We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the Fourth Sunday of Easter.
Call to Worship Jesus said, I am the Good Shepherd. We have come to follow him. We gather in the name of he leads us by still waters. We have come to be restored in him. He prepares a banquet for us. We have come to be fed by his love, so let us worship God. Hymn 16 – The Lord’s my shepherd Prayer of Adoration and Confession Loving God, our shepherd, guide and giver of life. You nourish our lives and lead us into green pastures. You restore our souls with rest and peace. You give us joy so our lives overflows with goodness and grace. You walk with us through the darkest valleys, offering us courage and compassion. At all times and in all circumstances, you are with us, Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit, so we praise you, Holy One, here and now, now and always. God of mercy, You lead us into green pastures, but our lifestyles put those pastures at risk. You offer us rest, but we like to pursue our goals, whatever the cost to the earth or our health. You call us to show compassion, but we are quick to judge others. Forgive us and humble us to live with respect in creation. Jesus said, Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Friends, let us know ourselves loved and forgiven. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 4: 5-12 (Pg 1095) John 10: 11-18 (Pg 1076) Hymn 409 – Jesus is risen. Alleluia Weekly Prayer Everlasting God, we ask that you would bless us here at Cheviot Churches with vision for the future and reverence for the past. Thank you for Jesus Christ the Good Shepherd as the ultimate model of leadership and salvation. Help us each day to bear witness to your name and to do your bidding, always mindful of your amazing love for us. Amen Sermon Driving from Yetholm to Morebattle last Sunday, I came to the top of Primside Brae, and before me lay the landscape of field and farm and hills. It was a gorgeous clear day, and in the distance was a flock of sheep being herded by shepherds. Except, being the 21st Century, the shepherds were on little buggies, darting here and there. And yet it was such a timeless scene -of sheep being cared for. Today is Good Shepherd Sunday, when every year we look at John’s Gospel, when Jesus says, ‘I am the Good Shepherd’. It is an incredibly comforting image, and always has been. Some of the earliest statues and paintings in Christian art, going back to the time the early Christians hid in the catacombs of Rome to hold their secret worship, were of Jesus with a sheep round his shoulders. The reason why this image is so beloved can be found in our reading today. The good shepherd knows the sheep, and the sheep know the shepherd, and John contrasts this with the hired hands, who are just doing a job, getting the pay, but are not invested in, not devoted to, the flock. We sang the 23rd Psalm earlier, and again it gives a wonderful picture of the shepherd, guiding the sheep to green pastures and streams where there is more of a chance of grass – not easy to find in Palestine. The shepherd wants the best for the sheep. The shepherd is there at good times, but also at bad times, ready to be with the sheep even at dangerous times. Even in the valley of the shadow of death, the shepherd will be there alongside the sheep. In John’s Gospel, the shepherd is ready to lay down his life for the sheep; ready to defend them against the dangers of robbers or wild beasts, such is the shepherd’s commitment. We see, of course, Jesus as the one who knows and who loves us, who knows even the hairs on our head and who is committed to us. We see Jesus as the one committed to the point of laying down his life for us on the cross of Calvary. We see Jesus as embodying the shepherd in the 23rd Psalm and who is the Good Shepherd. But it is interesting that the shepherd in Psalm 23 is the one doing everything. The shepherd guides and provides, accompanies and prepares. The flock are passive, being the recipients. There is something comforting about being looked after. Yet as God’s people we are also called to be the shepherds ourselves; we are called to look after one another, to encourage and support, even to the point of self-sacrifice. Yesterday we held our retreat on Holy Island. It is a sacred place associated with the saints down the ages. When Oswald became King of Northumbria in 634, he invited monks from Iona to come to convert his people, and Corman was sent. But he was abrasive and alienated the people. He wasn’t a shepherd, but Aiden was sent in his place. Aiden was a shepherd and drew alongside the people, encouraging them and showing a life of love and self-sacrifice. When Aiden died, Cuthbert, who was a shepherd looking after sheep, saw a vision, which prompted him to enter the monastery of Melrose. He again lived a life of service and hospitality, going out to visit the sick and uncared for, drawing them in. In turn he became bishop in Holy Island, caring for the people but also creation. We are cared for by the Good Shepherd, but we are also called to care for others. But there is also an intriguing verse in this passage in John, where Jesus says he has sheep in other folds. It catches us out, for what does it mean? Who does it mean? We are good at setting limits around God’s love. We feel we are qualified in determining who is in and who is out, who is included and who is excluded, who is going to heaven and who is going to hell. But then a verse like this pops up to shatter our complacency. God surprises us. Traditionally it is taken to mean the Gentiles, for in the early church, Philip encountered the Ethiopian eunuch, and he was included. Peter encounters Cornelius the Roman centurion, and he is included. Paul encounters Lydia, the business woman dealing in purple dye, and she is included. Slaves and woman and all sorts of people on the fringes of society are included. But even today God continues to surprise us with who is included within God’s love. The Good Shepherd cares for all the sheep and knows them all by name. We are challenged to consider who doesn’t feel part of the church and assure them that all are welcome in this place. Hymn 355 – You Lord are both lamb and shepherd. Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Living God accept these our offerings. Grant that they may go where we can’t go, that they may reach where we cannot reach, that they may do what we cannot do. Use them to strengthen Your Church and advance Your kingdom here where we are and far beyond for Jesus’ sake. Gracious and loving God, as a shepherd cares for the flock, so you care for each one of us. Move in our hearts and minds, our congregations and communities, and lead us to care for one another for the sake of Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Jesus you are the good shepherd hear our prayers for all who shepherd others in troubled times. Guide and strengthen leaders of nations and organisations; lead them in the ways of integrity and justice to strive for peace and freedom for all. Be with all who offer care to others at home, at work and in the Church and inspire all caregivers to serve with love and compassion. When we feel weary and disillusioned draw us close to your loving heart and restore our souls. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. Jesus, you lay down your life for your sheep. Be with all who have lost loved ones at the hand of another and with those who feel as though they are walking through the valley of the shadow of death – in Gaza and Israel, In Ukraine Send your loving mercy on them, that they may not lose hope. In places of political tension bring your calming spirit and let the voices of restraint carry weight. Grant that all who hunger for bread may receive what they need and those who hunger and thirst for justice may see it come soon. Lead us, the people of your flock, in the way that leads to abundant life for ourselves and those in other folds. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. Jesus, you desire that there should be one flock with one shepherd. We hold before you someone we know who feels on the outside, who yearns to be known and to belong. Give us your desire to break down barriers and to build bridges to connect with those who are different to us. In times of enmity and conflict between nations and peoples we pray for your blessing on those who seek to bring people of different faiths together in mutual love and respect. Strengthen the work of all who strive for unity and understanding and help us to be peacemakers in the places where we live and work. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer. God our Shield and Defender, thank you for staying with us when we face danger or death. We pray for all those who live in fear: prisoners, exiles and refugees, victims of oppression, racism, and hatred, and those who face the threat of violence day after day.Be their steady companion and source of courage. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Jesus, loving shepherd, you know each of us by name, you find us when we are lost, your goodness and mercy follow us our whole life long. Hear us as we now name in silence the deepest longings and prayers of our hearts, for ourselves and our loved ones…. Lord, bring us to the place you have prepared for us at your banquet table, where our cup overflows with divine grace – even now. Amen. (@United Reformed Church - The Revd Camilla Veitch ) Hymn 702 – Lord in love and perfect wisdom Benediction
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We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the Third Sunday of Easter.
