A prayer of approach:
Everywhere we go there are sights and sounds, things to look at, things to hear, things to notice. Sometimes, in the busyness of our surroundings, we miss seeing God,
we miss noticing, the things that God is doing,
we miss being aware of God’s people making a difference. Today, let’s come and see,
and be open to what God may reveal to us.
So, God, reveal to us today more of who you are. Help us to see with fresh eyes your plan for our lives, and for all of creation.
Amen.
StF 594 Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us
Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us
You are one with us, Mary’s Son.
Cleansing our souls from all their sin
Pouring Your love and goodness in
Jesus, our love for you we sing
Living Lord
Lord Jesus Christ, you have come to us
Born as one with us, Mary’s Son
Led out to die on Calvary
Risen from death to set us free
Living Lord Jesus, help us see
You are Lord
Lord Jesus Christ, I would come to you
live my life for you, Son of God
All your commands I know are true
Your many gifts will make me new
Into my life your power breaks through
Living Lord.
Prayer of confession
Merciful God, when we start to complain that we have laboured in vain: please forgive us.
When we fail to see what our purpose could be: please forgive us.
When nothing goes right and we turn from your light: please forgive us.
When faith slips away and we’re reluctant to pray: please forgive us.
Forgive us and help us to trust you more deeply.
In Jesus’ name I pray. So, Generous God, thank you that, in forgiving us, you give us
fresh energy to serve you,
fresh understanding of our calling,
fresh wisdom as we share our faith.
Amen.
Bible Readings
Isaiah 49:1-7
The servant of the Lord
hear this, you distant nations:
before I was born the Lord called me;
from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.
2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me into a polished arrow
and concealed me in his quiver.
3 He said to me, ‘You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will display my splendour.’
4 But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing at all.
Yet what is due to me is in the Lord’s hand,
and my reward is with my God.’
5 And now the Lord says –
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant
to bring Jacob back to him
and gather Israel to himself,
for I am honoured in the eyes of the Lord
and my God has been my strength –
6 he says:
‘It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.’
7 This is what the Lord says –
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel –
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
to the servant of rulers:
‘Kings will see you and stand up,
princes will see and bow down,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ – their Lord and ours:
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving
4 I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5 For in him you have been enriched in every way – with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge – 6 God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 1:29-42
John testifies about Jesus
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, “A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.” 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptising with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.’
32 Then John gave this testimony: ‘I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptise with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit.” 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.’
John’s disciples follow Jesus
35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God!’
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning round, Jesus saw them following and asked, ‘What do you want?’
They said, ‘Rabbi’ (which means ‘Teacher’), ‘where are you staying?’
39 ‘Come,’ he replied, ‘and you will see.’
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas’ (which, when translated, is Peter).
Prayers of thanksgiving
God of revelation and risk,
with Christians of all ages in all places
we celebrate that you are our strength and joy.
In searching, we find and are found;
from exile, we are guided to a place we can truly call home; from darkness, you can shine light and unveil a new dawn; and, in following you, our faith flourishes and our lives reflect your love. Amen.
Prayers of intercession
O Lord our God, as we bring our prayers for others to you now, we are aware of our inadequacies to help more and do more. We come to you, none the less, trusting in your power and your love. We see the needs around us and for them we pray. Lord, our God: hear our prayer.
For countries in deep poverty where there is no extra support, no pay, no good conditions let alone better conditions. Lord, our God: hear our prayer.
For an end to the political unrest around the world where stable lives are being unsteadied and futures being made more uncertain. In countries where one party seems no better than another. Where political unrest seems to be escalating more and more. For Iran, Venezuela, Ukraine and Russia. Lord, our God: hear our prayer.
For the frightened and the fearful and the voiceless in societies who have no good news to tell, no stories to encourage, no history they have of worth to repeat to other generations. For the rootless and the lost who see no path ahead and no point to the future. Lord, our God:
hear our prayer.
