Call to Worship Praise God, all you people of the earth. Blessed be God forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting blessed be God forever. As high as the tree soaring above the forest, as beautiful as the river flowing through many lands, as rich as the ecosystems of an abundant earth, as close as the smallest creature on the ground, so good is the God of all creation. blessed be God forever. Hymn 154 – O Lord my God Prayers of Approach and Confession Glorious God, who made us part of a wonderfully varied creation: We join creation in praising you! Generous God, who made humanity in amazing diversity so that we might, together, comprehend your boundless marvels: We join creation in praising you! Gracious God, who entrusts the care of all creation to us and gives us the gift of creativity: We join creation in praising you! For those times when we have blamed others’ actions: Gracious God: forgive us. For those times when we have acted from selfish ambition: Gracious God: forgive us. For those times when we have been conceited: Gracious God: forgive us. For those times when we have regarded ourselves as better than others. Gracious God: forgive us. For those times when we have looked only to our own interests: Gracious God: forgive us. In silence we remember those times when we have fallen short of the example that Jesus set for us. Silence Gracious God: forgive us. It is God who is at work in you, your sins are forgiven. Let the same mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus, so that your love for all people may shine through our words and actions. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Philippians 2:1-13 Matthew 21:23-32 Hymn 143 – Who put the colours in the rainbow Weekly Prayer Christ Jesus whose glory was poured out like perfume, and who chose for our sake to take the extravagance that our lives may be fragrant with you. Amen. Sermon ‘Let your Yes be Yes and your No be No’. So said Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. But we are not very good at that, are we? Some nationalities can be very direct and say exactly what they think; they don’t beat about the bush. But we don’t want to upset people, so we skirt around the issue to avoid offending people with what we think. When we ask people how they are, the response is rarely ‘ I am very well’ or ‘I feel absolutely dreadful’; rather people say ‘I’m not bad’ or ‘I’m doing away’ or ‘fair to middling’. In Zambian English it was ‘Just OK’. There are other phrases we use: we say, "It really doesn't matter" –when we mean ‘Nothing has ever mattered to me more and I will never forget this and will hold a grudge forever’
In our Gospel reading we had the parable of the two sons. It is one of Jesus' shortest parables, and the two brothers seem to have great difficulty saying either yes or no. A father asks his two sons – will you go into the vineyard and work for me? One says yes when he really means no; one says no, but then on reflection realises he actually means Yes. And Jesus asks which of the sons does the father’s will, and the Priests and pharisees to whom he addresses the question, admit that the son who originally said no, but ended up in the vineyard, was the one who did the father’s will. Jesus was speaking to the chief priests and elders. He had just cleansed the Temple and was obviously regarded as a troublemaker, someone who was intent on upsetting the system. They asked by what authority he did these things, but Jesus turned it on them, asking on whose authority John the Baptist did things, implying it was by the same authority Jesus acted. The leaders were in a quandary. If they said John acted on God’s authority, people would wonder why they the priests didn’t support him; but if they claimed John acted on his own authority, the crowd would turn against them, for John was still popular with them. So they chickened out and said, they didn’t know. But somehow Jesus was having a dig at the religious leaders, for putting on a face, saying yes to God and to God’s commandments, while all the time living out the opposite in their lives. They said Yes but did not mean it. Thankfully we have a God who says Yes and does mean it. In the beginning God said Yes to creation. He made creation and said that it was good – the sky, the sea, the land with all that grows. It is amazing to think of the creativity of creation with all the wonderful creatures and plants. It is amazing to think that at an early time people began to till the land and farming began, growing crops and looking after livestock. Although we have hi-tech machines now, there is still the timelessness of the crops being brought in. We depend on the land around us. Yet we are conscious of the harm we have done to creation. We have been poor stewards. This week there was a story of water companies being fined because of