Post Communion Sentence

Lord God, the source of truth and love, keep us faithful to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, united in prayer and the breaking of bread, and one in joy and simplicity of heart, in Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Commentary

The people who listened to Jesus were right to recognise him as the Messiah, the Christ. He was not a forerunner, somebody sent to prepare the way, he was the way. He was the fulfilment of all the hopes and dreams of the Jewish people. God had kept his promise, he had sent in Jesus not a prophet, not a person to speak about what God was like, it was God himself in human form. It was most wonderfuI.  The Jews who heard Jesus and who recognised who he was could have been forgiven for assuming that this meant that as Messiah Jesus would be the one who would raise Israel up from under Roman occupation and restore her fortunes as a nation.  The role of Messiah had military and political expectations which they could justifiably expect Jesus to carry out.

The air would have been filled with excitement at being in the presence of one who was about to reverse the fortunes of the downtrodden Israelites. Peter and disciples must have had in their minds episodes from the history of Israel, such as when Moses freed the people from Pharaoh. Once more God was about to do a great thing and the opportunity to be a part of it must have been elating.

Imagine the disappointment then when Jesus acknowledges the fact that he is the Messiah, but then says he is going to be captured and put to death. How on earth could they convince anybody to follow a leader who was already predicting his own failure and demise! Jesus insists on honesty, they must not lead anybody into false expectations or misguided hopes. Anybody who wanted to follow would be a part of a movement which was destined to suffering and hardship.

The disciples found it almost impossible to understand Jesus. Later we read that Jesus gathered his disciples together and made his teaching really explicit. He broke bread as a visual aid, to help them understand that his body was going to be broken. His blood was going to be poured out, just as he gave them wine to drink. The disciples found such ideas beyond comprehension, they wanted the inauguration of the Kingdom of God, the new Golden Age.

This is an important to lesson to learn, for many are deceived in their faith by imagining that faith in Christ acts like a barrier against trial and tribulation. Some are wrongly advised that the trusting soul is not occasioned by adversity to the same degree as those who live without the Christian religion. How easy it would be to stand in the pulpit and declare that the act of faith works to bring health and wealth and immunity from the dangers which trouble others. How easy and yet how false.

Thomas a Kempis wrote of those who have taken up the cross of Jesus Christ

'They are proved by tolerance of injuries, and the removal of internal consolations; by the death of friends, and by the loss of property; by pains in the head, and injuries in the limbs; by abstinence from food, and roughness of garments; by the hardness of their bed, and the coldness of their feet; by the long watches of the night, and the labours of the day; by silence of the mouth, and reproofs of superiors; by worms that gnaw, and tongues that detract. In their sufferings, however, they are consoled by the devout meditation of the Lord's Passion.'

Nobody could accuse him of trying to pull the wool over the eyes of potential converts!

We must not expect special favours from God because of our faith. Christian commitment does not grant us immunity from the pains of life associated with our mortal bodies and a fragile planet.  A most cursory glance at the misfortunes which afflict the lives of people across the world from Darfur to Iraq, must convince anybody with half a brain, that God is not in the business of sparing people from even the most dreadful atrocities. The idea that we worship a God who will through our prayers reward us with new jobs or girlfriends, whilst being seemingly oblivious to the plight of millions who seek only enough food and water to remain alive, is simply ridiculous. Such belief turns God into a monster from whom we would do better to run away than to fall down and worship. 

The life of the Christian is not for those seeking an escape, it is just another way of walking the same path of life, with its many adversities and dangers. The difference is that as we walk we are accompanied along the path by one who has walked this path before and who promises to be with us as we pass over to the other side.

Charles Royden

Meditation

"Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it." To be a Christian is not for the faint hearted, nor even for the strong, but only for the faithful, who dare to trust the Lord.

