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It has been said that when people stop believing in God, then they will believe anything. Without doubt there are many people around who turn to very inadequate sources of help when seeking guidance for their lives. Horoscopes, people who pretend to communicate with dead relatives, there are many people out there who will take advantage of people who have lost or who have never known faith in God.

The Christian faith provides us with a way of living which makes sense of our world and our lives. It is simple enough to be taught to children and yet profound enough to challenge the most intelligent minds.

Opening Verse of Scripture Romans Chapter 8

Continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness

Collect Prayer for the Day —Before we read we pray

God of the nations, to whose table all are invited and in whose kingdom no one is a stranger: hear the cries of the hungry and mercifully extend to all the peoples on earth the joy of your salvation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

First Bible Reading Jeremiah Chapter 23:23-29

"Am I only a God nearby," declares the LORD , "and not a God far away? Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD . "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD . "I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!' How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their fathers forgot my name through Baal worship. Let the prophet who has a dream tell his dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?" declares the LORD ."Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD , "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? (Reader: This is the word of the Lord—All: Thanks be to God)

Second Reading Hebrews 11:29-12:2

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient. And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned] ; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Reader: This is the word of the Lord - All: Thanks be to God)

Gospel Reading Luke 12: 49 –56

After the Gospel is announced All: Glory to Christ our Saviour
"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time? (Reader: This is the Gospel of Christ –All: Praise to Christ our Lord.)

Post Communion Prayer

God of our pilgrimage, you have willed that the gates of mercy should stand open for those who trust in you: look upon us with your favour that we who follow the path of your will may never wander from the way of life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Commentary

Those who like to think of Jesus as being always mild and calm should re-read this morning’s passage from the Gospel according to St Luke. Jesus sounds cross and impatient with the blindness of His contemporaries. He lambasts them for focusing on superficial matters, such as forecasting the weather. But the attention and intelligence being used in this task should be applied to something far more significant: their rightness with God. People tend to see what they want to see and ignore things they would prefer not to know. I am continually amazed by the aimless spiritual hunger manifested in our times. It is not that people do not believe – it is that some people would believe in just about anything! I am continually appalled by the money and time thrown away on false predictions and superstitious methods of “foretelling the future”. It is as if some people are looking for a spirituality that you can buy (crystals, earth worship, numerology, white witchcraft, dream catchers etc.) and then put in a drawer and forget, forming a belief system which is so vague that it requires no effort. The Christian faith, rooted in the Jewish tradition,, offers a way of living which has been tried and tested over millennia by wise and good people. It has transformed lives, inspired great acts of courage and self-sacrifice (Paul lists the “cloud of witnesses” in the passage from Hebrews). Jesus’ teachings offer the two great precepts for living “love God and love your neighbour as yourself”. But the simplicity of the faith belies the great effort it requires on the part of the faithful. The more we learn about our Faith and the women and men who have followed it, the richer and more profoundly satisfying it becomes. It is both simple enough for a child to understand and intellectually challenging enough to absorb the wisest minds in history. The Reverend Dr Joan Crossley

Meditation

“Stand up! Stand up for Jesus! Ye soldiers of the Cross, lift high his royal banner; it must not suffer loss.” That well-known hymn was written in the reign of Queen Victoria, when Britain was at the height of its period of Imperial expansion. This was a time when huge tracts of Africa and the Indian sub-continent were under British rule. The seizing of other nations’ possessions: dominating them, converting them to British customs and laws not only seemed right but was perceived as being our destiny as a nation – it was known as the “white man’s burden”. Christianity went hand in hand with this kind of military domination. Christianity was imposed on the native populations and was seen as being a way not only of saving the souls of the benighted foreigners but of imposing discipline and order on them. Imperial warfare therefore had a spiritual dimension, since it brought new souls to the faith. This hymn seems to be both about battle against an external enemy and about fighting spiritual battles. There are still battles to be won for Jesus. The enemy, though, isn’t as easy to identify or as easy to dominate. The last great battle we all fight is against ourselves, against our own greed, materialism, self-centeredness and indifference. It is a constant battle, against an enemy which is evasive and hard to put down, but we have to continue to “fight the good fight” against our personal weaknesses, so that the truth of Jesus may triumph.