their failure to keep the waterways clean. There were pictures of all kinds of sewage pumped into rivers and the sea. The changing climate has impacted creation with wildfires and floods and extreme heat this summer, with areas like Morocco and Spain where so many vegetables are grown affected. When we talk about caring for creation, we can’t let our Yes mean No. But we are also thankful that God created humanity in his image – male and female, and God said they were very good. God said yes to us and affirmed us. We quickly said No to God and went our own way, But God continued to draw us back and sent his Son Jesus to live our life on earth and bring us back to God, and in his letter to the Philippians Paul describes in that wonderful passage how Jesus became like a servant and humbled himself to the point of dying on the cross, before being exalted. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow. That was God’s yes to us. Paul tells us that our attitude should be the same as Christ’s, our mind should be the same. That means living out God’s Yes in our lives. This is harvest season when we celebrate the fruits of creation, but we also recognise the fruits within us – the fruit of goodness and kindness and patience and peace and generosity and gentleness and so on. By living out these fruits in our lives we show our Yes to God. Hymn 240 – God in such love for us Prayers of Dedication and Intercession Accept our gifts O God, as tokens of our praise and thanks to You. Accept our gifts O God, as tokens of our desire to change. Accept our gifts O God, as tokens of our love. Accept us too O God, that we may continue to praise, change and love. O God, Eternal Majesty, we thank you for our world, but recognise all is not as it should be. birds are dying of avian flu, fish swim in polluted seas, flowers cry out for bees and insects to pollinate them, trees are torn down so big business can make more money. The rains are not gentle but threatening, the mountains shake with rage as we turn our backs on the earth our mother. Teach us, O God, to learn from the Earth that we may lie in harmony with Creation and each other. O God, Incarnate Word, You walked our earth, know our pain, see our confusion. Help us to see those things You lay out in plain sight:- the rising sea waters, the increasing temperature, the people on the move, the ecological crisis reaching tipping point, and give us the grace and strength to act. Forgive us when we are distracted by things that don’t matter. Help us to call to account those who lead us, that we may use our voices to change before it’s too late. We thank you that Paul taught us that our life in Christ makes us strong, and his love comforts us. We need your comfort as we hear of so many things seeming to go wrong in your world. We pray for all those affected by recent disasters. We pray for the people in Libya whose homes were destroyed by flooding and those in Morocco who lost so much in the earthquake. We pray for the various organisations trying to help, we pray that they will have the money and the people needed. We especially pray for Christian Aid and for all they do to help people in your name. We remember the hundreds of refugees from war-torn Nagorno-Karabakh and pray for the situation in Armenia and Azerbaijan. We pray for those we know who are ill or anxious or bereaved, who need to be aware of our care for them…teach us your way of love. We pray for the church, as we face the challenge of Christian living in a modern society and world…teach us your way of love. Silence as we remember all in need. Amen Hymn 137 – All things bright & beautiful Benediction May thoughts of Jesus fill your mind, and hunger for God drive your soul, and love for Lord guide your speech and your actions. And may the grace, peace, and love of the triune God, protect, defend, and empower you to run with perseverance the race marked out for you.
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Call to Worship Come and worship, you who woke early and you who slept late; you who come often, and you who don’t. Whether we are first or last or somewhere in between, there is room for all of us in God’s kingdom, and more than enough grace to go around. Let’s worship God together! Hymn 214 – New every morning Prayers of Approach and Confession God of all creation, you open the world around us and fill it with creatures of your love and purpose. The wonder of each creature declares your praise – the mountains state your majesty; the ripened field, your generosity; the oceans your power and the skies your grandeur. Birds flying aloft sing of your freedom; the tiny ant works with your persistence. And what do we declare about you in our lives? We pray that our work will honour your justice and mercy; and our relationships speak of your love and compassion. So may we praise you, O