Thursday of Holy Week APC 9th April 2020 Introduction and Welcome Good morning and welcome to the 4th reflection in our holy week series as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus’ final week using our 5 senses. Today is entitled ‘the taste of holy week’ when we will reflect on what lessons we can learn from the last supper. But before we listen in to this fascinating discussion around the dinner table, let us take a moment to speak to God. Let us pray… Opening Prayer Lord Jesus you welcomed anyone and invited everyone to be your disciple. So we gather around this screen today in fellowship with you, with each other and with all your people in every time and place. Lord Jesus as we come to you, so come to us. We come to remember your sharing bread and wine and food with your disciples in the upper room, a simple expression of fellowship, with one who would soon betray you, one who would deny you and others who would abandon you. Lord Jesus as we come to you, so come to us. We come to remember your anguish in Gethsemane as you faced the awful, awesome cost of your calling, alone. We come to remember your arrest and brutal interrogation, your sorrow and humiliation, your suffering and death. Lord Jesus as we come to you, so come to us. We come to remember your quiet acceptance of human evil and hatred directed against you, you who had done no evil and knew no hate. Lord Jesus Christ, we remember your great love, and we marvel at how much you were willing to bear for our sakes. So now we praise, thank and worship you with all our hearts and minds and souls. Lord Jesus as we come to you, so come to us. For your name’s sake, Amen. Let us say the Lord’s Prayer together… Lord’s Prayer Our Father, which 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. Bible Reading Mark 14 v 12-26 “The Last Supper” 12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” 16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. 17 When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. 18 While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.” 19 They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?” 20 “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 “This is my blood of the[a] covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 25 “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” 26 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Reflection The Taste of Holy Week Today is traditionally a very special day in Holy week. Today is called Maundy Thursday. It is a day when we remember the last meal that Jesus had with his disciples before his death. We call this the Last supper. The word Maundy comes to us as an Anglo-French word derived from the latin ‘mandatum’ which means “commandment”. This is a reference to the moment during the last supper when Jesus says to his disciples, “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another as I have loved you.” Some Christian churches practice foot-washing on Maundy Thursday because during the last supper Jesus washed the feet of the disciples in order to demonstrate how they must love by serving one another. But most importantly of all, Maundy Thursday commemorates the moment when Jesus used this final celebration of the Passover Meal to institute the special meal that Christians continue to share. That meal is called the Eucharist, Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper or the breaking of bread. That’s what I would like to help us reflect on for a few minutes this morning… It’s clear from the gospel accounts that Jesus had meticulously planned this last supper. He hadn’t left anything to chance. Long before, he had arranged a place for himself and his disciples to eat their final Passover meal together. The Passover was the most important annual Jewish festival when they remembered and celebrated how God had rescued their ancestors from a life of slavery in Egypt. Jesus had even organised a special envoy to let the disciples know where this safe and secret rendezvous would occur. “Master where will we be dining?” they asked. “When you enter Jerusalem look out for a man carrying a water pot.” he replied. “He’ll tell you where to go.” This was clearly a pre-arranged signal. In those days it was only the women who carried water pots. A man with a water pot would stand out in any crowd! The detail in the planning shows us that this was a big event. Not just because it would be the last time they would eat the Passover together before his death, but because at this meal Jesus wanted to teach them something new and something crucial to the future of whole world… This teaching emphasis is echoed in the fact that the ‘restaurant’ was an upper room in a local safe house that could only be accessed by outer stairs. Traditionally these rooms were used for storage, as guest accommodation, as a quiet place for meditation and in particular it was the space where any Jewish rabbi would teach their disciples. While the text doesn’t include the detail, we can be certain that since this was a Passover meal the disciples would have made meticulous preparations. The day before, the master of the house would have taken a lit candle and ceremonially searched the house for yeast. This was because no yeast was used in the bread their ancestors made when they were escaping from Egypt and also because yeast symbolized hidden corruption. On the afternoon before the evening of the meal a specially chosen lamb would have been taken to the temple, sacrificed and roasted over an open fire. Once cooked, the lamb would be prepared for the table to remind them how their ancestors had painted the blood of the lamb on the door frames of their house as a badge of protection when the angel of death swept through Egypt. Bread made without yeast (like crackers) reminded them how their ancestors had left Egypt in haste without time to wait for dough to rise. There was a bowl of salt water to remind them of the tears they shed as slaves in Egypt and of the waters of the Red sea through which they had miraculously passed to safety. There was a collection of bitter herbs to remind them of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. There was a paste or sauce called ‘Charosheth’ which is a mixture of apples, dates, pomegranate and nuts with cinnamon sticks mixed through. This was to remind them of the clay and straw their ancestors were forced to make bricks with in Egypt. There were four cups of diluted wine to be drunk at different stages of the meal to remind them of Gods promises in Exodus Chapter 6 – to deliver them for Egypt, to rid them of their bondage, to redeem them with an outstretched arm and to take them to be His people. The meal itself was eaten in various stages accompanied by prayers and the singing of specific psalms. We haven’t time to go through the Order of Service this morning. But if you are interested, I have printed it in Appendix 1 below… At one stage of this final Passover meal, Jesus took one of the yeast- free crackers and said, “Take and eat. This is my body.” In a similar way, probably near the end of the meal, he took the last cup of wine and said, “This is the blood of the new covenant which is being shed for many. I will not drink wine again until I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.” As in all Passover meals, they probably concluded by singing Psalm 136 known as ‘the great Hallell’ together before heading off to the Mount of Olives. So what was Jesus doing here when he used the story of the Exodus and the Passover meal to point to his future death? And how would his death somehow bring about a change to the old covenant? Well there simply isn’t time to plumb the depths of this today. But I do want to say this. Jesus wanted his disciples to understand that his imminent death would not be a waste. Instead his death would bring about a new exodus. A new way for God to set people free from slavery. Only this time it would be so much greater. Through Christ’s death, the breaking of his body and the shedding of his blood, God would provide a way for anyone who wanted to be set free from the guilt and the power that sin had over them. You know how it is - that