Call to Worship What can bring us Joy? The love of God among us What can bring us peace? The justice of God around us Open our minds to the Scriptures Open our eyes to Jesus in our midst Hymn 413 – The day of resurrection Prayer of Adoration and Confession God our Maker, We praise you for all the wonders in your creation: For the detailed perfection revealed in a baby’s tiny fingers, tulips raising their heads to greet the spring, the delight of new-born lambs in the field. Such details lift our hearts to praise you. So let the life, teaching and resurrection of the Risen Christ lift and instruct our hearts this day, that we may greet a new week as an occasion to discover him in our midst, making all things new in the springtime of your Holy Spirit. We do not claim to understand resurrection but we trust in you, O God and in your son, Jesus. Our human minds are prone to doubt, forgive us Lord God, for those times we allow ourselves to give into those thoughts. We fear the cost to ourselves for faith and service, forgive us when we fail to choose the right path. Strengthen our resolve to believe, chase away all fear and give us courage to take up our cross and follow where Jesus leads. In the name of the risen one Lord’s Prayer Readings – Acts 3: 12-19 (Pg 1095) Luke 24: 36-48 (Pg 1062) Hymn 425 – The Saviour died and rose again Weekly Prayer Gracious God, we thank you that your Son Jesus Christ stands among us, and we have seen the marks of your saving love. Breathe on us with the power of your Holy Spirit and send us out to share the peace of Christ with all who may cross our paths in the days and weeks ahead. Amen Sermon First impressions are important. At interviews, you dress up well and hope that you give a good impression. At social events, again you are conscious of how you look. You want to present yourself well. But first impressions can be dodgy, for we can jump to conclusions that are not always accurate. Apparently when Jane Austen wrote her book, ’Pride & Prejudice’ she had first considered naming it ‘First Impressions’, because both main characters jumped to the wrong, rather negative, conclusions about the other. Their own prejudices came into play, and that affected how they viewed the other. We can have first impressions, but often the passing of time would confirm or deny how accurate they were. Our Gospel reading today is Luke’s take on the story that was read last week from John, about Jesus appearing to the disciples after his resurrection. They are gathered together, trying to process the news they had just heard. Two of their number had been trudging home to Emmaus, and a stranger had walked beside them encouraging them with Scripture and then when they sat down to a meal together, the scales had fallen from their eyes, and they recognised Jesus as he broke bread. They had rushed back to share this news. The disciples were still doubtful, for how could someone come back to life again. Jesus was dead, executed on the cross, laid in the tomb. And that is when Jesus came and stood among them. Here is how one writer imagined the scene: We were so slow to get it. When I look back at what happened now, I cannot understand why we were so slow on the uptake. But we were, we disciples, the chosen eleven, as we were by now, Judas Iscariot departed. We should have been the first to understand, but it felt like we were the last. The women came to us with messages from the tomb, unlikely messages, we thought, and we were still trying to process what we had witnessed ourselves of that empty tomb, then our friends came bursting in having walked all the way to Emmaus and back again! Yet some of us just stared at each other confusion and uncertainty, unable to grasp what was obvious to others. Have you ever heard the word, “Eureka”? I’ve heard the Greeks use it, down in the market place, they say it comes from Archimedes of Syracuse, some fellow good with numbers, I’m not so sure about that, but I love the word! It is perfect for how I felt that day, when suddenly the stories, the rumours, it all came crashing in on me as the reality of what was happening came to life, right in front of us. “Eureka!” Not content with chatting, showing us his scars, he then started scoffing our fish. We stared in wonder, fearful at first, then with that kind of elation that overwhelms you. “Eureka!” Was it a Eureka moment? First impressions – they thought Jesus was somehow a ghost. Now it wouldn’t be the first time they thought this – when he walked on the water, the Gospel writers say they thought it was a ghost. But Jesus immediately dispels this, by inviting the disciples to touch his wounds and indeed by scoffing their fish. Can a ghost eat, after all? Maybe that is when the penny dropped. Maybe that is when they had their Eureka moment. What do we see here? We see that the resurrected Jesus still bore the marks of his crucifixion. That is important, as it is a sign that he is the wounded healer, the one who has gone through what we go through, even death itself. In the Kelvingrove Art gallery there is the famous Dali painting of the Christ of St John of the Cross, a picture of Jesus on the cross. It was controversial because the marks of suffering were not there. We need to know that Christ has been through death. By his suffering we are healed. The second point is that Jesus appeared to the disciples when they were together. It was when they were in community that Jesus appeared, and community was so important in the early church. Together they were encouraged and together they became strong. Their experience of the Risen Jesus transformed them, so that only a short time after, the disciples like Peter and John were able to heal the lame man and to testify, as we read in the passage from Acts. It is a community which is no longer afraid. Here is a community that knows what it’s about. Here is a community where the weaker members in need were helped. Here is a community where the peace of Christ has both taken root and energised them in unity, proclamation, and compassion. Here is a community which is growing. Here is a community where people could testify to the power of Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus strengthened them in community. Some think they can worship God alone, no need for church, yet it is in community we grow in faith. But there is a third point to the passage – Jesus commissioned them to be witnesses. To testify to the Risen Lord. And they did, and by doing so they turned the world upside down, they turned from being a handful of frightened people to becoming the main faith community in the Roman Empire, so that all across the world, people gather in Christ’s name. We are witnesses today. Let us value our community here in Cheviot Churches and within the world church, and let us be a people ready to witness by word and by example. I will close with a quotation from the American writer, Madelaine L’Engle, ‘We draw people to Christ, not by loudly discrediting what they believe, but by showing them a light so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it'. We can be that light and draw people to Christ. Hymn 416 – Christ is alive! Prayers of Dedication & Intercession God our Maker, you have filled the world with so much abundance. We offer our gifts to you, knowing they are part of your abundance. Bless them and use them to bring hope and new life in Christ’s name to a world that so badly needs these gifts. Amen God our Maker, Source of Easter power and hope, we pray for our broken world. We pray for children and young people who must think about the future in uncertain times, facing threats old and new. Give them hope rooted in the knowledge that their lives matter to you. Show them how to make a difference in the world, whatever threats they face as they grow. We pray for people for whom age or experience, illness or disability create barriers to full participation in your world. Surround each one in pain or despair with your comfort and renew in each one a sense of dignity and purpose. Show them how much they matter to you and to us. We remember the places of war and conflict in our world, we pray for the people of Israel longing for security and their place in the sun, and for the people of Gaza, bombed, starved, and abused, longing for a ceasefire, hoping the world will not turn its back, as they yearn for security and nationhood in their land. We pray for the people of Russia, too often manipulated, and we pray too for the people of Ukraine, longing for peace and security, both applauded and ignored by the world, We pray for all those facing grief and any kind of loss. Give them strength and comfort. We pray for communities challenged by forces beyond their control: natural disaster and environmental threats, conflict and violence, economic hardship. Give courage to those facing these challenges, and wisdom to those who lead, so that wellbeing may be restored and hope for the future prevail. As signs of spring emerge, we pray for your creation, for creatures losing habitat and unique species at risk, for oceans clogged with plastic. Silence Amen Hymn 405 – We sing the praise Benediction We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Linton (11.15). Rev Colin is taking communion at Makerstoun as part of his duties as interim moderator. Rev Una Stewart will lead our worship for the 2nd Sunday of Easter.
