Welcome to our online service - 23 July 23
This service sheet can be used individually or with households.
We would encourage you to say (or even sing) hymns and songs out loud.
Prayers, other liturgy or readings can be said out loud or silently, corporately or individually.
OPENING
Praise the name of the Lord;
ascribe greatness to our God.
Lord, open our lips
and we shall praise your name.
HYMN: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQeIGbKqiw8
And can it be that I should gain
an interest in the Saviour's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
that Thou, my God,
shouldst die for me!
2 'Tis mystery all! The Immortal dies;
who can explore His strange design?
In vain the first-born seraph tries
to sound the depths of love divine.
'Tis mercy all let earth adore,
let angel minds inquire no more.
3 He left His Father's throne above -
so free, so infinite His grace -
emptied Himself of all but love,
and bled for Adam's helpless race.
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
for, O my God, it found out me!
4 Long my imprisoned spirit lay
fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray -
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
my chains fell off, my heart was free.
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
5 No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
and clothed in righteousness divine,
bold I approach the eternal throne,
and claim the crown,
through Christ, my own.
Charles Wesley (1707-88)
PRAYER OF PREPARATION
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
CONFESSION
The word of God is living and active.
It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
All is open and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we give account.
Lord God, our maker and our redeemer,
this is your world and we are your people: come among us and save us.
We have wilfully misused your gifts of creation;
Lord, be merciful:
forgive us our sin.
We have seen the ill-treatment of others and have not gone to their aid;
Lord, be merciful:
forgive us our sin.
We have condoned evil and dishonesty and failed to strive for justice;
Lord, be merciful:
forgive us our sin.
We have heard the good news of Christ,
but have failed to share it with others;
Lord, be merciful:
forgive us our sin.
We have not loved you with all our heart, nor our neighbours as ourselves;
Lord, be merciful:
forgive us our sin.
ABSOLUTION
May God who loved the world so much
that he sent his Son to be our Saviour
forgive us our sins and make us holy to serve him in the world,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
COLLECT
Creator God,
you made us all in your image:
may we discern you in all that we see,
and serve you in all that we do;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6LC8cu03Ig
THY WORD is a lamp unto my feet
And a light unto my path.
(Repeat)
When I feel afraid,
Think I’ve lost my way,
Still You’re there right beside me.
And nothing will I fear
As long as You are near;
Please be near me to the end.
I will not forget
Your love for me, and yet
My heart forever is wandering.
Jesus, be my guide
And hold me to Your side,
And I will love You to the end.
Amy Grant & Michael W. Smith.
Copyright © 1983 Meadow Green Music/Word Music/Adm. SongSolutions CopyCare
READINGS
Proverbs 3: 1 - 8 (p. 736)
My child, never forget the things I have taught you.
Store my commands in your heart.
If you do this, you will live many years,
and your life will be satisfying.
Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!
Tie them around your neck as a reminder.
Write them deep within your heart.
Then you will find favour with both God and people,
and you will earn a good reputation.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.
Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
Then you will have healing for your body
and strength for your bones.
Matthew 6: 25-34 (p. 1120)
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly look after you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
This the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Talk written by Pete Gaunt (our new curate)
Worry in its basic form is the fear of something that might happen. The English word worry comes from a German word which means to choke or strain and therefore worry stops us from experiencing joy, peace and freedom.
It is also important to note that we are all on a spectrum of worry – some of us might be real worriers and others of us maybe worry less. And I want to be clear at the start that in this passage I do not believe that Jesus is saying that we won't come across worry in our lives – as Will Van Der Hart a pastor who also runs a Christian mental health organisation suggests that worry is a normal human emotion. We are at times going to be worried! But what I think Jesus is saying in this passage is that when we feel worried do not allow it to fester but nip it in the bud straight away. Because worry can sit in our lives and over time if not eradicated it sucks away our peace and we can end up becoming used to living with it and Jesus wants to set us free from it.
I also want to note that dealing with our worry will at times lead us to need to seek professional help and it is vital that we do! Doing this does not mean that you don’t trust God and please hear that this morning! It means using the resource that God has created around us in our journey of overcoming the things that easily entangle us. So while I’ll be focusing on what Jesus says about worry this morning, please hear me in championing professional help when and where it is needed!
So let's look at what Jesus has to say about worry.