awful feeling we get at times that no matter how hard we try, we say or do something wrong or neglect to do something we should do. We feel guilty. We know we have let ourselves down and our family down. But even more significantly, when we do wrong, we grieve the God who made us and who loves us. The truth is, when we all stand in the light of God we are all guilty. For he is perfect and His laws are perfect and good. That means the only thing we deserve from God is judgement or punishment for breaking his laws. In the Old Testament the agreement or relationship God set up with His people was very much based on law. If the people broke God’s laws then the agreement was broken and the relationship between God and his people was shattered. Since no-one could perfectly keep the law, the people must never have felt insecure. They were always in default as it were. They would always feel guilty and in danger of being judged by God. But at this last supper Jesus says, “I’m bringing in a new agreement!” One that’s not based just on law but based on love.” You see, God loves us so much that even though we are all guilty, He doesn’t want to have to judge us and keep us from His perfect presence. He wants us to be His friends forever – to enjoy a relationship with him on earth that will then last into eternity when we die. But to make that a reality, something had to happen. The sin of the world needed to be justly punished without that judgement falling on us. The amazing thing is that God loves us so much he decided to solve our problem for us. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit agreed a plan to rescue us from our sin and judgement. As part of that plan, Jesus Christ, the son of God, agreed to come to earth and to die on the cross. When he died on the cross Jesus, the god-man willingly took our sin and punishment upon Himself because God loves us. That means if we are sorry for the wrong things in our lives and if we trust that Jesus died to take our judgement, then God says that he will forgive us completely, forever. He will not count our sins against us because they have already been paid by Jesus. It sounds too good to be true! But that’s what the bible says. That’s why we call it the gospel- the Good News! And that’s why we say it is a ‘gift’ to us from God. There’s so much more that I could say, but to finish let me put it simply…If you want to know freedom from guilt and if you want to know a power within you that will help you to overcome the habits that you know to be wrong, then Jesus Christ is the answer! He is the only one who can give you this exodus. So the question I want to leave you with this Maundy Thursday is – Will you allow Jesus Christ to set you free? A Prayer of Thanks Gracious God, you have done so much for us. Giving us a world rich in wonder and filling our lives with so much that is special. Receive our thanks. But above all today we come to thank you for your most precious gift of all- the great love you have shown to us in Christ. Receive our thanks. In him you came and lived among us, fully part of our world. Through Him you revealed your grace, your mercy, your will, your Kingdom. By him you identified yourself with the sin and suffering of our world, opening the way through His death and resurrection to forgiveness and eternal life. Receive our thanks. Gracious God you have given to us without counting the cost, not just a little but all. Receive our thanks. You emptied yourself taking the from of a servant sacrificing your only son for our sakes. Receive our thanks. And the wonder is you ask so little in return – you make no extortionate demands, you set no stringent conditions to your love, you ask simply that we love you in return. Receive our thanks. Gracious God, teach us to offer you our willing and joyful discipleship, and to play our part in working for your Kingdom. Receive our thanks. For the sake of Christ our Lord, Amen. Closing Words Thanks for logging on. I hope you’ve been blessed by our time together. Please remember to tune in again tomorrow as we come to the end of our journey. Tomorrow is Good Friday. Good for us, but not for Jesus. Who was He? How did He die? Why did He come? We will reflect on these and other questions as we listen in to a locker room conversation between the Roman centurion and a soldier in the Roman guard… Don’t forget to look at our church website or on our Facebook page for latest information. If you’d like to record a little message of encouragement or a fun clip of something you’ve been doing, please don’t hesitate to send it on to Dave Hendry or myself. Do keep everyone in your prayers and look out for anyone you can help. So let me close with a benediction after which, as always, I invite you to join me in saying the grace together… Benediction On this day, we learn what it means to serve. So go into the world and give yourself for others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. On this day, we understand more of what Jesus meant when he said, “This is my body broken for you.” So go into the world and love, in the name of the One who loved us until the end. It all begins and ends and begins again with Love. So may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and forever more. Amen. Appendix 1 The Passover Feast (Service Order) The Cup of the Kiddush – Kiddush means sanctification or separation. This was the act which, as it were, separated this meal from all other common meals. The head of the family took the cup and prayed over it and then all drank of it. The first hand-washing – This was carried out only by the person who was to conduct the feast. Three times he had to wash his hands in the prescribed way. Dipping of bitter herbs – A piece of parsley or lettuce was dipped in the bowl of salt water and eaten. This was an appetiser to the meal. The parsley also stood for the hyssop with which the lintel had been smeared with blood and the salt stood for the tears of Egypt and for the waters of the Red Sea through which Israel had been brought in safety. The breaking of bread – Two blessings were used at the breaking of bread- “Blessed be thou O lord our God, King of the Universe who bringest forth from the earth”, or “Blessed art Thou are Father in heaven who givest us today the bread necessary for us.” On the table lay 3 circles of unleavened bread. The middle one was taken and broken. At this point only a little was eaten. It was to remind the Jews of the bread of affliction that they ate in Egypt and it was broken to remind them that slaves never had a whole loaf, but only broken crusts to eat. As it was broken the head of the family said, “This is the bread of affliction that are forefathers ate in the land of Egypt. Whoever is hungry let him come and eat. Whoever is in need let him come and keep the Passover with us.” (In the modern celebration in strange lands, there is added the famous prayer, “This year we keep it here, next year in the land of Israel. This year as slaves, next year as free”.) Relating the Exodus Story – The youngest person present had to ask what made this day different from every other day and why all this was being done. And the head of the house had thereupon to tell the whole story of the history of Israel down to the present deliverance which the Passover commemorated The Passover could never become a ritual. It was always a commemoration of the power and the mercy of God. Psalms 113 and 114 were sung – Psalms 113-118 are known as ‘the Hallell’, which means the praise of God. All these Psalms are praising God. They were part of the very earliest material a Jewish boy had to commit to memory. The second cup was drunk – It was called the cup of Haggadah which means the cup of explaining ior proclaiming. Washing of hands – Everyone present washed their hands in preparation for the meal A Grace – A grace was said, “Blessed art Thou Oh Lord, our God, who bringest forth fruit from the earth. Blessed art Thou Oh God, who has sanctified us with Thy commandment and enjoined us to eat unleavened cakes.” Thereafter small pieces of the unleavened bread were distributed. Bitter herbs – Some of the bitter herbs were placed between two