Short liturgies for the lighting of the Advent Candles

First Advent Sunday: Good morning. During this first Season of the Christian Calendar, we are, as part of the world-wide church, reminded of the Advent of Christ, meaning his coming into our world. 

Candle light signifies Christ, the light of the world, who came to us as a Babe more than 2000 ago. 

But it is more than that! We are called to celebrate that Christ comes into our lives, our homes and our churches and that we are to prepare the way for his coming and prepare room for his staying with us. The progressive lighting of the candles every Advent Sunday symbolizes the joy of our anticipation of the Day of the Lord when he comes to complete and perfect the coming of his Kingdom in the new era in heaven and earth we are praying for.

We now light this candle—the Candle of Hope, symbolizing our longing for the Day of the Lord and our hope for the future.

Congregation’s response:  Come Lord Jesus and grant us your hope, today and always!  (Candle is lit)

May our gracious God keep us ever ready and hopeful for the coming of Christ to redeem and to help us. As we worship him today, may this hope be born into our lives.  Come, let us worship God!

Second Advent Sunday!

Good morning. May God bless our worship today on this second Sunday in Advent. Think of the Baptist’s cry, urging us all to “Prepare the way for the Lord and make straight paths for him.”  In a world filled with conflict, war and violence, we hope for the day when God’s Messiah would usher in a new era of peace and justice.

We now light this candle—the Candle of Peace, symbolizing our longing for the coming of the peace of God into our lives.  

Congregation’s response:  Come Lord Jesus and grant us your peace, today and always!  (Candle is lit).

May our loving God, while we pray for peace to prevail, enable each of us to work for his peace amidst the various conflicts that flourish in our lives and our world.  As we worship today, may his peace be born into our lives. Come, let us worship God!

Third Advent Sunday.

Good morning. May God bless our worship today on this third Sunday in Advent.  Remember John the Baptist’s joyful testimony about the coming Messiah.   Through the work of God’s Holy Spirit in our lives, we too are able to announce his coming into our world today and to share the joy of his presense in our lives with all around us. 

We now light this candle— the Candle of Joy, symbolizing the unfathomable joy we have in Christ.  

Congregation’s response:  Come Lord Jesus and grant us your joy, today and always!  (Candle is lit)

May our loving God help us to rejoice in our salvation and may that joy fill all aspects of our lives that may we freely share it with others.  Come, let us worship God!

Fourth Advent Sunday

Good morning. May God bless our worship today on this fourth Sunday in Advent.  Remember the angel Gabriel’s proclamation that God’s love for the world would be revealed in a Child that would be born to a young woman of low estate.  From the One who came into the world on that first Christmas day, we learned the extent of God’s love and we also learned that each of us are truly beloved children of God Almighty.

We now light this candle—the Candle of Love, symbolizing our need for the amazing love of God shown through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Congregation’s response:  Come Lord Jesus and grant us your love, today and for all eternity!  (Candle is lit)

May our loving God help us to be in awe because his love for each of us knows no boundaries.  May his love be mirrored in all aspects of our lives as we share his love with others. Come, let us worship God! 

Afrikaans:

Kort, vars liturgieë vir die opsteek van die Advent-kerse

Eerste Adventsondag: Goeie môre!   Vandag is die eerste van 4 Sondae wanneer ons die Advent van Christus onthou, die feit dat Christus na ons toe kom. Die vier kerse verteenwoordig die 4 Sondae en die progressiewe aansteek van die kerse is ’n simbool van Christus, die Lig van die wêreld.

Meer as 2000 jaar gelede het Hy as ’n Baba na ons toe gekom, maar Hy wil steeds na ons toe kom en ons moet die pad vir sy koms gelykmaak en vir Hom plek maak in ons lewens, ons huise en ons kerke.  Ons sien ook uit na sy wederkoms wanneer Hy al die trane van ons oë sal afvee.   

Ons steek nou die eerste Advents-kers aan, die Kers van Hoop, wat ’n simbool is van ons verlange dat Christus sal kom om ons hoop te gee vir elke dag.  

Gemeente respons:   Kom Here Jesus en skenk ons hoop vir vandag en vir altyd.

Mag die genadige God ons help altyd hoopvol te wees, omdat Christus na ons toe kom. Terwyl ons die Here vandag aanbid, mag sy hoop in ons lewens herleef.  Kom ons aanbid God!  (Votum en seëngroet volg...)

Tweede Adventsondag.

Goeie môre, mag die Here vandag ons aanbidding seën op die tweede Adventsondag. Dink aan die oproep van Johannes die Doper om die pad vir die koms van die Messias gereed te maak.   In ’n wêreld vol konflik en geweld verwag ons dat die koms van Christus in ons wêreld vrede en geregtigheid vir almal sal bring. 

