Melbourne URC – Sunday 4th October 2020

Morning Praise.

 

This is the day that the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

 

Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray.

Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

Hymn: Blessed Assurance Fanny J Crosby (1820-1915)

 

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine:

O what a foretaste of glory divine!

Heir of salvation, purchase of God;

Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

 

This is my story, this is my song,

praising my Saviour all the day long;

this is my story, this is my song,

praising my Saviour all the day long.

 

Perfect submission, perfect delight,

visions of rapture burst on my sight;

angels descending, bring from above,

echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

 

This is my story, this is my song,…..

 

Perfect submission, all is at rest,

I in my Saviour am happy and blest;

watching and waiting, looking above,

filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

 

This is my story, this is my song,……

 

A prayer you may wish to use to say sorry to God:

 

God our Father, we come to you in sorrow for our sins.

For turning away from you, for ignoring your will for our lives;

Save us and help us.

 

For behaving just as we wish, without thinking of you;

Father, forgive us;

Save us and help us.

 

For failing you by what we do and think and say;

Father, forgive us;

Save us and help us.

 

For letting ourselves be drawn away from you by temptations in the world about us;

Father, forgive us;

Save us and help us.

 

May the God of love bring us back to Himself,

Forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love

in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

Blessed is the Lord for he had heard the voice of our prayer;

therefore shall our hearts dance for joy and in our songs we will praise our God.

 

Bible Reading: Genesis 28: 10-17

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went towards Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching into heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, ‘I the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave until I have done what I have promised you.’

Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place – and I did not know it!’ And he was afraid, and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’

 

Bible Reading: John 1: 47-end.

When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’

Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’

Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’

Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’

Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’

 

Hymn: What a friend we have in Jesus – Joseph Scrivens (1819-86)

 

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear –

all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!

 

Have we trails and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged: take it to the Lord in prayer!

Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness – take it to the Lord in prayer!

 

Are we weak and heavy-laden, cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Saviour, still our refuge! Take it to the Lord in prayer!

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, thou wilt find a solace there.

 

Reflection:

Earlier on this week I read that in the fifth century a basilica, (cathedral/church), in Rome was dedicated to Archangel Michael on 30 September, beginning with celebrations on the night before, and 29 September is now kept in honour of Michael, and all angels, throughout the western Church. The readings I have chosen for today are the ones recommended for that day.

I may have mentioned this before, but did you know that my house is full of angels! Angel plaques, paintings, and figurines. I have angels from Spain, Portugal, Germany, Holland, Italy, and Hong Kong. Nearly all of them are gifts from friends, family and those I have met along the way. I know why people think I like angels, and that is because I have written three story books about angels. I am often asked why angels? The short answer is that angels, for me, are a reminder of just how close the awesomeness of heaven is? Just like Jacob when I discovered that not only was God near to me, but He also loved me and cared about me and my future - I was overcome, astounded and a little bit scared, but in a good way! 

In our readings today we find a conversation between Jesus and Philip. Philip is astounded by Jesus’ knowledge of his character. His spirit instinctively responds to Jesus, surprised that Jesus knows the truth about him. Jesus knew what was in Philip’s heart, how he was trying to live his life. Maybe no one had ever recognised the truth of Philip’s personality before? He was not deceitful, he was a good and honest man, and Jesus saw that in him. Philip declares Jesus to be the Son of God – who else could have such insight into a person’s soul? Who else could hold the keys to heaven? Who else could unlock the door to eternity?

As we know, Jacob is also taken by surprise. In his dream he sees a ladder. A ladder that connects heaven and earth. Angels of God were ascending and descending. God gives Jacob a message, a clear message, ‘I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac;’

The message holds a promise. A huge promise! No wondered Jacob was so stunned.

‘Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go,’

My stories are about angels that bring a message, that’s what angels are – they are messengers. My angels are in a variety of forms, but they have one thing in common - they all bring assurance that God is near. How do we respond to such a message? We know how Mary responded to Gabriel’s message, and Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, Joseph, and the shepherds out in the field. We have read about these angelic encounters, and we have heard how the heavenly angels often say: ‘Do not be afraid’, ‘The Lord is with you.’

But how do we respond to something so personal and life changing as a message from Heaven? How do we respond when Jesus asks us to come and follow Him? When we have heard that call, are we still responding to that message? Everyday Jesus holds out His hand to us? Do we remember the day we recognised the Cross as the ladder; connecting heaven and earth, made possible through sacrifice and love? How do we respond to such an out-pouring of grace and devotion?

When we sing the hymn ‘Would you come and follow me if I called your name?’ we get an insight into a heavenly conversation. This hymn is written as if Jesus Christ is asking us questions. He clearly outlines that following Him is not the easy option, but He draws close to us and asks us to follow Him on a new path. He asks us to be His messengers. To pray, to care, to love, to be strong, to work for good and to trust.

We know that being a disciple of Christ is not straight forward. It takes dedication and resilience. It takes faith and self-control to get up each day and make the choice to go out into the world and be kind, gentle, patient, generous, loving, humble, understanding, and joyful. The final verse of the hymn is a response to the question Christ asks.

With help of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit I am sure it will be our response too. Amen.

 

Prayers of Intercession:

Let us take time to pray for the world and those you know to be suffering at this time.

 

Lord’s Prayer.

 

Hymn: Will you come and follow me – John Bell & Graham Maule

 

Will you come and follow me, if I but call your name?

Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?

Will you let my love be shown, will you let my name be known,

will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

 

Will you leave your self behind if I but call you name?

Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?

Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare,

will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

 

 

Will you love the ‘you’ you hide if I but call your name?

Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?

Will you use the faith you’ve found to reshape the world around

through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

 

Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name.

Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.

In your company I’ll go where your love and footsteps show.

Thus I’ll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

 

A Prayer to close our worship:

 

Gracious God,

take this moment,

this minute,

this hour,

this day.

Take our lives, and use them for your kingdom,

in the name of Christ. Amen.

 

The Grace.

 

©Mission Praise, © Rejoice and Sing, ©Prayers for all seasons – Nick Fawcett, ©Exciting Holiness and ©New Patterns for worship – Church of England.