pieces of unleavened bread, dipped in the Charosheth and eaten. This was called the sop. It was reminder of slavery and of the bricks they had once been compelled to make. The Meal – The meal proper came next. The whole lamb must be eaten. Anything left over must be destroyed and not used for any common meal. Hand washing – The hands were cleansed again. Remainder of unleavened bread eaten Prayer – There was a prayer of thanks, containing a petition for the coming of Elijah to herald the Messiah. Then the third cup was drunk, called the cup of thanksgiving. The blessing said over the cup was, “Blessed art Thou, O Lord, our God King of the Universe, who has created the fruit of the vine.” The second part of the Hallell – Psalms 115-118 was sung The Fourth Cup was drunk – Psalm 136 known as the great Hallell was sung. Two short prayers were said- “All Thy works shall praise Thee O Lord, Our God. And Thy saints, the righteous, who do Thy good pleasure and all Thy people, the house of Israel, with joyous song let them praise and bless and magnify and glorify and exalt and reverence and sanctify and scribe the Kingdom to Thy name, O God our King. For it is good to praise Thee and a pleasure to sing praises to Thy name, for from everlasting unto everlasting Thou art God.” The breath of all that lives shall praise Thy name, O Lord our God. And the spirit of all flesh shall continually glorify and exalt Thy memorial, O God our King. For from everlasting unto everlasting Thou art God and beside Thee we have no King, redeemer or Saviour.” END
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Wednesday of Holy Week
APC 8th April 2020 Introduction and Welcome Good morning and welcome to the third reflection in our holy week series as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus’ final week using our 5 senses. Today is entitled ‘the touch of holy week’ when we will reflect on what lessons we can learn from the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. But before we read about this humbling encounter, let us take a moment to speak to God. Let us pray… Opening Prayer Gracious God, You sent your Son into the world, And before his hour had come, He washed his disciples’ feet. You had given all things into his hands. He had come from you, and was going to you, And what did he do? He knelt down on the floor, And washed his friends’ feet. He was their teacher and their Lord, Yet he washed their feet. Loving Father, help us learn from his example; Help us to do as he has done for us. The world will know we are his disciples If we love one another. Strengthen our hands and our wills for love And for service. Keep before our eyes the image of your Son, Who, being God, became a Servant for our sake. All glory be to him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen. Let us say the Lord’s Prayer together… Lord’s Prayer Our Father, which 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. Bible Reading John 13 v 1-17 “Jesus washes his disciples feet” It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. Reflection ‘The Touch of Holy Week’ What sort of jobs have you been asked to do that made you feel- “I don’t want to do that or I’m not doing that, that’s somebody else’s job!” We have all had times when we’ve felt like we were too important to do a certain job. We have all had times when we haven’t wanted to do something because it’s just not a nice job or it’s not very exciting. No-one would have been tempted to feel like that more than Jesus. Jesus knew who He was. John tells us in His gospel that “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, that He had come from God and was returning to God.” Jesus knew He was special. He knew He was the Son of God. He knew that because of this, that God the Father had put all things under His authority. He knew that soon God the Father would raise Him up from the dead and seat him at His right hand in heaven. He knew that one day the whole world would bow at His feet and acknowledge that He is Lord. If anyone was ever tempted to think, “That’s not my job!” it was Jesus. If anyone ever had the authority to say, “I know my rights, get somebody else to do it!” it was Jesus. But the amazing thing is, Jesus taught His disciples to have a very different attitude. He taught them to be servants. What’s more, Jesus didn’t just tell them, He demonstrated it by the way that He lived. In our bible reading, John records one very famous incident when Jesus shows his disciples what it means to be a servant. Jesus and his disciples were sitting eating a meal together just before the Annual Jewish Passover Feast. Soon Jesus would be arrested and put to death on the cross. Knowing this, Jesus tells His disciples that soon he will be going away. He also takes this opportunity to teach them a lesson that they will need to put into practice when He is gone. So while the meal is being served, Jesus gets up, takes off his outer clothing and wraps a towel around his waist. He then pours water into a basin, walks around the table and washes the feet of his friends. Initially Simon Peter objects saying, “No, You shouldn’t be washing my feet!” but Jesus persuades him with the words, “Unless I wash you Simon, you shall have no part with me.” These words provide a wonderful picture of what Jesus would do at the cross. He would die to wash away the sins of the world, including Peter’s. In truth, that was the greatest example of what it means to serve. As the gospel writer says, “He came not to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many”. Jesus moves slowly around the table washing the feet of each of the disciples. He even washes the feet of Judas, the one who he knows will betray Him. When Jesus has finished washing the disciples’ feet he puts his shirt back on, empties the basin and sits down at his place. Then he looks around at his friends and says, “Do you understand what I have done for you? You call me teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I your Lord and teacher have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” In a nutshell, Jesus says, never be too proud to wash feet. You see, where Jesus lived the roads were dusty. The people often wore shoes that were open like sandals. When you walked your feet would get dusty. In those days if you went to someone’s house, it was the custom for them to wash your feet. It was their way of saying, “Come in, make yourself at home, let me take your coat.” But the custom was also that people would get their slaves or household servants to do this job. The owner of the house certainly wouldn’t do it. In essence what Jesus says to His disciples by washing their feet is, “Never be too proud to do any job. Be willing to be a servant of others. That way, people will be reminded about me and I will give you my blessing.” What sort of jobs at home or at work or in church could be described as ‘foot-washing’? Jesus says to us this morning, “Don’t be too proud to serve.” Let me take this opportunity to thank all of you who do your bit to help our church function so efficiently. It could be cleaning, arranging flowers, cutting hedges, playing music, doing accounts, teaching the children, photocopying announcements, doing bible readings or power-point, phoning builders, fixing a light bulb, updating the website, attending meetings, giving a lift or one of the many other jobs that you do. Let me encourage you to keep on serving because through your example Christ is being seen in this place and in this community. Let me encourage you to keep serving because as we do so we will be a blessing to each other. Let me encourage you to keep serving because God will be pleased and one day He will reward you for your faithfulness. Let me also say, if you haven’t yet got involved in serving in the church then please consider helping out. We’re all in this together, we’ve all got different gifts and it’s only as we all play our part that the church can function as effectively as it should. Why not speak to me or one of the elders and we can find you something that you might like to do? But of course, the place where we spend most of our time is not at church. It’s at home with