Twenty Eighth 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):
Our forefathers put their trust in you; they trusted, and you delivered them.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for 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 28, Sunday, 13th 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>
To be honest, it is hard to escape the machinations of some of the world’s richest people - Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Donald Trump often seem to dominate world media. To be honest, once again, it’s hard to go through the New Testament without landing on a story about the dangers of wealth and power as well as our obligations to the less fortunate.
One of the most famous examples is the story, in today’s gospel, (Mark 10:17-31), of the the rich young man who is told to sell all his possessions and give everything to the poor.
Reconciling wealth with the demands of our Christian faith is a very difficult subject. For many, wealth and power, have become some sort of proverbial “elephant (maybe I should say ‘camel’) in the room” – they are obviously there, but we’d rather ignore them. We’d all prefer to discuss changing water into wine at a wedding rather than squeezing that camel through the eye of a needle? <PAUSE>
Yes, wealth is a large and complex subject but, today, let’s think about “attachment” – specifically our “attachment” to earthly treasures.
Let’s look at this young rich man. He was an admirable man. He was pious. He obeyed the commandments. He was wealthy and yet, despite his wealth he realised he was missing something; something his money could not buy.
So he sought out Jesus and asked that famous question,“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus looked on him, “with love” Mark writes, and told him “sell all your possessions, give the money to the poor and follow me?” Ouch! Probably not what he was hoping to hear.
Now why did Jesus say this? Well, Jesus sees into the heart of that rich young man just as He sees into our hearts. Jesus could see that despite this man’s many virtues, his “attachment” to his earthly treasures was preventing him from building treasure in heaven. <PAUSE>
Now, how many of you have worked hard to buy the house, get the car, build that bank account .… Attached? Of course we’re attached !! Having worked very hard for these things the natural, human feeling is, “We earned them. We deserve them.” Yes attachment is thriving in the 21st century, and I don’t believe for one moment that Jesus has any problem with that. <PAUSE>
HOWEVER, over these past weeks Jesus has been turning our reflections inwards. Asking us to focus on ourselves. Asking us to step up and into our “better selves” … and so …
Jesus wants us to shift our focus into our hearts to ensure that earthly wealth does NOT get in between us and our better selves and our relationship with God … BUT … how DO we shift our focus away from earthly treasure and towards building heavenly treasure? Well, what exactly do we mean when we say heavenly treasure? Interestingly, when Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of Heaven, He is not talking about some mystical time and place in the future, He is talking about the present, the here and now. Similarly, “heavenly treasure” is not something waiting for us when we rise in glory to gaze upon the face of the Risen Christ.
We build heavenly treasure in God’s kingdom here on earth, right now.
Heavenly treasure is a thousand people who have something to eat today who were hungry yesterday. Heavenly treasure is people who were stateless yesterday who have homes today. Heavenly treasure is the person living alone who is visited today. Heavenly treasure is the stranger who receives a “Good morning” when passing in the street.
THERE IT IS … our work, our jobs, our words, our deeds have spiritual value, build heavenly treasure. Almost any job\task can have spiritual value because God values ANY work that helps advance His kingdom here on earth, whether it comes from a politician (even one that we disagree with!), lawyer, teacher, nurse, business owner or banker.
Jesus has nothing against success, but He clearly placed added responsibilities on those who attain it. “Those to whom much is given, much is expected.”
Yes, we have an obligation to use the gifts we received and what about the rewards that follow? We may have earned them with our hard work, work that God values, but these rewards are simply a new set of gifts and we must be equally responsible stewards of them, so that they too can serve to both bring out our better selves and serve the common good.
However, if the gifts of wealth and power take such a grip on us that they become our masters and become stumbling blocks to our ‘better selves’ and the pursuit of the common good then better for us to sell the lot and give the proceeds to the poor. Better for us to get rid of them so that we can return our focus to what is TRULY meaningful in our lives.
So the great good news – our work has spiritual value, reaps us spiritual rewards; helps us build heavenly treasures here and now, and hopefully make us less attached to the earthly treasure that we may allow to come between us and God.
So when, Jesus looks into our hearts, He sees that wealth and power are not stumbling blocks for us and He has no need to tell us to do what He told that rich young man to do two centuries ago?
So we continue to strive to be good stewards of the gifts we have been given; we continue to strive to avoid becoming overly attached to earthly treasure; we continue to strive with the fear we will not have enough … BUT WITH GOD’S HELP WE WILL PREVAIL … because …
as Jesus tells us about squeezing that camel through the eye of that needle, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”
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:
Mighty God, help us to see the truly important things of life and strengthen us to prevent any earthly element keeping us from You. May we always remember that we approach no task, no obstacle alone, but that You and all Your power is with us.
Holy God, Your Son teaches us to look inside ourselves and to step in to our better selves. So we pray that we, in our small ways, may strive for the good of all.
(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 Your world. Forgive us when we are ungrateful, when lack of faith and spiritual blindness prevents us from appreciating the wonder of Your creation and the endless cycle of nature. Forgive us for taking without giving; reaping without sowing. We pray for the farmers of the world many of whom still use those methods described by Jesus and we especially pray that they may be treated with fairness for their labours. We especially remember those who work with the land in areas suffering from climate changes.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Father God, we pray for our faith communities, that each of us will be open to the opportunities to give of our individual talents enabling each group to flourish as a witness to the “One Body” of Christ. We pray that each Christian may develop more fully his or her response to all the gifts which the Spirit bestows for the service of the Body of Christ,
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Living God, we pray for the hungry and the homeless, the broken and bereaved. For all for whom this day brings sadness and little joy, for the sick, lonely and the helpless, for those whose hope has been shattered and their faith destroyed.
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
Everlasting God, we pray for those kept fresh in our memory and for those long forgotten, For all who ever took the breath of life at home, at work, in the streets, and who may have visited our communities. We pray for mercy and forgiveness for the dead and those who mourn them, may they find rest in the Spirit’s embrace and we commend them to your keeping for ever.
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
Lord of Life and Love we ask You to lead us into the coming week; help us to believe that You are close by us; keep us from making mistakes and help us never to disappoint You. When we face hard decisions or difficult work, when we enjoy ourselves and have fun with others may we know that You share these times with us.
(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.
