Twenty First 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):
Happy are they who dwell in your house, they will always be praising you.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
Grant, O merciful God, that your people, being gathered together in unity by your Holy Spirit, may show forth your power among all peoples, to the glory of your Name; 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 John.
Listen to David speak to this gospel
or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:
Sermon for Ordinary 21, Sunday, 25th Aug 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>
Remember the words of from Jesus that we hear again today, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I in them.”<PAUSE>
Now we hear the response from the people (John 6:60), “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” <LONG PAUSE>
Many years ago, a London missionary society wrote to David Livingstone, the great 19th century, Scottish, Presbyterian, pioneering medical missionary in Central Africa, and asked, "Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to send other men to join you." Livingstone wrote back, "If you have men who will come only because there is a good road, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all.” Difficult words for would-be disciples?
Here we are in week FIVE of the 6th chapter of John’s gospel. As the chapter closes, Jesus’ words seem to drive away people from His ministry. “This teaching is difficult, who can accept it?” <PAUSE>
Contrast this passage with the opening of John 6. Then, the crowd is so large that His disciples cannot imagine where they would find the money to feed so many. Jesus then feeds the multitude with … well … you know. Now, as the chapter closes, Jesus has not a multitude but a mere 12 followers, one of whom is Judas.
Didn’t Jesus get the email about growing The Kingdom of God? This is hardly a textbook example for today's “experts”, some of whom would likely recommend damage control and intensive strategies to shore up support.
If that isn’t enough, Jesus then gives the remaining disciples an opportunity to walk away: " 'You do not want to leave too, do you?' Jesus asked the Twelve" (v. 67).
BUT WAIT !!, The end of the chapter, the climax of what we have journeyed through these past weeks has finally come. Last week Jesus challenged us with His question “How badly do you want to have REAL life in you?
Now, this week, Jesus words are NOT an invitation to walk away. They are a call to commitment. They are a call to come to Christ, to stay with Christ, to stand up for Christ. <PAUSE>
Today we are often reluctant to present the demands of Christ to would-be disciples because we fear putting them off Christianity and driving them away. That is not the way of Jesus in this gospel. His words are difficult for many people in this crowd to understand and harder still to follow. He says, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him" (v. 56).
This teaching is hard! They fail to see past the words and realise that Jesus is using a metaphor that speaks to the REAL UNION, the real JOINING TOGETHER that must take place if they would be His disciples.
Jesus, has been using words to the people that will really, REALLY make them decide whom they will follow. Would it be the teachings and traditions of their old religious leaders or Christ's divine message that offends more than a few?
The moment of decision has come and when His talk gets tough, the people drift away.
Christ's call to commitment is a double-edged demand. First, it sets forth clearly His life mission and His expectation for those - like you and me - who would go further with him.
Second, it weeds out shallowness of commitment from among them. As a result, thousands drop out. Now, Jesus turns to the twelve and asks his pointed question: "You do not want to leave too, do you?”
This is the make-up-your-mind moment of a lifetime! <PAUSE>
Make no mistake, as David Livingstone pointed out, the road of discipleship is not easy and not everybody is ready to accept it. Jesus warns us that this would be the case: "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves" (Matthew 10:16). "In this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33). It has always been the case that discipleship is difficult - just take a look at the Christian martyrs throughout history.
The truth makes demands of us and the gospel of Jesus has never been easy to follow nor popular among many. Truth, however, is never settled by popular opinion. The truth is that the truth is always true, whether or not the majority accepts it! It cannot be reconfigured and it cannot be rewritten! Here <lift The Bible>, here The Holy Bible stands for all time, unwavering in the face of unbelief and uncertainty, or lack of acceptance.
Truth itself will never change but it will always change us when we eat it and take it in to ourselves and live by it.
The Jesus, who says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life …” (John 14:6), will never be universally popular. Yet, because He knows who He is, the crowd's departure in this passage does not panic him. <LONG PAUSE>
Now we have reached the end of our five week journey through John 6 and I close with the question that Jesus asks, knowing the difficult road that is discipleship, “Do you also wish to go away?” <LONG PAUSE>
Peter gives me, you, the world the answer, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” … so come to Jesus, stay with Jesus and stand up for Jesus!
I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu. <AMINE>
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:
Heavenly Father, You who created us to be sisters and brothers in Christ, hear us as we lift our hearts in thanksgiving and praise and hear our prayers and intercessions for all those in need.
We thank you for the Christian fellowship and family around the world and as we gather once more to pray, may our worship not only honour You with our lips, but also with our hearts and minds.
(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
Creator God, we pray for peace in the world. We pray for a time when the weapons of war will be replaced by Your protection; when oppression will be overcome by justice; when lies and deceit will be replaced by truth and integrity; and when hatred and cruelty will be replaced with Your Spirit of love and justice.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Gracious God, thank you for our friends and neighbours and those around us with whom we work and share our daily lives. We thank you for all the joys and blessings of family life. Help us when we quarrel or fall out to quickly put things right and forgive one another.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Father God we thank you for the gift of Your Son - the bread that came down from heaven. Help us to feed on Him and so, day by day, grow closer to You and to each other.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Loving God, we raise before you all whose lives are restricted by illness. We remember the chronically ill, those in constant pain, the depressed and the despairing.
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
Merciful God, we pray for those whose hearts have been 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 church family around us, until we are reunited once more in your heavenly kingdom.
May all the faithful departed now rest in 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 living bread we receive through Your Son.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Faithful God, we have shared with you our petitions, requests and thanksgiving, so we now ask for the blessing of Your presence in the week ahead. We pray that you too will guide us, guard us and keep us safe in all we do and say.
(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.