The Lord is Risen
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia! Happy Easter. We welcome everyone to our united communion service at Morebattle (9am) and united all-age service at Yetholm (11am) on Easter Sunday · The podcast can be accessed by click HERE · The Craft Group is on holiday this Monday. · Coffee & Chat at Yetholm Kirk on Tuesdays from 10.30 – 12 noon. All welcome. · Prayer Service is on Tuesdays at 12 noon in Yetholm Kirk. All welcome. · The Guild have their AGM on Tuesday 2nd April at 2pm. · Kirk Session meets on Thursday 4th April at 7pm at Yetholm. · The Retreat is on 20th April. Please see posters. · Next Sunday Rev Una Stewart will lead our services at Yetholm (10am) and Linton (11.15am). Call to Worship This is the Good News – the light shines in the darkness & the darkness will never overcome it. Hallelujah! Christ is risen. This is the Good News: once we were no people; now we are God’s people. Hallelujah! Christ is risen. This is the Good News – the grave is empty & Christ is risen. Hallelujah! Christ is risen indeed! Hymn 404 - I danced in the morning Prayer of Adoration and Confession Risen Lord, we are the Easter people, and Alleluia is our song. We are the Easter people come to worship, released from tombs of pain and doubt and fear and death into the freedom of this new day, and its promise of hope fulfilled. We are the Easter people, Emerging into the brightness of faith, Blinking, questioning, wondering, hoping. Come to us, into the garden of our lives, and touch all that is barren, and wasted and dried with Your healing hand. Forgive our half-lived lives, our broken promises, and our failed kindness. Call to us by our name, that we might turn from all that limits and burdens us, and lift us up into forgiveness and freedom. Open the gateways of our hearts and minds, and call us out into Your world to be embraced by Your unfailing and renewing mercy. Today, in silence, prayer and song, may we encounter Jesus and His grace. For we are the Easter people, and Alleluia is our song. Lord’s Prayer Talk 1 - Eggs Hymn SGP 7 – Alleluia, alleluia Readings – Acts 10: 34-43 (Pg 1104) John 20: 1-18 (Pg 1089) Talk 2 - Gardeners Hymn 417 – Now the green blade riseth Weekly Prayer Christ is Risen, and the power of His resurrection fills the world today with new life, hope and expectation. We pray that we may reflect your love in our families, our church and our community; so that the world can witness that we are followers of the Risen Christ and draw others into his loving care. Amen Talk 3 A friend has just been to Germany and visited a mediaeval church. He commented how beautiful it was, but he noticed the windows, and it was as if some were broken. It turned out the church had been damaged during the last war, and the stained glass shattered. Afterwards when they restored the building, they decided to restore the glass, but have the artist include panels which look to be broken as a reminder. It wasn’t the same as before but was transformed. That sparked a memory of a church in Belfast whose stained glass window was shattered by a bomb during the Troubles. The congregation gathered up the pieces of the window but commissioned an artist to make a new window using the old pieces; they called it the resurrection window. Again, not quite the same but transformed. Easter is a time of transformation. Around us are signs of new life – lambs are born, the trees are budding, the flowers awaken, some so early this year. New life abounds. But also, our bible reading speaks of new life and transformation. John’s telling of the Easter story is so powerful. We start with Mary in her grief just wanting to be near Jesus’ tomb, desperate to be close by, as anyone who has lost someone dear knows so well. Instead, she is horrified to find the tomb empty. She alerts the disciples, and Peter and John race to the tomb, assuming like Mary that the body of their friend had been stolen. ‘They have taken him away, and I don’t know where they have laid him’, she would later tell the angels. For Peter and John go away, puzzled, but she remains. But Mary’s life is transformed in a single word from the one she assumed was the gardener: ‘Mary’. A voice she has heard so often saying her name. She can hardly believe it, but her grief and misery are turned to joy; her emptiness to abundance. And she wants to embrace him, cling to him, never let him go again. Charles Dickens wrote the book, A Tale of Two Cities, set in the French Revolution. Right at the start a lawyer receives a message, Recalled to life. A prisoner in the bastille, shut away for many years, has been released. He has been recalled to life. Here by Jesus’s word, Mary is recalled to life, as the disciples will later be. But as Mary rushes to embrace him, Jesus says, ‘Don’t touch me’. It is odd, for touch was so important to Jesus. He touched the leper clean; he allowed the woman with the haemorrhage to touch him. He washed the feet of the disciples, such an intimate touch. But here he is telling Mary not to touch. What was he saying? He was saying not to cling on to the old way. There was no turning the clock back, so things couldn’t be the same as they were- as if the crucifixion hadn’t happened. They couldn’t resume wandering round Galilee as if nothing had happened. Jesus still bore the marks of the nails and the spear, just as these windows bore the marks of their shattered past. But there was now a new way of life for Mary and the disciples to embrace; there were new possibilities offered. Mary is commissioned by Jesus to take the news to the disciples. Whereas she had initially run to them to tell of an absence, an empty tomb; now she was telling them of a presence. Jesus was alive. That news and Christ appearing to them recalled them to life and gave them the testimony to turn the world upside down. In raising Jesus from the dead, God had said Yes to good and love, and as followers of the risen Christ we continue the work of the disciples by living out our lives as an Easter people. As Desmond Tutu put it: Goodness is stronger than evil; Love is stronger than hate; Light is stronger than darkness; Life is stronger than death; Victory is ours through Him who loves us. Hymn 430 – Christ has risen Prayers of Dedication & Intercession God of Resurrecting Grace, we offer our gifts with grateful hearts, recognizing how much you have given us in Christ, and what that gift has cost. Empower these gifts to spread the hope and joy we feel today in the world you love, in the name of your greatest gift, Jesus Christ. Amen. God of new possibilities, break into our relationships with resurrecting power. Where they are vibrant and life-giving, nurture and sustain them. Where there are memories of hurt or current misunderstanding, refresh them with forgiveness and reconciliation. Where they are neglected or taken for granted, open our eyes to the great gift we offer each other. Resurrect, renew and revive your people, O God. Hear our prayer. God of new opportunity, break into the governance of your world with resurrecting power. Stir the minds and hearts of leaders to work for justice and the equitable sharing of resources. Where violence and conflict threaten the innocent and the earth itself, raise up advocates for peace and negotiators to call combatants to account. Bring wisdom, compassion and cooperation to all in authority. Resurrect, renew and revive your people, O God. Hear our prayer. God of new life, break into situations of illness, pain, grief, and loss with resurrecting power. Where there is sickness of body, mind, or spirit, bring healing and hope. Where people mourn the loss of someone dear or their dreams of a better tomorrow, bring comfort and courage to go on. Resurrect, renew and revive your people, O God. Hear our prayer. God of New Creation, break into the circumstances, places, and lives that we name in the silence of our hearts… silence Resurrect, renew and revive your people. Hear our prayer. God of Easter Day, break into our moments of celebration and joy. Give us gratitude, the impulse to share, and a spirit of grace and understanding. Resurrect, renew, and revive our spirits. Hear our prayer Amen Hymn 419 – Thine be the glory Benediction Risen Christ, no tomb could hold you and no door could shut you out. Bless us with your presence and fill us with your peace. Send us out into the world as an Easter people to live and love with you. And may the blessing of God Almighty, the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, be with you and with those whom you love, wherever they may be, now and always. Amen We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15)