our family, it’s at work with our colleagues. It’s at the clubs and societies and committees that we are part of. That’s a good thing. We are to be salt, bringing God’s goodness and flavour to bless the lives of others. That can only happen when we get out of the shaker… Think about those places for a moment. What sort of jobs in each of those contexts would you describe as foot-washing? Who normally does those jobs? What does it mean or what would it mean for you in those scenarios to take up a towel? Even if you are already doing that, what sort of attitude do you do it with? Who is your Judas? What will it mean to wash their feet? Are you willing, like Jesus, to do that? Let me encourage you to take time to prayerfully reflect on these questions. It’s easy for us to listen to a talk like this and nod in agreement, to feel good about having listened, but for our actions and attitudes to remain unchanged. I know, I’ve done it plenty of times. So let me encourage us all to make time to allow the Holy Spirit to search us through this story, through these questions and let’s ask Him to give us the power to change… May God help us all to be humble servants wherever we live, wherever we work and wherever we go… And may the people who benefit see through this that God is good. Prayers for Others Let us pray to God, who alone makes us dwell in safety. Gracious God, we pray today for all who are affected by coronavirus, through illness, isolation or anxiety. May they find relief, recovery and peace of mind. We remember all those who are guiding our nation at this time and shaping national policies. Help them to make wise decisions. We pray for doctors, nurses and medical researchers and ask that through their skill and insights many will be restored to health. We think of the vulnerable and the fearful, for the gravely ill and the dying. May they experience your comfort and peace. We pray for the isolated and housebound. Help us to be alert to their needs, and to care for them in their vulnerability. We remember our homes and families, our schools and young people and everyone in any kind of need or distress. Lord, we ask for your blessing on our local community, that our neighborhoods may be places of trust and friendship, where all are known and cared for. We take a moment to pray particularly for people known to us who are in need of help, comfort, strength and courage at this time… Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. Closing Words Thanks for logging on. I hope you’ve been blessed by our time together. Please remember to tune in again tomorrow as we continue our journey with Jesus through Holy week. We will be reflecting on the ‘taste’ of holy week as we continue our conversation around the table with Jesus and his disciples as they share in the Last Supper together. Don’t forget to look at our church website or on our Facebook page for latest information. If you’d like to record a little message of encouragement or a fun clip of something you’ve been doing, please don’t hesitate to send it on to Dave Hendry or myself. Do keep everyone in your prayers and look out for anyone you can help. So let me close with a benediction after which, as always, I invite you to join me in saying the grace together… Benediction After washing the disciples’ feet Jesus said these words – “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” So may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and forever more. Amen. Tuesday of Holy Week APC 7th April 2020 Introduction and Welcome Good morning and welcome to the second reflection in our holy week series as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus’ final week using our 5 senses. Today is entitled ‘the smell of holy week’ as we think about the amazing incident when a close friend Mary, spontaneously pours a very expensive jar of perfume on Jesus’ head and feet. If you want, you might like to pause the video and light a fragrant candle as we pray and listen to God’s word together. But before we read this fragrant encounter with Christ, let us take a moment to speak to God. Let us pray… Opening Prayer Mighty God, as we take time today to reflect on what true love is, we thank you for your gift of love to us- the love that we are able to share with the people around us. The love which gives us a sense of self-worth and belonging. The love which enriches our lives in so many ways. Lord you have opened your heart to us, help us to do the same to you. We thank you for your love which defies all expression, constant, total, inexhaustible, flowing out to us like a never-ending stream. Lord you have opened your heart to us, help us to do the same to you. Loving Father, we thank you for loving us before we ever loved you, and for continuing to love us even when fail to love you in return. Lord you have opened your heart to us, help us to do the same to you. Deepen our love for you and for one another. Help us to be faithful and true in all our relationships and most especially in our relationship with you. Teach us again today what true love really looks like and give us the power to love like this more often. Lord you have opened your heart to us, help us to do the same to you…. Let us say the Lord’s Prayer together… Lord’s Prayer Our Father, which 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. Bible Readings John 12 v 1-8 Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany “Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because Judas was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” Reflection The Smell of Holy Week There are several stories of Jesus being anointed with perfume in the gospels. Most scholars believe the account in Luke is different from the other gospels because the woman mentioned there is described as a ‘sinful woman’ suggesting that she was a prostitute. One of the other gospels name the woman as Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus. There is no suggestion that Mary had a history of promiscuity which is why most believe this refers to a separate event. However some people have argued that the depth of love Mary expressed for Jesus may have been because she had received much forgiveness?... Matthew and Mark make no record of the woman’s name, but most scholars feel they describe the same event as John’s gospel. The details of each story differ slightly. Some mention Jesus having his feet anointed and then being wiped with the woman’s hair. Others mention only the anointing of his head. One mentions that it took place 6 days before the Passover, another that it took place just two days before the Passover. These differences suggest that like any modern day reporting, every journalist or writer will notice certain things about the same event. Whether each of the gospel accounts refer to one, two or three separate anointings will always be debated. My personal preference is for two for what it’s worth- one gospel describing the anointing of Jesus by a woman of the night, and the others describing his anointing by his friend Mary the sister of Martha. What cannot be debated is the depth of love that is expressed by the women in each case. Today I want us to reflect on 3 wonderful truths in all these stories that bring a beautiful fragrance to the otherwise dark and difficult days of Holy Week. Although today I will be focusing on John’s account where the woman doing the anointing is named as Mary. The first thing I want to draw your attention to is the sheer extravagance of Mary’s actions. She unexpectedly and spontaneously breaks a jar of perfume over the body of our Lord Jesus as he lies beside the dinner table, propping himself up on one elbow while eating food with his other hand as was the custom of the day. We are specifically told, because of a heated discussion that followed, that this small bottle of perfume, which probably hung around her neck, was worth over 300 Denarii. This was the equivalent to an entire year’s wages for a manual worker. Whether Mary broke the bottle in the same way that the glass given to a special guest would be broken so that it could never be used again we’ll never know. What we do know is that this expression of love