Hymns and Psalms

1. Tell out my soul
2. I have decided to follow Jesus
3. The servant of the living God (Tune Old 100th) (Words below)
4. Through all the changing scenes of life
5. Healing God Almighty Father (Tune Hyfrodol)

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

Love is your meaning, O Lord. Before ever you made us you loved us. Your love has never slackened nor ever shall. In love all your works have been begun, by love you sustain them and our life in your love is everlasting. So let the beginning and ending of all our loving be to see our God for ever; and this may Jesus grant us. Amen. Julian of Norwich (c.1343-c.1417)

Lord of light – shine on us;
Lord of peace – dwell in us;
Lord of might – succour us;
Lord of love – enfold us;
Lord of wisdom – enlighten us.
Then, Lord, let us go out as your witnesses,
in obedience to your commands;
to share the good news of your mighty love for us
in the gift of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
A prayer for Mission – from the Church in Wales

Wonderful God, Almighty Redeemer - you have declared your love for us not only in words, but in deeds. We thank you for the love you have revealed through Christ Jesus, our Lord and for how you have granted us by his death and resurrection victory over the sin that is in us and in the world. We praise you for inviting us to be a part of your family and for reaching out to us when we have wandered from the path. Be with us this day as we worship you and listen to your word. Grant that we may be renewed in body and spirit that we might more worthily serve and adore you. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

We are on the way again Lord - the time of busyness. The time of new schooling, Of new activities in church and in the community. We ask you to bless our activities - our special services - our ways of doing things, our volunteers - and those who continue to serve as faithfully as they have for many years.... Amen.
 

God, the source of all health: So fill my heart with faith in your love, that with calm expectancy I may make room for your power to possess me, and gracefully accept your healing; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 

Gracious Father, fill your whole Church with truth and peace; where it is corrupt, purge it; where it is in error, direct it; where anything is amiss, reform it; where it is right, strengthen it; and where it is divided and torn asunder, heal and bind its wounds; through Christ our Lord. Amen William Laud, 1573-1645

Lord, for every story of growth and exciting development, there seem to be a dozen others of decline and failure. When will the Church become strong again? When will we be able to hold up our heads as Christians? Perhaps it will be when we learn that it is not our Church, but yours; when we learn to let go of comfortable traditions that keep us safe and once again risk everything for your Kingdom; when we learn that the one who would be first must be the servant of all; and when we rely on your grace rather than our own strength. Perhaps you have something entirely new waiting for us? Help us to see the way ahead, Lord. Graham Carter, Darlington District Chair
 

Additional Material

Meditation

1.  A woman went to St. Francis of Assisi and asked what she had to do to be forgiven for her gossiping. St. Francis told her to take feathers and place one at the doorstep of everyone she had spoken ill of in the town. She did so and returned to the wise saint. Francis told her to then go and retrieve all the feathers. When she attempted to do so, they were all gone. By that time the feathers were scattered all around town. Once again, she returned to St. Francis and told him about the feathers. He said to her: You wish to repent and be forgiven of your sin. Good. But the damage of your words is done and can not be taken back.

2.   There is a story told about the great psychiatrist Viktor Frankl. After giving an address in Melbourne, he was given a boomerang as a gift. He commented that the boomerang reminded him of our human existence. People assume that the function of the boomerang is to return to the thrower, he said. But it is the real function of the boomerang to hit the target and to return to the thrower only if it misses the target. The same is true for life. We return to ourselves, to become self-absorbed and preoccupied, only if we have failed to find meaning in life. The meaning of life is to move out beyond ourselves, beyond our own meaning, and therefore find meaning. If we live only unto ourselves, spending money only for ourselves, squandering our time and our strength only on ourselves, focusing chiefly on ourselves, life boomerangs and comes back to us with only ourselves to show for it.
 

Commentary

The time of Jesus’ passion is coming to a close. He knows it is, but as yet his disciples are ignorant about what will happen. Soon, it will be time for Jesus to take them up into the hills where they will experience his transfiguration. Up to now, Jesus’ work has entailed travelling around, teaching, preaching and healing. But this passage indicates that things are to change and Jesus is starting to want to prepare his disciples for the changes. He asks them ‘Who do you think I am?’ and is told who others have said he is. However, Jesus wants to know what they think, not what others have said.