Processional MP 167 – Give me joy Call to Worship Jesus is coming. Hosanna! He comes to us riding on a donkey. Make way, make way! Open wide the gates! Hosanna in the highest! Let us welcome him with branches and songs of praise. Jesus is coming. Hosanna to the King of kings! Hymn 364 – All glory laud and honour Prayer of Adoration and Confession God of grace and truth, we gather in humility and hope because we believe you have the power to change the world, to change it for the better with your love. We gather because we believe no one is beyond your concern, no one is beyond your embrace. Such love astonishes us. In this hour of worship, inspire us with a vision of love which will change the world and our lives for goodness’ sake. Lord Jesus Christ, you call us to be servants yet we confess we like to be served. You call us to give ourselves away for love’s sake, yet we confess we like to hang on to what we have. Lord have mercy Christ have mercy We are quick to speak of faith, but slow to live it fully. We shout "hosanna" as Jesus approaches, as did the people of Jerusalem many years ago; but we do not want him to come too close Lord, have mercy…Christ, have mercy. We are quick to claim faith in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour; but, like the throng who greeted his entry into Jerusalem, we are fickle, slow to live fully and everywhere as faithful disciples. Lord, have mercy…Christ, have mercy. Jesus said: I do not call you servants any longer, but I have called you friends. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Christ has laid down his life for us and invites us to love one another as he has loved us. Trust his love to give you strength and make you new Lord’s Prayer Blessing of Palm Crosses We thank you Lord for these palm crosses, A simple reminder of the love you showed for us. As we take them into our homes, May they remind us through this special week That you gave your life for us upon the cross. May they remind us of how deep and wide and high is the love you have for us. As we take them into our homes, So may we take your love into our hearts And worship you as Saviour and King. And like the people on that first Palm Sunday, May we also cry ‘Hosanna, Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord’. Readings – Isaiah 50: 4-9a (Pg 737) Mark 11: 1-11 (Pg 1016) Hymn 399 – My song is love unknown Weekly Prayer Let us pray to the Father, who loved the world so much that he sent his only Son to give us life. Sovereign Lord, help us to appreciate the one who set his face as a flint towards Jerusalem. We join with those throughout the ages in our cry "Hosanna in the highest blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord". Amen Sermon The Scout band were playing, drums and pipes echoing through the narrow streets, and behind came the crowd gathered from the various churches, waving palm branches, thankfully plentiful there, and shouting Hosanna. It was Palm Sunday in Nazareth. Throughout the Holy Land in mainly the Arab communities, there would be Palm Sunday parades, and the denominations would put behind their differences to parade together. This year I would imagine the celebrations would be more muted. We all like a parade, especially if a band is involved. Growing up I remember how different streets and groups would each decorate a float, the back of a lorry with whatever theme it was, though like many things, it doesn’t happen so much now. At Palm Sunday we remember how Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem to the waving of branches and cries of Hosanna. There was a sense of excitement, of anticipation. Something was about to happen, and the city was like a powder keg waiting to explode. Then Jesus came, but not on a war horse, but on the humble donkey. We may think of it all being so spontaneous, but any parade needs lots of planning and lots of preparation. Mark in his Gospel spends half the story telling us about the preparation and how two of the disciples are sent on donkey detail. One commentator says it is James and John who are sent. They had been asking to sit on the right and left hand of Christ in glory, and the commentator suggests that, while Jesus prepares to confront the powers and principalities of evil, they are given the menial task of fetching the donkey. Yet, it was important; attention to detail is vital, and we are often called to mundane tasks, doing what needs to be done. What needed to be done was the preparation to ride into the city on a donkey. Donkeys are shorter animals than horses, especially the colt. Perhaps the donkey was not just a symbol of humility and peace, perhaps Jesus chose it because it kept him among, not above, the people. Riding on the colt, Jesus would have still been close to eye level with the crowd. But this was also a re-enactment of the prophecy from Zechariah, that the Messiah would ride in on a donkey. People would have been familiar with the prophecy, and certainly the scribes and temple officials would have been familiar with it. Jesus is throwing down the gauntlet, saying ‘Here I am’. And the people went wild, crying Hosanna! And the treacherous ‘Blessed is the one coming in the name of the Lord’. “Hosanna” is no simple cheer. It means ‘save us’. And it paves the way for what will come. For Palm Sunday is a day of contrasts. Samuel Crossman sums it up so well in the 3rd verse of the hymn: Sometimes they strew His way, And His sweet praises sing; Resounding all the day Hosannas to their King: Then “Crucify!” Is all their breath, And for His death They thirst and cry The crowd is fickle, and their cries of hosanna soon turn to Crucify. But at Palm Sunday they are faced with a choice, to follow the man who entered the city, proclaiming a new kind of Messiah or to melt away, keep their heads down, ask for no trouble. They had a choice, and if they continued after Jesus, they would find themselves in the Temple, as he chased away the money changers. If they continued to follow Jesus, they would join him in an upper room as he talks about betrayal and denial and the way that love looks like humble service. They would watch as he breaks bread and pours out a cup and tells us that they will be reminders for us of his broken body and his shed blood, physical reminders of his suffering love. If they continued to follow Jesus, they would gather with him in a garden and watch as he prays and pleads for his life; watch as even his most committed followers cannot sit and pray with him without falling asleep. They would watch as he is led away, arrested, and betrayed. If they continued to follow Jesus, they would follow him all the way to a trial as the cries of Hosanna are drowned out by shouts of “Crucify Him!” If they continued to follow Jesus, they would follow him all the way to the cross as crowds who had once gathered to watch a parade now watch an execution. That’s a choice we have as well. It is so easy to jump from Palm Sunday to Easter Day, ‘Hosanna’ to ‘He is Risen’, but if we follow Jesus, we have to go through all of Holy Week. Do we follow the one who makes himself known in vulnerability rather than might, who rides a donkey and not a war-horse, whose greatest victory is not on the battlefield but on the Cross and empty tomb? Let us follow the one who walked the way of the cross and who moves us from suffering to salvation, from death to life everlasting. Hymn 378 – Praise to the holiest Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Lord Jesus, compared with the gift you gave for our sake, what we offer today seems so small. Bless our gifts with your love so that they accomplish more than we can even imagine. Bless our lives, too, so that what we do and say will show we have the commitment to follow you, whatever the cost. Amen. We think of Jesus riding on a donkey like a poor labourer… And so we pray for those struggling to get by, because they are badly paid or unemployed, because of illness or disability or prejudice or abuse. We pray that those who suffer may know your justice and that those with the resources to help may do so. We think of Jesus fulfilling the prophecy of one who brings peace, and so we pray for those caught up in war… in Syria and Iraq, in Gaza and Palestine, in Ukraine and Sudan and Ethiopia. We pray for those who have the power to call a halt on violence may do so and that you will bless all peacemakers. We think of the crowds cheering and waving their palm branches…and pray for those carried along by crowds or by social media or television. We pray for freedom and integrity and that social media may be a thing for the good and not for abuse. We think of the disciples walking with Jesus, but later abandoning him when he was arrested… and we pray for ourselves, with our struggles and pain and grief, our gifts and joys- that we might know your continued presence with us and that, despite our fears, may continue to walk the way of the cross. Silence Amen Hymn 365 – Ride on, ride on Benediction Go with courage to face the days ahead. May the Christ who walks on wounded feet walk with you on the road. May the Christ who serves with wounded hands stretch out your hands to serve. May the Christ who lives with a wounded heart open your hearts to love. May you see the face of Christ in everyone you meet, and may everyone you meet see the face of Christ in you. We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the 5th Sunday of Lent, Passion Sunday, as well as St Patrick’s Day.