Hymns

Let all the world, 404
Give thanks, 170
Judge eternal, 395
Guide me, 201

Prayers for Sunday and the week ahead

representation of prayer as seed growing

"Prayer is a plant, the seed of which is sown in the heart of every Christian.
If it is well cultivated and nourished it will produce fruit, but if it is neglected, it will wither and die."

God, who from old, taught the hearts if your faithful people by sending to them the light of you Holy Spirit: grant to us by the same spirit to have a right judgment in all things and to evermore rejoice in his holy comfort. Amen.

Heavenly Father, help us to live this day and each day, as if it were our last. Amen

Take my body, O Christ, to do your work, for here on earth you have no body now but mine. Take my hands to be your hands and my feet to walk in the ways of your feet. Take my eyes to be the eyes of your own compassion shining forth upon a troubled world; for your own mercy’s sake. Amen Teresa of Avila, 1515-1582

God our Father, be near to our children growing up in the peril and confusion of these times. Guard them from the forces of evil at work in our society, and lead them in the paths of goodness and truth; enable us as parents, grandparents, family members or as friends to give them at all times the security of our love and the help of our example and our prayers. Amen (Edward Peck)

O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
I long for you like dry, weary land without water.
Give me your strength and your glory.

I wish to praise you all my life fill my soul as with a banquet.
I cling to you; hold me close in your hands.
Psalm 63

Increase your grace in us, O Lord, that we may fear your Name beyond which nothing is more holy; that we may love you, beyond whom nothing is more loveable; that we may glorify you beyond whom nothing is more worthy of praise, and that we may long for you beyond whom nothing is more desirable; and grant that thus fearing, loving, glorifying and longing we may see you, face to face; through Christ our Lord. Amen Desiderius Erasmus, 1466-1536

Additional Resources

20th in Ordinary Time, Year C, Green

Opening Verse of Scripture 2 Tim 1 v 7

God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power and love and self control.

Collect Prayer for the Day-Before we read we pray

Ever-loving God, your Son Jesus Christ gave Himself as living bread for the life of the world; give us such a knowledge of His presence that we may be strengthened and sustained by His risen life to serve you continually; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (New Zealand Prayer Book)

First Bible Reading, Isaiah Chapter 5:1-7

I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside.

He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. "Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad? Now I will tell you what I am going to do to my vineyard: I will take away its hedge, and it will be destroyed; I will break down its wall, and it will be trampled. I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it." The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. (This is the word of the Lord—Thanks be to God)

Second Bible Reading, Luke 12 v 49 - 5

(We stand for this reading from the Gospel and after the reading is announced we join in saying together 'Glory to Christ our Saviour')

"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does. And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time? (This is the Gospel of Christ - Praise to Christ our Lord)

Post Communion Prayer

Commentary

In some ways the New Testament reading seems rather strange, especially in the context of Partnership and ecumenism! Peace, harmony and unity are exactly the results we would expect through a relationship with Jesus aren't they? And indeed they are the results, if we understand peace and this passage in the way Jesus is speaking. The peace and harmony we have in Jesus arises from the unity we have with God and with what God is doing in our world and the solidarity we have with those travelling along the same path.

The play on words in Hebrew in the last verse of the Old Testament passage gives us an insight into this. The Lord looked for justice mishpat, but saw bloodshed mispat; He looked for righteousness tsedaqua, but heard tseaqua (a cry that attends anarchy, for example, just like the cry of the rabble by which justice when Jesus was before Pilate). The words, spelling and pronunciation are close, but in reality their meanings are very different.

In both the Old and New Testament passages the thrust is on God's people acting in a way which is real and > to their faith, not something which looks close on the outside but in reality is a long way from the real thing. The peace which Jesus speaks about in Luke is real peace, not something that just papers over the cracks in the name of unity. This quest for real peace stems from our walking with God and wanting to do His will. It is built on a passion and compassion for change, justice, and renewal, themes which Isaiah implicitly challenges the Israelites with in the Song of the Vineyard, the title of today's Old Testament passage. It's not a 'peace at any price', a peace which fails to place Gods will at the very centre of its existence.

For the Israelites and for us the message is clear. Put the Kingdom of God first, and everything else falls into place. Putting the Kingdom first does not guarantee peace and harmony; it will involve personal and societal change and will almost certainly encounter resistance (all change does) and possibly rejection. Seen in its proper context this passage is subversive stuff! But its what we are called to do and be as Christians. To take our place and fulfil our role in bringing about God's kingdom on earth.

And our Partnership at St Marks and Putnoe Heights is proof of the reality of God's peace. The strength of our unity and harmony comes from the fact that we try not to paper over the cracks but try to understand each other's point of view, whatever is being discussed, and then move forward together. Clearly there is always room for improvement, ways that we could do things better and areas that we still need to work on, but often as Christians we look at the things we need to change and forget to give thanks for the progress we've made!

(Reverend Dr Sam Cappleman)

Meditation

Frank Baum was a newspaperman who put his writing talents to use in a series of children's books about a fairyland called the Land of Oz. His characters had wonderful adventures. Frank Baum later adapted his book into a musical. 20 years after his death, a musical film called "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" in 1939. In the story there are four unhappy characters: a scarecrow who thinks he has no brain; a tin woodsman who thinks he has no heart; a lion who thinks he has no courage, and a girl called Dorothy who thinks she has no power to change anything in her life. These four characters - all thinking little of themselves - believe that if they reach the Wizard of Oz he will change them so that they have the qualities and talents they would like. What they discover is that the Wizard doesn't force people to change; instead he cares about them. He sends each of them an invitation to see in themselves what they had not seen before. And so the scarecrow discovers that he already does have a brain. The tin woods-man realises that he does already have a heart. The lion possesses all he needs to be courageous. Dorothy has what it takes to change things in her own life. When Dorothy returns to Kansas (from where she had been taken by a tornado) she says to her aunt: "Oh, Aunt Em, I've been to many strange and marvellous places, looking for something that was right here all along...right in my own back yard!"

God our Father, each person is unique and special to you. We pray that individuals may discover in themselves the treasures you have given them, and develop and put to good use the qualities they hold in trust from you. I pray that I may promote goodness and happiness, by treating others with respect and care and understanding.

Prayer

Creator God, your world longs to live in peace. We pray for your healing peace; for countries at war with one another, for communities where there is conflict, for victims of past and present wars. Your world longs to live in peace, but not peace at any price. We pray for those who stir up dissension; by campaigning for justice, by championing the poor and oppressed, and by challenging the wealthy and the powerful. Amen

Saviour God, humanity longs to live in peace. We pray for your healing peace; for those racked by guilt or regret, for those caught up in turbulent relationships, for those burdened by illness or sorrow. Humanity longs to live in peace, but not peace at any price. We pray for those who stir up dissension; by questioning the ways of society, by being open and honest, and by searching for the truth. Amen

Spirit of God, your church longs to live in peace. We pray for your healing peace; between denominations, within individual churches, in our own hearts. Your church longs to live in peace, but not peace at any price. We pray for those who stir up dissension; disturbing us with new visions and ideas, criticising our apathy and complacency, and provoking us o think afresh about our calling. Amen From Companion to the Revised Common Lectionary, Intercessions, Christine Odell

The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen

Here, O Lord, is my poor heart, an empty vessel ready to be filled with your grace. Here, O Lord, is my sinful soul, waiting to be refreshed by your love. Here, O Lord, is my mouth created for your praise and ready to proclaim the glory of your name, now and for ever. Amen Dwight Lyman Moody, 1837-1899

Hymns (Mission Praise)

Guide me 201 Mission Praise, Give thanks 170 Mission Praise, I watch the sunrise (notices), O day of peace (On notices)

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