Three times in this passage Jesus tells those around him DO NOT WORRY! What this tells us is that Jesus is firm about worry. Whenever you see something repeated in scripture multiple times in a few verses you know you need to pay attention to what it is saying! Do not worry is not an invitation it is an order!!! It’s a command that Jesus gives to those who follow him because he sees how destructive worry is in our lives. He knows that worry keeps us from functioning in our design as sons and daughters. It chokes us and can easily hinder us.
The way that ‘do not worry’ can be translated in this passage is to “stop an action that is already going on.” This is why I believe that Jesus isn’t ignorant to the fact that we will encounter worry but he is very clear that it isn’t meant to be something that we allow to settle in our hearts and mind – he commands us to stop worrying.
This command is no different to the others we see in scripture. J. John famously once said that this command is the hardest in the bible to follow after all we are all able to follow the command of ‘do not murder’, ‘do not commit adultery’, and ‘do not steal’ but yet Jesus’ command of do not worry seems to be a command that we either struggle to follow or just simply choose to ignore it – I wonder which it is for you?
The first thing Jesus does after his command is to put his finger on specific things that the people of the day were concerned about. V25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
Jesus in this passage was speaking to a group of people who’s survival was a daily battle. They were preoccupied literally with when they will get another meal, or whether they will be able to have another item of clothing other than the one they had on their back. But Jesus in this passage not only looks at the surface level of their worry but addresses the roots of their worries of sacristy and lack and tells them still, not to worry.
When it comes to worry we often focus on the way our worry presents itself to us on the surface-level - what am I going to eat, drink and wear? But beneath the surface our worry will more often than not have roots that go down way deeper than we even realise. If we really want to eradicated worry that occurs in our lives it’s worth starting with and asking ourselves what are the root causes of our worry rather than focusing on the surface-level worries. Let me give you an example of what I mean.
One of the things I worry about is preaching and on the surface level, I have often just thought well the problem is preaching and the only way to get around that is just not preaching, but the root of this worry isn’t preaching itself it is much deeper than that. The root is based upon my worry about what others think of me. When you preach you put myself in a vulnerable position and give those listening the opportunity to criticise you. Let’s face it we have all gone home after a Sunday service and had a few words to say about the sermon. For me that is what I’m really worried about. I don’t want you to think I’m not a very good preacher. I worry if you do that then you will start to question my ability to be a good leader and my worry continues to snowball from there. But please do not allow me saying that stop you from giving me constructive feedback after all I’m here to learn! You see if you aren’t aware of the roots of your worries then all you will do when trying to address worry in your life is chop down the surface level worries which aren’t really the real worries but are still valid and they will just grow back over time instead of focussing on the real issues that lie in the roots. If you tackle the roots, the surface level worry will disappear for good.
But it’s not easy!!! Particularly because often our worries attach themselves to the things that are important in our lives – like health, relationships, family, finances and work. This is what makes it harder to follow the command do not worry, but even in the midst of the difficulty that is what Jesus asks of us.
So what are you beginning to notice as you reflect on the worries in your life – what are the roots where your worry comes from?
Secondly, Jesus in this passage undermines worry and gives us two reasons as to why we shouldn’t be worried.
Verse 27 ‘Can anyone of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?’ Here he is asking those around him what is the point of worrying. How is it actually benefiting you or helping you in your everyday lives?
I don’t know about you but in my life if something isn’t benefiting me I don’t tend to keep doing it over and over again. If a pattern of behaviour is causing me to be destructive either to myself or to those around me I’ll do my very best to stop doing it. But yet here Jesus has to ask this question of those who are listening. I picture Jesus by what he says in this verse as almost being dumbfounded by how we turn to fear instead of faith in difficult times. It almost to me feels like Jesus is sarcastically asking the question because he is so confused by our behaviour and our choice to worry.
You see when we worry in essence what we are saying is God I don’t trust you, but that’s easier said than done isnt it? It’s a hard hitting statement that comes not from a place of judgement, after all worry is a normal human emotion, but this statement comes from a desire to see us all set free from living a life of constant worry. Obviously I don’t know you very well as yet, but I guess that some of you here are finding life hard and in these time it’s not always easy to trust is it?
Worry blinds us from believing truth – it can stop us from being able to recognise who God is, what he has done and what he is going to do for us. That is how destructive worry is in our lives. It comes between us and the Father and this is why Jesus is so keen to help eradicate it from our lives.
