Worship on the Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
10:00 am     February 09, 2025
Minister: The Rev. Brad Childs
Music Director: Binu Kapadia     Vocalist: Lynn Vaughan
Welcoming Elder: Gina Kottke     Children’s time presenter: Brad

We gather to worship God

Music Prelude

Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
P: and also with you

Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship

Call to worship:
L: A voice beckons in the morning, saying,
P: “You are my Beloved.”
L: It is the voice of One we see dimly, we hear faintly.
P: We reach out for that voice, for the One who has claimed us in love.
L: In this time together, may we hear the voice of God who shepherds us with love and grace.
P: And let us worship God.

Opening praise: This is amazing grace

Prayers of approach and confession

God ever creating, ever loving, ever leading:

your presence is peace when we are frantic;

your Word is truth when we face deception;

our Spirit offers freedom when we are paralyzed by fear.

You give purpose in confusing times;

You call for justice when the world settles for inequality.

For all that you are, all that you have been, and all that you will be,

we worship you as the source of life,  the promise of redemption, and the spirit of love in action, One God, now and always.

Hear us now as we confess to you our sins:

Merciful God, you call us to fullness of life, but we confess our shortcomings.

We have wandered from your ways and wasted your gifts;

we have ignored your grace at work among us, and focused on loss and complaint.

We have been suspicious of the motives of others, too quick to judge and too slow to forgive.

Give us the courage to see clearly who and what we are.

With your forgiveness, cleanse us from all our faults and failings, and inspire us to walk a new way.  Amen.

Response: I will trust in the Lord

Assurance of God’s pardon
God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is God’s love;
as far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our sins from us.
Rejoice that God has forgiven you and opens a new future this day.

We listen for the voice of God

Song: Open our eyes, Lord ( 445)

Children’s time

5 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. 3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

The Lord’s Prayer (535)

Song: Joyful, joyful we adore you (410)

Scripture (Nahyeni Bassah): 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Response: Behold the lamb of God

Message: “Grace”

The resurrection is not merely a historical event but a living truth that propels us forward, enriching our lives and guiding our actions. It stands as the bedrock of our faith, the pivotal truth upon which our hopes and beliefs rest.

Josh McDowell wrote, “As we reflect on these truths, we will explore three vivid illustrations: the unshakable foundation of a skyscraper, the compelling testimony of witnesses, and the miraculous transformation of a metamorphosed butterfly. Through these images, we will delve into how the resurrection serves as a foundation, a validation, and a catalyst for transformation in our lives.”

Imagine the skyline of a bustling city, where modern skyscrapers stand proudly, their heights reaching toward the heavens. These architectural marvels dazzle us with their curves and angles, their glass facades reflecting the sunlight in a myriad of colors. Yet, as breathtaking as their exteriors may be, the true marvel lies hidden beneath the surface—a solid foundation, deep and unyielding, anchoring each structure to the bedrock below. Without this foundation, no matter how beautifully constructed, the building would collapse under its own weight.

Much like these skyscrapers, our faith finds its strength and stability in the core truth of the resurrection. Paul begins this passage by reminding the Corinthians of the Gospel he preached: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” These foundational truths are not merely historical accounts; they are the bedrock of our beliefs—the anchor that steadies us in times of trial and doubt.

The resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith, the essential element that ensures our beliefs stand firm. Without this core truth, everything else crumbles. Paul emphasizes that Christ’s death and resurrection are not only central to the Gospel but are what gives life to our faith. Without belief in the resurrection, without this foundation, our faith is hollow—a house built on sand, vulnerable to the slightest tremor of doubt.

Just two verses later or as I might put it – in the exact same sentence Paul says… “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.”

Have you ever noticed how much people love a good suspense movie? You know, the ones where there’s a big reveal at the end?

Well, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, is basically saying: ‘If there’s no resurrection, then the biggest suspense movie of all time ends in a total flop!’

He says,” If there is no resurrection of Christ than there is no resurrection for us.”

So let’s be thankful that the tomb is empty—because who wants to settle for a series finale that leaves us all scratching our heads and saying, ‘Well, that was disappointing!’?”

Just as architects invest countless hours ensuring a building’s foundation is solid and secure, so we need to devote ourselves to rooting our lives in the fundamental truth of the resurrection. This is not a passive endeavor but an active pursuit, requiring immersion in Scripture, prayer, and reflection. Let the truth of the resurrection seep into every aspect of your life, and consider how this foundation influences your decisions, your values, your understanding of the afterlife and of where your loved ones now reside as well as considering your own simple daily actions.

When challenges and doubts arise—when the storms of life attempt to shake us—return to this cornerstone, assured that your faith is securely anchored.

Over the last few years I have been rather blessed to have a friend. He did a sermon here once for me. John owns a Highrise condo over looking Mount Rainer, Washington. I’ve stayed there a few times and there is something really calming about looking out over the city and seeing the mountains in the distance. But what makes it calming is the knowledge that where I stand is secure.

For the Christian, the resurrection is that secure foundation.

This foundation calls us to align our lives with the teachings and mission of Christ. Are we building our lives on this truth? Do our daily actions, thoughts, and words reflect the hope and power of the resurrection? As we walk in faith, let us remain mindful of our foundation—strong and sure.

Shift your gaze from the skyline to a packed courtroom, where the air buzzes with anticipation. Witness after witness steps forward, their consistent testimonies weaving together into a tapestry of truth. Each voice adds weight and credibility to the case at hand. In the courtroom of faith, the resurrection is validated by the transformative testimony of a multitude. Paul names them. And he names people that his audience knows. He says Jesus came back from the dead and Peter (you know him) saw Jesus. He says, you know John, John saw him. Is John a lier? Matthew saw him, ask him! All Jesus’ closest friends saw him. His bother James saw him, ask him. In fact 500 some different people saw him. Go interview them. Go ask! There are people all over the country that saw him back from the dead.

And then finally Paul says, Oh and I saw him too. And this is kind of odd but here Paul calls himself an abortion. He says, Even I saw him, though I was born at the wrong time. By this Paul means only that he wasn’t one of the original 12 disciples.

These encounters with the risen Christ are not mere anecdotes; they are life-altering moments that resonate with authenticity and conviction. And remember, you could be arrested or even killed for claiming to have seen Jesus’ resurrected body.

The significance of these witnesses cannot be overstated. In a time when the testimony of multiple witnesses was necessary to establish truth, the vast number and diversity of people who encountered the risen Jesus provide compelling evidence of the resurrection’s historical reality. People are not generally in the business of making claims that get you killed if you have nothing to gain from lying.

Their lives were not just touched; they were radically transformed by these encounters. The Gospel they proclaimed was based on their very real experiences of the risen Lord.

Our faith today is strengthened by these testimonies, and we are invited to join this chorus of witnesses.

Reflect on the moments in your life when you have encountered God’s presence—those times of grace, peace, or powerful love that have shaped your journey. Write these experiences down, cherish them, and when the time comes, share them with others. Engage with the stories of fellow believers, recognizing that this sacred exchange enriches our faith and deepens our connection within the community.

Picture yourself in that courtroom, not as a passive observer but as an active participant. Your voice, your story, adds depth and dimension to the collective testimony of the living Christ.

In a world searching for truth, your testimony becomes a beacon of light, bringing warmth and assurance to those who hear it. Together, we build a community grounded in shared faith, each story a vibrant thread woven into a beautiful tapestry of belief.

Our stories of faith become the bridge that connects past to present, drawing us into a deeper understanding of God’s work in our lives and the world. As we share our stories, let us listen with open hearts and ready minds, eager to learn from the experiences of others and be inspired by their journeys. We are part of a great cloud of witnesses, united in our commitment to live out the truth of the resurrection each day.

Finally, let us marvel at the wondrous transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Picture the caterpillar, earthbound and unassuming, as it enters a chrysalis, concealed from view. Inside its cocoon, a miraculous change is taking place. When it emerges, it is not merely a changed version of its former self; it is a new creation, adorned with vibrant wings that carry it skyward, a testament to the transformative power of nature.

Paul’s life serves as a vivid example of this transformation. Once a zealous persecutor of Christians, Paul encountered the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. In that moment, God’s grace reshaped his heart and future, turning him from an adversary of the Gospel into one of its most passionate advocates. His transformation, achieved by God’s grace alone, not only altered his journey but ignited a mission that changed the early church and continues to impact us today.

God’s grace continues its transformative work within each of us, shaping and renewing our lives. Are we open to this miraculous change? Reflect on the areas of your life that yearn for the touch of grace—wounded relationships, burdensome past mistakes, priorities in need of realignment. Acknowledge and surrender these to God, allowing the resurrection to infuse them with healing and hope. Embrace the invitation to emerge renewed, and as you do, become an instrument of grace in the lives of others, offering them a glimpse of God’s transformative power.

Picture yourself as the butterfly, delicate yet resilient, basking in the sunlight of God’s grace. As you take flight, let your life be a testament to the beauty and possibility of transformation, inviting others to embark upon their journey of change. The resurrection empowers us not merely to be recipients of grace, but channels of it, extending hope and renewal to those we encounter.

In the transformation lies the promise of new beginnings and endless possibilities. Just as Paul’s life was radically altered, so too can our lives be reshaped by the power of the resurrection. Let us open our hearts to the work of the Holy Spirit, welcoming the change that He brings with humility and joy. As we embrace this transformation, let us encourage and support one another on our faith journeys, celebrating each step of growth and discovery.

As we stand on the firm foundation of Christ’s resurrection, buoyed by the testimony of countless witnesses and transformed by God’s grace, let our lives be a beacon of light in a world that so desperately needs hope and healing. Today, we are not mere observers of an ancient story, but active participants in the living reality of the resurrection, called to reflect its truth and power in our everyday actions, decisions, and relationships.

May we leave here today emboldened by the power of Christ’s resurrection, ready to share the Gospel with a world searching for purpose and joy. Let our words and deeds reflect this light, illuminating hope and drawing others to the love of God. In this way, may we each become a living embodiment of the resurrected Christ, breathing life into the world around us, one grace-filled moment at a time. Amen.

Song: Follow me the Master said (645: (vss 1, 2, 4)

We respond to serve God

Our time of giving

Offertory Prayer

God of surprising generosity, Jesus encouraged his disciples to keep fishing when they thought their nets were empty. Encourage us to keep giving even when needs seem overwhelming and resources scarce. We entrust our gifts to you with the faith you can surprise us and others through all they can accomplish in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Prayers for our world

God, our creator and our redeemer, you have given us a universe that is full of wonders that we cannot begin to understand.

Thank you for all of the blessings of your creation.

Ruler of the nations, we thank you for the country in which we live, a country where we can live in freedom, a country where we can worship you when and as we choose.

Head of the church, we thank you for our denomination and for this congregation.

We thank you for all of the people who give so much of themselves in support of your ministry in this place and around the world.

God, our parent and our friend, we thank you for the families into which we were born, or adopted, or married, or accepted, and for the circles of friendship that surround us as we move through life.

