Twenty Second 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 flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion; nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works; 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 22, Sunday, 1st Sept 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>
Some years ago I remember a priest recounting a story of doing something slightly different during a worship service that he was leading. He asked the congregation to stand at the altar rail to receive communion rather than kneel. The priest then recounted how one member of the congregation heard this, got up, left the service, never to return. <PAUSE>
You know, we all have certain core traditions and beliefs that are important to us. They make us who we are, they define our own behaviours and the way we think other people should behave. That is what is behind our Gospel passages today from Mark chapter 7.
Once again, the Pharisees and Jesus are having a difference of opinion. The Pharisees were upset because Jesus and his disciples did not take part in the Jewish hand-washing ritual before they ate. To the Pharisees, Jesus and his disciples committed a “sin”.
Pharisees are not the only people who get upset when traditions are not followed. We too can get upset when people do not follow our “traditions”. We sometimes are asked to part with our traditions, and that too is not always easy for us to accept.
I understand how hard it can be to depart from tradition or the “old way” of doing things and plan for a future that looks different. So, In this light, we must not think that the Pharisees are completely bad. They were dedicated to obeying and pleasing God, and that desire led to distinctive practices such as kosher food, circumcision etc. These human-made laws\practices helped them to keep their identity as God’s chosen people in a pagan world. Their traditions grew out of a need to keep their identity.
However, over time, these rules became so hard and fast that the Jewish leaders lost sight of the difference between God’s law and their own, human traditions.
Please don’t misunderstand - I certainly believe that preserving tradition can be a very good thing … BUT … we must make a clear distinction between essential scriptural teachings and non-essential “traditions”.
When Jesus responded to the Pharisees’ question, He went right to the heart of the issue. The Pharisees wanted to hold on to human-based tradition at all costs when they should have been more concerned with teaching God’s deeper requirements of love, compassion and justice.
God is more concerned with a spiritual cleansing and purifying. If our hearts have been purified, our prayer and behaviour will be in line with what God wants. If we act out of pure hearts we will know how to behave even if we don’t know the exact rule for a particular situation.
While a sense of tradition is desirable and necessary at times, a problem occurs when tradition is substituted for true worship or true faith. When the actions associated with our traditions become more important than the meaning of the traditions, we get sidetracked.
The Pharisees were more concerned with the strict observance of human-made laws rather than true faith in God. This effort to include rigid observance of rules masked their lack of INWARD love and devotion. They were concerned about not letting germs into their bodies, but Jesus said that they and we should be more concerned about the “dirt” that comes out of hearts and mouths … lying, cheating, malice, slander etc.
The Pharisees were concerned about the letter of the law - their human rules and regulations - but Jesus emphasised the spirit of the law and glorifying God. <PAUSE>
As Christians, what we eat and drink can’t hurt and defile us. Only what comes out of us in ungodly words and actions can defile us ..… and therefore Christ.
Jesus wants us and his disciples to see that the core issue always comes down to what is in the heart.
Ritual external purity is not necessarily the same as genuine interior faithfulness.
The source of defilement is more internal than external. It is more about who we are than foods or practices we avoid.
Jesus defined true godliness as a commitment from the heart, totally dedicated to loving service of God and for others.
If our hearts belong to Christ, nothing else matters.
In the gospel today, Jesus reminds us that we have to love God with our hearts.
We have to ask ourselves what are the interests of God, and what does God think about the way we live our lives. Does the way we live our lives reflect a way of life that is in sync with God and his plan for our lives?
I am deeply committed to my ever-evolving “Anglicanism” and its traditions but that commitment must, MUST be based ABOVE ALL ELSE on the fact that Jesus’ life, death, and rising again gave true force to the truth that those who would serve the interests of God can do so by giving expression to love, joy, humility, respect, tolerance, forgiveness in their lives … and …
God does not care if we stand, sit, or kneel before him and God does not care if we pray silently or aloud, hands clasped or open, alone or in a group, etc etc … because God knows that those who feel His love have much to offer the hurting and disconnected in our world IN WHATEVER WAY THEY CAN.
You see our faith is more about love and acts for God and others than it is about human-made traditions.
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:
Everlasting God, hear us as we pray in faith and focus on the needs of others as well as ourselves. We pray for the whole family of Your people around the world.
May all Your people be built up in faith and demonstrate in their lives the gospel of Jesus Christ. Give courage to those who find it hard to follow you, and give us encouragement when we, like the disciples, face criticism for following the teachings of your Son.
(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 all world leaders, and for the United Nations. We also pray for our community leaders and those in public office dealing with difficult situations. Guide and strengthen them and always keep a clear focus that theirs is a call to the service and welfare of others.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Creator God, we worship You as the one who has given us this life, and ask that You will help us to live it to the full. At home may we be the friends and neighbours that we really want to be. Help us to spread the warmth of Your love to everyone we meet.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Loving Lord, we pray for all those who are afflicted by physical, emotional or mental illness. Help them to keep their eyes fixed on You, and give them the courage to face the trials and temptations that may come.
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 all who are coming to the end of their journey here on earth and pray that they may come into Your presence and kingdom. We pray for all those who have come into Your presence and now rejoice in the fullness of life eternal.
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 worthy of the life, death, and rising again of Your Son.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Faithful God we thank you that your wisdom not only to enlightens us but also to transform and guide us in our daily walk through life with You. Help us to always try to accompany our words of faith with deeds of action.
(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.