In my first yeah at college I suffered from extreme anxiety. There weren’t many days that I didn’t spend sitting in the corner of our bedroom crying uncontrollably for hours out of fear of not being clever or good enough. In my second and third year I was diagnosed with Chronic Migraines, there wasn’t a day where I didn’t have a bad migraine to the point where I was in bed for over half that time period. The reason I share this with you is not for you to feel sorry for me but because going through this revealed to me areas of my life where I didn’t trust God. I didn’t trust that God had my best interests at heart and I didn’t trust that God was really with me all of this. But God’s goodness and faithfulness freed me from the worry that I faced. As time went on and I began to address my lack of trust and my worried began to disappeared. What we worry about reveals where we trust God the least.
So Jesus addresses worry to show us that we need not be afraid and that worrying brings no value into our lives but instead has the power to be incredibly destructive if not eradicated. But Jesus doesn’t stop there he gives us two reasons as to why we need not worry.
Firstly because Jesus is our master:
Context is everything when you're looking at scripture, You will notice the passage starts with the word therefore so we know something has happened before this that led Jesus into talking about worry. If we look at the whole chapter of Matthew 6 we see that Jesus is telling his disciples to trust him and that they can’t serve 2 masters and the only master you should serve is God. So here the underlining truth is that God is to be the master of your life and we are to be his servant.
This terminology is frequent in the scripture because the master-slave relationship was common 2,000 years ago. So it was common but it was also comforting in a sense because if you were a servant of someone it meant your master had absolute responsibility for every need you possessed. If you needed clothes your master took care of it, if you needed food your master fed you, that was part of the relationship between master and servant.
What we learn from this is we don’t need to worry because God is in control of all things because he is our master
Secondly, because God is our Father:
What we see in v32 is that the Father knows what we need. The reason he knows is because he is our father. He knows us intimately and even better than we know ourselves. Jesus in this passage is not being dismissive of the things we are afraid of he is trying to help us to see that as scary as those things are we have a Father who is bigger and who understands not just the worries but what we need in the middle of those times of worry.
Psalm 121 tells us that God is our help in times of trouble. It tells us that he watches over us at all times. Psalm 23 tells us that in God we lack nothing and that he is with us even in the valley of the shadow of death and therefore we need not be afraid.
When we understand that we need not worry because God is our father worry becomes an opportunity to come close to God – it’s an opportunity for intimacy. As it says in the book of James as we draw near to God he draws near to us. If we understand this truth imagine what our lives could look like. Nobody is worried when we see God in the middle of our situation. We worry when we have lost sight of who he is and where he is and this is why it is so important to know he is not only our master who provides for us he is also our Father who know us and what we need at all times.
So Jesus starts by giving us a command to not worry. He then goes on to address worry itself and gives us two reasons as to why we shouldn’t be worried and then finally Jesus shows us how to practically not worry.
Practically, how not to worry
The first bit of advice Jesus gives us is found in v33 ‘Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.’
The life we are called to is not a worry-free life – this isn’t the goal of life. The life we are called to is to seek his kingdom, to pursue his righteousness, not to seek to build a life of perfect certainty. If we look at the followers of Jesus, especially in the Book of Acts they are not after a worry-free life but they are after building the kingdom of God. Look at the life of Paul. He was shipwrecked, he was stoned nearly to death, and people started riots wherever he went – he wasn’t seeking a worry-free life. He says that what he was going through was only momentary in comparison to the surpassing and eternal glory that was awaiting him.
Worry needs a lid to stop it spiralling out of control, and the kingdom is a lid on all our concerns, for there is nothing higher. Once we have stopped running after security and started to focus on the kingdom, the latter maintains our perspective and also keeps us from seeking another way of living, one that is anxious and worry-provoking.
Lifting our eyes from those things that worry us so much and putting them on God does help. If we take action both to seek first the kingdom and put our faith in Christ, then the third promise of ‘all the other things are given to you becomes a reality.
The second bit of advice Jesus gives us is to stop focusing on the worries of tomorrow and live in the present of today (v34) ‘Therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry of itself, each day has enough trouble of its own
Jesus leads us worriers out of bondage by leading us into the ‘now’. He asks us to learn to focus on the present in order that we might be able to focus on the present (the gift) of the good news of the kingdom of God. Learning this focus takes time, but once you become more able to retain a focus in the present, you will notice an increase in your ability to trust Jesus and find deeper peace. Eugene Peterson paraphrases v34 in the message like this – ‘Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now.’
In a minute we are going to respond but before we do I want to finish with this. A well-known christian pastor says that worry has the potential to have 1 of 3 outcomes
1. It may never happen – the very thing that was on your mind might never happen.
2. It may happen but it won't be as bad as you thought
3. It may happen but God will carry you through it
Whatever you are going through today Jesus says trust me, do not worry. Seek him first when worry comes and know he is with you.
So to respond, I would like to encourage everyone in a minute to come and grab a post it note and write on it what it is you are worried about. Once you have done that I want you to take this opportunity to bring it before God and then stick the post-it note on the cross as a sign of you surrendering your worry to God and trusting that he is the one who can lift off every burden.
The second response might not be for everyone but if you are someone who worries a lot and after hearing this talk you feel like you would like some prayer then please do at the end of the service come and find me, Ali or the prayer ministry team who sit over there and we would love to stand alongside you and pray for you.
THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth
I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand
of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen
O LORD, HEAR MY PRAYER,
O Lord, hear my prayer:
When I call answer me.
O Lord, hear my prayer,
O Lord, hear my prayer:
Come and listen to me.
Jacques Berthier/Taizé.
Copyright © 1982 Ateliers et Presses de Taize (France).
PRAYERS - written by John Gough
Heavenly Father you taught us to pray not only for ourselves, but for people everywhere. Hear us now as we pray for our World.
The changes in weather conditions across the world are impacting on many countries, with heavy rains, high winds and rising temperatures affecting so many people, pray in you hearts for all who have lost their lives in the flooded road tunnel in South Korea.
Father we are sad to hear the news of the violent ethnic clashes taking place in Manipur in North East India, and for the women who have been attacked in the riots there. Pray In you hearts for peace and an end to the violence. Pray also for the women in many places not only in India but around the world who suffer terribly from acts of violence and have no protection or support from the authorities
Father we pray for the people in our Country who are struggling financially with the impact of the cost of living crisis. The rise in interest rates are making it impossible for many people to cope with high rents and mortgages, and with food prices continuing to rise the outlook at present is impacting on people’s health. Pray in your hearts for people you know in this position.
Lord we pray for the many people in our world who suffer with issues of fear and anxiety. Peter has spoken to us this morning in his sermon taken from Matthew 6 25-34. We have a wonderful Lord and Saviour that understands about all the struggles we go through in life. He knows what we need, home much we need and when it is needed. By putting our complete trust in him, and in his word, is the perfect antidote against fear and anxiety. Pray in your hearts for family or friends who are not well at this time.
Lord we pray for all the services taking place through the summer. We pray especially for the Preparations for the Holiday club, for all the children, and all who will be helping to run the club each day, pray in your hearts that it will be so enjoyable and memorable for the children and families
Merciful Father.....
Amen
LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16KYvfIc2bE
In Christ alone my hope is found.
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my all in all,
here in the love of Christ I stand.
2. In Christ alone! - who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
scorned by the ones He came to save:
till on that cross as Jesus died,
the wrath of God was satisfied -
for ev’ry sin on Him was laid;
here in the death of Christ I live.
3. There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
then bursting forth in glorious Day
up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
for I am His and He is mine -
bought with the precious blood of Christ.
4. No guilt in life, no fear in death,
this is the power of Christ in me;
from life's first cry to final breath;
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
can ever pluck me from His hand;
till He returns or calls me home,
here in the pow’r of Christ I'll stand!
Words: Stuart Townend
Music: Keith Getty
© 2001 Kingsway's Thankyou Music.
OFFERTORY - Take a moment to consider how you are going to continue to give to the life of the church and support other aid agencies and mission organisations.
SAY:
Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power,
the glory, the splendour, and the majesty;
for everything in heaven and on earth is yours.
All things come from you,
and of your own do we give you.
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxA0TFe3-Uo
JUST AS I AM, without one plea
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bid’st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come.
Just as I am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
To Thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come.
Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come.
Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
Sight, riches, healing of the mind,
Yea, all I need in Thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come.
Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come.
Just as I am, Thy love unknown
Has broken every barrier down;
Now to be Thine, yea, Thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come.
Just as I am, of that free love
The breadth, length, depth and height to prove,
Here for a season, then above,
O Lamb of God, I come.
Charlotte Elliott (1789–1871)
BLESSING
The Father, whose glory fills the heavens,
cleanse you by his holiness and send you to proclaim his word. Amen
The Son, who has ascended to the heights,
pour upon you the riches of his grace. Amen.
The Holy Spirit, the Comforter,
equip you and strengthen you in your ministry. Amen.
And blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen