Thirty Third 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):
For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ; 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:
Listen to David speak to this gospel
or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:
Sermon for Ordinary 33, 16th Nov 2025
Welcome sisters and brothers and peace be with you. Take my lips O God and speak through them, take our minds O God and think through them, take our hearts O God and love through them this day. <Amen>
We may not like it, we may deny it, we may resist it but the reality is things are changing. Our world is changing, faith communities are changing, our lives are changing.
Sometimes changes are welcome. But there are times when change brings loss or the fear of loss. There are days when our life is forever changed, the world is different, and nothing is like it used to be.
You and I know those days. We could each tell stories about those days. These are the days when the temples of our life and our world fall. <PAUSE>
However, it is not just our individual temples. Many of you tell me that your faith communities are facing the reality that they are changing - places of worship are closing, congregations and income are down. It cannot continue like it is and it will never be like it used to be. Things have changed. The temple is falling.
In many countries the temple of the economic system is in ruins. People can no longer count on investments that will grow every year. The job market is unstable. Globally we read of wars, violence, famines. Nation has risen against nation, kingdom against kingdom, even religion against religion. Security, peace, and diplomacy have given way to fear, violence, and terrorism. Temples are falling everywhere. <PAUSE>
We all have temples. Some have been given to us, others we have built for ourselves. Sometimes our temples are people, places, values and beliefs, institutions, dreams. Regardless, they are the things that we think structure and order our lives, give meaning and identity, provide security and stability. At least we think they do … until they fall. <PAUSE>
In today’s gospel (Luke 21:5-19) some people were speaking about the temple, its beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God. It is what structured their community. It gave identity and meaning. It was the centre of Jewish life. Jesus looks at it and says,
“The days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” Jesus is speaking about more than just the physical temple in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem temple includes every temple that those people AND you and I have.
So what do we when our temple falls?
Change has a way of pushing us into the future. Many people will begin looking for signs about the future. What will happen now? What do I do? How do I get through this? If we are not careful we will soon be living in a future we do not yet have. We will be living in a future created in our heads.
That is NOT Jesus’ response. When Jesus describes things that will happen he is not asking us to speculate about the future. He is offering signs that call us to be faithful in the present. <PAUSE>
Sometimes, after our temple falls, we look for a scapegoat, someone to blame or even demonise. So some will blame Muslims for violence in the world, some will blame gay people for conflict between Christians, some will blame immigrants for taking taxpayers money. Political parties blame each other. We look for someone or a group who does not think, act, or believe like we do. That is NOT Jesus’ response.
Some people will simply give up and walk away in despair. They can see nothing left. All is lost and the situation is hopeless. That is NOT Jesus’ response.
Some will become angry, resentful, and fight back. That is NOT Jesus’ response.
Others will say this is God’s will or maybe even God’s punishment. That is NOT Jesus’ response.
Many will look for easy answers, quick fixes, something that will prop up the old structures, ways of doing things and keep them ‘stumbling along’. That is NOT Jesus’ response. <PAUSE>
Jesus’ response is just the opposite to all these things. Be still, be quiet, do not be led astray. Listen to God.
Christ calls us to endure, be open to change, to listen to the voices that call us to new AND DIFFERENT pathways while being faithful and steadfast.
Jesus is calling us to be present and faithful in whatever circumstances we find our selves. If we cannot find God here, in our present circumstances, even in the midst of our temple ruins, we will find God nowhere.
The place of fallen temples is the place in which God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah, declares: “I am about to create NEW heavens and NEW earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it or the cry of distress” (Isaiah 65:17-19).
Those promises are fulfilled through our endurance and change. By faith and endurance we gain our lives, our souls. Jesus is calling us to remain fully present, faithful, IN THE ‘NEW’ THAT HE IS BUILDING … no matter how uncomfortable these life CHANGES may be.
In so doing we discover that God has been, and always will be, with us – in the changes, chances, and chaos of life; in the pain, loss, and disappointment; in the destruction AND THE NEW CREATION, THE RE-BUILDING of our temples.
JESUS IS TELLING US THAT OLD WAYS WON’T OPEN NEW DOORS !
Stone by stone God then rebuilds - if we let Him.
Stone by stone God restores the beauty of our life and world.
Stone by stone a new temple arises from the rubble.
Stone by stone we become the temple of God. We no longer have temples. We no longer need them. We are the temple.
That is the story that needs to be told. That is our opportunity to testify.
We can all tell the story of the day our temple was destroyed. Too often, however, we believe and live as if that is the end of the story … it will be if we run away, choose to make scapegoats of others, respond with anger, or try to put it back together like it used to be.
JESUS IS TELLING US THAT OLD WAYS WON’T OPEN NEW DOORS !
This is the greater story is how we discovered God next to us in the temple ruins and how, stone by stone, God rebuilt what we could not.
It is the ongoing story of God recreating life out of loss and ruin, a story of change, a story of finding and celebrating God’s new ways of being, a story of God rejoicing and delighting in His people … in YOU AND I.
This then is the story of the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to you and I … how WE change and grow.
It is real, sacred, and true. Take up that story. Trust that story, tell it over and over to yourself, proclaim it to all you meet, and then go live that story by making and embracing the change - and TO GOD WILL BE THE GLORY.
I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu. <AMINE>
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 as we approach the end of another Liturgical Year we look back with gratitude and thankfulness for all of the blessings You have sent our way
(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
Holy God we pray for Your people and their roles and places within their faith communities. Thank you for those who have worked so hard arranging worship, fellowship, outreach and fund-raising events. Thank you for new members of our faith communities and to all who have joined us in worship from around the world.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Creator God we pray for people suffering from the effects of personal ‘temples’ that have fallen, from conflict, terrorism and persecution in all parts of Your world. For those who feel undervalued, ignored, forgotten in their work or life and for those who do not have enough of life’s basic needs, food, clothing, shelter.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Gracious God although we are sometimes separated by language and culture from the people we live amongst, we pray for them and their families and as we pray for our neighbours may they not only be mere words, but day by day, moment by moment, in action, in the things we do and the way we do them.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Loving God we pray for all who suffer in body, mind or spirit and for those who care for them. We pray for the sick; for those who mourn; for those without faith, hope or love.
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, in Germany, in the Czech Republic, in Syria and any others we now name aloud, or in the silence of our hearts, and those who are known only by You.
In Your goodness and mercy, grant them health of body, soundness of mind and peace of heart.
We thank You for those who have come through illness and are on the road to recovery and also for those facing the reality that there is little light at the end of their earthly tunnel.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Merciful God we pray to You for those whom we love, but see no longer. Give to the departed Your peace; let light perpetual shine upon them; and in Your loving wisdom and almighty power, work in them the holy purpose of Your perfect will.
We especially raise before you at this time our recently departed sisters and brothers, Felicia (Singapore), Luna (Spain), Ken, (England) and Matt (USA).
May all the faithful departed now rest in peace as they most surely have risen in glory. 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
Holy God we pray for ourselves; as we go out into the world. We ask that in all we do, we may we walk more closely with You at our side safe in the knowledge that Your love and care knows no bounds.
(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.