God, not just in this hour of worship, but in all our waking and our working. May we live your praise and promise through Christ, our Living Lord. Patient one, we praise you. For not giving up on us. For promising never to leave us. For loving us, for better or worse. Forgive us for the divisions between us, the grudges we cling to, the hurts we cherish, and the harm we have done in your name. Shake us from our lazy assumptions and lame excuses. Help us to heal broken friendships, and all we have neglected to tend or repair. May we love one another, as you have loved us. The mercy of our God is from everlasting to everlasting. Believe the Good News! In Jesus Christ, God’s generous love reaches out to embrace us. In Christ, we are forgiven and set free to begin again. Thanks be to God! Lord’s Prayer Readings – Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20:1-16 Hymn 619/20 – Spirit of the living God Weekly Prayer Everlasting God, you do everything possible for our spiritual growth and well-being. Help us to be generous in all our service and as we prepare for the week to come, enable us to echo the words of Paul who could say "for me to live is Christ." Amen Sermon Standing, waiting, the sun rising, the heat swelling, uncertainty swirling, looking around at expectant faces, waiting on work, waiting on a wage, waiting … waiting … A truck pulls up, the foreman jumps down, looks along the line, points, you, you, you … but not me. Standing, waiting, the sun beating, uncertainty gaining ground, waiting … waiting … A minibus pulls over, and from our ranks goes another group of workers, their day’s uncertainty over, but not me. Standing, waiting, shoulders slumping, head bowing, a vision of empty bowls in front of hungry children, waiting… waiting The foreman is back, needing more hands, you, you, you … but still not me. Sitting, waiting, forlorn, hopeless, but what else to do? the sun going down, the day almost over, waiting … waiting … for a job that will never come. The sound of tyres on gravel, a fleeting hope, a finger pointing at me, beckoning me over – it is me, finally chosen! An overwhelming relief flooding through my body: a wage to come, food on the table, for today, today. And then the waiting will begin again, next sunrise. (Peter Johnston STB) That’s the scene from our Gospel reading today, but it is also the scene from Africa and even the Arab villages in the North of Israel. Workers hoping someone will come along and hire them for the day, so that there would be enough food to put on the table for their families in the evening. It is a precarious kind of existence. Hoping you look fit enough for the work, hoping you will be lucky. Most of the parables Jesus told make us feel good. There are characters we can relate to, like the father in the Prodigal Son (sons?). They can be heartwarming, when the unexpected happens, as when the Samaritan helps the injured man on the road and takes him to the inn and even pays for his recuperation there. But this parable we read today somehow offends our idea of fairness. It just doesn’t seem fair that those who have worked the whole day should be paid the same as those who only worked a short time at the end. But that is exactly what happens in Jesus’ story. We expect there to be a sliding scale, where the ones who laboured through the heat of the day are rewarded more than the johnny-come-latelies. But in Jesus parable all are paid the same. It is as if the landowner is saying, ‘We agreed a wage, and you got that wage. It is my money – what is it to you that I should be generous with my own money’. The parable is not really about the workers, but about the generosity of God, about the grace of God, which is overwhelming and all embracing. And sometimes love in the form of grace trumps justice. Scholars think Matthew includes this story in his gospel to reflect the early church. There were those who had been in the church from the start and who had sacrificed a lot to follow Christ, while others, maybe slaves, came to Christ later in their lives. Those who had been in the church for a long time would understandably see themselves as first in line for the seat in Christ’s kingdom. But Jesus is saying that God loves everyone and regards everyone as the same. We may have been in the church from the year dot, made countless sandwiches and cups of tea, read the lessons, even been elders, but God’s grace is overwhelming and everyone is precious. I can show my dog collar, my certificates from new College even my Kiltwalk medals – but they are not my entry ticket into heaven. I think we are all in for a big surprise. Remember how the mother of James and John pleaded with Jesus for special positions for her boys. It was a mother’s love that drove her, but Jesus kindly but firmly put her in her place. There is no favouritism. And so it should be in the