Call to Worship Come, all who desire to know God. We come, for we want to see Jesus. Come, all who thirst for the Spirit. We come, for God is in our midst this day. So let us praise God’s holy name. We will worship God with heart, mind, strength and soul. Hymn 153 – Great is thy faithfulness Prayer of Adoration and Confession Creating God, Loving Christ, Guiding Spirit, With the promise of spring and new life awakening, you wake us from our slumbers. You are faithful to us through every season of the year and every season of life. The hope you offer in Jesus Christ draws us together, as your Spirit rises within our hearts. Even as the cross looms on the horizon, we praise you for Jesus’ courage and compassion, which bring renewal to us in the midst of all our challenges. We praise you, O God, for such love that will never let us go. Gracious and Loving God, as we draw closer to the Cross, we recognize ways we fall short of your hope for us. We get lost in our own concerns and neglect to show love, even to those right beside us. We find some people too difficult to care for. We think others unworthy of your love and ours. Forgive us and renew a right spirit within us, so that we find the courage to go on and the compassion to reach out in your name. Jesus said, Come to me all you who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Friends, trust that peace and forgiveness are God’s gifts to you this day. Be renewed by the power of the Spirit that moves with you into each new day. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Pg 792) John 12:20-33 (Pg 1080) Hymn 356 – Meekness and majesty Weekly Prayer Merciful God, thank you for your promise to be our God and that our sins will be remembered no more. We thank you for Jesus lifted high on the cross so that we might have a living hope and a future where love will never be terminated and life will never end. Amen Sermon Jason Leitch is stepping down as National Clinical Officer. He was of course on our screens seemingly every night during Covid and seemed ordinary and reassuring. He spoke at a compline service at St Andrew’s in Kelso last year. And there is always something exciting at being close up to someone famous. I like books, and it can be a thrill to see an author I admire in the flesh and hear them speak. I am sure that many of us will have met ‘celebrities’ or even members of the royal family. There can be a buzz about being in the presence of someone famous, seeing how they dress, or what they eat or how they react to those around. One time I was in a restaurant when a politician came in, but he and his party were quickly shown to a private room away from everyone’s gaze! It was Passover time in Jerusalem, and many people had come to the city to be right at the centre of things at such a special time. Many were Jews from abroad wanting to celebrate the festival at least once in Jerusalem – the same as Muslims wanting at least once to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. But some were tourists, maybe attracted to Judaism, maybe just curious to see what happened. In John’s Gospel we read about some tourists, some Greeks who were in Jerusalem. Perhaps they had witnessed Jesus’ entry into the city on a donkey and had discovered about his healings and his feeding of the 5000, his raising of Lazarus from the dead. Maybe some of Jesus’ stories and sayings had been recounted to them. But to them, he was the man of the moment, and they wanted desperately to meet him or just to be in his presence. As usual, you need an introduction, so they somehow cornered Philip and Andrew, the two disciples with Greek sounding names, and so had their entry. ‘We want to see Jesus’, they said. We don’t know whether they had a conversation with Jesus or whether seeing was enough, the Gospel doesn’t tell us. What we do know is that Jesus gave a fairly long theological discourse and basically said, ’If you want to see me, you soon will, lifted high on the cross, but I will draw all people to me’. Passover could be a turbulent time. Today in Jerusalem it is Ramadan, and by the end of the month, Easter; Passover is later this year. It is a tense, emotional time. So it was at the time of Jesus. Maybe Jesus could sense that the tide was turning and that his death was not far off, so he talked to his disciples and told them how a seed had to be buried in the ground, dead to the world, in order to sprout. Only if it was buried could it bear fruit. So he had to die that we might have life. ‘We want to see Jesus’, said the Greeks.’ Wait and you will see him hanging on the cross. But when as followers of Jesus we look at the cross, we see sacrifice and love. When we see Jesus hanging on the cross, we are reminded of the new covenant that Jeremiah speaks about, for what God is doing here is something new. For the disciples, they had to realise that that their old way of thinking had to die; that their preconceptions of what the Messiah was had to die; that their prejudices had to die. To me it was a wonderful thing that the Greeks came looking for Jesus and heard what he was saying, for they represented the outsider, the Gentile, people that the disciples would normally shy away from and consider unclean. Yet they are included here in the Gospel. But we too have to let our prejudices and old way of thinking die in the face of such love that we see on the cross. Today there is so much talk about extremism, about antisemitism and islamophobia, about racism. You have to watch what you say and even how you edit your photographs. The world isn’t in a good way. It needs a lot of love and cherishing. So we need to include and affirm others around, as Jesus included and affirmed those around him, including the Greeks. ‘We want to see Jesus’. We look to the cross, but we also look around us, for the followers of Jesus are still showing his face today. Wherever there are those working for reconciliation and understanding between different groups, we see Jesus. Whenever there are those seeking to bridge gaps, we see Jesus. Wherever the hungry are fed and the marginalised included and the stranger welcomed, we see Jesus. When the oppressor and those who seek to diminish others are challenged, we see Jesus. When the world is loved and tended and taken care of, we see Jesus. We want to see Jesus – then look around, for they will know we are Christians by our love. Hymn – Lift high the cross (CH3 550/ MP 417) Prayers of Dedication & Intercession God of growth and new life, with our gifts we offer you our thanks and praise for the promise of spring and the promise of resurrection in Christ Jesus. With these gifts, accomplish more than we can ask or imagine, as they bear fruit in the world you love, through Christ, our Lord. Steadfast God, amid many changes and challenges around us, we are grateful that you are with us. You understand our fears; you support and guide us; and you give us courage to face whatever lies ahead. Thank you for the gift of faith, a solid rock to support us, and so we trust that you keep working, in ways seen and unseen, for goodness to prevail. God, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Loving God, in this time of when there is much to be anxious about, we pray for the world you love. Send your healing Spirit to bring peace with justice to the troubled places, Gaza, West Bank, Ukraine, Nigeria, Haiti Bring care and comfort to those who have been hurt in conflict, wisdom to those who seek to end hostilities, and courage to those who advocate for the most vulnerable. God, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. Send your healing Spirit to people we know and to the earth you love. We remember before you friends in grief… (pause) those suffering illness and all waiting for treatment… (pause): those facing difficulty at work or finding work… (pause); concerns about the environment we depend on… (pause) God, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. We pray for the continuing ministry of the Church in our area and around the world. As we move toward our celebration of Christ’s resurrection, send your healing Spirit to raise our hearts and our hopes with the promise of new life in Christ. Restore to us the joy of your salvation and sustain in us all a willing spirit. We pray through Jesus Christ, Amen Hymn 465 – Be thou my vision Benediction People of God, go out into the world as agents of change, as bringers of hope as beacons of God’s love and the may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you now and forevermore, Amen. We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the 4th Sunday of Lent.