God, our healer and our comforter, we ask that you would be with all those who are sick, all those who are suffering, all those who are grieving, all those who are lonely.

We ask your blessing also on those whom we now name in our hearts ….

Keep a time of silence.

God, who calls us to follow, we ask that you continue to inspire us on our journey of faith. May this congregation be a source of hope and light in this community.

May you give us strength to carry on as your faithful ones, sometimes lost and sometimes found, always in your care and keeping.

We pray for your church in all places around this world, that it might be healed and renewed.

God of peace, we ask that you would use the leaders of our nation to help bring peace to all nations.

Grant that we might help to bring justice to all your people in this your earth.

We pray especially this morning for the people of ….

God of creation, we need your help to look after the world that you have made.

Grant that we might be faithful stewards of your universe, so that those who come here after us will also enjoy its beauty.

Grant that we might learn to control our use of the world’s resources, so that our impact on this planet might be lessened and your glaciers and icefields might not be destroyed by us.

Loving God, your son promised that our prayers would be heard by you.

Remind us of your will for us, and encourage us to live in your light. Amen

Song: I, the Lord of sea and sky (592)

Sending out with God’s blessing

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 15:5-6)

Response: The blessing

Music postlude

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Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).

The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2024) on all original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.

Worship on the Lord’s Day: February 2, 2025    10:00 am
The Sacrament of Holy Communion
Online & Onsite (Mixed Presence) Gathering as a Worshipping Community
Led by the Raymond Baker
Communion presented, via videotape, by the Rev Brad Childs
Music Director: Binu Kapadia           Vocalist: Vivian Houg
Elder: Iris Routledge

We gather to worship God

Music prelude

Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
P: and also with you.

Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Silent preparation for worship

Call to Worship
L: Who made this beautiful day?
P: We believe the God, the Creator, made this day –
L: God made this day so we can rest, and reflect, and enjoy;
P: God made this day so we can open our eyes and see beauty,
L: And see pain, and see opportunity,
P: And see hope.
L: So let us go into this day with our eyes and hearts wide open,
P: And let us worship God.

Opening praise: Love the Lord, your God

Prayers of approach and confession

Lord God, you are an amazing and loving God, we come to you humbly and in awe. You are greater than we can imagine, and your creation fills us with wonder.

God, receive our praise and prayers today. Prepare us to hear your Word and receive its wisdom and guidance. Show us what we need to do and the gifts you’ve given us. Holy Spirit, move within us, awaken our gifts, and inspire us to act.

We come to you through Christ. We accept His sacrifice for our sins. Confident in your forgiveness, we desire to start fresh with you as Lord of every part of our lives.

Thank you, Lord, for your love that fills our lives. Help us to share that love with others. Forgive us when we fail to show love. Forgive us when we give in to temptation, and help us to turn to you instead. Renew us and make us new.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Response: We come to ask your forgiveness, O God

Assurance of God’s forgiveness

God is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is God’s love; as far as the East is from the West, so far has God removed our sins. This is all done through us accepting Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins. Thanks be to God, whose love and forgiveness are steadfast. May we be steadfast in our forgiveness of one another.

We listen for the voice of God

Song: Saviour, teach me day by day (698)

Scripture readings (NRSV): Jeremiah 1:4-10; Luke 4:21-20; and  I Corinthians 13:1-13

Response: Glory to the Father

Message: Godly Love

Years ago, as I prepared to officiate the wedding of my niece and her fiancé, the fiancé made a particular request. Having attended numerous weddings, he asked if I  could omit the familiar passage from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. This presented an interesting challenge. While crafting my message, I sought to truly capture the essence of love, and in doing so, I came to a renewed appreciation for those very verses. I ultimately felt compelled to ask their permission to include them, for I realized that they weren’t simply a common reading; they beautifully encapsulate the very heart of godly love.

Some time ago, I unfortunately succumbed to watching one episode of “The Bachelor.” I was rather dismayed to witness several contestants, after mere two encounters with the supposed object of their affections, profess to have fallen in love. This fleeting and superficial notion of love, so prevalent in our society, made me ponder. It underscored the critical need for us, as Christians, to cultivate a truly godly understanding of love. And so, today’s sermon will explore this Godly love in: our relationship with one another, our love for the Church, our love for God, and, of course, God’s boundless love for each of us.

In the tapestry of human existence, amidst the myriad emotions and experiences that shape our lives, there lies a thread that binds all Christians – love. Not the fleeting infatuation often portrayed in today’s society, but a love that is profound, enduring, and transformative.

The Bible, employs a variety of Greek words to express the concept of love. In 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, the passage we explore today, the word used is agape. This agape love, as revealed in the Bible, is not merely a passive sentiment, but a selfless, unconditional, and active force. It is a conscious choice, a deliberate act of will to benefit others, rather than a feeling that simply arises within us. Indeed, Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, offering himself for our sins, stands as the ultimate and most profound expression of agape love.

Corinthians 13 is between two Chapters about spiritual gifts. It’s as if we’re privy to a letter Paul addressed to a church in turmoil, a community grappling with the question of which spiritual gift reigns supreme. In this chapter, Paul, with the urgency of a bold, all-caps email, delivers a resounding message: without love, these gifts, however impressive, are ultimately devoid of meaning.

Without love, the most eloquent speech (tongues of men and angels), deep spiritual knowledge (prophecy), and profound faith are meaningless.

I spent years and tens of thousands of dollars on my seminary education. If I preached to you out of anger and not love. This sermon would be useless.

I truly believe that God is all powerful but if I treated my neighbours with distane and not love. I believe I would not be acting like a believer.

Agape Love is Godly love for others.

Just a few weeks ago, I attended a funeral service led by a minister named Terry, whom I’ve had the privilege of knowing for years. I’m consistently struck by his genuine love and sincere care for others. He possesses a remarkable ability to be fully present with each person he encounters, offering them his undivided attention and heartfelt loving compassion. This particular funeral was especially poignant, as it was for a young man who tragically succumbed to an overdose. The grief in the room was palpable, a heavy blanket of sorrow. Yet, as Terry moved among the mourners, greeting each one with his characteristic warmth and love, a subtle shift began to occur. His presence, a beacon of Godly love, seemed to lighten the oppressive atmosphere, offering a glimmer of comfort amidst the devastation. This is a powerful testament to how our godly love for others can ripple outwards, impacting not only individuals but entire communities.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 contains attributes of love. These are the verses that I used for our niece’s wedding.  Let me read them out and as I read them imagine a person that shows these attributes:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

This is the kind of person we are all drawn to, the kind of person who reflects the very image of God.

A person who is patient with you. A person who is kind in all their dealings. This person also would not be competitive or boastful and is not prideful. This person would not speak ill of others but thinks well of others. This person rejoices in seeking God’s will in all he does. This person is level headed and not easily angered. This person has grace and does not hold grudges.

I was watching YouTube videos on success in life. This was from a secular point of view. Jamie Dimon the CEO of J. P. Morgan Chase, the largest bank in the United States and Ray Dalio, CEO of Bridgewater and Associates, both said the problem with most people that they meet is they do not have principles.

If we had Godly principles found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 the world would be a better place.

I truly believe the Holy Spirit can help us become people like this.

In a world obsessed with success, where principles are often sacrificed at the altar of ambition. Let us remember that Godly love for others is the foundation upon which the Kingdom of God is built. Godly Giftedness, talent, or Godly Wisdom without love hinders our progress to help a hurting world.

The Holy Spirit empowers us to cultivate these virtues, to become beacons of Godly love in a world desperately yearning for compassion and understanding. Let us not use our gifts for self-glorification, but to edify and uplift one another, reflecting God’s love in all that we do.

From an eternal perspective, our earthly achievements will fade, but the Godly love we share will endure and have a lasting impact. Let us, therefore, embrace agape love, not only in our personal relationships but also in our service to the church and our communities. For it is through love that we truly experience the divine, and it is through love that we leave a lasting legacy that transcends time itself.

As I said before, Jesus died on the Cross for our sins because God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. God showed us His love. Now it is our time to show our love through loving service in our church and to show love for others.

I pray to God that we all have faith, hope and love but we can’t forget that Agape or Godly love is the foundation for all.

May God grant us the grace to love as He loves, unconditionally and sacrificially, that we may be His instruments of peace and healing in a broken world. Amen.

Song: There is a Redeemer (358)

We respond to serve God: Our time of giving

Reflection on giving: Dayspring is empowered to carry out our mission of worship, service, and care by generously given volunteer time, talent, and treasure. Many thanks to all who give so generously!

PWS&D Sunday

This is the special Presbyterian World Service and Development Sunday. Your session, elders and Reverend Brad would invite you to give a special offering today to PWS&D. This is not in place of your regular offering.

Presbyterian World Service and Development is the international development and relief agency of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. PWS and D responds with programs in food security, health, livelihoods, human rights, and emergency relief to ease the pain of want and build more sustainable futures. The agriculture programs in developing countries rely on small-scale subsistence farming for survival. Soil erosion, prolonged drought and the rising price of seeds and commercial fertilizers make it difficult for farmers to increase crop production or purchase a variety of foods to balance their diets. This leads to high rates of hunger and malnutrition. Working with partners in Guatemala, Haiti, Malawi, Tanzania, Nicaragua and Pakistan, PWS and D is helping farmers increase crop yields, grow crop varieties, improve nutrition and build resilience to environmental changes.

Now let us pray for PWS & D

Holy God, Creator of all that is good, grant us the wisdom and compassion to be faithful stewards of this world and its people. Our hearts are heavy for those whose lives are marked by famine, poverty, and war, for all who suffer the injustices of oppressive governments and inequitable economies.

Today, we offer special thanks for our community of faith across this nation and for our global partners in ministry. We lift up those working through Presbyterian World Service and Development (PWS&D), whose dedication empowers local communities in developing nations to build a better future. We pray for PWS&D, that their efforts may be fruitful and bring relief to those in need.

We are grateful, Lord, for organizations like PWS&D, which extend your love and compassion to the most vulnerable. May PWS and D’s work be blessed and may it inspire us to greater acts of service.

Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray. Amen.

The Sacrament of Holy Communion

Invitation

This is not a Dayspring Table. Neither is it a Presbyterian Table. It is a Table for all humankind – for men and women, girls and boys, who are seeking, or who have found, a relationship with Jesus Christ, whose Table this is. Do we believe that we are not in charge of the Table – rather that Jesus is? Yes – and Jesus says that all are welcome.

Song: Let us break bread together (548)

Communion Prayer

As we partake of this bread and wine, we honor Creator and creation.

As we bless and share these gifts, we celebrate the Table fellowship of Jesus.

All are made worthy by Jesus – adults, teenagers, children.  All are welcome!

We celebrate the communion and community of all humankind.

And we join with the universe to lift our hearts in joyful praise.

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

O God, we give you thanks and praise.

You brought the universe into being, instilled all creation with life, and shaped us humans as Your people.

In Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life and the True Vine, You feed us with the Word. You nourish us with Your Love poured out in abundance upon us.

O present Spirit, help us recognize the risen Christ in the breaking of the bread.