Ons steek nou die tweede Advents-kers aan - die Kers van Vrede, ’n simbool van Christus en van die vrede wat Hy bring. 

Gemeente respons:   Kom Here Jesus en skenk ons u vrede  vir vandag, en  vir altyd!

Mag die liefdevolle God ons in staat stel om vredemakers te wees wat ’n verskil maak in die lewens van mense om ons – en in ons wêreld. Terwyl ons vandag aanbid, mag God ons sy vrede skenk.  Kom ons aanbid God!

Derde Adventsondag.

Goeie môre, mag die Here ons aanbidding seën op hierdie derde Adventsondag. As ons onthou met hoeveel blydskap Johannes die Doper die koms van die Messias aangekondig het, mag dit ons inspireer om Christus met net soveel blydskap met ander deel, omdat Jesus na ons toe kom.

Ons steek nou die derde advents-kers aan – die Kers van Vreugde, ‘n simbool van ons verlange na die onuitspreeklike blydskap wat ons ervaar wanneer ons Jesus ontvang.

Gemeente respons:   Kom Here Jesus en skenk ons blydskap vir vandag en vir altyd.  

Mag die liefdevolle God elkeen van ons opreg bly maak oor ons verlossing en ons inspireer om hierdie vreugde met ander te deel. Terwyl ons vandag aanbid, mag die Here ons sy vreugde skenk.  Kom ons aanbid God!

Vierde Adventsondag.

Goeie môre, mag die Here vandag ons aanbidding seën op die vierde Adventsondag. Dink aan die aankondiging van die engel Gabriël dat God se liefde vir die wêreld openbaar is deur die geboorte van ’n Baba uit ’n jong vrou van nederige afkoms. Jesus het ons geleer dat ons die geliefde kinders van die Almagtige is.

Ons steek nou die vierde Advents-kers aan – die kers van Liefde - , ’n simbool van Christus en die wonderlike liefde van God wat ons in Christus leer ken.  

Gemeente respons:   Kom Here Jesus en skenk ons u liefde vandag, en tot in alle ewigheid.

Mag die liefdevolle God ons help ons om ons te verwonder oor die grenslose liefde wat Hy vir elkeen van ons het en mag ons sy liefde opgewonde met almal deel.  Terwyl ons aanbid vanoggend, mag ons sy liefde vir ons sien.  Kom ons aanbid God!  

Advent 2013

Ideas, prayers and readings for the Season of Advent – the four Sundays before Christmas, starting on 1 December 2013.

The word “Advent” essentially means “coming” and “expecting”.

A. During the Advent Season we in faith are looking forward to the day when the kingdom of Jesus will bring all distress to an end. And Jesus who promised to return to us says: “Yes, I am coming soon." (Rev 22:20).  It is a time for hope.

B. During this season we also remember that Jesus wants to come to our lives, here and now, through his Spirit’s work in us, and through us come to a lost world in dire need of him.  It is a time for peace with God and each other.

C.  God became a man and was born as a baby on that first Christmas, to become our Redeemer and King!   . It is a time to be filled with joy.

D.  .  God so much loved us that he sent his Son, that we may not perish but have eternal life.  This love we share with our fellow believers and with the whole world.    Ultimately Advent is a Season for love.

We remember during Advent that Jesus Christ promised to physically come to us again, to create a new heaven and earth in which we will live for all eternity! This expectation inspires us that the coming of the Lord brings hope, peace, joy and love to our lives, our churches and our world!

Central Message:  God gave his Son

During the Advent Sundays, until Christmas day, we will remember that Christ took on our weak, human nature and became one of us.   As the Apostle Paul puts it in 2 Cor 5: 21:  God made him who had no sin, to be sin for us so that in him, we might become the righteousness of God.

This is what Christ did for us during that first Christmas day. In taking on ”weak human flesh”, he associated himself with our dilemma which is the result of our mistakes, disobedience and sin. He came to live the life that God requires and we cannot accomplish, and lived it perfectly, holy and without sin, in our place! The Son of God became our brother and will never leave nor forsake us.

During the Season of Advent, the four weeks before Christmas, we want to celebrate that when God gave the gift of salvation, he did not send new laws and rules through which to figure out how we can be saved. No, he sent his Son to save us.

The central Advent message always remains that (John 3:16) God so much loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Let’s trust in the Son. Let’s rejoice because he did everything we could not do, to save us! Let’s pray that he will come again soon to dry all our tears and grant us peace.  Let’s wait with the same urgent love of the believers in the New Testament Church for the victorious and conquering return of Christ, our King.

The Advent Candles

The four Advent candles represent the four weeks of Advent. The progressive lighting of one more candle every Advent Sunday symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of his second coming to judge the living and the dead.