church as well. But I think this parable also shows the landowner helping those who were left behind, those who didn’t appear so strong, the undervalued and those with no sense of worth, and that reflects God’s love as well. The Gospel has a bias to the poor and to the vulnerable. God wants them in the Vineyard, such is the generosity of grace. As the Church, we have to embody that. One way is to be conscious of so many in our world working for minimal wages, and the importance of ensuring a fair wage and by supporting Fairtrade and agencies like Christian Aid, empowering the disadvantaged. Christian Aid has the slogan ‘Life before Death’. In Philippians we read how Paul expressed the wish that he could die and be with Christ in the Kingdom of heaven, such was his faith – ‘for me to live is Christ, to die is gain’, but there was still work to be done on earth, and Jesus called him to continue to work building the Kingdom as a place where all are welcome and accepted, regardless of background or pedigree. God’s generosity abounds, his grace is amazing, and we too must live out that generosity in our lives and show something of God’s grace. Hymn 607 – The bright wind is blowing Prayers of Dedication and Intercession Generous God, you are the source of all good things, of life itself and all that sustains it. Bless the gifts we offer. By your Spirit, multiply their impact to support your purposes in the world you love in the name of Christ, our Saviour and Friend. Amen. God of mystery and wonder, We look around at the beauty of the world and sense that you have given each precious thing its place and a way of sustaining itself. Thank you for your attention to the details of creation. Yet we also see an aching world and sense that many precious things are under threat. Bless the work of faithful people everywhere to care for the climate and environment. Show us how we can protect what is at risk for the health of your whole creation. God of energy and life, We look around at the peoples of this world and see your imagination and dignity in every variety of face and culture. Thank you for the gifts you plant at the heart of humanity. Yet we also see the aching of the hungry and hurting, and hear the groans of parents whose children die in their arms and the cries of children who fear tomorrow. Bless the various outreach and agencies of our church across our country and around the world that bring healing and hope to lives at risk. God of promise and possibility, We look around at the places where people collide with each other and hear the grumbling of nations locked into old rivalries and new grievances. We watch the jousting of leaders impressed more by polls than effective policies. We worry about the future of our communities and our children. Thank you for the witness for justice and peace we make together in Jesus’ name. God of faithfulness and surprise, We look at ourselves and sometimes doubt we can make a difference or have an impact. Challenge us to recognise the kinds of power we do have: The love and compassion, The courage and commitment, The laughter and friendship, The generosity and mercy. In all of these gifts we know your power at work within us and among us. Call us to keep serving together, trusting you can do more than we can ask or imagine through, our congregation, and our own lives, blessed by the grace of Jesus Christ Hymn 476 – Mine eyes have seen the glory Benediction Go out from here as workers in God’s upside-down kingdom, where the last are first and the first are last, where needs are met in miraculous ways, and there is grace enough for all! And may the blessing of God, the love of Jesus Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit surround you and sustain you in the coming days. Amen. 
Call to Worship The Lord our God is great and to be highly praised. We come to worship. The Lord our God is great beyond our understanding. We come to worship. The Lord our God is loving and full of mercy. We come to worship. Hymn 457 – All Hail the power of Jesus’s name, Prayers of Approach and Confession Bible Readings – Matthew 18: 21 – 35 Romans 14: 1 – 12. Hymn 458 - At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow Weekly Prayer Almighty God, we thank you that Christ died for the forgiveness of sins and rose again so that we might have life enteral. Help us to respect differences in our churches and work together in love towards our common purposes. Enable us to forgive with all our hearts, as we have been forgiven. Amen Sermon - (followed by The Lord’s Prayer) Hymn 693 - Help us forgive, forgiving Lord Prayers of Dedication (Offerings) Prayers of Intercession Hymn 522 - The Church is wherever God’s People are Praising Benediction  We welcome all visitors to our services at Yetholm (10am) and at Morebattle (11.15am), where we will ordain three new elders.
