:

A reading from the holy gospel according to Saint John.

John 2:1-11
00:00 / 01:36

Listen to David speak to this gospel.

Pay attention to the SIGNS!
00:00 / 12:31

or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:

Sermon for 2nd Sunday after Epiphany 2025

MAY the words of my mouth and the meditations in our hearts be acceptable in your sight O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. <Amen>

I think we all know that a “STOP” sign looks like and what it means. However, authorities around the world continue to be worried that many road users do not obey the sign, pass through them and cause accidents.

When the mayor of Oak Lawn, Illinois, in the USA had this problem he came up with a very creative solution. He added a second, smaller sign the town's 50 or so stop signs that read (hold these up one at a time):

“And smell the roses” or "No really, you gotta stop"

"Or I’m Telling Your Mom," or "In the naaaame of love."

AND – it worked!!! People stopped at the stop signs. The additional signs were so imaginative and humorous people laughed and obeyed the Stop sign.

The Mayor believed that if he could just get the motorists to pay attention, then he could get his message across. The message … STOP … was important message and he was using special signs to get that message across.

Signs have always been used to get messages across to people.

In our gospel this morning we’re told: “The changing of water into wine was the first of Jesus’ SIGNS, and it manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.” John 2:11

One biblical scholar went through the Gospels and found at least 35 different miracles/“signs” that Jesus did during His ministry.

But John explained at the end of his Gospel: “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)

In other words, Jesus probably did a whole lot more MIRACLES during His ministry, but these 35 or so that are listed in the Gospels were intended to teach us something.

They are SIGNS showing us God’s message.

In fact, that WAS the purpose of miracles. When Peter preached at Pentecost he said:

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and SIGNS…” Acts 2:22 In other words, the miracles that Jesus did were intended to get people to say to one another, “PAY ATTENTION! This is the Son of God… this is the one we need to listen to!” <PAUSE>

Now, returning to today’s gospel. I wonder, was this miracle part of God’s original plan? We’re told “When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”

I do not suggest any of my brothers in Christ use this response to their mothers, wives or partners!

‘David, there is rubbish to take out!’
‘Woman, what does that have to do with me? My hour has not come!’

‘David, put some petrol in the car!’
‘Woman, what does that have to do with me? My hour has not come.’

‘David, can you wash those dishes!’
‘Woman, what does that have to do with me? My hour has not come.’

If I, or you, do try this, we may discover that our hour has come sooner than we anticipated!” <PAUSE>

But seriously, in the culture of that day - Jesus’ response would not have been considered an offensive of insulting comment. Yet, here is Jesus, about 30 years old, and His mum is trying to run His life for Him.

MY HOUR HAS NOT YET COME!

What is Jesus saying? Perhaps He is saying this wasn’t what He planned on. He knows exactly what He intends to do and when He intends to do it - and here His mum is calling Him to action.

Now bear in mind – this is the first SIGN Jesus has ever done. He hasn’t done anything like this before. And Mary has never seen Him do anything miraculous before. But she KNOWS He can do something. Mary has FAITH in what He can do.

Jesus tries to warn her off – my time has not yet come. But it’s like Mary doesn’t even hear Him. She says to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5) and then she kind of, well, walks away.

The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords doesn’t have to listen to her, but He does.

He listens to her. He honours her. And He does exactly what she asks of him. Now, maybe it wasn’t according to the original plan … and yet Jesus honoured her request.

Do we, as Christians, realise that God has given us the same promise?

We can ask whatever we like of God. We can ask at ANY time. God WILL listen to us.

Jesus said “… if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)

As Christians we can boldly approach the throne of God and ask whatever we want to ask in faith - and if it doesn’t violate the vast eternal plan - God will do it for us.

Now granted there may be reasons why God MIGHT NOT do what we ask, but the point is this:

STOP.

ASK ANYWAY.

ASK IN FAITH.

But I don’t want you to remember that “STOP” sign. I want you to remember something about me and maybe, just maybe, it applies to you … here goes …

For a good part of my life I would talk to God and say “STOP - HELP ME DO MY WORK”.

Then, as my faith grew it became:

“STOP - HELP ME DO YOUR WORK”.

In Christ we can ask anything. Let’s just make sure those requests are for the glory of God.

