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Twenty Seventh 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 Absolution
00:00 / 00:18

The Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):

Test me, O Lord, and try me; examine my heart and my mind.

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

Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; 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)

Job 1:1; 2:1-10
00:00 / 02:15

Our second reading for today:

(click the 'play' button below to listen)

Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
00:00 / 02:38

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.

Mark 10:2-16
00:00 / 02:01

Listen to David speak to this gospel.

How is your heart?
00:00 / 12:31

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

Sermon for Ordinary 27, Sunday, 6th Oct 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>

So, who wants to switch places with me and preach a sermon about marriage and divorce in an ever increasingly secular wold? <PAUSE>  Actually, given a mere 30 seconds some of us could probably make a wee statement, on this or indeed any topic, that makes our position to everyone perfectly clear. They’ll know exactly where we stand.

Some of us may have listened to these Bible verses today and thought, finally, we’re going to get somewhere on the topic of marriage.  Here’s a bit of a spoiler for you.  We’re not! <PAUSE> Why not? <PAUSE> Well, today’s gospel isn’t really even about marriage and divorce.

From the start Mark says this is a “test”. This is not a pastoral question about divorce. The Pharisees are not inquiring about a woman in an abusive or dangerous situation. They aren’t asking about a young couple who through illusion, immaturity, or naïveté made a mistake in choosing to marry. They are not dealing with a marriage that has become spiritually dead, not only devoid of life but destructive to the lives of those involved. They are certainly not focusing on the spiritual or emotional well being of the couple.

They want to know Jesus’ view on the state of the law. Is it lawful? Can this be done?

Jesus is clear, however, this isn’t about the state of the law but the state of their hearts. The Pharisees tell Jesus that Moses allowed for a certificate of dismissal, a divorce. That, Jesus says, was “because of the hardness of your heart.”

Just, as I mentioned last week and the week before, Jesus is deepening and moving the conversation to our inner selves, or better selves. The issue in today’s gospel is not divorce, it is “hard-heartedness”.

Hard-heartedness lives in an economy of right and wrong, and its currency is self-justification, defensiveness, privilege, blame, name calling, and finger pointing.

We hear, read and see that kind of polarisation of views every day.

Polarisations such as Trump/Harris, Israel/Palestine, Freedom of Speech/Social Responsibility, Labour/National, Maori/Pakeha are not the answer to what is happening in our country, our world.

“You get this and I get that. You can do this and I can do that.” In some cases, we MIGHT get our way but hearts are not changed, a new day has not dawned, a new life is not about to be lived. <PAUSE>

Jesus leads us to the dawn of a new day, a new way, a new life. Jesus shows us that we need the possibility of the impossible. We need forgiveness. The forgiveness that releases us from the past. The forgiveness that repairs the past not by undoing it, but by letting us step into a new day, a new way, a new life … and …

Jesus shows us that we are not talking about a forgiveness that says, “I will forgive only when you have confessed, feel bad about what you have done, made restitution, and resolved never to do this again.”

Jesus is telling us, once again, to look into ourselves, soften our hearts and LIVE forgiveness AS UNCONDITIONAL … as pure gift, as an act of love.

We wipe away the offence. We release the other, AND THEREFORE OURSELVES, to go on with life, in peace. <PAUSE.

At first glance, this kind of forgiveness is sheer madness. It means forgiving even when the offender has not confessed, or continues to sin, or is not deserving of forgiveness.

What if we did not view\demand change or repentance as the prerequisite for forgiveness, but understood forgiveness to be a gift of love that offers another the freedom to change and repent (or not to)?

This kind of love, this kind of forgiveness, will always overcome the economy of right and wrong. It may sound crazy to even consider this. It makes no sense and it’s not the usual way of thinking about forgiveness.

It’s not the usual way most of us offer forgiveness, BUT IT IS THE JESUS WAY OF FORGIVENESS … I like to think of this as forgiveness by “amazing grace over the law!”

<PAUSE FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION>

I honestly believe we are well and truly lost if we look at what has happened\is happening in personal, national, and international relationships and see only “the law” or one person\group over another.

God help us if we look at what has happened\is happening with “amazing grace” and see the forgiveness of Christ - yes, that amazing grace and forgiveness that was spoken by our Lord from The Cross.

God help us in this work because it is, at least for me, a struggle every day. I don’t know where to begin or how to do this. I only know that I must try and, with the help of The Holy Spirit, keep trying.

God give me the strength to accept the grace of Your Son, Jesus Christ, over “the law” each and every day.

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":

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:

Loving God we thank You for your invitation to gather here as we seek a closer relationship with You. We come before you now in humility and with faith, voicing our petitions.

Holy God, Your Son teaches us to look inside ourselves and turn away from any hardness of heart and turn to grace. So we pray that we, in our small ways, may also - day by day - reflect that grace of Christ.

(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

Mighty God, so often the lack of justice throughout the world can makes us disillusioned, angry and bitter.  Today we raise before you the poor and oppressed who are being denied the basics of life and the basics of freedom that we so often take for granted.

Lord we ask that You bring peace and love that we have found in Jesus Christ to all parts of our troubled world.

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

Father God in our journey with You through our lives we find that we have often left friends and family behind.  Help us to show them through the way that we live our lives that we have not forgotten them and that we still care.

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

Merciful God we remember at this time those who are sick, sad or lonely and those who are brave and patient when things are going wrong. We pray that they may be aware of Your comforting presence and know that in Your hands they are safe and loved.

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

Gracious God, through the ministry of Your son Jesus Christ you have freed us from the grip of death. 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.

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

Creator God, we thank You for this time together in prayer and as we look forward to the week to come, we pray for an awareness of Your love and support in all we do.

(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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