Worship at Home
Worship for the Week Beginning 9th January 2022
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Sunday 9th January
John Atkin has prepared this week’s message
This short act of worship is for use from home. Please use this service whenever you like during the week.
Pause to settle yourself in God’s presence, knowing that other people are sharing in worship with you.
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Gathering of Gods people
Loving God, we come to worship.
You have called each of us by name, we belong to you.
Pour out your Spirit on us, we pray,
that we may know your love and our belovedness today.
Amen.
Prayers of Confession
The last two years have wrecked and reconfigured our lives in many ways.
As we emerge, we confess we feel lost.
An arid wilderness lies before us,
bereft of certainties we thought secure,
and we must search for spiritual succour to help us journey through this wasteland.
But we are exhausted, Lord, and our heads droop.
Our faith is faltering and we want shortcuts, quick results, and instant gratification.
Forgive us, Lord, for seeking renewal in the wrong places.
We raise our faces to you, O Lord, for in you we belong and are known and loved,
even when we no longer know who we really are. Call us by name.
Renew us that we may play our part in restoring the world.
Amen.
StF 781: Take O take me as I am – You
Take, oh take me as I am;
summon out what I shall be;
set your seal upon my heart
and live in me.
(copyright John L. Bell (b.1949)
Bible Readings
Israel’s only Saviour
43 But now, this is what the Lord says –
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honoured in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.
5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.
6 I will say to the north, “Give them up!”
and to the south, “Do not hold them back.”
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth –
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.’
15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, ‘I baptise you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’
21 When all the people were being baptised, Jesus was baptised too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.’
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
STF 233: When Jesus came to Jordan
When Jesus came to Jordan
To be baptised by John
He did not come for pardon
But as His Father’s Son
He came to share repentance
With all who mourn their sins
To speak the vital sentence
With which good news begins
He came to share temptation
our utmost woe and loss
for us and our salvation
to die upon the cross
So when the Dove descended
on Him, the Son of Man,
the hidden years had ended
the age of grace began
Come, Holy Spirit, aid us
to keep the vows we make
this very day invade us,
and every bondage break.
Come, give our lives direction,
the gift we covet most:
to share the resurrection
that leads to Pentecost.
Reflecting on Luke 3: 15-17 and 21-22
Good Morning; today is the 1st Sunday after Epiphany, which was on the 6th of January when we remember the Wise men greeting Jesus. I have been wondering how we are going to have our own epiphany moment in the coming year in 2022, when we understand what it is to be followers of Jesus Christ.
Where are we going to get our inspiration from, What will refresh us and restore us to keep following the Gospel of Jesus, what will re-source us to carry on.
This time of year its dark outside, and Christmas has passed and the news on the television always seems to be dismal, so what’s going to keep us going, where are we going to get our strength from?
We need to remember that we are not alone, Isaiah tells us that “God has called us by name” God values and loves us, we are beloved individuals by God.
John the Baptist was telling the Jews that they all have an individual relationship with God; it’s no good saying I am a Jew therefore I am saved from judgment. John is telling them and us to look at our own guiding principles for life, do we share with one another, locally and globally, do we serve God where we are, in our daily lives, in our job, at home, for me in my retirement.
John goes on to tell them that the Messiah will come and judge the wheat from the chaff that surrounds the good grain.
Can Jesus through the Holy Spirit remove the chaff in our lives as we try to follow the teachings of Jesus and His message in 2022?
I believe Jesus went to John to be baptised to have confirmation, of who he is, to be sure that he is the Messiah. “when Jesus too had been baptized, as he was praying the heaven opened and the Holy Spirit in bodily form like a dove came down upon him and there was a voice from heaven; “You are my beloved son; in you I am well pleased”. Jesus had received his confirmation and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
We can perhaps imagine the warmth and sincerity of God’s voice, the voice from heaven, when Jesus came up from the water and received the Holy Spirt. ‘This is my Son, my beloved son, and with him I am well pleased’. Can you imagine God saying the same of you? Close your eyes for a moment, and listen to the words again, beginning with your name: ‘…you are my beloved child and with you I am well pleased’. Know the warmth and the love of God’s voice. What is it like? A strong and forceful voice or one that is gentle and calm?
There’s no right or wrong answer to that, by the way. But here is a truth: that we, each and every one of us, are God’s beloved, and God wants us to know and receive that love. Sometimes we may not feel loved, or even worthy of being loved. Sometimes we may feel quite the opposite. But the message of Scripture, Jesus’ message, is that God wants us to know that no matter what we have done, no matter what our circumstances, no matter what we currently think: we are God’s children, we are forgiven and loved, and all we have to do is reach out and receive that love.
At the end of 2021 I’m grateful for the memories made, the lessons learnt and the love shown. Things continue to be far from the normal we once knew but I hope and pray we can all embrace whatever lies ahead with strength, courage, love and kindness. Wherever you are and however you’re feeling, I wish you a Happy New Year and a 2022 full of hope, joy and God’s love.
Prayers of intercessions:
Taking time to pray for yourself and others.
Holy Spirit,
where people need energy,
come like fire;
where people need peace,
come like a dove;
where people are lonely,
gather them together.
Reveal Jesus to them
in fire, in calm, and in community.
Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Please use the version that you prefer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
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.
StF 77 - Give thanks to the Lord
Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, he is above all things
His love endures forever
Refrain: Sing praise, sing praise
With a mighty hand and outstretched arm
his love endures forever
For the life that’s been reborn
his love endures forever.
Refrain x2
Forever, God is faithful
forever, God is strong
Forever, God is with us
forever.
From the rising to the setting sun
his love endures forever
By the grace of God, we will carry on
his love endures forever.
Refrain x 2
Repeat Forever, God is faithful
forever, God is strong
Forever, God is with us
forever..
Blessings
Holy Spirit, go with us into the world.
Re-source us with your power and your presence.
Father God, help us to know your love,
and that we are your beloved sons and daughters.
Lord Jesus Christ, help us to learn from you,
and to follow your example,
that we may share belovedness
with everyone we meet.
Amen.
Service prepared by John Atkin
Webpage: Paul Deakin