I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu.
In the name of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit <AMEN>

Pause and Reflect

Just take a moment now to pause. Bow your head, close your eyes.
 

Allow these words of Holy Scripture and this interpretation of them today to speak to you.

An Affirmation of Our Faith

Let us affirm our faith by saying aloud, and together, "The Apostles Creed":

apostles_creed_pic02.jpg
Image by Allef Vinicius

... and now let us pray for the Church, the World, and Ourselves, giving thanks for God's goodness.

​Let us pray aloud, and together:

In response to the call today “Lord, in Your mercy” Our plea is, “hear our prayer”

(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy : Hear our prayer.

Gracious God, Your Son Jesus began his ministry at a wedding celebration and through the miracle of the wine showed us the abundance of your wonderful love for us.  May Jesus continue to transform the water of our everyday lives into the new wine of your kingdom on earth, transforming by his love the ordinary into the extra-ordinary. AMEN.

<Longer pause for personal reflection>

In response to the call today “Lord, in Your mercy” Our response is, “hear our prayer!”

(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer

Holy God, we thank You for the sacrament of marriage, the blessing of civil marriages, thanksgivings for anniversaries and renewals of marriage vows. May those so blessed grow old together in the knowledge that the best wine is saved till last and that Jesus is their companion on their journey through life together.

<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

Father God, we pray for our world and the problems faced by so many of Your children. We pray for all who live under the threat of war and terrorism and the poverty which comes in its wake.  Govern the hearts and minds of all world leaders and those in authority that they may act justly, honestly and according to Your will.

<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

Father God, we pray for those we know who will be married during the coming year; be with them as they make their plans and give them patience and understanding when things are difficult. In their growing love for each other may they come to know You as the source of all love and help them to rejoice in their shared memories of joy and laughter, sadness and disappointment.

<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

Loving God, we pray for those who have rejected You because they are ill and blame You for their afflictions.  Help them to see the reality of Your desire of wholeness and health for them.  Enable all who are sick to pray for help for themselves and to give thanks for those who care for them.

Give the song of joy to all who are now on the road to recovery and recuperation and the song of thanks to all who helped them on that road. We especially raise before You now all those who have asked for our prayers from around the world … those we know in New Zealand, in Singapore, in Argentina, in France, in Australia, in the US, in Canada, in Austria, in Ukraine, in China and any others we now name aloud, or in the silence of our hearts, and those who are known only by You.

<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

Mighty God, through Your son you have freed us from the grip of the tomb. We pray for those who have departed this life and ask You, through Your loving kindness, to have mercy on their souls.  We pray too for those bereaved by their passing. (add names of the recently departed or on Anniversary list)

<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer

In a moment of silence we pray for ourselves, our families, friends, for all whom we love and for our personal ministries. Make the things that we choose to do worthy of the life, death, and rising again of Your Son.

(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer

Faithful God, as we go out into the world we pray that we may reflect Your love in our families and our communities; so that the world can witness that we are followers of Christ and draw others into his loving care.

(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer

Forth in the peace of Christ we go; Christ to the world with joy we bring; Christ in our minds, Christ on our lips, Christ in our hearts, the world’s true King.

Merciful father: accept these prayers for the sake of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.  AMEN.

lord's_prayer_pic01_edited.jpg

Remembering that we are confident to pray this day, and every day, because Jesus Christ continues to teach us:
 

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,

your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever.   Amen.

Let us conclude our prayers by praying together and aloud:

 

God of mercy,
you have given us grace to pray with one heart and one voice,
and have promised to hear the prayers
of two or three who agree in your name,
fulfil now, we pray,
the prayers and longings of your people
as may be best for us and for your kingdom.
Grant us in this world to know your truth,
and in the world to come to see your glory. Amen.

The Blessing

May The Risen Lord Christ turn His face towards each and every one of you.

May He cause His light to shine upon you, and

may He grant you His peace, and

 

The blessing of Almighty God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

be with you and all of those whom you love,

on this day and forever more.

A Closing Hymn:

Let us conclude our worship today by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we unite in another hymn our praise and thanksgiving.

When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:

The Dismissal

Go now, go out into the world

to love and serve The Lord.

 

Go in peace.

AMEN, we go in the name of Christ.

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