Welcome to our service - 3 January
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.
If you are able, we would also like invite you to join us for our main Sunday service, 10am, live on Zoom. Even if you have never been to St Gabriel’s before we would love you to join you. Please get in touch with the vicar Alistair (vicar@saintgs.co.uk) and he will send you the Zoom details.
SERVICE
Please join for the 11:30 am in church on 3rd January.
SERVICE
Opening
Alleluia, alleluia.
We have seen his star at its rising,
and have come to pay him homage.
Alleluia, alleluia.
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytBTMr0K__I
O worship the Lord
in the beauty of holiness!
Bow down before Him,
His glory proclaim;
With gold of obedience
and incense of lowliness,
Kneel and adore Him,
the Lord is His name.
2. Low at His feet lay
thy burden of carefulness,
High on His heart
He will bear it for thee,
Comfort thy sorrows,
and answer thy prayerfulness,
Guiding thy steps as
may best for thee be.
3. Fear not to enter His courts
in the slenderness
Of the poor wealth
thou wouldst reckon as thine:
Truth in its beauty
and love in its tenderness:
These are the offerings
to lay on His shrine.
4. These, though we bring them
in trembling and fearfulness,
He will accept for
the name that is dear;
Mornings of joy give
for evenings of tearfulness,
Trust for our trembling,
and hope for our fear.
5. O worship the Lord
in the beauty of holiness!
Bow down before Him,
His glory proclaim;
With gold of obedience
and incense of lowliness,
Kneel and adore Him,
the Lord is His name.
John Samuel Bewley Monsell 1811-75
CONFESSION
The grace of God has dawned upon the world
through our Saviour Jesus Christ,
who sacrificed himself for us to purify a people as his own.
Let us confess our sins.
God be gracious to us and bless us,
and make your face shine upon us:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
May your ways be known on the earth,
your saving power among the nations:
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
You, Lord, have made known your salvation,
and reveal your justice in the sight of the nations:
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
ABSOLUTION
Almighty God,
who forgives all who truly repent,
have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
COLLECT
Creator of the heavens,
who led the Magi by a star
to worship the Christ-child:
guide and sustain us,
that we may find our journey’s end
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
SING: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaheOgdGKJQ
We three kings of Orient are,
bearing gifts we travel afar,
field and fountain, moor and mountain,
following yonder star:
O star of wonder, star of night,
star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to the perfect light.
2. Born a King on Bethlehem plain,
gold I bring to crown Him again:
King for ever, ceasing never,
over us all to reign.
O star of wonder...
3. Frankincense for Jesus have I,
God on earth yet Priest on high;
prayer and praising all men raising:
worship is earth's reply.
O star of wonder...
4. Myrrh is mine: its bitter perfume
tells of His death and Calvary's gloom;
sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
sealed in a stone-cold tomb.
O star of wonder...
5. Glorious now, behold Him arise,
King, and God, and sacrifice!
Heaven sings out `Alleluia',
`Amen' the earth replies.
O star of wonder...
J H Hopkins (1820-1891)
altered (c) 1986 Horrobin/Leavers
READINGS
Ephesians 3:1-12 New International Version - UK
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles –
Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.
I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Matthew 2:1-12 New International Version – UK
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written:
‘“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.”’
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route
TALK by Peter Smithers
Following the Wise Men
Let’s spend a bit of time thinking about Epiphany - the time that the child Jesus was visited by unexpected and somewhat strange people from the east. Epiphany means “shining upon”. It is the time when we remember how the light that is Christ first shone on non-Jews.
Let’s meet the main characters in the story…
The Wise Men
The word used in the original Greek of Matthew’s Gospel is “magoi”. The English word that comes from that is “mages” - not a word that we use very much. In Greek, as in English, it’s a rather vague word. So who were they? They came from the East. East of Bethlehem was Arabia, then Persia, then India. The word “mage” seems to fit into a Persian context, better than the other lands. Most modern Persian/Iranian Christians you talk to are in no doubt that the Magi came from their homeland. Here in Sheffield there’s an Iranian fellowship attached to St Thomas’ (Philadelphia) Church and to the Cemetery Road Baptist Church. If you meet any of them, you might ask them for their insights.
If our guess about Persia is right, then these “mages” were a priestly class (or caste) who were called upon to lead worship, but who also had wider expertise. In this case they were obviously astrologer-astronomers. Now we regard “astrologers” (those who claim to tell the future from the stars) as very different from “astrologers” (who study the universe for a greater understanding of the physical side of things). In those days this distinction didn’t exist.