The lighting of candles during this Season signifies Christ, the Light of the world.

Each candle represents one of the Advent themes:

The first Sunday we light the candle of Hope,

Second Sunday the candle of Peace,

Third Sunday the candle of Joy

and the fourth Sunday the candle of Love.

Many congregations involve children and teens to each Sunday light the next candle, involving them not only in the exciting countdown to Christmas day, but instill the expectation of Christ coming into our lives, and Christ returning to us on the Day of the Lord.

Advent prayers when we light the Advent candles during the services each Sunday:

First Advent Sunday:  Gracious God, in the living of our busy daily lives, keep us ever ready, ever faithful and ever hopeful for the day of Christ’s return. As we worship you, may this hope be born into our lives.

Second Advent Sunday:  Loving God, while we patiently wait for Christ’s return and for your peace to ultimately prevail, enable each of us to work for peaceful solutions to the various conflicts which abound in our lives and our world.  As we worship you, may your peace be born into our lives.

Third Advent Sunday:  Merciful God, while we patiently wait for Christ’s coming again, may each of us rejoice in our salvation; and may that joy permeate all aspects of our lives and be freely shared with others. As we worship you, grant us your joy.

Fourth Advent Sunday:  Gracious Creator, while we patiently wait for Christ’s coming again, inspire us when we celebrate Christmas now soon to come, to marvel on the fact that your love for each of us knows no bounds. May this love now be mirrored in all aspects of our lives as we freely share it with others.

Suggested Readings during Advent:

First Advent Sunday:   Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44

Second Advent Sunday: Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12

Third Advent Sunday: Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 146:5-10;  Luke 1:47-55; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11

Fourth Advent Sunday: Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25

The liturgical colour for Advent is purple, the royal colour, because we expect the coming of our King.  In recent years blue became an alternative colour for Advent in some congregations, because purple also is the liturgical colour for Lent.

In family practice, the Advent candles are usually lit at home on Sundays at lunch or dinner time, after the blessing of the food.  The same prayers as above and one of the readings can be part of this beautiful and edifying ancient Christian practice to follow at ho

Feast of Christ the King! Recommitted to our Lord.

Revelation 1: 5 and 6.  To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

In loving us and freeing us from our sins, Christ has made us, all who trust in him for our salvation, to be a kingdom of priests serving our God. We are all a part of the kingdom that is not from this world, but from God. We are priests who serve as mediators between God and this world.

On the festival day of Christ the King, we re-committed ourselves to surrender to Christ as the sovereign of our lives and to listen to his voice as those who seek the truth. Our commitment means that we do not hesitate to, in every circumstance, declare that Christ is King and that he is above all powers and rulers and worldly authorities.

If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth, if we were purchased by his precious blood, if we submit to his dominion and if this power embraces all people, it must be clear that not one of our abilities is exempt from his rule and reign. Christ reigns in our minds, in our wills, in our thoughts and emotions and in our bodies.

Glory and power to the King of kings!

BREATHE, by Theo Groeneveld.

The Rev Theo Groeneveld, minister at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in the east of Pretoria, South Africa, (http://emmanuel.org.za) wrote:

I was thinking about the end of year chaos everyone finds themselves in and put this together.

As we get into this crazy time of year, remember to BREATHE
Be assured (present continuous tense) that you are loved by and precious to God (Isaiah 43:1-3)
Remember that nothing can separate you from God (Romans 8:38-39)
Ease up on yourself - God doesn't see your failures - He sees what Christ did for you (Romans 8:1)
Ask God to give you peace in the midst of your challenges - He will do it (Philippians 4:6-7)
Thank God for all the good things you have - It shifts your focus (Colossians 2:6-7)
Hold on to the promises of God's Word which will light our way (Psalm 119:105)
Exalt God in all you do - It is life's ultimate purpose (Colossians 3:17)

Where shall we go and what bread shall we eat?

In John 6 we are told that many followers of Jesus left him.  His claims of being the “One that came from heaven”, of being the Bread of life and that those who did not eat of his flesh and drink of his blood could not be his followers, were simply too much for them.

Jesus asked for a complete and total commitment to himself. His followers could not even comprehend such dedication and left him.  This is the reason why Jesus asked the “twelve” in John 6: 67 and 68 an important question - “Do you want to go away as well?”

The image is clear.  Just as bread sustains physical life, so does Jesus Christ sustain eternal life. Just as God once saved his people from starvation in the dessert by giving them manna, so in Jesus Christ, God saves his people from eternal death.  In both cases what is necessary for life to be sustained, is a gift from God.

Jesus Christ alone gives life. And all of this is still true today.

Verse 67 - 69:  Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

While many today abandon the call to follow Christ as their first love and first priority, do you too want to leave his service and stop following him, because he asks too much of you? 

And if you decide to go away – where would you go, and what bread would you have to eat?

Prayer for the Feast of Christ the King (2013), with Scripture Lessons and Sermon Ideas.

The Feast of Christ the King: 24 November 2013.

This feast is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Christian Calendar! 

Sunday 1 December 2013 is the first Sunday of Advent, the “New Year” of Christianity.

A liturgical Prayer for the Feast of Christ the King on 24 November 2013:

Gracious God and heavenly Father, we come into your presence in the name of our Lord Jesus, the Almighty Christ and King of all!

Today, Lord Jesus Christ, we celebrate your glorious victory. We gladly bring honour to you, our Redeemer, who has not only redeemed us when we were lost, and bought us for God your Father with your precious blood, by your death on the cross and your resurrection, but also ascended to the right hand of God as King and Lord of all.  We rejoice that your Kingdom has come on earth, just as it is in heaven.

We bring honour to you, our Saviour, whom we call Christ, the King, who victoriously reigns now, and reigns forever.  You, dear Lord, dealt with our every need, delivered us from every enemy, healed us from all sin, harm and injury and you are worshipped when heaven and earth bow down before you as Lord of heaven and earth. One day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess, that you, Lord Jesus, are the King of kings and the Lord of lords!

Majestic Lord, everything promised about your reign has not happened on our earth yet! You are the King, and yet, your dominion is in many ways not visible and is still coming to us and to our world.  We live in hope, and in faith, that we truly heard the Word of God, that testifies that you will come in glory to effect in the smallest detail of your glorious reign.

King Jesus, thank you that you not only bring salvation to us, but through your work that you do through the ministry of your Church, you bring redemption and salvation to the whole world, yes, to the ends of the earth.  Your people accept the grace that you bring, and commit their lives to the power of the Holy Spirit who empowers your children and your Church to fulfil your commission to preach the gospel to everyone. Now bring justice wherever we serve you and bring hope and light where darkness still hides your glorious reign and salvation.

Dear Lord of every aspect and facet of our lives, help us to live only for your honour, glory and reign. Help us to be obedient, by the power of your resurrection and of your Spirit. We know that nothing will separate us from the love of God that we received in Christ our King and our Lord! 

We pray for all your servants, majestic Lord! For those who preach your word and for those who listen. Protect and guide all the missionaries sent to the ends of the earth to proclaim salvation in you. Guide and keep them and bless their work for you.  Call many more servants to do your work and make us obedient to your call.

In your mercy, heal the sick and comfort those who are weeping. Set the captives free and grant relief to the poor.  Sanctify those who are powerful and influential and humble and bring to fall those who are proud. 

Bring to an end the kingdom of darkness and let your majesty shine as the light of the world.

Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us your peace.

And now, great King of kings and Lord of lords –

have mercy on us, and on all your people.

In your Name, Lord Jesus Christ, we pray!

Amen.

Scripture Lessons for the Feast of Christ the King: 

Jeremiah 23:1-6;

Psalm 46; 

Luke 22: 14 - 30.   

Sermon Ideas, using the reading from Luke 22: 14 - 30.

Luke 22: 24 – 30:  A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.   For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.   You are those who have stood by me in my trials.   And I confer on you a kingdom,   just as my Father conferred one on me,  so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Introduction:   At the institution of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus offered his disciples the “Cup of the New Covenant” and established his Church on his sacrifice on the cross and on his glorious resurrection. No more would the sacrament of the Passover reminds of being delivered from Egypt, but the sacrament of his Supper would remind of deliverance from the kingdom of darkness and entering into the glorious reign of the Almighty Christ. In the same way, the sacrament of Baptism would replace the Sacrament of Circumcision and initiate all the believers and their children into the Church, the sharp sword of the Kingdom of God that brings life and purpose to every facet of our lives.
Because the Prince of Peace reigns and we are the beneficiaries of his grace and mercy!

What does his reign brings to our lives, today?

Jesus, Ruler and Judge, is like one who serves.  

Although the one who sits down to eat is greater than the one who serves him,

Jesus rules like the one who serves and not like the one who sits down to eat.

At his Table Jesus establishes a Kingdom where we receive from him forgiveness, purpose and assurance of his love and redemption, while we may sit down to enjoy his love and his mercy.

Therefore we serve and honour a King who enables us, who delivers us, who employs us and who serves all our needs in every aspect of our lives.

We too should be servants like our King is, serving the lost world, and the Church,  with all the benefits of his broken Body and his Blood.

·         The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that.

·         The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.

·         Disputes among Christians about who are the most important show that they still embrace the worldly values of authority and power, and not the example that Jesus gave us of “ruling through service” and “winning through sacrifice”.

Jesus as the one who displays love, enables freedom from sin and oppression of evil and redeems believers from the tyranny of both sin and sinners.

Christ creates a kingdom and establishes priests for God his Father who serves as he did and rules as he does.  It is therefore not to earthly powers that Christians owe allegiance.  It is not around political parties, cultural groupings or any other caucuses that Christians should unite!   

We, Christians, are a nation composed of various tribes, cultures and languages, but we share first and foremost the authority of our holy Christ, who sought us and bought us and made us partakers of his New Covenant and his glorious Kingdom that grants salvation, freedom, love, justice and righteousness to our world by serving us and feeding us of himself. 

To him we dedicate our worship, our obedience, our allegiance and our service and in his Name we proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near! 

We are called to unite under the rule of Christ, to become rulers and judges (verse 30) according to his example.  As such our allegiance to Christ may lead us to resist political tyranny, economical oppression and corruption and cultural divides and enmity.

Yet most of all, as we unite under the rule of Christ the King  -  as we stand by the Christ in his trials and the trials of his Body on earth, we testify that he is the true Saviour of the world, the deliverer from sin and judgment and our hope for the future, even for eternal life! 

“You are those who have stood by me in my trials.   And I confer on you a kingdom,   just as my Father conferred one on me,  so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Distasteful lukewarm worshipers!

Revelation 3: 15 17: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!   So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

The passage in Revelation 3: 14 – 22 addresses the church of Laodicea. Their material prosperity at the time caused this church to be spiritually asleep. Jesus Christ described this distasteful condition as “lukewarm” and invites them to repent of their condition and make him the centre of their love and passionate worship once again.

Hypocrisy based on false (materialistic) self-confidence makes you lukewarm which represents being unendurable and distasteful to God.  Christ’s warning is that he is about to spit you out of his mouth. You may be lost forever.

Yet Christ’s encouragement, his promise, is that he stands knocking at the door of the household of his faith community. If we hear his voice and open the door, he will come in, have true fellowship with us again and feast with us. Jesus wants to change distasteful, unfaithful, lukewarm Christians into enthused, passionate and useful followers of Christ again.

Jesus is ready to cover the shamefulness of our unfaithfulness and restore his relationship with us that we may experience the full and complete blessing of true fellowship with him and of meaningful worship once more.

The beginning of knowledge, wisdom and foolishness

As we as Christians pursue growth in knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, it should also mean a growth in wisdom, where wisdom means the ability to apply our knowledge in order to accomplish our God-given purposes and callings. We hope it is the case, but we find that knowledge and wisdom often do not live together in the same person.

In Proverbs 1: 7 we read:  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

What is the fear of the LORD?

The LORD is the God about whom Isaiah said:

(Is 40:14 and18) Who was it that taught him knowledge or showed him the path of understanding?  To whom, then, will you compare God? What image will you compare him to?

Our God is awesome, almighty, holy, glorious, infinite, invisible, and completely wise.

What does it mean to "fear" this LORD? This fear means having a right relationship, based on respect, a worshipping attitude of praise and thanksgiving and the acknowledgement that he alone has all authority in our lives.  Fear of the Lord means to serve with discipline – to obediently and faithfully walk in God's ways, because you have some understanding of who God revealed that he is.

What is the beginning of knowledge?

It means taking what the Bible says and apply it in my relationship with the LORD, because I can know all about the LORD without knowing the LORD himself. I can memorize the whole Bible, know a lot of church tradition and even some theology, and still not know the LORD personally.  Without the fear of the LORD,  all that you will have is facts, but no knowledge, figures but no wisdom, details but no understanding, rules and laws but no morality.

We need to spend enough time with the Bible. We need to be fed spiritually. We need family and personal devotions and we need faithful attendance of worship services until we own the knowledge that will make us wise, because we fear the awesome LORD that we love!

Humans look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7:  The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

The central Bible truth from this verse is

that we humans look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.

a) On one level, there is a theological lesson: God loves you for your whole being and not as you outwardly appear.  Humans judge others on what is visible and sometimes imagined characteristics based on your status, wealth, class, race, gender, culture, education and many others things.  But when our hearts are right with God we have a relationship with him and all these worldly tags and stereotypes make no difference to the Lord and his love for us.  God looks on the heart.

b)  On a second level, it has an ethical lesson: We ought to view other people as God views them. We should honour them for what they, by the grace of God, became through their relationship with Christ

or for what they became in turning away from God.

People are either our brothers and sisters in the Lord, or

people in need of Christ and his redemption and we should reach out to them with the gospel.

Liturgical Prayers for Sunday 20 October 2013

Greeting.

Good morning.

Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and Jesus Christ, our Lord, through the gracious work of the Holy Spirit.

The Call to Worship comes from Psalms 96: 7 – 10

Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.  Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”

Glory to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

Prayer of Praise .

Holy God, worshiped by all the company in heaven and by all the believers on earth through all ages, and also today across the globe: we worship you as our almighty, our omnipotent God, Saviour and Redeemer! Father, grant us a sense of your majesty and your grace, of your holiness and your mercy!  Fuel the flame of our adoration by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Help us to glorify your Name and reveal to us the power of the resurrected Christ and make us victorious through him.

In Jesus Name, Amen.

Prayer for the forgiveness of sins.

Heavenly Father, protect us against the snares of temptation and evil thoughts, desires, words and deeds.

Grant us through the work of your Spirit holy love for you our Lord, to love you with all our heart, all our soul and all our strength and all our mind and help us to love our neighbour as ourselves.

Assure us once more of your grace and forgiveness, your cleansing, on the grounds of the sacrifice our Saviour Jesus made once and for all for all our sins on the cross. And give us victory though his resurrection power.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Intercession

Gracious heavenly Father, our Lord and our salvation.

Great is the majesty of your name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, ever-living and ever-merciful God.

As we meet together as your Body, as the community of believers called by your Name, grant to us that we may hear what you say to us, that we will not live according to the foolishness of the world, but according to your holy will and divine wisdom.

Open our eyes Lord, we want to see Jesus.  Open our ears Lord, and help us to listen to you.

Almighty God, for the unity of the Church of Christ, the salvation of all people and the peace of the whole world, we pray.

We beg for peace in the Middle-East, and your gracious mercy for all who reside in this troubled part of the world!

Lord, look upon us and this church with compassion. Show us your love in Jesus Christ, our Lord.

For our city, and for the faithful who live here and strive to serve you with reverence and humility, we pray.

For the beloved country and all who here proclaim the good news in Christ Jesus and who set the captives free through your Word, we pray.

For those in authority and for those who have power to influence our society, and as such impact on your church, we humbly pray that you will grant them good health, wisdom and a clear understanding of what is right and what is good.

Help us now to commit ourselves, our brothers and sisters in Christ and all our sorrows, heartaches and challenges as well as our calling and opportunities, to your care, o Lord, whose power is beyond compare and whose divine mercy and love are never-ending.

We pray for the sick, for your healing touch and comfort,

for the suffering, for your strength and help,

for those in prison, and for their salvation,

for travelling mercies for all who travel to work every day, and for those who travel long distances this week.

For good weather and enough rain and for all the farmers who provide food security in our country, our continent and the world, that you bless their labour and in your mercy grant them good harvests. Heal our economy and deliver as from wastefulness and teach us the simple life of the followers of Jesus.

Hear, Father God, our prayers today for..... (specific people in the congregation)

Almighty God, remember us and listen to our prayers.

Father, have mercy on us!

Christ, have mercy on us!

Lord, have mercy on us!

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

Amen.

Why not invite a tax collector to Church this week?

Out of all the people Jesus could have chosen to call to be part of his faith community, he chose Levi, also known as Matthew, a tax collector. They were the most hated men in all Israel. They were men who had a license to steal from their own people, because they could keep any money that was raised over the amount the Roman government required as taxes.

Mark 2: 14 – 17 “As Jesus walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Here was a man who was hurting inside, who knew loneliness and who needed Jesus. And Jesus called him to follow him. He chose him to be his disciple.

Then Jesus went home with him to a supper where many of Levi’s tax-collector friends had been invited, and ate with them. Jesus was meeting a real human need the only way it could be met. He was the Doctor of sinners and they needed him because they were lost.

The Pharisees who thought they needed no physician did not follow Jesus. They did not consider themselves sick and in need of the Healer of People, Jesus, the Great Physician.

It is true that we are called to be separated from the ways of the sin-sick world, in order to offer an alternative – a life for Jesus.

Christians cannot look away when they know someone who needs salvation.

Jesus saves everyone who calls on his name because they know they are soul-sick, lost and separated from God!

When last did you invite a “tax collector” to come to Church with you, or enjoy a ladies or men’s get-together, or share a Pamoja social?

Christ’s mission has a Church to be his voice. A voice that says to “tax-collectors”, “follow me” (Jesus) and a voice that calls them to share a meal with our Saviour, and be healed.

Are you willing to be the voice of Christ that thirsty sinners can be saved?

Is despondency a sin?

Psalm 73: 26: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

“My flesh and my heart may fail" defines despondency, meaning unhappiness, sadness, hopelessness and misery. There are three parts to this little phrase.

"My flesh" – there is a physical component to despondency. The body weakens, there are aches, pains, fatigue and eventually the risk of serious illness as a result of constant misery – ulcers, strokes, heart decease – and there always is exhaustion.

Secondly, "and my heart" - there is an emotional-spiritual dimension to despondency. We feel discouraged, depressed, gloomy and burned out.

Thirdly, there is this word, "fail."  It means to come to your wits end and be depleted of resources.

Is it a sin to experience despondency?

Under sad and hopeless circumstances it is no sin to feel despondent.  Many of the exemplary believers in the Scriptures experienced deep and dark sadness and even hopelessness. Jesus was overwhelmed with sorrow in Gethsemane.

But, what is a sin is to yield to despondency. To make it your partner for life, to refuse to fight it and to think that God cannot reach you in that dark space – or that God cannot change your broken heart into a source of gladness and joy! 

The most important 2 words in this verse are:  "But God..."

Psalm 73:26 contains this truth:  "My flesh and my heart may fail":

And then comes the spiritual counter attack: “but God.”

So here we are. Often feeling that the plug is pulled out at the bottom of our lives and we are left empty and without plan or joy.

“But God”. God is the strength of my life.

And God is my portion forever!

Despondency comes from many places. 

Faith comes from one place only.  It comes from the willingness to say:  “but God.” But God can fill me with gladness again.

In Gethsemane Jesus was overwhelmed with sorrow.

But he found peace in the wisdom of God’s sovereign will.

He was content to surrender to God:  “Father, your will be done” he prayed.

Thus our Saviour found peace – inner tranquility, because he yielded to his Father’s will and purpose for his life! 

He still went to the cross - and there he committed his spirit into his Father’s hands, fulfilled his purpose and went to Paradise. 

God’s plan for me is that he will always be first in my life. (6)

God’s plan is that he will be first in my life.

The results of living a self-seeking life are before us all the time: unbearable stress about our jobs, neglected marriages and families, few if any real friendships, and the nagging sense that none of what we do is really making a difference. There are times when we sense it, but for the most part we live life virtually oblivious to the fruitlessness of a life where we, and not Christ, are in the centre of our concerns.

What is keeping us from being able to put God's priorities first today? Jesus also encountered people who had the "I'll get around to God’s stuff when I have the time" attitude.

Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:25, 27 and 33:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ... Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Jesus is telling us that when self-seeking concerns take precedence over following him and doing his work, we need to re-evaluate. We should not let our worries about material security be the reason for saying "I'll get around to God’s stuff when I have the time”.

The amazing thing is that God is not asking us to do anything that he himself did not do first. In Jesus Christ, before we ever thought of doing anything for God, he gave up everything for us. He gave us his best. He gave us his only Son.

When I do my best for God, then he promises to do his best, for me too!

May you be blessed when you put God’s priorities for your life first – and he adds everything you need unto you.

Spiritual pride comes to a fall!

Let’s not put our trust on anything else, but on God. Let’s never think that we are exempt from falling. Let’s rather cultivate God-confidence.

No circumstance or test or temptation that comes your way is harder than what others have to face sometimes in their lives. What we need to remember is that God will never let us down. He will never allow us to be pushed beyond our limits and will always be there to help us when we are at risk to fall.

Paul says (1 Cor 10:12) "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!"

Paul is not thinking of a man falling on a slippery surface. Paul is thinking of a man slipping and falling on temptation. He thinks of a Christian who is spiritually over-confident and self-assured. He is thinking of a Christian who believes he or she is so strong in the faith in Christ that temptation can come knocking, but the door will not be opened.

The church in Corinth struggled with spiritual pride. They boasted about all the gifts of the Spirit in their church. They were proud of all the prophecy, speaking in tongues and miraculous healings that took place amongst them. They were sure that they would not fall. They believed that “spiritual people” cannot fall. Yet they did fall into sin. Some of them committed the most terrible immoralities and abominations. And most of them fell for the temptation to become spiritually boastful and proud!

Let’s remember what God does not promise to do. God does not promise to remove temptation. That's simply not the way things are. God's desire for us is that we should be able to endure, to bear, to say no to temptation.

God's desire is that we remain standing in spite of temptation. And that we can remain standing, because ( 1Cor 10: 13) “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

The Lord’s plan is to save us. (5)

I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. (5)

The Lord’s plan is to save us.  We are saved from the perils that are the results of our sin, imperfection and disobedience and of the values of the society in which we live. 

"Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."  This statement from 1 Tim 1:15 sums up the entire ministry and life of Jesus: to save sinners. Paul’s statement lies at the heart of the gospel.  It is the most glorious proof of God's love for us. It is the foundation of the Church's message and the key to understanding everything written in the Bible.

It also is a key truth in understanding and believing that God has a plan for our lives and that his plan is that we will prosper and not be harmed, because Christ Jesus came to the world to save sinners.

Whenever we find our faith wavering, our hope growing dim and our concerns about all facets of life we have to deal with discouraging, we should spend some time reflecting on the truth that Christ came to save sinners. Our failure to love, to believe or to hope and our inability to live for God show that we are sinners. We know that all of us need saving and that none of us can save ourselves.

But what does it mean to be saved?

It means forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God, being granted the righteousness of Christ and redemption, in other words, to be bought by the sacrifice of Jesus to belong to God. It means acceptance by God for the sake of Christ Jesus and that the darkness of evil is replaced by the light of Christ's presence in our lives.

To be saved also means to receive everlasting life.

And because we are saved by grace, we live through faith and in hope.

We are not alone. We are saved from the perils that are the result of our sin, imperfection and disobedience and of the values of the society in which we live. Therefore our faith gives us the courage to look forward to being victorious followers of Jesus, in spite of our uncertainties and our concerns!

Take heart – Christ Jesus became one of us to save us from our sins and from the consequences of our foolishness and from the lack of good sense in the world. Be courageous and live with peace in your heart!

Because we have been saved from ourselves.

Jesus gives us life and heaven

Christ brought the light of heaven,

to guide us on our way.

For love of lowly sinners,

He came to serve, to pay.

God so much loved the world, that

He gave his only Son -

our Lord, our hope, Redeemer:

Eternal life was won!

Our living hope and salvation,

is Jesus Christ our Lord.

He gives us life and heaven

and shields us through his Word.

As we are waiting faithful

for God’s new glorious reign,

may we be found elated,

when Jesus comes again!!  

I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. (4)

The Lord’s plan is to lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalms 61: 1 – 3    Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.  From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint;  lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.

We know the Lord’s plans for us are to prosper and that no harm will overcome us.  What we do not know, is what the journey to victory entails.

Psalm 61 encourages prayer as a source of help, of strength and of winning the battles on the way.  Although we in faith mostly know that we will win the “war” - we often are concerned about the battles.

Even as our hearts grow faint, we will call, we will cry and beg our God to listen to our plea and provide for us in the battle of every day. Notice the need for a place to hide under some circumstances: a strong tower for defense and a tent for resting and refuge.  God is our tower of refuge and strength.

But more importantly, we need a high rock, a firm place, from where we will launch our attack and secure victory!   Fighting with sword and shield requires a high place, a steadfast rock and the advantage of height and a good view of the enemy. We need a place to dig in, to recover, turn the fight around and catch up even while it feels as if we are losing.  

God is much more than a place to hide from adversary.  He also provides the higher rock from where we will launch the victory.  Jesus is our Rock! In Christ only do we make our stand!

Our experience shows that although we know the Lord Jesus to be our sure salvation in all our needs, we often struggle to come to him, as a result of our many doubts, fears and hesitation. A Saviour would have been of no use to us if the Holy Spirit had not gently led us to him, and enabled us to rest on him. We often feel that we not only need a rock, but a dire need to be led to him, even Jesus our Redeemer.

May our Lord today lead you to the higher Rock by his Spirit and give you the courage to win the battles, as our God, in Jesus, already won the war.

God’s grace is sufficient.

2 Corinthians 12: 7 – 10. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.   But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.    That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The Lord told Paul that in spite of his “thorn in the flesh”, God’s grace is sufficient for him.

How did God’s grace make the difference?  How did it meet Paul’s needs?

1. Grace could meet Paul’s needs because it expresses God’s acceptance and pleasure in us.  When we receive his grace, we enjoy the status of favour and approval in God’s eyes.  Grace means that God loves us, that he is favourably inclined towards us; we have his acceptance and his promise of care.

2.  Grace could meet Paul’s need because it was available to him all the time.  When we sin or fail, or fall short, it does not put us outside of the reach of God’s grace.  Since grace is given freely to us in Jesus, it can’t be taken away because we stumbled.  When we come to God by faith, through the blood of Jesus his grace is ever ready to meet and minister to our insufficiencies.

3.  Grace could meet Paul’s need because it was the very strength of God.  So much of the power of this world is expressed in things and in ways that bring harm and destruction to ourselves, to the world we live in and to God’s work.  It happens when we take a worldly perspective about authority, spiritual power and strength, and deny God’s truth about the strength of grace and love.  God’s grace is not weakness or the tolerance of impurity.

Instead, it is the power of God to fulfil what we lack.

Being spiritually pretentious and conceited kills the working of God’s power through our attempted witness and our lives!

But to trust in God and believe in his grace, enables us to be true vessels of his love, and as such, of his power!