3rd 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 Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom then shall I fear?
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Our first reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Our second reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
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:
Listen to David speak to this gospel
or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:
Sermon for Epiphany 3, 25th Jan 2026
Welcome sisters and brothers and peace be with you. Take my lips O God and speak through them, take our minds O God and think through them, take our hearts O God and love through them this day. <Amen>
Simon and Andrew were fishermen. Day after day it was the same thing; the same boat, the same net, the same sea, the same job. Day after day it was wind, water, fish, sore muscles, tired bodies. Cast the net, pull it in. Cast the net, pull it in. Casting and pulling. Casting and pulling. Oh yes, and nets get holes … so mend the nets!
Did you ever know times like that? <PAUSE>
We may not fish for a living but we all know about casting, pulling and mending.
Days that all seem the same. One looks like another. Life is a routine. Nothing changes. Cast the nets. Pull the nets. Mend the nets.
Casting, pulling and mending to make a living, to feed a family, to pay the bills.
Casting, pulling and mending to gain security and get to retirement.
Casting, pulling and mending to hold a family together, to make a relationship work, to nurture children.
Casting, pulling and mending to gain the things we want; a house, a car, books, clothes, a holiday.
Casting, pulling and mending to build a reputation, gain approval, establish status. Casting, pulling and mending through another day.
Casting, pulling and mending are realities of life - yes - BUT they are also the circumstances in which Jesus comes to us, the context in which we hear the call to new life, and the place where we are forever changed.
These people, Simon and Andrew, James and John, like many people today, are not looking for Jesus. They are too busy. It is another day of casting, pulling and mending. They may not have even noticed Jesus BUT He not only sees them He also speaks to them.
Jesus has a way of showing up in the ordinary places of life and interrupting the daily routines of casting, pulling and mending OUR “nets”. That’s what he did to the lives of Simon and Andrew, James and John. That’s what he did to my life and I think that is, perhaps, what He did in yours too. <PAUSE>
“Follow me” is Jesus’ invitation to a new life. If these four fishermen accept the invitation, THEIR LIVES will forever be different. THEY will be different. They will no longer catch just fish. They will fish for people.
When Jesus says, “I will make you fish for people,” he is describing the transformation of their lives, not simply a job catching new members or followers.
Jesus could just as easily have said to the carpenters, “Follow me, and you will build the kingdom of heaven.”
To the farmers, “Follow me, and you will grow God’s people.
To the doctors, “Follow me, and you will heal the brokenness of the world.”
To the teachers, “Follow me, and you will open minds and hearts to the presence of God.”
To the parents and grand-parents, “Follow me, and you will nurture new life.”
Whatever OUR life is NOW. However we spend our time NOW. There is ALWAYS, in our lives, Jesus’ call to “Follow me.”
“Follow me” is the call to participate with God in God’s own, ON-GOING, saving work. It’s the ON-GOING work of change and growth. This ON-GOING work is always about moving to a larger vision, orientating our lives (and the lives of others) in a new direction, and experiencing that our little story of life is connected to, and is a vital part of, a MUCH LARGER STORY ….. GOD’S STORY … ACROSS THE ENTIRE WORLD <Pause>
As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon, Andrew, James, and John. Jesus called them. Matthew records no discussions here, no questions, no good byes. They simply “left … and followed him.”
I’m afraid that if Matthew were writing about me – when he gets to the part when Jesus says, “Follow me” – Matthew would write, “and David immediately began to question.” “Where are we going? What will we do? How long will we be gone? What do I need to take? How will we travel? Where will we stay? How will we pay the bills?”
Yet that conversation doesn’t take place in today’s gospel because Jesus does not offer a map, an itinerary, or even a destination ….. only a beautiful invitation.
You see, this journey with Jesus is not a journey we can prepare for.
This is the inner journey, a journey into the deepest part of our being, the place where God resides. It’s not about planning and organising, budgeting, making lists, or packing supplies. It’s not that easy.
If anything our journey with Jesus is about leaving things behind.
The invitation, “Follow me,” is the invitation to leave stuff behind; to leave behind our nets, our boats, our worries, our struggles.
Ultimately, it’s about letting go of our own little life so that we can receive God’s life.
This letting go happens in the context of our everyday activities; retirement, work, school, families, paying the bills, looking after children and grand-children, relationships, trying to do the right thing etc. etc.
Letting go - that’s the hard part for most of us. We’re pretty good at accumulating and clinging on, but we’re not so good at letting go. More often than not our spiritual growth involves some kind of letting go.
We never get anywhere new as long as we’re unwilling to leave where we are and doing things the way we’ve always planned them, done them and got used to them! <PAUSE>
BUT HEAR ME CRY OUT TO YOU ALL : We accept Jesus’ invitation to follow, not by packing up stuff to take on the journey, but by letting go.
Letting go of the ways we always believed things had to be done. Worrying that if it wasn’t done that way then the world would come crashing down around us.
This letting go IS the invitation from Jesus to “Follow me”.
It’s Christ’s invitation to new day, a way of being. <PAUSE>
I fully understand and appreciate that this is a step of FAITH but if my own life has taught me anything it is that in leaving behind “old ways” then “THE LORD WILL PROVIDE IN DIFFERENT AND BETTER WAYS”. <Pause>
“Follow me” is both the invitation to, and Jesus’ promise of, new life.
I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu. <AMINE>
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":
... and now let us pray for the Church, the World, and Ourselves, giving thanks for God's goodness.
Let us pray aloud, and together:
Everlasting God, the light of Your grace shines into our daily lives; help us to listen to Your voice still calling us to follow you in the midst of our personal busy-ness. We pray that we feel Your presence in all that we say and do. 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
Faithful God, as our Gospel shows us the inviting Christ, we pray for all who preach Your word week by week. Inspire them in their ministry as they seek to call, lead and grow us as disciples and as they reach out to those in need in our communities.
<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Creator, God of every land and nation You spoke Your word and revealed Your good news in Jesus Christ. We pray for our troubled world its peoples and their leaders. We pray for those caught up in war and violence, especially the innocent victims of evil and destructive act of terrorism. May peace be found and good sense flourish so that we may see injustice and wrong vanquished.
<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Holy God, although we are sometimes separated by language and culture from the people we live amongst, we long to see Your will done here on earth as it is in heaven. We pray for our neighbours, not only with words, but day by day, moment by moment, in the things we do and the way we do them.
<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Abundant God, be with those of us that desire and need Your restoration and healing. As we remember the way Your son Jesus Christ cast out demons we remember today all those who live in the depths of depression and mental illness. Today, we ask for Your blessing and healing touch upon 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, in Germany, in the Czech Republic, in Syria 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
Merciful God, Your love reaches beyond the grave. At the end of our days on earth be with us and with those we love. May those who have gone before us rest in Your eternal peace. We remember before You those who have died and we pray for all whose life is saddened by the death of a loved one, be with them in their loneliness.
We especially raise before you at this time our recently departed sisters and brothers, Camille (France), Robert (England), Odell (USA).
<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 from this time of prayer and walk into the days ahead, we ask that in all we do, we may we walk more closely with You at our side safe in the knowledge that Your fatherly love and care knows no bounds.
(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.
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.