If these “mages” came from Persia, it would have been a really long journey. They couldn’t travel “as the crow flies”. This would have taken them across the hostile Arabian desert where there were very few proper roads. Instead they would have followed the much-frequented roads of the Fertile Crescent. If we were to pick out ancient Babylon as a possible starting point, the journey would have been about 1,100 miles. If they were able to cover twenty miles a day without any breaks, it would have taken fifty-five days. A really looong journey! And an expensive one, too. Think of the cost of food and caravanserai lodging for themselves, servants and animals in a different place every night for two months… and that’s just the outward journey!!
What religion were these mages? Again we don’t know for certain, but the majority of Persians at that time were Zoroastrians. Their faith was partly monotheistic (they believed in one supreme God), partly dualistic (with the god of light in a constant struggle with the god of darkness) and partly polytheistic (with a multitude of demi-gods who also needed to be worshipped). Some of their writings speak of a Messiah-type figure who would come at the end of time and put the universe to rights. But their faith was miles away from the Jewish faith of the first century. In the modern age there are still many Zoroastrians in Iran, Pakistan, India… and around the world.
What about the other characters in the story?…
The chief priests
These were a smallish group, consisting of the Jewish High Priest currently in office and his demoted predecessors. They were, of course, religious leaders. But they were also a political grouping. Most of the High Priests at the time were appointed and removed from office by the king, Herod the Great. As incumbent High Priests often incurred his displeasure, Herod did quite a lot of demoting!
Their power-base was the Temple in Jerusalem, which was still being upgraded and expanded by Herod. So they were inextricably linked to him…, and beyond him to the apparatus of the Roman Empire. So they were careful to not “rock the boat” - unless really necessary. Often resultant compromises made them less than popular with other Jews.
The teachers of the Law
In older Bible translations these are referred to as “scribes”. But they weren’t just copyists. They were avid students of the Old Testament, of commentaries and other related scholarly materials. They then had the task of applying the Old Testament law to everyday situations. With their help every Jew could know what they were required to do in every circumstance - down to the finest detail. They were mostly respected by religious Jews because they could help them to keep to God’s standards in every aspect of life. But, like many academics, they were somewhat closeted and unrealistic about what ordinary people could manage to do, alongside the business of day-to-day work and family life.
Herod the Great
Herod wasn’t from any royal lineage and wasn’t a “proper” Jew - neither in ancestry nor in practice. He had worked his way up, ingratiating himself to the leadership of the Roman Empire, and was appointed king of Judea by the Roman Senate itself. He was strong leader. He undertook many impressive building projects (including the Temple) which provided steady employment to many of his subjects. But he was a cruel tyrant, jealously guarding his own position - to the extent of murdering one of his wives and several of his sons. His main aim in life seems to have been to maintain and capitalise on his power. By the time of our story, he was in his late sixties.
That’s the background, but you’re not reading this for a history lesson! How does it apply to us today?
In the Bible account we read about one group of people who came to Jesus to worship him, three that didn’t. Let’s start with those who didn’t. Of course, we cannot look into the hearts and see exactly what was going on there, but I think what we know about them can give us some idea of what might have been the case.
The chief priests didn’t come to Jesus because they weren’t interested in someone who would save his people from their sins, or even a Messiah who would transform people’s hearts and ultimately the whole world. Their concentration was centred on maintaining their positions and influence, carefully treading the line between pleasing Herod and the Romans as well as earning the respect of the majority of the Jewish people.
The scribes were absorbed in their world of learning and disseminating the detail of the Jewish Law. They couldn’t see the wood for the trees. They failed to see the God of love and justice that their scriptures pointed to. They felt that what they needed more books and a closer following from both the common people and those in leadership.
Herod was centred on himself. Anything that threatened his current way of life or power was to be eliminated. As you will know from how our story continues, he even tried to eliminate the One who could transform him into someone much greater, someone with the power of God operational in his life.
The Wise Men, in contrast, came to Jesus. They took a hard, demanding journey to a land and culture that they didn’t know, just so that they could spend a few hours, or maybe even a few days, with him. They lacked the religious and academic background to enable them to understand who this “King of the Jews” who they had been searching for really was. But, despite all this, they bowed down and made him their king, too.
So… Let’s come to Jesus - again, or for the first time. Let’s worship him and allow him to impact our lives. Let’s be willing to go through hardship and sacrifice, and experience joy as we do so.
Let’s not miss out because of our needs for power, celebrity, respect, orderliness, influence or security keep us away. Let’s not even let our knowledge of Scripture and theology keep us from the One they point to.