Call to Worship We gather to worship God to be reminded of hope to be built up in love and to step out together on the way of Jesus Peace candle is lit Hymn 336 – Christ is our light Prayers of Approach and Confession In gardens and bushland, mountains and oceans We see the signs that God is with us. In the faces of people whom God so loves, We see the signs that God is with us. Where the poor and abused are heard and raised, We see the signs that God is with us. In our brokenness, there is the hope of wholeness. In our emptiness, there is the hope of fullness. In our darkness, there is the hope of light In our doubt, there is the gift of faith. Gracious and loving God, we give thanks for your presence in our lives, we praise your name and lift our voices to you! God of majesty and mercy, although Christ offers us peace, we confess we are a people divided. We harbour fears and jealousy which set neighbour against neighbour, nation against nation. We pursue profit and pleasures which harm creation and the wellbeing of less privileged peoples. Have mercy upon us, O God. Set us free from our old ways to serve you as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul challenges us to lay aside actions and deeds that distance us from God and one another and to put on the armour of light. Know that you are forgiven by God’s grace. So walk in God’s mercy. Be at peace with God, with yourself and with each other. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18:15-20 Hymn 543 – Longing for light (1,2,3,5) Weekly Prayer Everlasting God, Lord of compassion and gracious understanding, thank you for your promise to be us when we gather in Jesus' Name. Help us to love one another and so fulfil the law. Enable us to keep the promises we have made and so as we go out this coming week show us more of the life you have designed especially for us to live. Amen Sermon If something is broken, what do you do? It may be that you go out and buy a new better model or if clothes have a hole, then a nice new shirt. But these days people are once again more interested in trying to repair it, and we have seen much interest in programmes like the Repair Shop. People use their skills to mend things. Sometimes it only needs a needle and thread or some blu-tac or Sellotape; sometimes it needs something more specialised. This week we have been hearing of the threat of school and other public buildings being closed because of weakened concrete, and that will take something more specialised to sort; it will be a decision to repair or to demolish and rebuild. It is the same with our bodies. If I get a blister on my Kiltwalk, I will know what to do; if we break a limb, we may have our leg or arm in plaster for some weeks, but it will repair eventually. BUT what about relationships? And there it becomes more difficult, and that is what our Gospel reading addresses today. God calls us to live together peaceably with one another, so we can work together to support each other and build a better world. Paul in his letter to the Romans suggests that all the commandments are summed up in ‘loving our neighbour as ourself’, though that rather assumes we love ourselves, and some people sadly don’t. Matthew dwells on difficulties within the church community, where there are disagreements, and shows how to resolve them. In the epistles we see that often the early congregations had tensions and quarrels. They were human. Matthew was talking about something universal – that people sometimes don’t get on, and that affects the Christian community as much as other places. When I was a student, I went to Israel for a year before going to study Divinity in Edinburgh. The Church had a centre there, a church, a bookshop, a guest house to welcome pilgrims. There was a minister, the warden and assistant warden and several of us volunteers, taking time out for whatever reason and spending time in the Holy land. I imagined it would be so good to live in community with fellow Christians, that we would live in love and harmony. But the reality soon hit me – that as Christians we are human, and tensions and jealousies exist. In the past, instead of getting the Cheviot magazine, the elder would give you a token, but only if you were deemed worthy of receiving communion. Thankfully we are away from these more judgemental days, but some churches still practice that with relish, especially some churches in Zambia who suspended the young but overlooked the sins of the more mature. Jehovah Witness are famous for shunning members who stray from their code. Yes, we need to have standards and need to ‘put aside the deeds of darkness and don the armour of the light’, as Paul puts it to the Romans. But also to realise we have all fallen short, but pardoned by God’s grace. That means we can live as children of the light. Yet we do have situations that need to be resolved pastorally and Matthew provides a framework for that by addressing the disagreement. I found myself in a congregation that was split down the middle and needed to call in ‘Place for Hope’, which works in conflict resolution and through dialogue seeks to resolve issues. In South Africa after Apartheid, there was no bloodbath, but rather the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which confronted issues head-on to bring about resolution. But in the Gospel, the passage finishes with the wonderful verse that where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them. And where God is, there is love. Where God is, there is a desire to work together, to build a world of peace . A world where hard-talking needs sometimes to be done, but where reconciliation and co-operation is always possible. Today we ordain our new elders and pray that they will be motivated to act in love and live by the kingdom values, as they seek to be used by God, who has called them, a God who has promised to be with them, as they seek to serve the church. Prayers of Dedication and Intercession Gracious God, may the money we offer and the gifts you have given us to use for your service, be a blessing to our community, in your name. Amen Lord Jesus, you have promised that where two or three are gathered in your name you are there among them and so we pray to you in faith. We pray for the life of your Church, holding before you the life of the whole Church of Scotland and of our own congregation here in this place. Teach us the meaning of love, that we may truly love one another and that we may radiate your love to those around us. In a world of division and conflict show us how to live in unity with those who are different to ourselves. Fill your church with hope, faith and love that your glory may be revealed through our lives. We pray for the needs of the world; for the victims of war and conflict in Ukraine, in Israel and Palestine and the many forgotten conflicts in our world; praying for hope, wisdom, compassion, and lasting peace. For all who are making a new beginning in their lives we pray for your calming presence and guiding hand upon them. Bless our community, Lord, and all who live and work here, that your grace may be shown in neighbourly love. We pray for people who are in special need; Those in our church family who are ill; Someone we know who is struggling; All who are grieving the death of a loved one; And those whose concerns are in our thoughts today as we pray for them in silence….. Shine your light on all for whom we pray. In the name of Christ, who hears our prayers. Amen. Hymn 465 – Be thou my vision Ordination of Elders Hymn 680 – You are called to tell the story (1,2,4) Benediction Go, strengthened to live your faith as the Church in the world and to dwell with each other in community, And may the blessing of God, Creator, Son and Spirit, go with you. Amen  We welcome all visitors to our services at Yetholm (10am) and at Linton (11.15am). Please sign the Visitors’ Book.
Call to Worship Give thanks to God and tell of God’s gifts. We will sing praises for all that God has done. Let your hearts be joyful! We will seek God’s presence continually. Call to mind God’s wonderful works. We will always remember the blessings of God and glorify God forever! Hymn 173 – Sing to God new songs of worship Prayers of Approach and Confession Holy, Mysterious, Eternal and Ever-loving God, In you we live and move and have our being. You are the beginning and end of all things. In your depth, we find mystery. In your breadth, we know your tender embrace. We can only wonder at your love for us, so small a part of your whole creation are we. Yet in Jesus Christ we meet your generous grace. In the Holy Spirit, you move with us to inspire our action and fill us with hope. Our thoughts cannot exhaust your wisdom, nor can our hearts fathom your mercy. And so we worship you in humble praise, Holy God, ever Three and ever One, now and always. Faithful and forgiving God, we confess we do not live out your love and mercy. We cling to old hurts and familiar habits. We nurse anger and envy. We are often so self-absorbed that we turn our backs on those in need. Forgive what we have been, amend who we are, and guide us toward who we may become according to your generous grace. If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation. Thanks be to God that we can all make a new start through God’s embracing grace. Lord’s Prayer Readings – Romans 12: 9-21 (Pg 1139) Matthew 16: 21-28 (Pg 984) Hymn 155 – Think of a world without any flowers Weekly Prayer Gracious God, help us to be joyful in hope and faithful in prayer. Deepen our loving so that as we pray, we may do it with your heart of compassion. Help us to take up our cross as we seek follow you throughout this coming week. Amen Sermon Earlier this year there was a programme on one of these streaming services called ‘Succession’. It won awards, made a lot of headlines. I of course didn’t see it, but it was about a big businessman, Logan Roy, who builds up a global media business and he has 3 sons and a daughter. It is all glamour and wealth, but the story is really about who will succeed the father, the Patriarch, when he dies. There is a lot of backstabbing and jealousy and double-dealing. Not a happy family. Jesus and the disciples present a happier group of people. The disciples were human, and I have no doubt there would be jealousy and bickering and one – Judas – did fall out at the end, but their devotion to Jesus was so strong. Jesus was young of course, so there was no eyeing the succession, but there was a jostling for position – James and John seemed keen to sit on the right and left of Jesus. But if there was one disciple who was at Jesus’ right hand, it would have been Simon Peter. Who will be my disciple? Peter’s hand shot up, and he was one of the first called to follow Jesus. Who will walk on water? Peter’s hand shot up, and he did try, even if he did sink like the rock his name implied. And then at Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asks the disciples who they say that he is, and Peter, quick as a flash, says the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Go to the top of the class, Peter. It is the correct answer, and he bathes in adulation. Jesus calls him the rock on which the church will be built. But the next minute he goes from Solid Rock to Stumbling Block. From being praised to being condemned, with Jesus blasting him, ‘Get thee behind me, Satan!’. The reason? Because after Peter affirms him as the Messiah, Jesus expands what it actually means to be the Messiah. For Peter, his understanding of the Messiah would have been like the other disciples and their fellow countrymen and women. They would see the Messiah as a charismatic warrior figure, ready to cast out the hated Romans and bring about a new kingdom of independence. A kingdom with Peter no doubt as one of the movers and shakers. Fame and glory were on Peter’s mind. But Jesus talk of a different kind of Messiah, one who would go to Jerusalem not to confront the powers-that-be, but rather to suffer and even to die. No wonder Peter reacts. Who wants a friend to suffer after all? Not for the first time he gets it wrong – and indeed not for the last. But Jesus knows the way will be hard and wants the disciples to be aware of the difficulties that lie ahead. He sees himself as the suffering servant, whose way is one of self-sacrifice and self-giving, and he tells the disciples that they too will have to take up their own crosses, endure suffering for his sake. Peter’s reaction was all self-centred, but Jesus’ way was other-centred. It focused on other people’s needs. Self-giving is all about love. Paul writes about that in his letter to the Romans, Let love be sincere. We are always tempted to hate those we disagree with, to seek for vengeance, but Paul gives a better way and invites us to imitate Christ, who on the cross was ready even to forgive his persecutors- they know not what they do. Eric Liddell, the famous athlete and rugby player was a missionary in China. When Japan invaded the country he was put into a POW camp. It would have been difficult. There would be countless petty humiliations. He would have been abused both verbally and physically. But he read aloud the Sermon on the Mount and dwelt on one verse – ‘Love your enemies. Bless those who curse you and do good to those who hate you’. That was the way of Christ who suffered and forgave even on the cross. That changed Eric Liddell’s perspective and daily he prayed for his captors. He moved from being self-centred to other -centred. From thinking of himself to thinking of others, and as such was imitating Christ. What Eric Liddell was doing, as do all who love sincerely, was recognising that all people are made in the image of God and that God loves evildoers, deeply wanting them to be well and whole again. Jesus doesn’t sugarcoat the truth, that to follow him doesn’t mean an easy life, but one of sacrifice and commitment, of taking up our crosses. Peter didn’t want to think about it, he said ‘God forbid that you suffer and die’, but in the end Peter learned his lesson and was the rock on which the church was built. He learned to look outwards towards others and not inwards towards self and thus imitate Christ. We too must seek to imitate Christ in our lives, ever living out lives of love and service. Hymn 402 – Take up your cross Prayers of Dedication and Intercession O God, we offer these gifts to you in hope and thanksgiving. Use them to transform the world you love with the mercy and compassion we celebrate in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. O God in whom we live and move and have our being, We come to you in prayer as the summer season draws nearer to its close. We give you thanks for the occasions we have enjoyed this summer, savouring the beauty of your creation right outside our doors, catching up with family and friends and enjoying times for recreation & restoration. We recognize how blessed we are to live in this place with many opportunities to find rest and relaxation in the summer. Thank you for every good thing that has refreshed us. Yet we remember those for whom this summer has been difficult: Those whose homes and communities have been ravaged by fire, storm or flood this year; Those who go hungry or face violence in forgotten corners of our own community and around the world; Those whose face economic struggles at home or at work, those whose crops have withered in heat or drought; May each one find courage to face tomorrow in your company O God, Jesus walked with so many people in their pain and grief. We remember those who have faced crises this summer - Through tragic death or unexpected loss, Through critical illness or injury, Through pain or problems that seem to have no end…. Surround them with your comfort and compassion. O God, Jesus often faced many demands and pressure from his critics, So we pray for all those who have not found rest this summer: For leaders trying to figure out ways forward for their communities when resources are tight; For those whose jobs and responsibilities present new challenges; And for all who seek secure and affordable housing when supply is low; May they know your strength and assurance day by day. O God, we need the embrace of your presence, each in our own way. Bring healing and peace to our lives and to this world you love. Open our eyes and our hearts so that we may offer healing and peace to those we encounter, in the name of Christ Jesus Hymn 519 – Love Divine Benediction |
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