You feed us and all the world with this bread.

You bring joy with this wine and grape juice.

Bread and Wine are leaven, salt, and life in us – a community of faith strengthened by this symbolic meal.

We pray in the name of Jesus who came among us – a deep mystery of faith.

Christ has died,
Christ is risen,
Christ will come again.

Come, Holy One, come.

Bless and prosper this community of faith and service.

Bless and prosper our lives, that justice and love may be the measure of our individual and community witness.

Bless us as we sing the prayer which Jesus taught.

The Lord’s Prayer (469)

Offering of the Bread

“The Bread of life is for all who come in faith.”

Offering of the Wine

“Christ’s love is poured out for all of us.”

Song: One bread, one body (540)

The prayer after Communion

Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us symbolically and we have experienced your Real Presence.

We thank You for all those who have shared in this mystery, and thus in You – here and in many places through two millennia.

Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Hymn: Come let us sing (706)

Sending out with God’s blessing

May the Lord grant you peace. May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all. In The Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit Amen.

Response: Benediction (as you go)

Music postlude

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The Communion liturgy is based on the liturgies of the PCC’s 1991 Book of Common Worship. Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).

Raymond Baker retains the copyright (© 2024) on all original material in this service. As far as he is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.

Worship on the third Sunday after the Epiphany
10:00 am    January 26, 2025
Minister: The Rev. Brad Childs     Music Director: Binu Kapadia
Vocalist: Linda Farrah-Basford     Welcoming Elder: Rom Rhoad
Children’s time presenter: Brad     Reader Godfrey Esoh, Sr.

We gather to worship God

Music Prelude

Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ  be with you
P: and also with you

Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship

Call to worship:
L: Welcome to all who have come in search of something;
P: We have come to seek the living God.
L: Happy are those who find a way and follow that path;
P: We do not make this journey by ourselves.
L: Blessed are those who give their lives over to their Creator.
P: In faith, in trust, with hope, let us worship God.

Opening praise: Everlasting God

Prayers of approach and confession
Creator, Christ and Spirit;
You are the maker of a better world.
You are the creator of lasting peace.
We worship you for the gifts of peace and healing that
You bring into troubled lives.
You have shown us the way to work for justice, to love friend and enemy alike, to build a better world.
In this time of worship, inspire us to believe our work in your name makes a difference.
So may we live to bring glory to you through our commitment to you  and the communion we share with so many around world as your faithful disciples.
Knowing your love is everlasting, we confess to you our sins.
God of grace and harmony, we confess we can be divisive when you call us to unity,
quarrelsome when you call us to seek peace, and critical rather than caring.
We have grown used to our own ways and cannot imagine you would ask us to change even for the sake of the Gospel.
Forgive us when we mistake our familiar traditions for your truth.
Show us how we can witness to your love through working and worshipping together. Amen.

Response: We come to ask your forgiveness

Assurance of God’s love
God’s mercy is from everlasting to everlasting.
It shines into the world and scatters the darkness.
Know that you are forgiven and forgive one another.
Be at peace and walk in the newness of life, led by God’s light.

Musical offering: Clare, Brad and Binu

We listen for the voice of God

Song: Jesus loves me (373)

Children’s time: Song from 1876
²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? ²⁸ “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? ³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God^[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. ³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

The Lord’s Prayer (535)

Song: This is the day (78)

Scriptures: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Luke 4:14-21

Response: Glory to the Father

Message: Hometown Prophet
These words of Jesus have caused me pause over the years. This one line scared me. See, at the end of our reading, after the people get angry with Jesus, he says, “No prophet is accepted in his own house.” Being that I was a student when I was here before, I had a lot of fear about coming back. Luckily, I’m not much of a prophet, and things have turned out well.

Now, all of us have left home at some point. Some went away to college or the military or into the world and started to work and raise a family independently. You become changed when you go away for more than a visit or a trip. We get an education and experiences that are different from everyone back home. We grow and mature and make new friends. We become more independent and genuinely make decisions about and for ourselves. When we go home, everyone tends to expect the same person who went away. They feel everything around the house and the neighbourhood is the same as when we left. They expect certain things from us when we come back. Depending on the circumstances, they may be proud, knowing that you have been working hard on your education and genuinely becoming the you you will be. Sometimes, people come back because their lives are messed up. People again look at you expecting the same person, but everyone who goes away comes back changed, for the better or for the worse.

In today’s Scripture lesson, Jesus ends up in the synagogue where he grew up. Pretty much everybody knows him there. He has been gone for a while. We know that he went to Jerusalem, ended up out by the river, and was baptized by John. He’s been living and working in Capernaum, the larger town just outside Nazareth. After baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness, fasted for 40 days, and was tempted. According to Luke, he returns to Galilee in the power of the spirit, and people all over are talking about him.

Next, like a college student returning home at the end of the semester, Jesus shows up in his local synagogue surrounded by his mom, his family, the neighbours, and everyone who watched him grow up. The scripture says that Jesus went to the Synagogue as was his custom. So, he’s been teaching in different communities, it seems, and now he’s back to his home church. And they expect something from him.

A synagogue service required the presence of ten adult males (called a minion). There were no priests there. It was a lay-led service. At the service, the Shema was recited. It is generally considered the most crucial Hebrew Bible or Old Testament verse. It goes: Sh’ma Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad!

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength. 6 These commandments I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home, walk along the road, lie down, and get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and gates.

Then came Tephillah—intercessory prayer and the Eighteen Benedictions—which were said standing facing Jerusalem. (Praise to God, repentance, healing, call for the Messiah).

After this, the Scriptures were read, beginning with a portion from the Torah (the first five books) and moving next to a section from the Prophets. I understand that the scriptures for each week were assigned, probably defined by the priest in Jerusalem. At the time, the people’s ancient language had largely been unused. The scripture would be in Hebrew, which most people could not understand. The community would come together to purchase single copies of each biblical scroll. They kept it in a shiny case and took it out to parade around the room before reading. The “preacher” for the day would read the text in Hebrew and then explain its meaning in the common language for everyone to understand. Then, the service would be closed with another benediction.

In each community that Jesus stayed in for the Sabbath, he went to church. As a visitor of age, he was asked if he would participate in the service. It was an honour to be asked, and it still is today.

In the synagogue, I can picture him sitting with the family. Mom, with a proud look on her face as her handsome grown son sits beside her. Some may not recognize him right away. We know he was asked or volunteered to read the scripture that day. We are told that he found the place to read.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, release the oppressed, and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

At the time, people stood to read and sat to teach. Jesus reads the passage, gives the scroll back, and moves to sit down. The people are all watching and waiting for his instruction on the scriptures. The feeling I get from the scripture is that they expect to hear some great things come from the new college Grad. It’s sort of like saying. Ok, you got all the book learning; say something good.

Jesus begins to speak in response to the scriptures. And here is Jesus’ sermon for the day. He said,

“Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” And that’s it.

Okay, so this is the shortest worship service ever. One sentence from the Bible and a one-sentence sermon. Well, probably not. What we have here is perhaps just the part that made people angry. And angry they were.

The people were waiting for the “Day of the Lord,” when all the children of Israel would be released from Roman control. On this day, it was expected that the Jews would establish a new kingdom under a new King. But also, the blind would see, the naked would be clothed, and no sin or corruption would touch the people. And, of course, the Day of the Lord would also mean the destruction of all God’s (and, by extension, the Hebrew people’s) enemies!

Long ago, God divided the promised land between 12 families or tribes. That land was to belong to each family forever. Yes, trades were made, land was sold, and people couldn’t always pay their debts, so something had to be done.

Every fifty years, enslaved people and bondservants in Israel were to be set free. The land was supposed to be returned to its tribe, and all debts forgiven. This ensured that long-term servitude did not become permanent and that individuals had the chance to regain their freedom and start anew. While there are slaves in the bible it was always temporary.

Any ancestral land sold due to economic hardship was to be returned to the original family. This prevented the permanent loss of familial inheritance and reduced socio-economic disparities over generations. It underscored that the land ultimately belonged to God.

Like the sabbatical year that occurred every seven years, during the Jubilee, the land was to lie fallow, not to be sown or harvested except by the owner. People were to eat only what the land naturally produced. This emphasized reliance on God.

Debts would be forgiven, providing economic relief to those in financial distress. This was intended to break cycles of poverty and allow people to reset their economic status.

The Year of Jubilee was a profound expression of social justice, emphasizing equality and care for the poor and marginalized. It highlighted God’s desire to treat everyone fairly and avoid generational poverty.

By mandating the return of land and the release of servants, the Jubilee reminded the Israelites that ultimate ownership belonged to God. People were stewards of what God had entrusted them rather than absolute owners.

The Jubilee provided hope for the disadvantaged and a fresh start for those burdened by debt or servitude. It mirrored themes of forgiveness, restoration, and freedom offered by God.

Little historical evidence shows that the Jubilee was consistently practiced in ancient Israel. Over time, its principles became more symbolic and prophetic, representing the ultimate liberation and restoration expected with the arrival of the Messiah.

The radical economic and social restructuring required by the Jubilee may have been challenging to implement consistently. Cancelling debts, freeing enslaved people, and returning land would have disrupted the established socio-economic order. Some scholars suggest that the Jubilee served more as an ideal or theological vision rather than a regularly enacted law. Its presence in scripture still taught essential lessons about God’s justice and mercy, regardless of its application.

Ultimately, while the Jubilee holds profound symbolic importance within the Bible’s theological and ethical landscape, direct evidence of its historical enactment in ancient Hebrew society is elusive. The Jubilee’s enduring legacy lies in its justice, equality, and renewal principles, which resonate in today’s theological discourse and social justice discussions.

Some prophetic texts, such as Isaiah 61, echo themes of restoration and liberation akin to the Jubilee, indicating its conceptual importance in Israel’s religious framework. These themes are prevalent in messages about justice, mercy, and restoration.

However, the Day of the Lord was also the Day of Judgement. Jesus omits one line at the end of the reading: “And the Day of the great Vengeance of Our God!”

This day was meant to be a blessing to the Hebrews but a curse to everyone else. It was to be a time when God would crush the people’s enemies and Smite them. The people were happy about the grace part, but they wanted vengeance! And they hadn’t seen any vengeance!

In my imagination, I can hear an uncomfortable silence. People politely wait for more. They expect Jesus to have a thought or connection to some other scripture—one sentence, something to explain what he means.

The initial reaction is like attending a piano recital or school play. Everyone is complimentary. “Wasn’t that nice?” We can only guess what the thoughts were, Good or bad. According to scripture, the outward response to Jesus is favourable. Even the Question, “Isn’t that Joseph’s son?” can be positive. Perhaps it is the tone of voice or inflection we don’t have today. Isn’t that Joseph’s Son? The carpenter, an ordinary workman…. A few years ago, this man worked as a helper on my cart or house.

For whatever reason, Jesus knows that his words aren’t sitting well. So in verse 23, Jesus told them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ’Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’ ” In other words, if you are the Messiah, then everything in your family will surely be perfect. Physicians heal you or fix all your family problems! They want proof and get mad when they don’t see what they want to see. Very mad!