 This is to remind us that we stand before him on a one-to-one basis, God does not deal with us through a third party. Yes, of course, Jesus is our mediator, but since he tells us that he and the Father are one (John 17), then that does not alter the relationship. From the passage in Mark, it is clear that Peter has started to understand things more clearly than the other disciples do: he is the one to say that Jesus is the Messiah, the Anointed One.

This was the person many Jews had been looking forward to, the one who would set them free. The trouble was that they were expecting a great leader who would conquer their enemies. Jesus, of course, was a Messiah in a different way. In verse 33 we can see that Jesus had his mind set on divine things: on the Church that he was founding, and on how the remainder of his earthly ministry would be pointing to the setting up of that Church.

Today, Jesus still continues to build for eternity: brick by brick, stone by stone, soul by soul, as his gospel reaches out to people in more and more countries. There are still people who need to be reached so that they can hear and receive the gospel. As Christians we are therefore commissioned to share Jesus’ message with as many people as we can through what we say and how we behave. Rev Peter Littleford

Alternate hymns

1. Immortal invisible 327
2. The servant of the Living God
3. If any man will follow
4. I have decided to follow Jesus
5. All earth was dark 8
6. Broken for me 66
7. Man of sorrows
8. Will you come and follow me
9. Now thank we all our God 486
10. Tell out my soul 86 (tune Woodlands)
11. Come on and Celebrate On Notices 99 Mission Praise 3.
12. There’s a wideness in God’s mercy 230
13. Lord of creation 699 (tune i Slane)
14. May the mind of Christ my Saviour 739 (tune ii)
15. Onward Christian Soldiers

On April 16, 1889: a baby boy Charles was born in East Lane, Walworth (London), to music hall performers Charles and Hannah Chaplin. His parents parted company within 5 years and he had a difficult childhood, attending a school for orphans and destitute children. His father subsequently died and his mother was placed in an asylum for the insane. Yet Charles Chaplin grew to become and amazing star of films across the world. It has been said that his odd little tricks of manner and his refusal to do the most simple things in an ordinary way were essential features of his method, which thus far has defied successful imitation. His work was acknowledged when on March 4 1975 Chaplin was knighted by Queen Elizabeth. He died on December 25 1977 at his home in Switzerland.

From time to time, one of Charlie Chaplin’s silent films is shown on TV. He was a small man, with a moustache and a hat and walking stick, and a funny way of walking! Because he was very popular, Charlie Chaplin look-alike-competitions were held, and people would line up and be judged on who looked most like Charlie Chaplin, walking like him and doing tricks like him. One day, just for the fun of it, Charlie Chaplin himself entered one of these “look-alike” competitions. He didn’t win - he came third!

In Romans 8:28 we read In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

There is a sense therefore in which we are all called to be ‘look-a-likes’ We are to copy the example of Jesus, his life of love and compassion. We are challenged to ask ourselves, ‘When God looks at me, how close might I be to the true person that he calls me to be, being made in his own image and likeness?’ What changes do I need to make in my life that I may succeed in the real “look-alike” competition? We are called not to be like other human beings, but rather to be like Christ No matter how humble our beginnings, or what difficulties life might throw at us, God encourages us all to achieve to the likeness of Christ.

Prayer   Inspire me, Lord, so that I may reflect your image and likeness a little more clearly each day. Amen.
 

Hymn to tune Old 100th

1 The servant of the living God
is found among the humble poor;
in their oppression he will share,
and human dignity restore.

2 The Servant now we recognise
as Son of man and Son of God;
then let us follow, not obstruct,
the painful path of hope he trod.

3 He calls us to a living faith,
to costly love in action shown;
for faith itself is counted dead,
unless in caring works made known.

4 O give us faith, eternal God,
among the poor to take our place,
and let our words and actions show
the presence of undying grace.

Tune Old 100th