For the ill and the suffering whose pain overwhelms them, physical or mental, bring them your comfort your love, your word of truth, your light in dark days. Lord, our God:
hear our prayer.
For those who we know personally who need our prayers and your love.
May we tell them of your love, your promises and life eternal. Lord, our God: hear our prayer.
All our prayers we offer in the name of Jesus.
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.
Time to reflect:
So, what can we see in Isaiah 49. Well Isaiah sees his role as a servant to call Israel back to God/Yahweh, a task he feels that he has failed in. Like many preachers/ministers, he surveys how little he feels he has achieved with his congregations.
However, Isaiah realises that God is strengthening him to achieve his task. Do we the followers of Christ in 2026 as people of God feel we are being strengthened, to carry on and be a light for God wherever we are and whatever we are doing or like Isaiah are we complaining that we have laboured in vain, losing our strength, and all our efforts will come to nothing. However, there is a spark of a little confidence for now he knows God is with him and the people he is preaching to, confidence is flickering back to life in his community.
The key here is bringing God’s people back to God so that they can be beacons for God in this troubled world in 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9 Paul reminds the followers of Jesus in Corinth – a mixed bag from around the world – that this fractious and divided group have all they need to be God’s servants in their city. They have been equipped through the Holy Spirit for the task God sets before them – namely, to live as a shining light in a dark world, and we need like the Corinthians to call on the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ to equip us for God’s tasks in our communities and beyond.
Like in Isaiah, this passage features God’s servant Paul calling this band of Jesus’ followers to rise to the challenge of being God’s servants in Corinth, making the gospel known to their neighbours through their lifestyles and conversation. All this is possible because of God’s call and the work of the Spirit in their midst. As followers of Jesus are we inquisitive enough like in John’s Gospel to ask Jesus what he is doing or what Jesus is about to do, with Jesus responding to enquiring, potential followers by saying, ‘Come and see’. It is a lovely, homely scene of two disciples, intrigued by what John has said, going after Jesus, who, when asked, can think of nothing other than to ask where Jesus is staying. Jesus’ response leads to a life of following him, of seeing where he is and what he is doing.
There is no better way of describing the life of discipleship than this: following Jesus is a state of perpetual curiosity as to where he is and what he is doing.
In today’s world and probably always the case we are often uncertain of who we are,
what we should be doing and about what our identity as God’s people should be. Isaiah, Paul and John, reminds us of who we are as the Church – the servant of God – and what our calling is in the world. So, the task of the ministers and preachers teaching these passages is the twin one of calling us all back to God and calling us to raise our eyes to the world and see our role in bringing the light of the gospel to it. As the passages remind us, God waits to equip us for this task by the Spirit.
So as followers of Jesus are we inquisitive enough like in John’s Gospel to ask Jesus what he is doing or what Jesus is about to do, and wait for the “Come and See”
StF 662 – Have you heard God’s voice
Have you heard God’s voice; has your heart been stirred? Are you still prepared to follow? Have you made a choice to remain and serve, though the way be rough and narrow?
Refrain (except the last time) Will you walk the path that will cost you much and embrace the pain and sorrow? Will you trust in One who entrusts to you the disciples of tomorrow?
Will you use your voice; will you not sit down when the multitudes are silent? Will you make a choice to stand your ground when the crowds are turning violent?
In your city streets will you be God’s heart? Will you listen to the voiceless? Will you stop and eat, and when friendships start, will you share your faith with the faithless?
Will you watch the news with the eyes of faith and believe it could be different? Will you share your views using words of grace? Will you leave a thoughtful imprint?
We will walk the path that will cost us much and embrace the pain and sorrow. We will trust in One who entrusts to us the disciples of tomorrow.
A going out prayer:
So now we go out with confidence in you;
our loving God who leads us;
You know our weaknesses and our strengths.
Lord call us, guide us, and strengthen us in your service.
Amen.