We gather together to worship our loving, nurturing God, who, like a mother, knows us intimately, loves us unconditionally, teaches us the way we should go, and comforts us in times of need. Hymn 694 – Brother, sister let me serve you Prayer of Adoration and Confession Gracious God,Great and wonderful are your works!Where there is darkness, you bring light.Where there is sadness, you speak words of hope. Where there is despair, you bring new possibilities. Stir us with your Spirit, O God, in this time of worship. Awaken a sense of joy and reverence within us as we offer you our songs and our silence, our prayers and praises, for you are our God. Mothering God, embrace us in your fierce love, enfold us in your protective care, Calm our anxious worrying and quieten our teeming minds. Still us, body, mind and spirit, to rest in you. Merciful God,Even as we praise you, we are aware of our failures as your disciples. We take your love and acceptance of us for granted.We are often careless with our relationships,more focused on ourselves than on you or those around us. Forgive us. Awaken our spirit of commitment and compassion, so we may serve you more faithfully, day by day. Friends in Christ, by grace we have been saved through faith. Know that God forgives you and forgive one another. So may the peace of Christ be with you. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Numbers 21: 4-9 (Pg 158) John 3: 14-21 (pg 1066) Hymn 181 – For the beauty of the earth Weekly Prayer Father God, as we celebrate Mothering Sunday today, help us reflect your love for us, love in our families, our church and our community. May we be true followers of your son Jesus Christ, lifted high on the Cross so that all who believe might have life eternal. Amen Sermon Have you any phobias? Is there anything you are really scared of, to the point of your legs turning to jelly or that you have to hide behind the couch? I remember some people who were scared of thunder and lightening, for example. Some people don’t like fire or heights; for so many these days, there are certain foods which they react against or which they couldn’t even look at. I can eat almost anything, apart from okra, which admittedly you don’t get much in this country, but cooked the African way becomes really slimy. But one big phobia would be snakes. Even now, if I snake comes on television, I close my eyes, switch it off, get out of the room. That said, when I was in Africa, just shortly after I arrived, I saw a long black snake outside my house, and I didn’t freak out, but the very fact of facing the thing that terrified me actually helped me. Which brings us to this strange story in the book of Numbers. It is a story we would probably avoid, but it is in the lectionary simply because Jesus refers to it in the Gospel. Jesus had been in the wilderness, tempted by Satan, but he resisted the temptations. The Israelites were in the wilderness, but they fell straight into temptation – and they whined and they complained. Complained about the lack of water, complained about the boring manna – remember the melons and cucumbers we had in Egypt, they said. Maybe life in slavery wasn’t too bad after all. Even when they were brought to the verge of the Promised Land, they heard from the spies they sent out that the inhabitants were like giants, and maybe they had a phobia of giants, but they didn’t trust in Moses and they didn’t trust in God. And in this story today, poisonous snakes were sent and bit them, and many died. They realised that their complaining had led them here, so they went to Moses, asking for help. The outcome was the making of the bronze snake on a pole. The snakes didn’t go away, but if they were bitten, the people had to look at the bronze snake, and they would be healed. It was an antidote to the venom, you could say. The story and a God who punished the people with snakes doesn’t quite fit into our idea of a loving, caring God. But there is a psychological aspect to the story, for it is sometimes strengthening to confront what fears us, to face the things that somehow diminish us. Lent is a time for self-examination and we can identify things which hold us back from fullness of life in God’s service and seek to do something about it. In Kings we read how Hezekiah got rid of the bronze snake from the |temple, because people had turned it into an idol. But in John’s Gospel we hear Jesus referring to the story, of how the snake on the pole was lifted high to bring healing, and how he himself would be lifted up also to bring salvation. He was of course referring to the Cross and how he would be nailed to the cross and it lifted up for all to see. A terrible sight of suffering and agony, yet by his death we are healed, we are saved. Here we get a glimpse into the heart of God, a God who loved the world so much, he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. That wonderful verse from chapter 3, verse 14. One of the most beloved verses in the Bible. So, as the Israelites looked to the bronze serpent, we can gaze at the cross this season of Lent. We are not asked to do anything heroic, but simply gaze and see what God has done for us on the cross, behold the crucified Christ, arms outstretched, embracing the world. The Son of God is lifted up before us, and somehow we are drawn into the scope of his salvation. And we see love is at the heart of God. Love for the world. Love for you and me. Today is Mothering Sunday and we think of a mother’s love, whether it be a mother or an auntie or a granny or a lollipop woman – or someone like Rio Ferdinand, a macho footballer, whose wife died and who had to bring up their three children and be a father and a mother to them, discovering new sides to his personality he wasn’t aware of before. So God is a parent to us: Isaiah says: Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! Hosea says: It was I who taught Ephraim to walk and took them up into my arms. I led them with cords of kindness; I bent down and fed them. Jesus says: How often have I longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings… For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, should not perish but have everlasting life. Hymn 549 – How deep the father’s love Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Praise God from whom all blessings flow, Praise him all creatures here below Praise him above, ye heavenly host, Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost Loving God, we thank you for the gift of motherhood and for the many examples of faithful mothers in scripture, like Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth, Mary, and Lois. We give thanks for mothers the world over. We celebrate all those who have nurtured and cared for us, remembering especially mothers, stepmothers, aunts, grandmothers, teachers, neighbours, and all women who have mothered us. We celebrate today our mothers who bore us and cradled us as infants. We also remember mothers who have lost their children through illness or violence, whose tears still flow from their broken hearts. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well We remember families who are separated and those exiled from the land of their birth by frontiers, by barbed wire, and by war’s violence. We pray for all mothers who are struggling to be the parent they want to be. We remember those who through choice or circumstance cannot be mothers. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well We express gratitude to our spiritual mothers and fathers who guided us throughout life, modelling for us the love of God. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well We give thanks for our Mother Church; for our experience of being loved by a family that is as wide and broad as the human race. Creator God we thank you for always holding us in the palm of your hand. All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well Silence All shall be well, all shall be well And all manner of thing shall be well Hymn 167 – Guide me, O thou great Jehovah Benediction We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Linton (11.15) on the 3rd Sunday of Lent.
Call to Worship The heavens are telling out the glory of God The firmament proclaims God’s handiwork. The law of the Lord revives the soul May God’s teaching bring wisdom in our worship Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts Be acceptable in your sight, O Lord Hymn 212 – Morning has broken Prayer of Adoration and Confession God of majesty and mercy, you set the whirling cosmos in motion and call all creatures into being. Mountains and molehills alike speak of your majesty, for no detail misses your care and attention. You know each of us by name, and make yourself known to those who seek you. We gather in your presence to listen for your wisdom for our times and our lives. To you, O God, we offer all honour and glory in our prayers and our praise this day and every day, now and always. Wise and welcoming God, You are always seeking us out, yet we confess we are easily distracted from your presence. We envy those who are successful in the world’s terms, and pursue our own desires. We fail to question the cost of our desires to the earth or those in need. Forgive us, O God. Re-awaken us to your purposes and re-ignite our commitment to pursue them for the sake of Jesus Christ Brothers and sisters in Christ, here is the good news: God loves and values us and forgives what is past. Trust in your hearts the promise of new life and proclaim with your lips the goodness of God. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Exodus 20 : 1-17 (Pg 77) John 2: 13-22 (pg 1065) Hymn 360 – Jesus Christ is waiting (vv 1,2,5) Weekly Prayer Everlasting God, help us to feel your presence as we worship You and You only. Mindful of the Commandments that you gave to Moses, we pray that you would be worshiped above all else. Grant us the strength to reject all the idolatry of our secular world. Amen. Sermon In the National Gallery in Edinburgh there are many wonderful pictures, including a stunning new gallery for Scottish art. Some pictures stand out like the Monarch of the Glen, Landseer’s picture of a majestic stag. But somehow even more iconic is the picture of a minister skating on Duddingston Loch. He skates so effortlessly, seemingly without a care in the world, though I am sure that wasn’t the case. It reminds me of a story about a Dutch pastor, who had two churches, and after he finished the first service would go across country to the next church. But the winter was hard, and snow blocked the route overland. So the pastor took his skates and skated along the frozen canals to arrive at the other church. Afterwards the elders called the minister, who thought they might congratulate him on his ingenuity. But no, they expressed their concern that he had broken the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy. They debated the issue, and in the end decided that is was fine to skate, as long as he didn’t enjoy himself while skating. They had misunderstood the commandment, but maybe we all misunderstand the commandments. The Israelites had fled Egypt and were at Mt Sinai, and Moses went up the mountain, and when he eventually came down he brought the 10 commandments. God was providing the framework of how they would live as a community, as a society. The first 3 commands were ‘vertical’, you could say, relating to how they would interact with God, while the rest were ‘horizontal’, dealing with how the Israelites related to their neighbour. Most of the laws were common to other societies around them. Do not kill, do not steal, don’t commit adultery. You would find these laws in Egypt, in Mesopotamia. But some were unique, such as worshipping God and God alone, whereas in Egypt there had been many gods, you could take your pick. But maybe the most radical was to keep the Sabbath holy. The Dutch elders maybe thought it was about going to church and doing little else, and we can think about the Sabbath in that way too. But for people who had been slaves in Egypt, who had worked all day, every day, the prospect of a day off was very radical. It still is, with all the mental health issues of today, we need time to recharge our batteries to rest, as well as to worship. Of course, over time these 10 laws were developed to cover all sort of situations the Israelites might find themselves in, just as our laws do today, reflecting the culture and values of today, the role of women in society comes to mind. In time, as the Israelites settled, the worship of God became centred on the temple in Jerusalem, where sacrifices were made, and there were rules about what to sacrifice and when. The Temple should have been a place where people could feel close to God. But in our Gospel reading, we find that this was not the case when Jesus went to the Temple in John’s Gospel. It was like a market place, full of the clamour of buying and selling. There were various booths, changing money into Temple currency and selling animals and birds for the various sacrifices. In seeing it, Jesus was filled with righteous anger, that God’s house should be defiled in this way. What’s more, they had taken over the Courtyard of the Gentiles, so they were depriving people, excluded from other parts of the Temple, space from worshipping, and Jesus proceeded to overturn their tables and drive them out. It seems out of character with the gentle Jesus meek and mild image we sometimes have, but he felt strongly that God was being dishonoured. Similarly, there are so many injustices in our world, and over the centuries and indeed today many Christians have channelled their frustration with injustice to reform society and keep it more in line with the vision of Christ’s kingdom. So may we live our lives, seeking to live out God’s commandments and overturn the barriers of fear and injustice and manipulation and greed and build a society where love and respect and compassion hold sway, build the Kingdom of God. Hymn 535 – Who would true valour see Prayers of Dedication & Intercession As offer ourselves in service to the work of the Kingdom, so we bring our gifts of money, time and energy, offering all that we are, for the sake of Christ. Loving God, we thank you for the world you created, its beauty and its life sustaining promise. When we breathe in fresh air and enjoy the outdoors, remind us of our partnership with you to care for creation. As spring comes and the sun shines longer each day, reawaken our hope in your promise of new life. Ever present God, thank you for walking with us through days of uncertainty as well as times of pleasure and satisfaction. In times of stress and worry, you provide a still point of calm. In times of challenge, you inspire courage and confidence in us. Thank you for the wisdom and encouragement we receive from you. Today we pray for those who find this year hard going, For those worrying about making ends meet, and for those concerned about the way the world is going. Give us all peace and patience through your love. We pray for all churches searching for new ways to worship and witness in a changing culture. Keep us strong in faith and fellowship, and make us creative agents of healing and hope in our communities. We pray for our nation and the nations of this world. Raise up leaders the with courage, wisdom, and compassion to confront the challenges of these times. We pray for innocent victims of violence around the world. Work through advocates for peace with justice to bring an end to conflict, to inspire change where it is needed, and offer daily bread to those whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted. And we pray for all those who are enduring pain and illness, those who are facing grief and loss, and those who work to relieve suffering in so many ways. Grant rest and renewal to all who find their situations exhausting. Be our comfort and encouragement day by day. Amen Hymn 396 – And can it be Benediction We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the 2nd Sunday of Lent. We celebrate communion.
Call to Worship How shall we come before our God? We come to celebrate God’s goodness As we worship, what does the Lord require of us? God calls us to do justice and to love kindness. As we serve, what does the Lord require of us? God calls us to walk and worship in humility Hymn 160 – Praise my soul, the King of heaven Prayer of Adoration and Confession Loving God, you speak words of life to us. In you we find our hearts’ desire; by your grace we are saved. When the way forward is unclear, you shed light. When times are difficult, you stir courage and hope. Our deepest longing is to know you, and to be known by you. Draw near to us in our time of worship, O God, and open the way before us, so that we may follow Jesus without wavering, putting our trust in him. Although following you brings joy, O God, we confess the way is sometimes hard for us. We get tired and would prefer an easier road. Some days the task of loving others seems hard, and we ignore the needs of our neighbours. Forgive us when our commitment to you wavers, and we take that easier path. Strengthen our determination to follow where you lead and renew our energy to serve in Jesus’ name. Amen Readings – Genesis 17: 1–7, 15-16 (Pg 16) Mark 8: 31-8 (pg 1012) Hymn 392 – When I survey the wondrous cross Weekly Prayer Gracious God, during this period of Lent, give us a new awareness of your presence here in our Cheviot Churches and teach us the humility to accept that everything we have comes from you. Help us never to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ and let us be useful in His service to your people. Amen Sermon The Galilee Employment Agency had been given a challenge – to identify someone to fill the number 2 spot in a new organisation headed by one, Jesus of Nazareth. There were twelve candidates, but some were quickly discounted because they lacked profile. The report highlighted the various strengths and weaknesses before making their conclusion. James and John, for example, had their strengths but were seen as overly ambitious and with a dominating, interfering mother. Andrew, despite being one of the first members of the organisation and good at teamwork, was deemed to be too content to be in the background and lacked the leadership skills necessary. Simon was too impulsive and outspoken, lacking the diplomacy needed for the role. But the report concluded that the person most suited to the post, with financial acumen and contacts in high places, was Judas Iscariot. Sometimes we do choose the wrong people for particular jobs, and that is why the interviewing panel needs to have the right information and most crucially a job description where some attributes are deemed essential and others desirable, perhaps not essential, but they would be quite nice to have anyway. But what about a job description for being a Christian, what would be the essentials? What would be the desirable things that would go on that list? Perhaps in the essential list you might have things like a certain set of beliefs, perhaps a particular view of faith and trust in Christ, perhaps a life of prayer, of study of scripture, or perhaps it's more about being compassionate, kind and loving, having a real sense of integrity. These would all be essential. But what about the readiness to deny yourself and take up the cross? Would that be on your list? Some scholars when they examine Mark’s Gospel see that in the first half, Mark explores who Jesus is and what he was like. And the second half is about how we respond to Christ? And we see that through the lens of the disciples as they follow Christ. And here at the pivot point as we change from being in the first half to the second half of Mark's Gospel, as we change from concentrating on who Jesus is to how we might respond, we get this little passage in which Jesus seems to lay down for us the job description of what it means to be a disciple. To deny ourselves. As we mentioned last week, as we journey through Lent, we often give up something as a discipline, a self-sacrifice. We are somehow making space to focus more on God. In the Bible when people focused on God, they were sometimes so transformed they were given a new name. Jacob became Israel; Simon became Peter’ Saul became Paul. Sarai and Abram became Sarah and Abraham. When we focus on God we too can be transformed. But we are also called to take up the cross. We all have crosses to bear, be they small or large, be they illnesses or anxieties. For many in our world to bear the name of Christ can lead to persecution and suffering and even death. Today at Communion we focus on the extent of Christ’s love for us that he would endure suffering and death on the cross for us, that we might be saved, know the fullness of God’s love. That gives us the strength and encouragement to carry the cross. Our response is to follow. To follow Christ means showing that integrity to the world, that in seeing us, people may know that we are Christians. Prayers of Dedication & Intercession Lord Jesus, you challenge your followers to give to God like you did, without counting the cost. Use these gifts to continue your ministry of healing in this hurting world. And grant us courage so that our lives speak to others of our love for you and for them’ Loving God, as descendants of Abraham we offer our prayers; for a world in turmoil, as we think of the many places in the world that are in the grip of war, oppression and tyranny. We pray for peace; in Gaza, Ukraine, Yemen and all countries where there is conflict. We pray too, for those whose lives are forfeit or endangered by hostile regimes: that kill or imprison those who dare oppose dangerous leaders. We remember the family of Alexi Navalny and all those who supported his views. Loving God, we pray for our own country and our particular communities; for peaceful relationships amongst diverse people. May we always seek for common ground and agreement rather than difference and argument. We pray for all affected by the increase in knife crime which has claimed too many young lives recently. Loving God, we pray for all who are sick in body or mind; for those who face the increasing challenges of an aging body; for those who have recently received a tough diagnosis; for those with life-limiting conditions. In a moment of silence, we name those most on our hearts this day. Loving God, we pray for ourselves, for our friends and our families; May we ever seek to be brave enough to answer the challenge to take up the cross and walk with you; to seek your ways, not our own and to remember that you have promised to be with us, always. Amen Invitation Lent is not simply a time for temporary self-discipline. It is time to refashion our relationship with God and to be refashioned by God’s strength and grace. This meal is the gift of that strength and grace and reminds us there will always be enough for everyone who seeks a place at this table. So come, you who have much faith and you who have a little, you who have been here often and you who have not been for a long time.Our Saviour invites all those who trust his grace to share this feast as a foretaste of his kingdom. Hymn 19 – Ye gates Communion Hymn 518 – Lift up your hearts Benediction We welcome everyone to our services at Yetholm (10am) and Morebattle (11.15) on the first Sunday of Lent. Please stay for refreshments after the Yetholm service.