could not have been more extravagant or without any consideration for personal cost. It was her way of saying, “Jesus, you are the most precious thing in my life.” The short story, “The gift of the Magi” describes an American couple, Della and Jim, who were very poor and very much in love. Each had a unique possession. Della’s glory was her long flowing hair. Jim’s was the gold watch his father had given him. It was the day before Christmas. Della had exactly one dollar and eighty seven cents to buy Jim a present. So she went out, and sold her hair for twenty dollars. With the proceeds she bought a platinum fob for Jim’s watch. That night Jim was shocked to see his wife’s hair, even though her gift to him made her lovelier than ever. Slowly he handed her his gift. It was a set of expensive tortoise shell combs with jewelled edges for her lovely hair. He had sold his gold watch to buy them. Each had given the other all they had to give… When love is real, there is no other way to give. So, can I ask you as I’ve asked myself this week… What’s your love really like for God and for other people? How do you express it? REFLECT True love is extravagant. That’s the first thought that I want to leave you with today. But the second thought that I’ve been reflecting on as I’ve read this story is equally challenging. And it’s this- true love acts on impulse. Yes, the disciples and their treasurer Judas, may well have been right in saying that this was a waste of money that could have been given to the poor. But Jesus wasn’t going to be around much longer. There might never be another opportunity to tell him again in such a special way, “We love you!” You know, so often in life it’s the same for us. An opportunity to express our love or appreciation suddenly presents itself or out of the blue an idea pops into our head. It might be as we are passing a shop window or walking down an aisle in the supermarket. It might be the thought to send someone an encouraging text or email, to write a card of condolence, to take a detour on the way home and pay someone a visit. Often God the Holy Spirit will nudge and prompt us in this way. Only last week, a Christian cleaner in a hospital in Belfast felt prompted to put two oranges, a packet of crisps and a can of coke in a plastic bag. After wiping them down carefully he dropped them into a patient who was in isolation. That man had only just begun to turn a corner and in his prayer had cried out for something that he really loved – a packet of Tayto crisps and a can of coke! What an encouragement when he opened the bag! But what an opportunity lost if the cleaner had not been willing to follow the prompting of God’s spirit. Mary acted on impulse. Jesus was overwhelmed by her generosity. He told the disciples to stop fretting. The poor would always be around and there would be future opportunities to help them. If Mary hadn’t seized the moment, it would have been gone forever. So let me ask you as I’ve asked myself this week… What impulses, what opportunities are popping into your mind during these days of social distancing? Could some of them be promptings of God’s Spirit? REFLECT The world would be a much better place if more people acted on the impulse of love because if we don’t act when it comes, the opportunity may well be gone forever. The final thought I want to leave you with from this story is simply this- the fragrance of a lovely action lasts forever. At the end of this story, Jesus says that what Mary has done will be remembered by millions of people for generations to come. How true that is! Even again today we are remembering what this woman has done. There is so much bitterness, treachery, intrigue and tragedy at the end of Jesus’ life that this story shines like an oasis of light in a darkening world. Every staff worker in our supermarkets, every teacher behind their laptop, every carer in our nursing homes, every nurse and doctor in our hospitals and GP surgeries. Each person on the frontline are sowing fragrant seeds whose aroma we will remember forever, especially those who will lose their lives in the process. But the same goes for all of us, not just at this difficult time, but in the future when everything returns to normal. Every day we have the potential to do lovely deeds, even simple things like helping our kids with their homework. Those are the things that will not be forgotten. There are few things greater in life than to leave the memory of a lovely deed. May God help each of us to be these sort of people. So let me ask you, as I’ve asked myself again. As you walk past the people in your life – Do they smell the aroma of Christ? Are you sowing seeds of extravagant love?... REFLECT Let’s take a few moments now to spend time praying for others… Prayer for Others Lord Jesus Christ, you gave of yourself without counting the cost, offering even your own life for the life of the world. So now we pray for all those who seek to love you in return, however hesitant, partial or imperfect their love might be. Inspire them through your love and the love of Mary. We pray for those new in their faith, still learning more of you, still uncertain perhaps of their commitment, still discovering more of your love. Keep their love always growing. We pray for those established in their faith, facing the daily risk of growing complacent, stale settled into a comfortable routine. Make their love fresh. We pray for those whose faith has crumbled, no longer holding the trust they once had, no longer feeling you close by their sides, no longer seeking to follow Christ. Renew their love. We pray for those who have never had faith; those consistently unmoved by the message of the gospel, those who resist its challenge despite themselves and those who deliberately go against your will. Kindle a love for you in their hearts. We pray for those whose faith is costly, those who sacrifice time money and energy security health and even life itself in the service of others. Reward their love. And we pray for those who need something to put their faith in – the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the sick, the suffering, the bereaved, all those broken by the tragedies and the crises of life. May they experience the fullness of your love. Lord we pray for all who are Christians at this time working on different frontlines. May your love flow through them in a special way to those they seek to help. May the healing power of Christ rest upon everyone they encounter. Lord, let your fragrance be spread abroad in these days, so that many people will be attracted to you and find you to be the greatest treasure. Lord Jesus, your love is for all, whoever they may be. May it reach out then into every heart in every place, and may we be a part of that, learning to love as you love us. Amen. Closing Words I hope you’ve found this time of worship to be both challenging and encouraging. Thanks for logging on. Please remember to tune in again tomorrow as we continue our journey with Jesus through Holy week. We will be reflecting on the ‘touch’ of holy week as we consider what lessons we can learn from the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. Don’t forget to look at our church website or on our Facebook page for latest information. Special thanks to Alison who has posted some lovely piano pieces of modern songs and traditional hymns which have already been a blessing to many of us. If you’d like to record a little message of encouragement from your family, or even a fun clip of something you’ve been doing, please don’t hesitate to send it on to Dave Hendry. Do keep everyone in your prayers and look out for anyone you can help. So let me close with a benediction after which, as always, I invite you to join me in saying the grace together… Benediction Go now into the world in peace. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul mind and strength. And love all other people as yourself. And may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, now and forevermore, Amen. Monday of Holy Week
