A gathering prayer:
We come as many and as one to worship God the One-in-Three, to be encouraged and inspired, to praise the one who gives us hope. Lord, your very being calls us here; we long for your love, we ask for your leading. May we lift our lives to you today.
Amen.
Singing the Faith 25
God is here! as we his people meet to offer praise and prayer; may we find in fuller measure what it is in Christ we share. Here as in the world around us, all our varied skills and arts wait the coming of the Spirit into open minds and hearts.
Here are symbols to remind us of our lifelong need of grace; here are table, font and pulpit; here the cross has central place. Here in honesty of preaching here in silence, as in speech, here in newness and renewal, God the Spirit comes to each.
Here our children find a welcome in the Shepherds flock and fold, here as bread and wine are taken, Christ sustains us, as of old. Here the servants of the Servant seek in worship to explore what it means in daily living to believe and to adore.
Lord of all, of Church and Kingdom, in an age of change and doubt, keep us faithful to the gospel, help us work your purpose out. Here, in this day’s dedication, all we have to give, receive we who cannot live without you, we adore you! We believe!
Prayers:
God of the wayward and the weary, we praise you.
We thank you for caring about each one of us
that we have worth, that we are valued.
We praise you for your persistent love.
May we, too, love persistently
and offer the welcome that you give,
modelling our lives on the greatest rescuer of all.
O God, when we have closed doors
where we should have opened them,
forgive us. When we have stayed in the box,
where we were called to break out, forgive us. When we have isolated ourselves so thoroughly that we cannot even perceive
what is outside our experience, forgive us. When we have been gatekeepers instead of welcomers, forgive us. May we ditch judgementalism, throw away condemnation.
and learn how to celebrate the loving invitation of your kingdom. Ever-loving God,
you call us all into your family of grace.
Where we have been lost, you seek us.
You retrieve us, you untangle us from the thorns that snare us. Your hands are kind;
you restore us with joy.
Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Please use the version that you prefer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
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.
Save us from the time of trial
And deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours
Now and for ever.
Amen.
Bible Readings
Psalm 119:176
Seek your servant,
for I have not forgotten your commands.
Romans 8:1-4
Life through the Spirit
8 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Luke 15:1-10
The parable of the lost sheep
15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering round to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, ‘This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.’
3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 ‘Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent.
The parable of the lost coin
8 ‘Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.” 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.’
Singing the faith 481
The Lord’s my shepherd, I’ll not want; he makes me lie in pastures green, he leads me by still waters, his goodness restores my soul.
Chorus: And I will trust in you alone, and I will trust in you alone, for your endless mercy follows me, your goodness will lead me home.
He guides my ways in righteousness, and he anoints my head with oil; and my cup- it overflows with joy, I feast on his pure delights.
Chorus
And though I walk the darkest path -I will not fear the evil one, for you are with me, and your rod and staff are the comfort I need to know.
Chorus
Reflection
Have you ever experienced a noisy party given by a neighbour? It goes on for hours in the night, after you want to go to sleep, with loud music, shouting and singing. One person’s jolly celebration can be another person’s annoying noise.
This is the scene we encounter in Luke 15. The Pharisees do not understand what all the joyous celebration around Jesus is about. They are grumbling about who Jesus is associating with, what he is doing, when he is doing it and how much fun they seem to be having. Jesus notices the concerns of the pharisees and tells 2 stories in the part of chapter 15 we are focussing on today to try to explain why so much celebration is happening.
The lost sheep and lost coin represent ordinary people who make mistakes and get things wrong (all of us). Jesus is teaching that these people need to be “found” – given the opportunity to hear Jesus’ message about Gods love and forgiveness -when people begin the process of accepting Jesus message and follow His Way, then God and the angels celebrate and if God and the angels are celebrating, then so should all the people.
Most parables are presented to us as Jesus answering a question about his teaching, these two parables are aimed at the pharisees directly, trying to help them see that there are no barriers to God’s love, that no one is to be excluded. When we worship and serve God, are we excluding someone? The religious leaders in Jesus’ time blamed the poor because they didn’t keep the law, but the law demanded many sacrifices and obedience to hygiene practices that poor people found impossible to keep. What might be the contemporary equivalent? I wonder what Jesus would want to point out to us, about why some people feel unable to be part of a worshipping community?
We need to reflect on two vital truths
God loves us and God loves everyone else too.
Singing the Faith 409
Let us build a house where love can dwell and all can safely live, a place where saints and children tell how hearts learn to forgive. Built of dreams and visions, rock of faith and vault of grace; here the love of Christ shall end divisions:
Chorus: All are welcome, all are welcome, all are welcome in this place.
Let us build a house where prophets speak, and words are strong and true, where all God’s children dare to seek to dream God’s reign anew. Here the cross shall stand as witness and as symbol of God’s grace; here as one we claim the faith of Jesus: Chorus
Let us build a house where hands will reach beyond the wood and stone to heal and strengthen, serve and teach, and live the Word they’ve known. Here the outcast and the stranger bear the image of God’s face; let us bring an end to fear and danger: Chorus
Let us build a house where all are named, their songs and visions heard and loved and treasured, taught and claimed as words within the Word. Built of tears and cries and laughter, prayers of faith and songs of grace, let this house proclaim from floor to rafter: Chorus
Prayers
Gracious God we hold before you the needs of all people. Especially those who feel they are lost and alone. Help us to notice and do something helpful. We pray for peace, long lasting and secure. We pray for justice, that victims may be supported. Bless us with the desire for change, wisdom to see how to realise it and energy to make it happen.
Amen.