Call to Worship We are beginning our journey through Lent. God is with us on the way. We come to find light in the shadows and strength in our weakness. We remember God’s faithfulness. We seek God’s mercy and truth step by step, day by day. We trust in God’s steadfast love, so we worship with grateful hearts! Hymn 93 – Let us with a gladsome mind Prayer of Adoration and Confession Good and gracious God, Creator of earth and sky, Maker of rainbows and raindrops, we praise you for the beauty of the world us, and for the hope of life with you now and always. We praise you for your faithfulness and loving kindness throughout all generations, for your promise of grace, for your compassion and redemption revealed to us in Christ Jesus. Receive our prayers and praises this day and teach us how to live by your love. Wise and Merciful God, you made a covenant with us in faithfulness, but we confess we are not always so faithful to you. We grow tired and restless when things don’t go our way. We lose patience with others. We lack compassion for our neighbours in need, and forget to express love for those closest to us. Forgive us. Make us prisms of your love, making rainbows of your light, creating beauty and deepening hope wherever we go. Jesus says, ‘Do not be afraid. I love you. You are forgiven. Go sin no more’ Lord’s Prayer Readings – Genesis 9:8–17 (Pg 10) Mark 1: 9-15 (pg 1002) Hymn 337 – Forty days and forty nights Weekly Prayer Heavenly Father, help us to see this time of Lent as an opportunity to develop our discipleship and discipline and as your Son Jesus showed us how to reject temptation, fill us with grace to be faithful to his example in this Lenten season and the years ahead. Amen Sermon Satan had a problem. The Good news of Jesus was just too popular, and people were being changed by the message and the truth it contained. They were paying less attention to Satan. Now I think there was something of the Presbyterian in Satan, for what did he do, but call a meeting. He called all his demons and presented the problem to them. ‘How do we stop people listening to the good news Jesus offers. What lie can we tell them to confuse them. I will give you 48 hours to come up with a plan’, he said. So 48 hours later they reconvened, and Satan asked them what they had come up with. One demon immediately said, We can tell the people that there is no such thing as right, then no-one will be inspired to do anything good or beautiful, for nothing is right. But Satan wasn’t convinced. But then a shy demon raised his hand and said, ‘Let us just tell humans that there is no hurry’. Satan clapped his hands and said, ‘Perfect. We will tell them that there is no hurry.’ And we humans have been listening to that lie ever since. There is plenty of time to change, to do what Jesus is asking of me. But there is no hurry. I will be more serious about prayer, I will volunteer, I will up my giving - but there is always tomorrow. We keep procrastinating, and we are all very good at it. But this is the 1st Sunday of Lent, and Mark’s Gospel tells us that there is a hurry. Whereas Matthew and Luke go into a lot of detail about the temptations, Mark is terse and leaves a lot to the imagination, but in these few verses Jesus goes from baptism to temptation to ministry. It leaves you out of breath. There is a Greek phrase he uses, kai euthys, which means ‘and immediately, and Mark uses this phrase 49 times. There is a real sense of urgency. There is no procrastination in Mark. We start at the Jordan River, where Jesus has come to be baptised by John. Like at the Transfiguration last week, there is a voice from heaven, affirming ‘You are my beloved son. With you I am well pleased’. What special words. It is what every child longs to hear – that they are loved, that they are special, that they are valued, that they belong. Sometimes we can be shy of telling our children or the people around us that they are special. Valentine’s day last week maybe saw an increase in people sending cards or flowers to loved ones, but we should be doing it all the time. As children of God, we need to know that we are loved by God and by our brothers and sisters in the faith. Dripping wet still from being immersed in the Jordan, Jesus is ‘immediately’ driven by the Spirit to the wilderness. No time to revel in the words spoken at baptism, but Jesus rather finds himself in the wilderness for 40 days, biblical shorthand for a very long time. The season of Lent lasts 40 days to represent this time in the desert. We remember how the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years; it was a place of trial and danger. They were tempted to complain about the boring manna from heaven; to worship the Golden calf; to ignore Moses’ leadership, and they fell straight into these temptations. The desert is a dangerous place, but Jesus spent time struggling no doubt with who he was and the way he had to go, but although the temptation to go back to the carpenter shop in Nazareth and a normal life must have been strong, he resisted it. Mark’s story about the temptations is so short, but it ends with a lovely phrase that wild animals were with him, and angels ministered to him. There is a picture by Stanley Spencer of Jesus in the wilderness playing with a scorpion. Did the dangerous animals become tame like the lions in Daniel’s den? Our Old Testament reading was the culmination of the Flood story, when the animals went two by two into the ark and seemed not to fight. But the reading was of the gift of the rainbow, God’s love letter in the sky. It was a sign that God would not destroy the earth again – though we do a jolly good job ourselves. Jesus’ time in the wilderness gave him the strength to go ‘immediately’ to Galilee to offer a new start for all humanity. Satan’s lie was to say that there was no hurry, but Jesus gives the message of God’s love, and we are called to respond, not to shove it into a safe place called ‘tomorrow’. As we begin this season of Lent, let us know ourselves beloved children of God, but let us show it by acting out the Gospel here and now. Hymn 557 – O love that wilt not let me go Prayers of Dedication God of courage and compassion, we bring our gifts to you in Jesus’ name. This year the world badly needs both his courage and compassion. Bless our gifts so that they bring hope to others in these challenging times. Amen. Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession As we enter this holy season, Lord God, we give you thanks for your promise of new life that sustains us, encouraging us when in the trials and tribulations of life. We come with our thanks for all the good things; for the beauty of the natural world, glimpsed in mountains and sunsets, and in the abundance of snowdrops and the stirring of spring bulbs; for the warmth of human love, whenever we find it and whoever we are stirred to love; for the thrill of discovery and curiosity, of new things learned and gifts we can share; for the pleasures of life, known in laughter and company, in good food and the tiredness of a fulfilling day. For all that merits our heartfelt thanks, we express now our gratitude and joy. In sorrow, we recognise that life is not always joy, and that many; human beings, creatures and all things, may suffer injury, hurt, and pain. We pray for all those who do not ever see much beauty; those in prison, or working in buildings with little light, people deep in depression or those abused by others. We pray for those who live in the pain of grief, or who have suffered such a trauma that they are afraid, for all whose days feel beyond their control. We pray for those for whom hunger is physical and painful, those made poor by ruthless economies or cruel wars, all enslaved to hard and relentless labour. God of the garden and the desert, of all pain and every joy, be with each of us in the wild places and send your angels to bless us. Give us grace and courage too, to accompany those in any kind of wilderness and to offer blessings where we can. We offer these prayers, in the name of Jesus Christ, your beloved Son, Amen. Hymn 519 – Love divine Benediction As we begin our journey through the season of Lent, May God’s loving kindness comfort you, God’s justice inspire you, And Jesus walk beside you in humility and hope. |