APC 6th April 2020 Introduction and Welcome Good morning and welcome to the opening reflection in our holy week series as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus’ final week using our 5 senses. Today is entitled ‘the sight of holy week’ as together we will imagine ourselves in the crowd of people gathered in the ancient Jerusalem temple to worship. Suddenly a shouting man overturns the tables of the money changers scattering coins everywhere and sending sacrificial animals snorting and jumping in all directions. To our astonishment that man is Jesus. But before we read this surprising account, let us take a moment to speak to God. Let us pray… Opening Prayer Loving God, we come before you in worship, praise, thanksgiving and remembrance. We come to reflect on that last week in the life of Jesus and all that it teaches us of him- his faithfulness to the last, his love of justice and the outcast, his willingness to take the way of the cross, his courage in the face of opposition, suffering and death. We come, consecrating our lives to His service, committing ourselves to his cause. We come thankful for all he has done and continues to do, celebrating His great love. We come acknowledging him as our Lord and Saviour and desiring to be his true disciples. Receive now this time of worship that we offer to you and speak through it so that we might grow in faith and be strengthened in your service. Open our hearts to the presence of Christ and lead us in his way, for in his name we ask it. Amen. Let us say the Lord’s Prayer together… Lord’s Prayer Our Father, which 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. Bible Readings Luke 19: 45-48 'Jesus at the Temple’ 45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’ ” 47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words. Reflection ‘The Sight of Holy Week’ Knowing the man, I find it easy to understand how Jesus had compassion for people, even those who betrayed or rejected him. But at first glance, I find it much more difficult to understand Jesus’ behaviour as he leaves the city. We read that he goes into the temple and in an angry rage he overturns the benches of the people who are selling pilgrim sacrifices in the area of the temple known as ‘the Court of the Gentiles.’ As money scatters, tables thud against the floor and terrified animals noisily scramble to escape, Jesus screams, “It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer but you have made it a den of robbers!” What on earth is going on here? And what can we learn from it? Is Jesus by these actions forbidding us to ever hold a church fete or fundraiser? To understand this passage and what it teaches us about what it means for us to follow Christ, we need to look at the historical background of this situation. According to OT law, each year, every male Jew had to pay a Temple Tax of half a shekel. That money was to pay for the running of the temple. That was equivalent to about two day’s pay. One month before the Passover, booths were set up in all towns and villages to give people a chance to pay. However, most people chose to pay it on the day of their annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. In Palestine all sorts of currencies were in use but the temple tax could only be paid in Shekels. That meant that money exchangers were needed to help people change their currency into Shekels. This was all part of God’s laws for maintaining the temple. So in principle, there was nothing wrong with exchanging money even in the temple courts to facilitate people. What Jesus was so angry about was that in practice, many of these money changers were notorious swindlers. They were charging the pilgrims, many of whom were poor, an exorbitant rate of interest in order to exchange their money. Then there were people who were selling animals. This too was in one sense a necessity. People could bring their own animals. The problem was that any animal brought for sacrifice first had to be inspected by a temple authority to ensure that it was without blemish. The easiest way for people to be certain that their animal would be acceptable was to buy one that had already been inspected and was being sold in one of the temple booths. Again, the principle of selling ‘ready-to-go’ animals in the temple courts wasn’t the issue here. What Jesus was so angry about wasn’t that things were being sold or money exchanged in the temple, but that the animals that were sold inside the temple were over 10 times the price of those being sold outside! In other words, Jesus wasn’t condemning the holding of a church bazaar or the renting of church premises. What he was condemning, was the deliberate exploitation of vulnerable people by others, especially those who claimed to be religious! At the beginning of our journey through Holy week, this leaves us facing an uncomfortable question… “Are we unfair or discriminatory or do we exploit people in any way?” Our immediate reaction to that question might actually be to feel quite offended. But the older I get, the more I realise that without God’s help and our constant watchfulness, there is nothing that we are incapable of. The truth is, without God’s help, it isn’t easy to be fair. We all have our favourites. We are all tempted to take advantage of other people. We are all tempted to think we are just that bit better or more important than someone else. We are all prone to ignoring certain sections of society or leaving certain people out of the loop. It’s easy for us to use people to our own advantage no matter what the cost might be to them. We’re all happy to forget about the kid on the side-line, providing it’s not our child who is crying themselves to sleep at night. We may rejoice at the air miles we get on our credit cards – but how many people had to pay extortionate rates of interest so that our miles could be “free”? We might be delighted with our end of year profits, but what about the cleaner at the bottom of the tree, that can hardly afford to feed her children because her wages are so low and her zero hours contract so insecure? What conditions did people have to work in so that our clothes or groceries could be so cheap? What natural resources were destroyed, or how many people had to suffer so that we could receive a handsome return on our stocks and shares? We might not have had to wait long for an important procedure. But what about the people who can’t afford insurance and who might have to endure years of waiting and suffering as a result? Sure we might be able to achieve a sizeable rental income on a second property. But how will that impact our tenants, and what effect might it have on those who would love to own just one home, never mind two? I realise that for all of us, despite our best efforts, it can sometimes feel like it’s impossible to live a life that is totally free from having a negative impact on our environment, society or on a person living in another part of the world. I don’t think God wants us to walk around feeling guilty all the time. Nor do I think all that I’ve just said means we should automatically give up on technological progress, free market exchanges, investment, creativity or the enjoyment of life. But as Christians, I do believe that periodically we should make time to ask God by his Holy Spirit to enable us to search our lives, our attitudes and our actions and to ask ourselves some penetrating questions. That’s one reason this season of Lent is so important. So let me ask you the questions that I’ve asked myself this week after reflecting on Jesus’ reaction to injustice. “Are there attitudes in our lives that are discriminatory? Are we being unfair to anyone or is there someone that we are exploiting? Are we willing to stand up against these things like Jesus where we witness them in work, in our clubs, in our church or in society?” Are we making daily life choices that minimise our impact on the globe and on the poorer people of other nations? REFLECT….. Prayers for Others Loving God, we thank you for all that we have- our homes, our food, our clothing, our modern appliances, our public amenities, our opportunities for education, our access to healthcare and so much more. Loving God, hear our prayer for the ‘have-nots’ of this world. We pray for those who have no homes, living as refugees or living rough on our streets. We pray for those who live in inadequate housing, the shacks and huts of shanty towns, or in hotels or bed and breakfast accommodation because here is nowhere else for them to go. We pray for those who have no food, their crops have failed, their economies burdened by debt, or their labours not fairly rewarded. We pray for those who have no fresh water, daily facing the threat of disease and the nightmare of drought, and for those who have no resources, condemned to a life of poverty with no prospect of respite, no opportunity to help themselves. We pray for those who have no access to education, to a health service or a welfare system; no one to turn to for help or support. Loving God, in the context of this world of ours we are the ‘haves’- those who have been fortunate, those who enjoy plenty. Stir our hearts to respond to the ‘have-nots’. Help us to be ready to say ‘no’ to ourselves so that we may say ‘yes’ to them, to sacrifice a little that they may receive much. Help us to live in such a way that our carbon footprint will be minimal and our choices may not impact negatively on those who are poorest. Loving God, hear our prayer for the have-nots of this world, in the name of Christ we pray, Amen. Closing Words I hope you’ve found this time of worship to be both challenging and encouraging. Thanks for logging on. Please remember to tune in again tomorrow as we continue our journey with Jesus through Holy week. We will be reflecting on the ‘smell’ of holy week as we think about the amazing incident when a close friend Mary, spontaneously pours a very expensive jar of perfume on Jesus’ head. Don’t forget to look at our church website or on our Facebook page for latest information. Keep everyone in your prayers and look out for anyone you can help. So let me close with a benediction after which, as always, I invite you to join me in saying the grace together… Benediction Go now and proclaim the good news, not just through words but deeds- through what you say, what you do and who you are. May others, as they meet with you, meet with Christ and know His living presence for themselves… May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore, Amen. Palm Sunday Service APC 5th April 2020 Introduction Good morning everyone. Thank you for logging in to share in our time of prayers and reflection. I hope this new video format will help you to feel a little less isolated as we worship our God together… Today marks the beginning of Holy Week. That’s not to say that the next seven days are any more special than the other 364 days of the year. It simply means that at this time of year, many Christian churches pause to reflect on Jesus’ final week on earth before his crucifixion. Holy week begins by focusing on Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem when Jewish crowds waved palm leaves to celebrate their belief that Jesus would become their new King. That’s why today is called ‘Palm Sunday’. Holy week will end on Friday as we remember the ‘Passion’ or death of Christ on the cross. We will be having some extra broadcast services during Holy week which you are very welcome to tune into. The theme for the week will be “The Five Senses of Holy Week”. Tomorrow, we will be reflecting on the ‘sight’ of holy week as crowds in the temple watch amazed at Jesus overturning the desks of the people in charge of currency exchange in the temple. On Tuesday we will be reflecting on the ‘smell’ of holy week as we think about the amazing incident when a close friend Mary, spontaneously pours a very expensive jar of perfume on Jesus’ head. On Wednesday we will be reflecting on the ‘touch’ of holy week as we consider what lessons we can learn from the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. On Thursday we will be reflecting on the ‘taste’ of holy week as we sit around the table with Jesus and his disciples for the Last Supper. On Friday, Good Friday, we will be reflecting on the ‘sound’ of Holy week as we listen to a Monologue describing the death 9 Jesus through the eyes of the Roman Centurion. Then next Sunday morning we will gather to celebrate the truth that Christ is alive and to reflect on the significance that can have for our daily living. But today our focus traditionally is on the amazing but somewhat bizarre story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. This event is obviously a very significant one because it is recorded by each of the four gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. This morning we will look at this event as seen through the eyes of Luke. But before we do, let’s take a moment to pause and pray… Call to Worship “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD.” Opening Prayer Loving God, we join this day in glad and joyful praise. We welcome Christ once more as our King, Lord and Saviour. We promise him our loyalty, we bring him our love, we bow to him in worship, we greet him with wonder. Loving God, come to us again through Christ this day. Speak to us as we read familiar words, as we recall his triumphal entry into Jerusalem long ago, as we remember all it meant and all it cost. Help us to see that it was not only in the welcome of Palm Sunday, but in the rejection which followed that Jesus revealed your glory, and so help us to offer him our service in the days ahead, through the good times and the bad. Hosanna to the Son of David, glory in the highest heaven, now and for evermore. Amen. Lord’s Prayer 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. READING Luke 19: 28-44 Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King 28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”[a] “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” 41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” REFLECTION- “The Paradox of Palm Sunday” I don’t know about you, but increasingly for me Palm Sunday has become one of those occasions when I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry. I feel a bit like the people in the crowd that lined the streets of Jerusalem shouting and cheering as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. They honestly believed that He would become their new King and would lead them to a political and military victory over their Roman rulers. But when Jesus was arrested a few days later as a common criminal and a blasphemer, their laughter turned to rage and they shouted “Crucify Him!” Unlike the crowd, we have the benefit of hundreds of years of hindsight and theological reflection. We know that Jesus is the King of Kings and although His Kingship is different from what the crowds then expected, it is far from a disappointment. We know that through His death and resurrection He has conquered sin and death. We know that by trusting in what He has done, we can be set free from the guilt of our sin and also from the power of sin over us. That’s something to celebrate! But at the same time, the events of Palm Sunday force us to stop and reflect on our own lives in a way which might actually leave us feeling a little guilty and knowing that with God’s help we need to make a few changes in our lives, however difficult that might be. As I reflect on the Palm Sunday bible passages, the first thing it makes me think about is, “What sort of Jesus am I looking for, what sort of Jesus do I promote to the people I know?” Like the crowds on that first Palm Sunday, I think it’s easy for us to get that wrong. Like them, we can allow the thinking of our world to influence our expectations of what Jesus should be like and about how having Him in our lives should impact on us. It’s tempting to see Jesus as a celebrity, as a courageous leader who shows no sign of weakness or as one poster outside a Christian church I saw recently put it, “Jesus is our Super Hero!” And of course, Jesus is the all-powerful, invincible and almighty God. But He is also a God who is not afraid to show weakness and who treads a path of humility and sacrifice. In one sense the whole image of Him riding into Jerusalem on a donkey over a few coats and palm branches strewn across the road with his feet trailing the ground reinforces this point. If we missed it the first time, then surely we cannot fail to feel the disciples embarrassment when in the middle of the Passover party, their King sits down and starts to cry! Ours is not the Hollywood Jesus who at the end of his flogging in the film “The Passion of Christ” stands tall, puts out his chin and as much as says to the soldiers in Braveheart fashion, “Bring it on!” That’s one of the dangers in Palm Sunday or any Sunday. We can portray a Jesus that is very far from the truth. Sure we have so much to celebrate in all that Christ has done for us and all that we have in Him! But that celebration is not to be unthinking. It is not to be like the red-carpeted spectacle of the Oscars. We are not to promote in our worship or our lives a Jesus who has come to give us all we want or a Jesus who has come to solve all our problems. We are not to promote a Jesus who will always make us strong and invincible and who demands professionalism and success in everything we do. We are not to promote a Jesus who simply wants to give us an emotional high all the time or always leave us with a feel-good factor. Yes, God by His Spirit will provide for our needs. Yes, God by His Spirit will comfort and support us through life’s struggles. Yes, God will help us to use the gifts and abilities He has given us to achieve things for His glory. Yes, the joy of the Lord is our strength. But in all these things we must maintain the true Spirit of Christ- a Christ who was sensitive, humble, who was weak, who endured sacrifice and who came to serve rather than be served. Palm Sunday reminds us that the Christian way is not that of glamour and the red carpet. It is the way of the cross. It involves struggle and sacrifice and weakness and humility. It includes the poor and the outcast and operates on the basis that change comes from the bottom up rather than the top down. It constantly stretches us to the very fibres of our being as God challenges us to change. So let me ask you, as I’ve asked myself again this week, “How does the reality of Jesus compare to the Jesus I am seeking or the Jesus I promote to my friends? TAKE TIME TO REFLECT….. Conclusion Palm Sunday gives us a reminder of what our expectations of Christ should be. As the American Presbyterian minister Scott Hoezee puts it- “You likely didn't ‘tune in’ here this morning picturing a Palm Sunday Jesus with red-rimmed eyes, tear-stained cheeks, and a quivering chin. But if that is the Jesus you follow out of here, then you are on the gospel path.” Prayers for others Lord Jesus Christ, you entered Jerusalem in quiet humility, taking the form of a servant, even to the point of death on a cross, emptying yourself so that we might be filled. Come afresh to our troubled world, with all its needs, its tensions, its problems and its evil. Bring healing where there is division, love where there is hatred, hope where there is despair, joy where there is sorrow, confidence where there is fear, strength where there is weakness, healing where there is sickness. Life where there is death. Lord Jesus Christ, reach out to your church and to your world, despite the weakness of our faith and the rejection of so many. May your will be done on earth even as it is in heaven. Come again now and establish your Kingdom, for it’s in your name that we pray. Amen. Closing Remarks Again it’s been my joy and privilege to serve you by leading you in worship this morning. Thanks for logging on. I hope you’ve enjoyed the new video format and found this time to be encouraging. Please remember to tune in again tomorrow as we begin our journey with Jesus through Holy week. Don’t forget to look at our church website or on Facebook for latest information. Keep everyone in your prayers and look out for anyone you can help. So let me close with a benediction after which, as always, I invite you to join me in saying the grace together… Benediction My brothers and sisters. As we enter this holy week, let us keep our eyes on Jesus. He will show us where we need to go and what we ought to do. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all evermore, Amen. 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Michael has asked to have these articles put onto the site and Facebook posts to assist anyone who may need help during this period. Employment Support in the Republic of Ireland. Many congregations employ locally a range of personnel to assist in a variety of roles, which may no longer be able to function given the increased government restrictions on the opening of premises and movement of people. On Tuesday 24 March the Government in the Republic of Ireland announced two separate employment support schemes – a Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme and a Short Time Work Support Scheme. Please note that it is not possible to make a claim for duplicate support - so those receive assistance through the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme cannot receive additional assistance through the Short Time Work Support Scheme or other initiatives like the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
From Thursday 26 March 2020 this subsidy scheme will refund employers up to a maximum of €410 per each qualifying employee per week. It is available to employers from all sectors whose business activities are being adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and is open to employers who retain staff on payroll – some staff may be temporarily not working or may be on reduced hours or reduced pay. It is the responsibility of employers, already registered with Revenue, to register for the Scheme. Full information is available at: https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/communications/covid19/temporary-covid-19-wage-subsidy-scheme.aspx
To qualify an employee must be:
Full information can be found at https://www.gov.ie/en/service/c20e1b-short-time-work-support/ Tuesday 31st March 2020 Useful websites – Republic of Ireland (20200331)
Presbyterian Church in Ireland General contact information https://www.presbyterianireland.org/News/March-2020/Assembly-Buildings-closed-until-further-notice.aspx These Three Remain The aim of the initiative is to draw congregations together in God to express his life and witness in this moment. A range of devotions, prayer points, blogs and stories are provided to encourage and equip churches and their members in these days. https://www.presbyterianireland.org/thesethreeremain Government The government is collating all its Coronavirus information on to one main page https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/c36c85-covid-19-coronavirus/ Latest staying at home measures https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/539d23-stay-at-home-the-latest-public-health-measures-to-prevent-the-spread/ Information on essential service providers under new public health guidelines Please note that clergy are required to carry one form of identification at all times https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/dfeb8f-list-of-essential-service-providers-under-new-public-health-guidelin/ Information on ‘cocooning’ to protect people over 70 years of age and those extremely medically vulnerable https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/923825-guidance-on-cocooning-to-protect-people-over-70-years-and-those-extr/ Information on community response https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/58a0a9-you-your-community-and-covid-19/ Health Service Executive (HSE) Up to date information and advice from the HSE https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus/ Health Protection Surveillance Centre Information on cases of COVID-19 in Ireland including guidance and advice https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/ Support for employers Advice on the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme Advice on the Short time Work Support Scheme https://www.gov.ie/en/service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy/ https://www.gov.ie/en/service/c20e1b-short-time-work-support/ |
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April 2023
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