If you want to explore Jesus further you might like to consider
the Alpha courses on Zoom that are coming up
videos like “Jesus” or “Magdalena”
audio Bibles in an app, online or on CDs
listening to others who have met and love Jesus
AMEN
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 Linda Chambers
The wise men set out on an amazing journey. Lord, we pray for all those who have been unable to travel over this holiday period within this country or further afield due to COVID restrictions. We pray for those who travel long distances to supply our supermarkets and deliver parcels, especially in this wintry weather. Please watch over migrants making treacherous journeys over land and sea, fleeing conflict, persecution and other dangers. And draw alongside those coming to the end of their journey here on earth and sustain those caring for them in their last days.
Come Lord Jesus …Lighten our darkness.
The wise men came from distant lands. Lord, we pray for those who feel outsiders in our society today – communities for whom English is a second language, especially Roma families in Sheffield who struggle to understand the ever changing COVID rules. We remember those living on the edges of our society – the homeless, the disadvantaged, the rejected. Bless the local work of ASSIST in their support for refugees and asylum seekers. And give us courage to confront systems that hold people back from dignity and liberty.
Come Lord Jesus … Lighten our darkness.
The wise men were searching for a king. Lord, give guidance to all who are searching for the truth or seeking to deepen their faith. May your Church in this nation be welcoming and sensitive to all who are looking for meaning and purpose. Thank you for our own church and for Alistair and Catherine’s ministry among us. We pray for those from our local community who attended our Christmas services or activities, that you would be at work in their hearts and lives drawing them closer to you. We commit to you plans for this term – preparations for the Alpha Course and further ideas for our ‘Bless Greystones’ project.
Come Lord Jesus … Lighten our darkness.
The wise men brought gifts to Jesus. Thank you, Lord, for all those who have enriched our lives through their individual personalities, talents and generosity. Help us to be aware of the needs of others and to share our resources as we are able. We pray for those whose lives are unfulfilled, restricted by oppression or illness, those unable to use their natural gifts because of COVID restrictions. Give them hope for a brighter future.
Come Lord Jesus … Lighten our darkness.
And as we enter a new year … we pray for nations emerging from elections or preparing for elections in the coming months, nations and communities recovering from conflict or disasters. Please protect our young people and staff in their phased return to school and equip them to face the enormous challenges ahead. Comfort those struggling with COVID or other illnesses and grant renewed strength for NHS staff coping with such an extreme situation. And we commit to your care and keeping our own loved ones and friends.
Come Lord Jesus … Lighten our darkness.
May the radiance of your presence be a light to our path and a guide on our journey – this new year and always. 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=teZaQUKjx24
Like a candle flame,
flick'ring small in our darkness.
Uncreated light
shines through infant eyes.
God is with us, alleluia,
God is with us, alleluia,
Come to save us, alleluia,
Come to save us,
Alleluia!
2 Stars and angels sing,
yet the earth sleeps in the shadows;
can this tiny spark
set a world on fire?
God is with us...
3 Yet His light shall shine
from our lives, Spirit blazing,
as we touch the flame
of His holy fire.
God is with us...
Graham Kendrick (c) 1988 Make Way Music/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.
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=Gtt52JEW_Zo
Meekness and majesty,
manhood and deity,
in perfect harmony -
the man who is God:
Lord of eternity
dwells in humanity,
kneels in humility
and washes our feet.
Oh what a mystery -
meekness and majesty:
bow down and worship,
for this is your God,
this is your God!
2 Father's pure radiance,
perfect in innocence,
yet learns obedience
to death on a cross:
suffering to give us life,
conquering through sacrifice -
and as they crucify,
prays, `Father, forgive.'
Oh what a mystery ...
3 Wisdom unsearchable,
God the invisible,
love indestructible
in frailty appears:
Lord of infinity,
stooping so tenderly,
lifts our humanity
to the heights of his throne.
Oh what a mystery ...
this is your God!
© 1986 Kingsway's Thankyou Music
FINAL BLESSING:
May God the Father,
who led the wise men by the shining of a star
to find the Christ, the Light from light,
lead you also in your pilgrimage to find the Lord. Amen.
May God, who has delivered us from the dominion of darkness,
give us a place with the saints in light
in the kingdom of his beloved Son. Amen.
May the light of the glorious gospel of Christ
shine in your hearts and fill your lives
with his joy and peace. Amen.
and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon you and remain with you always.
Amen
WE WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR