Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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 Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):
Those who know your Name will put their trust in you, for you never forsake those who seek you, O Lord.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, 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:
A reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Mark.
Listen to David speak to this gospel
or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:
Sermon for Ordinary 12, Sunday, 23rd June 2024
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>
Life doesn’t take long to teach us that things are not always going to work in our favour! Where do the storms that we face come from? What causes the rough seas and howling winds to blow through our lives? Why are we so fearful, so afraid when they come? <PAUSE>
The late Billy Graham once said. “The storm was raging. The sea was beating against the rocks in huge, dashing waves. The lightning was flashing, the thunder was roaring, the gale was blowing; but the little bird was sound asleep in the crevice of the rock, its head tucked serenely under its wing. That is peace: to be able to sleep in the storm!”
In our gospel today, Jesus and the disciples are out in a boat and a storm suddenly comes up. Now these men are professional fishermen and they have had to deal with rough weather before but there was something different about this storm. This was possibly the worst storm any of them had ever seen and it scared them tremendously. Where is Jesus? He was in the rear of the boat - ASLEEP.
In verse 38 we can feel that their panic has taken hold and the disciples wake Jesus, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?
Have you ever prayed a prayer like that? “Lord do you even care?...”, “Lord why are you letting this happen to me? Why me?”
What makes us so afraid, when we’re in a storm?
In my life, the words of Jesus have come to me and I heard them as clearly as I hear my own voice today. You will find those words in verse 40.
Jesus said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you STILL no faith?” Why are you afraid? Where is your faith?
How is it that knowing all that God has done for us, all that God has given us, all that we hear from The Word, we can still slip back into fear?
Is it that we still don’t believe in Jesus? <PAUSE> Maybe we haven’t yet REALLY learned to trust in Him? <PAUSE>
Where do the storms in our lives come from? Well, how about this - storms :
1. Come from our own behaviour?,
2. Are caused by others in our lives?
3. Come because we live in a broken world. <PAUSE>
I’d suggest our life storms are a result of all three of these and that means that each and every one of us is either coming out of a storm, or we are in a storm or we are getting ready to go into a storm. “NOT FAIR!” Some of you may be tempted to exclaim … BUT … this doesn’t mean that God does not love and care for us.
Consider this, God will use our storms to help us grow, to bring glory to His Name AND help us reach people that we will only be able to reach, because of our storms.
Sometimes we go through many storms because we are trying to live the life that God planned for us.
Have you ever looked back at a time in your life, remembered when you went through a terrible storm and then, later, told someone how much it changed your life? That is the power of God working in your storm.
When I find myself asking God why a personal storm is happening? I often think he would tell me this. “If it weren’t for the storm you are in, right now, you might not be here talking to me!”
So, our storms may drive us to our knees but it’s on our knees that we receive the strength to weather those storms. It’s there, when we are on our knees, that we realise who God REALLY is. <LONG PAUSE FOR REFLECTION>
WAKE UP JESUS !!!
Never, ever, NEVER, EVER forget what the disciples did in the face of that great storm.
To whom did they turn? Imagine their cry, “WAKE UP JESUS!”
And Jesus said, “Peace! Be still!” <PAUSE>
“Peace! Be still!” <PAUSE>
The wind ceased. The storm abated. There was calm. <PAUSE>
Now, to close, I want to ask, have we allowed the Jesus inside each and every one of us to go to sleep? What would we look like, how would we behave, what could we achieve if we cried, “Jesus, wake up in me and never slumber in me again!”
From Jesus comes the power to calm our storms, and to God will be the glory.
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":
... and now let us pray for the Church, the World, and Ourselves, giving thanks for God's goodness.
Let us pray aloud, and together:
Mighty God, when the waves of life threaten to overwhelm us forgive us if we blame You or others for our troubles. Teach us to find You in the storms of life and give us the faith those early disciples lacked, at that moment, to always believe that You will bring calm and peace.
(LONGER pause for silent, 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
Everlasting God we pray for your people around the world and for their families. We ask for Your blessing on all their work as they seek to live the life of The Risen Christ, spread the good news of the gospel, welcome visitors and strangers, provide a refuge for those who feel threatened or alone, a refuge from life’s troubled waters.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Loving God, as we see the broken-ness of our world we pray for healing among the nations; for food where there is hunger; for freedom where there is oppression; for joy where there is pain; that Your love may bring peace to all Your children.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Holy God, we thank You for the joy of human love, and for all those among whom we live and work. We especially pray for those among our friends and families who do not know You, or whose faith has been shaken. Help them to see that “We have an Anchor that keeps the soul, steadfast and sure while the billows roll, fastened to the Rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love!”
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Merciful God when our lives feel chaotic and desolate because of illness or sorrow, help us to hear Your holy word for by that word Jesus calmed the storm and by it he healed and made people whole.
We pray for those who have requested our prayers; help them to triumph over their Goliaths and help them put their trust in You and in the knowledge and skills of the doctors and nurses who are treating them.
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
Loving God we pray for those saddened by the death of someone close and dear to them, for members of our families who have died and whose anniversary we recall. Help us to experience the comfort of the Holy Spirit within us, and the fellowship of the faith family around us until we are reunited once more in your heavenly kingdom.
May all the saints who have gone before us now rest in Your eternal peace as they most surely have risen in glory.
(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 be worthy of the sacrifice of Your Son.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Gracious God, help us to know that the one who calmed the waves on the Sea of Galilee is present with us day by day and that he cares for us and can calm the waves of our lives. Help us to trust more fully and more deeply in You in all that we are involved with in the days to come.
(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.