But they know Jesus, they know his family, and they know their lives aren’t perfect. If he can’t fix his house, how can he restore the kingdom?

But instead of proof, Jesus responds: 24, “I tell you the truth,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. Or “I didn’t expect you to understand.”

The people started out thinking that Jesus was a pretty good guy—a good teacher—but he was no messiah. He is the carpenter’s son, and that’s the best he will ever be.

And that’s when things take a massive turn for the worse. Remember, this is a worship service. And when Jesus says this, it becomes a mob. They chase him away with plans to throw him off of a cliff!

I wonder… Do we do this?

As we close our reflection on Luke 4:14-21, let’s pause and envision that profound scene in the synagogue of Nazareth. Jesus stands among familiar faces—His neighbours, His kin, and those who watched Him grow from a child into a man. As the scroll rolls open, His words cut through the air, resonating with both promise and challenge. “Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing,” He proclaims. In that moment, light breaks through cultural notions, illuminating paths of liberation and hope.

It was a moment pregnant with potential – a divine invitation for the community to embrace their Messiah. Yet, as the message swirled around the room, their reception soon soured. The hope of all Israel stood before them, but when faced with the prospect of transformative change, they hesitated and resisted.

The question arises: Do we, too, find ourselves inviting Jesus in only to chase Him away when His words ask too much of us?

Imagine you are hosting a dear friend for dinner. You’ve set the table, prepared the meal, and planned every detail. This friend arrives, bringing not only their presence but fresh insights and perspectives that challenge the status quo of your home. Initially enticed by this fresh wind, you eventually become uncomfortable with the rearrangement of your cherished decor—the figurative things you’ve clung to for comfort. In your uncertainty, you cast out new insight and the friend.

Jesus comes to us, friends, not merely to sit at our table in a comfortable companionship. He comes as a gentle architect, a loving renovator of the human heart, eager to strip away the layers of self-conception and societal expectations that confine our imaginations. He invites us into the liberating work of restoring God’s kingdom on earth.

Yet how often do we, overwhelmed by the enormity of transformation, cling to the safety of what we have known? Perhaps we unconsciously chase away the very presence we longed to invite, stifling His transformative work.

Today, let us choose openness, a posture of humility—a willingness to not only invite Jesus into our lives but also allow Him to remain, renew, and reshape us. Perhaps we can take a moment in prayerful reflection, asking: What parts of our lives might we be guarding from Christ’s influence? What treasured comforts keep us from fully embracing His vision for our lives and our community?

May this sacred space become a heart-haven where we engage in the problematic yet holy work of allowing Christ to dwell richly among us, challenging, loving, and leading us toward the beautiful corners of growth yet undiscovered.

As we leave today, renewed in spirit and united in purpose, may we passionately pursue lives marked by radical hospitality—not just inviting Jesus in on our terms but welcoming Him fully, ready to walk together toward the kingdom He reveals. Because if a prophet is welcome anywhere – it’s here in this house. Amen.

Song: We cannot own the sunlit sky (717)

We respond to serve God

Our time of giving

Prayers for ourselves and others

Creator God, you made each of us in our uniqueness, and together, you made all of us to bear your image in the world.

Accept our unique gifts, and bless them for the sake of your Son, Jesus.

May they bear his grace and mercy into the world you love to fulfil your purposes.

God of life, God of love.

You created us and set us in relationship with each other: in families and neighbourhoods, in churches and communities, in cultures and nations.

We give you thanks for the rich gifts of arts and culture, of home life and community celebration which bring meaning and encouragement to our lives.

Help us contribute our gifts to the traditions and imagination that sustain the best of our common life from one generation to the next.

God of mercy and forgiveness, you call us to live together in peace and unity.

In this Week of Prayer for Christian unity, we pray that your Spirit will create understanding and cooperation among all who bear Christ’s name.

Help us share our gifts with each other so that churches within our community may flourish and our shared mission will find new energy.

Please lead us to reach out to those of other faiths and no faith so that, together, we may be a blessing in the world you love.

God of healing and hope,

We pray for our neighbourhoods and our nation.

Where people are divided, and bitterness turns into resentment, show us how to work for reconciliation.

Inspire our leaders at every level of community life to work together for the care of the most vulnerable and to restore the goodness of our common life.

Make us generous citizens and careful stewards of the land you entrust to us together.

God of justice and mercy,

We pray for the world you love, the world Christ died to redeem, so deeply divided by religious and political animosities, by ancient bitterness and current conflict.

Encourage world leaders to work for peace and understanding, especially in places torn apart by violence, poverty, hunger, and the effects of natural disasters.

May the hope that Jesus embodies encourage us to work for positive change.

God of courage and comfort,

We remember those of our congregation and community in need of your special attention today…

Keep a silence for 30 seconds, and/or name people and local concerns.

Use us as agents of your healing and hope. Amen.    

Song: Will you come and follow me (634)

Sending out with God’s blessing

 Response: God to enfold you

Music postlude

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Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).

The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2024) on all original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.

Worship on the Second Sunday after the Epiphany
10:00 am January 19, 2025
Minister: Rev. Brad Childs     Music Director: Binu Kapadia
Vocalists: Peter and Cheryl Sheridan     Reader: Martin Sawdon
Welcoming Elder: Sam Malayang    Children’s time presenter: Vivian Houg

We gather to worship God

Music Prelude

Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
P: and also with you

Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship

Call to worship:
L: God of the feast and abundance,
P: you constantly turn water into fine wine.
L: Though the wine has run out,
P: you work miracles among us.
L: Though the work feels impossible,
P: you accomplish wonders through us.
L: Though many fail to perceive it,
P: you reveal your glory among us.
L: Please help us receive your good gifts today,
P: so we might learn to put our faith in you. Amen

Opening praise: Here I am to worship

Prayers of approach and confession

Loving God, we come to You today with open hearts, asking for Your forgiveness and help. We know we have made mistakes and haven’t , done the right thing. In our thoughts, words, and actions, we haven’t lived the way You want us to.

We admit that we haven’t always put You first in our lives or loved other people as much as we love ourselves. Sometimes we think more about what we want instead of what others need. And of course we do. But we want to do both. Please forgive us for being selfish and not caring for those around us as much as we might.

We know we have been quick to speak and slow to listen, missing chances to understand others. We sometimes use words that hurt instead of heal, and we don’t always say the kind things we should. Forgive us for this and for the moments we stayed quiet when we could have offered hope and love.

In our busy lives, we haven’t always made time for You, God. We let the noise around us distract us from listening to Your voice and following Your guidance. We ask for Your forgiveness and help to make time to connect with You.

We also confess that we haven’t cared for the earth, Your marvellous creation. We’ve used its resources without thinking about how it affects the future. Please forgive us and help us to protect and care for the world around us.

We know we’ve ignored injustice and suffering, sometimes choosing comfort over doing what’s right. We’ve stayed silent when we should have spoken up. Forgive us for looking away and show us how to love mercy and act justly.

In our friendships and communities, we’ve let differences divide us when we should be united. Forgive us for judging others and help us to see everyone with love and understanding. Teach us to build bridges and break down barriers.

Gracious God, we’re sorry for our failures, but we trust in Your love and mercy. Clean our hearts and renew our spirits so we can walk in Your light and truth. Give us the strength to live as true followers of Jesus, sharing hope and joy everywhere we go.

Thank You for always offering us forgiveness through Jesus Christ, our Savior. We trust in His love and peace. Amen.

Response: We come to ask your forgiveness

Assurance of God’s pardon

God’s love for us is endless, and His mercy knows no bounds. When we come to God with a sincere heart, asking for forgiveness, He welcomes us with open arms and wipes our slate clean.

We are forgiven and made new through Jesus Christ, God’s own Son. Jesus came to show us the way of love and peace, and through His sacrifice, we are set free from our mistakes and given a fresh start. Thanks be to God!

Musical offering by the Dayspring Singers: Little drummer boy/Peace on earth

We listen for the voice of God

Song: Jesus loves me (373)                                              

Children’s time

Theme: Jesus performs miracles — not magic tricks.

Object: Two pitchers, one clear and one opaque, a package of grape Kool-Aid, a spoon, and a glass. (Ahead of time, put the package of Kool-Aid in the opaque pitcher.)

Scripture: This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. John 2:11 (NIV)

This morning you are going to see an amazing feat of magic. I am going to take the plain, ordinary water in this glass pitcher and turn it into wine. Would anyone like to taste this water to make sure that it is just plain water? (Someone will surely take you up on your offer.)

OK, now that we know that this is just a pitcher of plain water, I will perform my magic. (Pour the water into the opaque pitcher with Kool-Aid in the bottom.) Now, I will take my magic spoon and stir the water. Now, watch this! (Pour the Kool-Aid into the glass.) Isn’t that the most amazing thing you have ever seen? How did I do that? (Allow time for them to guess how it was done.) The truth is, there was nothing magical about what happened. In the bottom of this pitcher was a package of grape Kool-Aid. I didn’t turn water into wine…all I did was turn water into Kool-Aid. Anyone can do that!

I did this silly little “magic” trick this morning to start us to thinking about the miracles that Jesus performed. Notice that I said, “Miracles” not “Magic.” During his time on earth, Jesus performed many miracles. He healed the sick, he raised the dead, he walked on water, and he fed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. These miracles could not be explained by a simple trick. They were things that only God could do. Our Bible lesson today tells of the very first miracle of Jesus — turning water into wine.

There was a great wedding celebration in the village of Cana. Almost everyone in town was there. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited. Everyone was having a good time until a very unfortunate thing happened. They ran out of wine. Jesus’ mother went looking for her son. When she found Jesus, she said to him, “There is no more wine.” Even though Jesus wasn’t ready to reveal that he was the Messiah, he quietly took on the responsibility of helping the host out of his predicament.

His mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you to do.”

There were six stone water jars nearby. Each one could hold twenty or thirty gallons. “Fill the jars with water,” Jesus told the servants. When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out and take it to the master of ceremonies.” The servants did as they were told, and I am sure you probably know what happened. The water had been turned into wine. Not only that, it was the best wine they had had all evening.

This was the first miracle that Jesus performed. The Bible tells us that after they saw Jesus perform this miracle, the disciples believed in him. That was always the reason that Jesus performed a miracle. He didn’t do it so that he would become popular or well-liked. He did it so that all would believe that he was God’s Son who had come to save them.

I believe…do you?

Prayer: Father, thank you for sending your Son and for the miracle of salvation. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer (535)

Song: Speak, Lord in the stillness (442)

Scripture: Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalm 36:5-10; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11

Response: Glory to the Father            

Message: The First Miracle

This first miracle of Jesus took place in a village called, Cana of Galilee. Cana was an inconspicuous little town just outside of Nazareth (another inconspicuous little town). Cana had no social significance in its day at all but it was about to become the sight of something huge. God, it seems, loves doing big things with so called “little people”. Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as Jesus and his disciples had all been invited to the wedding there. Most likely the whole town was invited as well as relatives and friends from all over the Galilean community. Cultural norms would have us to understand that this was a “peasant” wedding from some of the information we see. But that wouldn’t affect the guests much. These types of weddings just worked a little more like potlucks than the wealthy weddings did. And the “ceremony” would be completely unaffected. In fact, there weren’t really ceremonies to be affected. The actual “wedding ceremony” was just two groups of people escorting the couple into a tent. But what happened afterwords was a sight to behold. You see, for 3 days and ending on the day before the Sabbath the town would party… and the wine would flow.

Now, before we move on I want to delve into the story just a bit in order to explain a few things about it.

In Verse1-3 it says, On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

Because at the time Jesus was seen as Rabbani (a rabbinic teacher) and the disciples were seen as Talmudiyyim (a special class of students), Jesus would not be responsible to bring food or other preparations for himself, but he would normally be responsible for the contribution of the disciples. However, Jesus and the disciples were also publicly known to be involved in a mendicant (Men-D-Cant) ministry (dependent upon others for funds). Because of this, Jesus and the disciples would have been one of those rare groups of invites who came to the party but didn’t actually contribute anything – as they would be unable to provide for the feast.

In any case, the couple runs out of wine and so Mary goes to Jesus; probably a bit uncomfortably; and to suggest to him that certain people would be looking at him and at his friends (and her by extension) as freeloaders.

Now if you know the story you may assume that Mary goes to Jesus expecting him to do something. But that’s not the case. Nothing in the story indicates that she expected anything of him at all. In fact, what is almost certain is that she was simply informing him because in this culture of honor and shame, they all might be wearing out their welcome. But notice this… there is nothing in her words which in any way that suggest she asked anything of him or expects anything from him. She only informs him of the problem stating, “They have no more wine”. And that’s all she says. (Derrett, Law in the NT 228–38).

4 “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

It’s an interesting response. Some would see this as confrontation, “Don’t bother me woman”, but in truth this is just one place where accurately translating something makes for confusion. Firstly, in the first century, referring to a mother or a wife as “women” was considered an affectionate designation. In fact, “woman” is a typical address in love poems written at the time. So don’t worry. He is not belittling his mother. Secondly “Why do you involve me” or “what has this to do with me” is also confusing for modern readers. But in 2 Kings 3:13 the prophet Elijah uses the exact same words in response to a request but again he also immediately does a kind deed in response to a lack of something needed. In other words… there is no need to read something negative into this statement. In fact, although it doesn’t appear like it in English, in Aramaic there was a sort of implied intent to get involved in his response. This is why the Amplified Bible renders this “Dear woman my time is not yet”.

Mary’s response to him also makes this clear actually, because right after he says “Why do you involve me,” Mary tells the servants to do whatever he tells them to.

Now in the story it says that “6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.”

These traditional stone jars were giant. They served as hand washing stations for before the meal according to Jewish customs. The water could be scooped up with a cup and then poured over the hands of the guest by a wedding servant who was assigned to work much like a butler (no doubt these are the people Mary tells to do what Jesus asks). And “7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they fllled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” And then the story continues, “They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.” And finally it concludes with “11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.”

Now this is just a silly side note here, but I can’t help myself. If you’ve got 6 jars at 25 gallons, that’s 150 gallons. If you figure 4 ounces to a glass, 128 ounces to a gallon, you get 32 glasses of wine per gallon and for a grand total of 4,800 glasses of wine! That is the first recorded miracle of Jesus. He made somewhere around 4,800 glasses of wine. So even if there are 1000 people at this party that’s still nearly 5 glasses of wine per person and that’s after they already drank all the other wine before Jesus makes this. I just have one word… Baptists?

Now, remember at the beginning of this message I said of the first century Jewish wedding “for 3 days, and ending on the day before the Sabbath the town would party and the wine would flow.” You know what this means now. 150 gallons of it would flow. It’s extravagant. And that’s part of the point.

For the Evangelist John, there are a lot of illusions at play in this story and in the exact words he chooses to tell it with. The basic fact that Jesus makes wine for example, was no doubt intended to be seen by his original Greek audience as a sort of political satire on Greek society. Greeks who worshiped Dionysus (The Greek “wine-giver” god) is slighted by a Jewish Messiah from a know-nothing town out in the middle of know-where; backwoods Galilee.

In addition to this, most commentators quickly acknowledge that in the Johannine narrative there is an implicit contrast between water used for Jewish purification rites and the wine given by Jesus. In other words, John chooses his words very carefully. Water is continually used as a theme throughout his gospel and often as a symbol for the old order ceremonial laws, while wine is poured out like the gift of life. For John a story of Jesus turning water into wine is a story about Jesus tuning the ceremonial law on its head and introducing a new covenant of grace.

On top of this John’s picture of the kingdom of God is also a theme for him. Feasts are prominent in Jewish teaching. They are a stand in for the afterlife. By using a wedding feast as a setting John is also making a statement about the eschaton (the end of days). (Beasley-Murray, John: Commentary (Vol l36. Pg 36).

But of course, John’s main point is much simpler. And it’s not about symbols of the future or allegories for life. And it’s not about political commentary or claims about changing legal code. I do think he is making those points, but John’s main point is that this Jesus is the Messiah and the savior of the world who proves who he is by his deeds.

Where to take it from here

So what does this story mean to us? Well, it means that like disciples we are called to put our faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Savoir of the world and to know him by his deeds and believe. But I think it’s a mistake to think about this story just in terms of who we have faith in. It is about that. But not just that:

I think for us it’s also about what happens in our lives when the wine runs out.

I submit to you that life has its empty spots, in spite of all the glitter and glamour; deep beneath the surface often lays an empty reservoir of lost dreams and hopes. Void and lack, plague our lives and prohibit our pursuits of fulfillment and satisfaction. All of us, in spite of our ages, wages, races, ethnic identities and a host of other things, have to wrestle with the issue of emptiness from time to time. The world is a feast without wine, and it’s often broken and empty. Empty marriages, lost loves, sad goodbyes, illness and death, and shirking bank accounts are the norms of our time.

We think we’ve done the calculations, we think we understand the numbers, we think we know what we need, and we’ve measured things out so carefully in life… but only to find that all are plans have turned to naught. Sooner or later we all have that moment. The wine runs out.

Our own culture is far removed from Jesus and Mary’s and their culture of Honor and Shame but there is still a stigma to sadness, and we are generally less far removed from them, then at first thought. People put on masks of happiness and play the part when truly they suffer. Sometimes the wine runs out and it happens to us all.

The question that confronts us all today is how do we deal with those empty spots in our lives? How do we deal with failing and faulty finances, bankrupt relationships, broken homes and hopes? How do we deal with the things that leave us feeling as if we are stranded on an island by ourselves?

I suggest two things from today’s gospel: 1) nobody is alone in their pain – and pain is normal. & 2) When the wine runs out, we should turn to the Miracle worker who makes water into wine and provides more than we could ever need.

Nobody is alone in their pain – pain is normal.

Max Lucado tells this great story. In it he says, I was flying home to San Antonio one evening and as the wheels of the plane hit the runway, all through the plane you could hear the unfastening of seatbelts. A voice came over the intercom saying, “Please remain seated with your seatbelts fastened until the plane comes to a complete stop”. No one paid the slightest attention to it. People were opening overhead compartments, getting their stuff out. I asked myself, why are they so anxious to get off this plane – and the answer came to me very quickly: They were so anxious to get off the plane because they were home. They were home and they wanted to get off that plane because it’s not where they belonged. Then I asked myself, Why do we Christians, hold so fast to our seats in this world? Why aren’t we as anxious as these people, to get off this crazy world when in fact were not home here either?

The truth is, pain and emptiness exist here for good reason. We all suffer together for a reason. And yes, we will have Great times and bad times alike… but that’s why the wine runs out… Because we aren’t home yet. Life isn’t perfect here. And life doesn’t need to be perfect here because we are not home yet.

When the wine runs out, we should turn to Jesus who turns water into wine.

Ultimately Jesus Christ is the one that brings us home. But before we get there, even this side of heaven we have someone to turn to. When the wine runs out the best thing to do is to go to the winemaker. Have you any rivers that you can’t cross or any mountains that you can’t tunnel through? Jesus specializes in the impossible and he can do what no other power can do… because when you turn everything over to him, one way or another, in this life or the next…

the wine will flow.

Amen.

Song: Great is thy faithfulness (324)

We respond to serve God

Our time of giving

Prayer of gratitude and for others and ourselves    

Loving and Compassionate God,

We come before You today, deeply aware of the pain and suffering in our world. We lift up to You all those who are hurting, whether in body, mind, or spirit. Our hearts break for those affected by illness, conflict, and injustice.

We pray for healing where there is disease. Pour out Your strength and comfort on those in hospitals, homes, and places of care. Be with their families and caregivers and grant them the endurance and resilience they need each day.

In places torn by conflict and violence, we plead for Your peace. Soften hearts that are hardened by hatred and fear and inspire leaders to choose dialogue and reconciliation over division and strife. May Your peace, which surpasses all understanding, guard the hearts of those in despair.

We remember those who feel isolated and lonely. Surround them with community and love, reminding them that they are never alone. Stir in us the compassion to reach out, offering friendship and support to those in need of connection.

For those struggling with grief and loss, Lord, bring comfort and hope. Let them feel Your presence and give them the courage to face each new day. May Your promise of eternal life bring solace to their mourning hearts.

Guide us, Holy Spirit, to be agents of Your healing and love in the world. Empower us to act with kindness and mercy, advocating for justice and serving selflessly. Show us how to care for Your creation and foster a spirit of peace and harmony.

Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer. We trust in Your loving-kindness and believe that You are making all things new. We ask all of this in the precious name of Jesus Christ, our savior and healer. Amen.

Song: Oh sing to our God (453)

Sending out with God’s blessing

As we leave this place of worship, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with each of you.

Go forth in peace, knowing that you are deeply loved and blessed by God. May your hearts be filled with hope and joy as you carry His light into the world.

Seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God. In every moment, may you be a witness to His boundless grace and compassion.

Let this community be a beacon of love and understanding, reaching out to all with open hearts.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Amen.

Response: Gloria in excelsis deo

Music postlude

————————————————————————-

Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).

The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2024) on all original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.

Worship on the First Sunday after the Epiphany
Baptism of the Lord
10:00 am       12 January 2025
Online & Onsite (Mixed Presence) Gathering as a Worshipping Community
Minister: The Rev Brad Childs     Worship Service led by Lynn Vaughan
Music director: Binu Kapadia     Vocalist: Rom Rhoad
Elder: Renita MacCallum     Reader: Leah Eisen

We gather to worship God

Music prelude

Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
P: and also with you.

Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Silent preparation for worship

Call to Worship
L: Beloved, God chooses us and calls us by name.
P: We belong to God. Alleluia!
L: Our lives have purpose because we belong to God.
P: We are called to be like Christ and follow him.
L: We will find joy, peace, and restoration through God’s amazing grace.
P: Let us worship God who claims us and loves us! Praise be to God!

Opening praise: Holy Spirit, you are welcome here

Prayers of adoration and confession

Creator of the sun and moon and stars, you stir in our midst to reveal your light.

By the work of your Spirit, you lead us in new directions.

Your beloved Son has called us to new life and by his grace, reconciles the divisions among us.

Holy One, we praise you for the blessings you give us in our baptism into Christ, and through your love that surrounds us day by day.

To you, we give all praise, glory and honour, through Jesus Christ, who is one with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and always.

Merciful God, in baptism, you promise forgiveness and new life, but we confess that we prefer our old, familiar ways.

We cling to destructive habits, we harbour grudges, and we are reluctant to welcome a stranger or forgive one another.

Nostalgia for the past prevents us from exploring new possibilities.

In your loving kindness, forgive us.

Have mercy upon us and move among us so that we might pursue new life in Christ together. Amen

Response: Glory. Glory, hallelujah!

Assurance of God’s pardon

Do not be afraid, for Christ has redeemed you.
Baptized in the deep waters of death, he has washed away your sins.
Risen from the dead, he invites you to be washed in the cleansing tide of God’s mercy. Your sins are forgiven; be at peace with God, with yourself, and with each other.

We listen for the voice of God

Children’s time

Response: Jesus loves me (373)

Story: Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17)

I’m sure you recognize what I have in my hand. It’s a photo album. Most parents have several photo albums that are full of pictures taken of their children as they were growing up. We have always been very pleased with our children.

We took pictures of our children in school, at church, playing, at Christmas time, on their birthdays, and many other occasions. We were pleased with them as they grew up, and we are pleased with them today.

Do you think God was pleased with His son, Jesus?

I know He was, because it says so in the Bible. When Jesus was baptized, the Bible tells us that there was a voice from heaven that said, “This is my Son, and I love Him. I am very pleased with Him.” Why do you think God was pleased with His son?

What did God say first? That’s right! God said, “This is my Son!” He wanted everyone to know who Jesus was. Then, God went even further by saying, “This is my Son, and I love him.”

So, what’s the second thing God said? That’s right! God said, “I love him.” God loves His son!

These pictures show a lot of things that our children did. But more than anything, these pictures show that these are OUR kids. They belong to us. And we love them! We are a family!

When we trust in Jesus as our Saviour, we become the children of God. When we are baptised, God accepts us into His family. God loves us from the very beginning when we become His children, because that is what He wants us to be.

God says to us, “You are my son. You are my daughter. And I love you!”

God loves you! That’s pretty awesome, isn’t it?

I wonder if God has a photo album in heaven with your pictures in it. I know He has a book with all His children’s names in it. God is pleased with you when you become His child. It’s wonderful to hear God say, “You are my child. I love you. And I am pleased with you.”

Prayer: Let us pray: (This is a repeat after me prayer.)

Dear God, thank You for making us Your children. Thank You for loving us so much!

The Lord’s Prayer (535)

Transition music

Song: O Holy dove of God, descending (392)

Today’s Message

Scripture reading: Isaiah 43:1-7; Acts 8:14-17; Luke 3L15-17 & 21-22

Response: Glory to the Father

Message: All in the family

Do you ever feel invisible? I DO. Quite a bit of the time, actually. I sometimes think invisibility might just be my superpower!!?!

I know that it’s probably hard for some of you to believe this about me, but I’ll tell you a little secret: outside of these Dayspring walls, people don’t usually notice me much. For instance: If I’m standing in the checkout line at the grocery store, someone often steps right in front of me like I’m not even there. Like, they didn’t even see me, apparently. And even more frequently than that, cars will pull out onto the roadway just as I’m approaching them, causing me to slam on the brakes to avoid a rear end collision. It’s like my superpower transfers over to whichever vehicle I’m driving. I used to tell my kids when they were little that it’s because I had pressed the ‘cloak of invisibility’ button in the vehicle – and they believed me!?! Even in my own house, I sometimes feel like my family doesn’t even know I’m there. I say things or do things – and get no reaction at all. I’m pretty sure I could actually rob a bank and get away with it. Nobody would be able to give a description, ‘cause they wouldn’t have registered anything about my appearance!

When enough incidents like this happen to us, it’s easy to start to feel like you’re invisible. Like you don’t matter. Like nobody even knows … or cares … that you’re here. It’s like you’re invisible to the world.

Well, I’ll let you in on another secret: You are NOT invisible, especially not to God. You are a precious member of His family!!

Today, on this first Sunday after the Epiphany, we are celebrating the baptism of Jesus. Baptism is a reminder that each one of us is special in God’s eyes and is embraced in His circle of love. We are ALL beloved children of God. The beautiful thing about the sacrament of baptism – whether it’s a baby, an older child, a teenager or a senior – is that it is a pure gift. You don’t have to earn the promise of God’s love. It is yours. It is mine. It is ours. There’s no need to strive for it or earn it or act in a certain way to get it. God’s love is a pure, absolute gift to each and every one of us. And in our world where there is a price attached to pretty much everything, or where people have to do something or be a certain way to be accepted, this is priceless.

In the gospel of Mark, the writer gets straight to the point as to what he believes is most important when it comes to the life of Jesus. It actually begins with the story of Jesus’ baptism. There is no Christmas narrative. There are no angels or shepherds or dreams or a long list of genealogies, because none of that matters to Mark. The gospel starts off, chapter 1 verse 1, with the words: “This is the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Then, we meet John, clothed in camel hair and eating nothing but locusts and honey. He is a teacher and a prophet, called to prepare the way for Jesus. In this morning’s reading, we heard how John preached about a baptism of repentance and for the forgiveness of sins.

It sounds a bit daunting, doesn’t it? Repentance and sins are words with a lot of baggage and weight to them. But repentance is really about turning in a new direction and living in a new way. Sins are all those things that separate us from the love of God. This shows itself in different forms for each one of us, but they are the things that prevent us from remembering that we are God’s beloved children. John the Baptist is teaching and preaching to all who will listen about a new way of living and a new way of drawing closer to God.

The next part of the scripture reading recounts what happened next with Jesus’ baptism. Luke 3:21-22 states: ^“When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, saying: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you, I am well pleased.”
And with that, Jesus begins his public ministry of teaching and healing.

THIS is the starting place for all of us, as well. We are God’s beloved children and God is well pleased with each one of us. None of us are invisible to God!

This past month or so, we have been fortunate enough to celebrate a few baptisms and baby dedications here in our sanctuary. We hear the hopes and prayers of parents as they bring their children for baptism. Each family offers something different, but they are all grounded in a deep love for their children and wanting what’s best for them. Just as God wants what’s best for us.

Well known author, David Lose, writes: “In Holy Baptism, God just chooses us. In Holy Baptism, God says that we are enough. Already. That we are pleasing to God and deserve to be loved. And that identity of being God’s beloved child – precisely because it is established by God – cannot be taken away from us or, for that matter, lost by us. Rather, God continues to come into our lives to call us beloved and blessed and promises to be always both with us and for us. That promise and that blessing, in turn, helps us face all the challenges we encounter. Problems at home or in the community, concerns about the world or our personal lives. We can face whatever might be plaguing us with greater confidence knowing that God is on our side.”

Think, for a moment, of all that will happen in the coming year – the decisions that will be made, relationships started (or ended), careers changed, schools entered, illnesses endured, challenges surmounted, risks taken, adventures dared, love shared. So much will come down the pike in the coming weeks and months. Some of it, we may anticipate and be prepared for, but much of it, we simply can’t imagine. Daunting. Until we remember that God is with us through all of it. God is on our side. God will not abandon us but will walk alongside us, strengthening us, encouraging us, granting us grace sufficient to become the people God wants us to be.”

(http://www.davidlose.net/2018/01/epiphany-1-b-powerful-words-for-a-new-year/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+davidlose%2FIsqE+%28…In+the+Meantime%29)

As each one of us meets the challenges of this day / this week / this month / this new year, we are reminded that faith is not a magical cure-all but is the constant reminder that God is with us, lightening our burdens and providing hope. Any challenges we face, we do so with God’s help and the support from our community of faith, our church FAMILY. With the words “beloved” ringing in our ears each and every new day, we are called to be about God’s work in the world. There are so many ways to respond, but they are all grounded in a new way of living that is rooted in God’s grace. This makes all things possible. Rooted in God’s love, Jesus showed us what that new way of living looked like. It was the face of compassion. It was mercy. It was grace. It was life giving. It was healing. It was hope.

We are invited to be about that work of compassion, mercy, grace, living-giving, healing, and hope. When we feed those who are hungry, we proclaim the good news that God is with us. When we walk in the shadows with those who are lost and hurting, we offer the light of new life. When we support our brothers and sisters in Christ, our lives proclaim the good news that we are all God’s beloved children. This is the promise that comes with baptism and that has called us and claimed us as Christ’s own.

Baptism is a new way of living. Mark knew that. He knew that there could be no better way to start the story of Jesus’ life than on the day of his baptism. Today, we are God’s beloved and with each and every one of us, God is well pleased. You are NOT invisible to God; you are a precious member of His family! And … You are a precious member of our faith family! Amen

Song: Spirit of the living God (400)

We respond to serve God: Our time of giving

Reflection on giving

In this time of Epiphany, God’s gift to us in Christ is revealed to the world. Our gifts to God in Christ’s name reveal our commitment to the love and mercy, the forgiveness and hope we have received. Our gifts proclaim that we are beloved to God and God is beloved to us.

God our Maker, we bring our gifts to you in thanksgiving for your gifts to us in Christ and in creation. Bless what we bring and who we are, so that our gifts will bless the world you love in Christ’s name.

Prayer of gratitude and for others and ourselves

God of time and eternity: as the new year stretches before us, we thank you for the time you give us and for all those things that are still possible and precious in this gift.

We thank you for each new day and its possibilities; for each night, its rest and reflection.

We thank you for words of forgiveness and the chance to make a new start, for words of invitation to explore new opportunities.

Give us the courage to try something new and the conviction to finish things leftover from last year.

Make time spent this year your time, O God.

Bless our time with you.

God of moments and memories we remember before you people facing difficult times in the months ahead.

We pray for those struggling with illness, and for those facing treatment or surgery with uncertain results….

We pray for those who are grieving the loss of dear ones and for all who remember what was, but can no longer be…

God of hopefulness and helpfulness, we remember those who are seeking new opportunities this year:

Those training for new employments and those looking for work;

Those developing new businesses and seeking the right employees;

And those who provide services to improve life in our communities amid the uncertainties around us…

Give us wisdom and perseverance in what we undertake as a congregation in the face of all the changes in our community.

As we work together with the vision of your kingdom before us this year, fill us with love and generosity that can change the world because of your blessing.

We pray we can make a difference in even the most challenging situations because we are the people of your beloved Son and your own Beloved children. Amen.

Song: Amigos de Cristo (Friends of the Lord) (476)

Sending out with God’s blessing

May the God who gives us this new year and the Saviour who walks at our side each day, and the Spirit who fills us with life abundant, continue to grant us His peace, hope and joy.

Response: God to enfold you

Music postlude

————————————————————————-

Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).

Lynn Vaughan retains the copyright (© 2025) on all original material in this service. As far as she is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is her own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is uninten

Worship on Epiphany Sunday
10:00 am January 05, 2025
Minister: The Rev. Brad Childs, Communion     Service Led by Rom Rhoad
Music Director: Binu Kapadia     Vocalist: Lynn Vaughan
Welcoming Elder: Shirley Simpson     Reader: Darlene Eerkes

We gather to worship God

Music Prelude

Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ  be with you
P: and also with you.

Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship

Call to worship: Psalm 47: 1-2, 5-9 (ESV)
L: Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with joy! For the LORD the most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.
P: God had gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
L: Sing Praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King sing praises!
P: For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm!
L: God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.
All: The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham; for the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted!

Opening praise: Forever God is faithful

Prayers of approach and confession

Almighty God, we come to you this week recognizing the many ways we have fallen short of your commands. Maybe we have called siblings fools, we have hated our enemies, we have not treated our neighbours as ourselves, we have not turned the other cheek or prayed for those who hate us, we have not lived up to what Jesus has taught us. We are but people, full of fault and sin. Forgive us Lord.

Response: Glory, glory hallelujah

Assurance of God’s pardon

Fellow followers of Jesus, hear these words and take assurance- “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” God has forgiven us of our sins, he has given a single great sacrifice for all time. Recognizing this, let us go forth and sin no more. Come now Lord Jesus. Amen.

We listen for the voice of God                    

Song: Blessed assurance (687)

Scripture readings: Genesis 19:23-25; Luke 12:4-12

Response: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet           

Message: “Fear Him”?

As Jesus said according to Luke “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he was killed, has the authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!”

What does this mean? What is Jesus asking us?

Fear God, the Father?

Fear Him, the Son?

This does not sound like good news.

Is this really, in the Good News?

Often when people are confronted with this sort of question, they ask-

“Why would a loving God ask us to fear him?”

That’s a difficult, but reasonable question.

Why would a loving God do this?

Let’s take a step back. Let’s first examine how Fear is used and understood here on earth. Fear an important tool in the human understanding of how governments derive their power and authority. For governments like our own, theoretically it is a ‘fear’ of the people that our government derives its power. This is expressed by our ability to vote (3), and thus keep politicians “in fear” of our power to remove them from power.

Other forms government rely more overtly on fear, like that of the Roman Empire (4), the very government that Jesus was technically a subject of. In this empire, fear was the tool that maintained the empire, subjects of the Romans would fear the might of the empire’s military forces and pay taxes and worship the emperor as signs of their submission. By the reign of Emperor Trajan (5), this threat of force was a necessity for the Romans to govern.

Trajan, like other emperors before him, played to a veneer of maintaining Roman Tradition, insofar as it helped him keep his throne. Of these traditions, adherence to the traditional gods of Rome was required, and he used this to justify his rule. This was done as it was believed that the gods of Rome would destroy the Empire if the people were not maintaining their sacrifices to them. So, the Roman Emperors took control over expression of religion as to maintain the good will of these gods. So, a surface level of piety was required, and faiths that openly undermined this had to be suppressed, such as Christianity.

Our Faith fundamentally undermined the Roman State religion. Our beliefs taught us that sacrificed pigs to Jupiter appeased no such being, our faith taught that an emperor could not become a god after death, due to an edict from his successor, which had to be confirmed by a majority vote by the senate. Our faith that taught that spilt libations of wine honoured nothing and changed nothing either here or in the afterlife. These meaningless rituals were essential to maintaining Roman rule for centuries, rituals believed to have been started by Rome’s second King, Numa, almost a thousand years before. As the Emperor feared the gods, the Romans should fear their emperor. This was one of the ways in which emperors would maintain their position. That and the threat of death, was enforced by legions. (6)  That fear was symbolized by the painful execution by Crucifixion. The very method by which Jesus was executed.

The Roman Empire, differing from the Republic that preceded it, relied much more on the threat of legions, than the relationship with the gods. Fear of death kept the subjects of the Roman Empire in line. All one had to do to stay alive under the Romans was pay their taxes and worship the divine spirit of the emperor.

Roman men such as Pliny the Younger were loyal and obedient servants to his emperor, Trajan. He was directly appointed to be a governor over the rich and commercially prosperous Province of Bithynia, which is in modern Turkey. At any moment, if Pliny even had a hint of disloyalty to Trajan, he could be easily removed from his position, especially since he had no legions directly under his command. So, it was for his own health and his wealth that he stayed loyal and ‘in fear’ of his emperor.

In Pliny’s Province, there had been a growing problem, a group that Trajan had declared as subversive as they undermined the traditional faiths of the Empire. In his enthusiasm to please his emperor. Pliny had captured and tortured two slave-women apart of this group, a group identified as Christians. These slaves were deacons (lay leaders) in their church. From them he sought to gleam more information about these Christians and their subversive faith. These women Pliny tortured for their faith, and they taught Pliny that their beliefs in this Jesus were not evil, cannibalistic or corrupt as many rumours at the time had stated. By the Holy Spirit they testified the Truth, that Jesus was Christ, the Son of God, who had died a human death for humanity’s sin and had risen on the third day, eventually ascending into heaven after declaring his intention to one day come again. They refused to renounce Jesus Christ or worship the emperor. So, they suffered for it.

These women had no fear of their emperor as Pliny did.

Fear was a necessity to Trajan’s rule, after all he had seized power from

Nervus, a weak old man who was unpopular with the army, a man who he ironically deified after his death. Trajan had sized power by forcing Nerva into adopting him as his son and heir. Nerva valued his life enough to accept this new order, and Trajan rewarded him with deification by motion of Senate. Trajan was a man, clever, conniving, politically apt, a skilled general loved by his soldiers and feared by those under his rule, but nonetheless he was nothing more than a man.

God does not rule like this at all, God does not need to rely on other gods or legions of troops to maintain his rule over the earth. (9) The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed by God as a means to put people into fear of His divine power, of His ability to smite the entire world like what we might say at the wave of His hand. This punishment was not born out of malevolence, but rather righteousness. Even in this act of wrath we do see God’s mercy.

After God had determined to smite this evil valley and its inhabitants, His Wrath does not consume the entire valley, (10) “’Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.’” (Genesis 19:17b.)

God spares the city of Zoar. It is within the same valley as Sodom and Gemorrah, guilty of the same sins, but at Lot’s request God spares it. There was no other special reason for God to spare this city, as it was included in the depravity found in the entire valley. God spares it out of love for Lot and Abraham, both very imperfect people.

Emperors, Kings, and Dictators rule through fear. Their power is in this world, and it is fleeting. God’s rule is not justified by fear. Fear is what kept the Roman gods in power, it’s what kept the Romans blindly and faithlessly sacrificing to the gods, and when those gods failed and the Republic fell, a new god arose for the Romans, the Emperor, who could quite literally become a god, ruling jointly with his fellow gods from their own thrones up in the heavens. (11)

But these soon to be divine emperors could not tell anyone to the exact detail everything that there is to know about their empire. How many soldiers they have under their command at an exact moment, how many of their courtiers wanted them dead and how many of their subjects loved them. Emperors, for whom thousands would pray for every day, would struggle to say exactly how many of their Imperial Subjects prayed for their spirit, and how many of those that prayed believed that their words, that their incense, that their spilt wine did anything.

I imagine to these earliest Christians, especially as they were being spat on in the streets, as false rumors were being laid against them, as they were chased from town, kicked out of their homes by relatives, or when they were sporadically tortured, crucified, maimed, and murdered, this passage from Luke was one of the passages of which they could hear and find much comfort in. They feared God, the only god worthy of fear.

How we have conceived of fear, fear for our governments, our government’s fear of us, much of our lives can be said to be predicated on fear. Fear of our standing in society, our relationship with our friends, our family. In our lives we all fear constantly. In some way it is no different with our God. But He is not just like those people in our lives. He forgives, and he asks us to forgive each other. (12) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8. God is unlike us, yet not unlike us at all. God knows us for who we are, and will render justice in His own timing, for reasons only fully understood by God.

On Earth, no power, no Emperor, no ruler, no government, no priest, no human, can ever claim to have such power as the judge our souls, to judge us worthy of election into heaven or for us to be condemned to Hell. That alone is in God’s hands.

My Friends in Jesus- Fear God, but fear not.

God is Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipresent.

And God is Good.

Our God is Benevolent.

Our God is a loving God.

Our God is forgiving.

The fear we have for God, is not a fear of Damnation, but rather a recognition that God did not have to give us a way into Salvation. (13)

God did not have to send His Son.

But God, in his mercy, in his love, did just that.

Yes, my brothers and sisters, Fear God, and Fear not.

That seems to me[1], to be how we should understand Luke’s message.

Do not fear those who kill the body…

Do not be Afraid. Trust in God.

Birds are a dime a dozen, and God remembers and accounts for each and every one of them.

God will remember you. As God remembers the birds. As God remembered Abram. As God remembered Lot. As God remembered those two deacons, tortured for His sake. God knows us for who we are, and we should give thanks that it is God who judges us. Not an emperor, not an elected leader, not the world, not a human, not anything else.

Fear not, for God holds us to being worth much more than even those many trillions of birds. God loves us. God remembers us. God accounts for each and everyone of us.

Fear not, for the All-Powerful and Only God is Just, and He knows all and remembers all, and His Kingdom has no end.

God be praised. Amen.

Song: To God be the glory (350)

We respond to serve God

Our time of giving

Lord God, although these offerings we give will not guarantee our salvation, they represent our devotion to our Saviour and our will to continue to assist in the ministries done by this church in Jesus Christ’s name. Let us give what we are able to, whether that is our time, our patience, our love, or some of our money. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Prayer of gratitude, and for others and ourselves

Eternal God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, accept the prayers of your people, Lord you alone know what we are all suffering, what we grieve in this life you have given us. Lord, strengthen us to do your will and love our neighbours, even when we feel that we cannot. Even as we come out of this Christmas season, help us to not forget the benevolent love you have shown us by sending us your son, Jesus. In his Holy name we pray, Amen

The Sacrament of Holy Communion

Invitation

Friends in Christ, this is the joyful feast of the people of God. They will come from east and west, from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.

This is the Lord’s Table. Our Savior invites all who trust in Him to share the feast which He has prepared. Here, in the bread and the cup, we remember Christ’s sacrifice, celebrate His presence, and anticipate His return in glory.

Come, not because you must, but because you may; not because you are strong, but because you seek God’s strength. Come to this table of grace, where Christ meets us with forgiveness, peace, and love.

Song: All who hunger (534)

The Lord’s Prayer (sung: 469)

The Communion Prayer

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Gracious God, Creator of heaven and earth, with joy we give you thanks and praise. You spoke and the earth was formed; from chaos, you brought order; out of darkness, you brought light. You made us in your image to live with one another in love.

Even when we turned away from you, you reached out again and again, calling us back to your embrace. Through the prophets, you promised a Savior to redeem your people and set them free.

And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son, Jesus Christ. In the fullness of time, you sent him to live among us. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and reached out to the lost. His life, death, and resurrection opened the way to eternal life. Remembering his promise to be with us always, we await his coming in glory.

By your Spirit, make us one with Christ and with all who share this meal, even as this bread is Christ’s body for us. Empower us through this sacrament to live as Christ’s faithful disciples and show the world your love.

Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, Almighty God, now and forever. Amen.

Sharing of the Bread and Wine

On the night of his arrest, our Lord Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks to God, he broke it and said, “This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant sealed in my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.”

Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the saving death of the risen Lord, until he comes.

Song:   One bread one body (540)

Prayer after Communion

Gracious and loving God, we thank You for feeding us with the holy mystery of the body and blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ. In this sacrament, You have nourished our souls and strengthened our faith. We are filled with gratitude for Your love, which unites us with Christ and with one another.

Empower us now, by Your Spirit, to go forth into the world as bearers of Your light and love. May we embody the grace and compassion we have received, sharing the hope of Christ with all whom we meet.

Guide us in our journey of faith, that we may serve You with joy and dedication. Help us to respond to Your call with open hearts, loving our neighbors and working for justice and peace.

We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Song: A mighty fortress is our God (315)

Sending out with God’s blessing – Jude 24-25 (I do?)

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Response: Gloria in Excelsis Deo

Postlude

————————————————————————-

The Communion liturgy is based on the liturgies of the PCC’s 1991 Book of Common Worship. Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).

Romulus Rhoad, a candidate for the ministry in the PCC, retains the copyright (© 2025) on all original material in this service. As far as he is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.

[1] δοχομαι

Worship on the first Sunday after Christmas
10:00 am December 29, 2024
Minister: Rev. Brad Childs     Music Director: Binu Kapadia
Vocalist: Vivian Houg     Reader: Sam Malayang
Welcoming Elder: Heather Tansem     Children’s time presenter: Vivian Houg

We gather to worship God.

Music Prelude

Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you
P: And also, with you

Lighting of the Christ candle
Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship

Call to worship:
L: Praise the Lord from the heavens in the heights.
P: Praise god, all the earth and everyone.
L: Praise the God above us all.
P: Praise is on our lips.

Opening praise: Graves into gardens

Prayers of approach and confession

God of all generations, you are the Source of all life and the strength of our lives. In Jesus Christ, you entered our lives and showed us how to live with hope and generosity. Through the Holy Spirit, you nourish our lives each day so that we can offer hospitality and kindness to those we meet.

As we worship you, lead us to drink from the goodness of your well, so that we may become a blessing to others in the name of Jesus Christ you son and our Lord.

Generous God, we confess that we often fall short of the kindness and compassion we meet in Jesus. You have blessed us in so many ways and yet we want more, always more. You have welcomed us like guests to a banquet, yet we find it hard to welcome a stranger, to meet new people and extend more than a quick smile. You have shown us what matters most in life, but we are distracted by our worries, busy with things that do not really matter.

We scurry about our business and forget that love should be our business, care our currency. Forgive us, God, and teach us to honour you in all that we do and say, for the sake of Christ, our Saviour and our Friend. Amen.

Response: Glory, glory, hallelujah

Assurance of God’s grace

While it is true that we have sinned and fallen short of God’s hope for us, it is a greater truth that we are forgiven through God’s amazing love. To all who humbly seek the mercy of God, I say, in Jesus Christ, our sin is forgiven. So be at peace with God, with yourself and with one another. And now please extend that peace to those around you.        

We listen for the voice of God.

Response: Jesus loves me (373)

Children’s Time Theme: How does the Bible say we are to clothe ourselves?

Object: Articles of clothing. A shirt, pants, and a hat or cap.

Scripture: Colossians 3:12-14 (NIV)

Well, I hope that everyone had a merry Christmas. Did anyone here get any new toys? Did anyone here get any new clothes for Christmas? I know you may not get as excited about new clothes as you do about the toys you received, but I do know the good feeling that you have when you wear some new clothes that you really like.

One of the very first decisions that you and I have to make every day is the decision about what we are going to wear. The clothing that we wear is very important to most of us. Most of us want our clothes to be a style that is popular. To some people, even the brand is important. We want our clothes to be in good condition – with no holes or missing buttons – and, of course, we want them to be clean.

The clothing that we wear says a lot about us. Sometimes I see little girls wearing T-shirts that say, “Princess” or “2 Cute.” Traditionally, boys often go more for football jerseys, Spiderman T-shirts, or something like that. Sometimes, you need just the right hat or a cap to complete your outfit.

As you are choosing what you are going to wear each morning, do you ever give a thought to what the Bible says about how we should clothe ourselves? Well, the Bible doesn’t tell us which shirt or pants to wear, but it does have something to say about how we, as God’s children, should clothe ourselves.

The Bible says that we should clothe ourselves with kindness, gentleness, and patience. It says we should put on a forgiving attitude. Finally, the Bible says, we should top it all off by putting on love. That brings it all together in perfect unity. The great thing about this outfit that the Bible describes is that it fits us all — boys or girls — young or old. Do you know what else is great about it? It never goes out of style!

The next time you are trying to decide what to wear, why not put on a little kindness, gentleness, and patience? Add some forgiveness, then, top it off with love.

Prayer: Dear Father, we are always careful in choosing what clothes to wear. Help us to be just as careful about choosing our attitudes. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

The Lord’s Prayer (535)

Song: See amid the winter’s snow (168: vss 1,4,5)

Scripture readings: 1 Samuel 2:18-20,26; Colossians 3:12-17; Luke 2:41-52

Response: O come, let us adore Him

Message: Above all… love

The book of Colossians was probably penned by a young man named Timothy, who was acting as Paul’s secretary during his imprisonment in Rome. This would be in the early period of the early 50s. This letter was sent to Colossae, one congregation within a group of cities built along the Lycus Valley Road, leading up to the foot of Mt. Cadmus in modern-day Turkey’s highest mountain.

At the time, the city was quite famous for its syncretistic tendencies. People there tended to combine religions together, sort of like present-day Hoodoo, Santeria, Rastafarianism or most similarly like Bahaism, which tries to combine the best parts of different religions together but at the sad cost of what makes them unique and honestly renders them nothing more than human moralistic positions while ignoring the most foundational parts that seek to speak to Who God is).

In Colossae, people took paganism to its ultimate conclusion by combining all the known major religions they had seen. This made systems of ethics but was devoid of God. For this reason, there weren’t a lot of hard and fast rules for ethical behaviour in Colossae outside the traditional Jewish communities. However, this openness to different beliefs made the people in Colossae quite amenable to Christianity as well, not to its distinctive exclusivity. In other words, they were in a somewhat similar situation to the one we are in now in Canada. People got the moral part of it (for the most part), but that was about it, so they generally didn’t see much need for a church. But a small church had begun to meet together in someone’s home.

Today’s reading is a whole new chapter and section in Paul’s letter, and it starts like this: “Since then, you have been raised with Christ.” Now, here’s a helpful hint. Whenever you encounter a verse like this when reading your bible, you first have to investigate the past. A passage like this can have no meaning apart from its previous section. “Since, then”? So, the question has to be asked, “since when?”. To find that answer, we have to go back to Chapter 2, verses 20-23. That reads as follows, “Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why (as though you still belonged to the world) do you submit to its rules… based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom… but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

In other words, there are many things that seem wise in this world that aren’t and seem right, but they just aren’t.

At this point, Paul is not too concerned with the particulars. He will deal with that a little later.

He writes, “Since, then, (in other words the way you used to live before you believed) you have been raised with Christ, (So) set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life (your new life) is now hidden with Christ in God.”

You’re supposed to be different now.

Many people justify a variety of habits by calling them natural. For example, it’s not uncommon these days to hear someone say that males aren’t meant to be monogamous because they only rarely appear to be so in the animal kingdoms of nature. But this is a well-known classical fallacy titled the Fallacy of Nature. Calling these things natural does not mean it is essential, beneficial, or unchangeable behaviour. Yeah, monogamy isn’t natural. BUT… who, for example, could deny that it is also natural to go to the bathroom in your own pants, to be naked, to steal other kids’ toys or leave your teeth unbrushed for your entire life? Arsenic grows naturally while growing, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you to eat. We often need to change ourselves to do unnatural things until the unnatural itself becomes second nature. 403

Paul’s point is just the same. He says, ‘If you say that you follow Jesus, then you have been raised with Christ. So, set your mind on the things above, not on earthly things (the things you used to do). ³ For you (your old self) died…”

The world asks that we own ourselves and embrace ourselves. But in the Bible, we’re told the opposite. We’re told to deny ourselves, not let ourselves be defined by the world around us, but to rise above it, leave it behind, and become new.

But that’s not easy to do. Whether you are a long-time Christian or like the people in Colossae and have just met Jesus, that’s not easy. It’s hard to “rise above” ourselves.

A recent study showed that 70% of nearly 70,000 American college and high school students admitted to cheating on tests (70%). What exactly is going on with our youth? The Duke University report also indicated that internet plagiarism had quadrupled in the same 5 years. A separate poll of nearly 25,000 high schoolers found that almost half of the students (Half) agreed with the following statement: “A person must lie and cheat to succeed in life.” 484

This year, half of all high school graduates think they must cheat to do well. I wonder how many of them claim to be followers of Jesus.

What was true 2000 years ago still holds true today: People (even good people) find it very hard to leave the bad parts of their lives behind.

A great example of this can be found in the odd case of Vladimir Villisov of Russia, who had a heart attack that made him reevaluate his life. But instead of throwing off bad eating habits or adding some exercise into his morning routine, he decided to do something different. So, in 2006, Vladimir (age 66) built for himself a specialized coffin of enormous size, specially designed to accommodate both his rather large body and his vast collection of pornography. “The girls in those have been my companions for years,” he said, “and I want them to accompany me into my life.” 455

Yeah, it’s pretty easy to judge, but you must ask yourself… what vices do you hold on to? What parts of your old life before Christ are you trying to catty into this next one? What sins of the world are you refusing to give up? What old life were you supposed to bury when you came to Christ, but you just can’t or haven’t seemed to close the coffin on yet? You have ‘em. I promise you that. I do. What kinds of things unpleasing to God will you take to the grave with you?

Max Lucado has this excellent quote that sums it up. He writes, “God loves you exactly how you are, too much to let you stay that way. God loves you, but God also has a plan for you to make you better because he loves you.

Paul writes with a specific list of items commonly referred to as a “vice list.” He says, ⁵ Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature: (and then he lists many things). He says, “sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

This may seem odd but don’t focus too much on the specific items on Paul’s vice list. The first part of that sentence is the most essential.

In the New Testament, Paul gives six different vice lists filled with things that people need to put behind them. None of these lists is meant to be seen as exhaustive, and I’m sure each one has to do with the context of the individual situations in the congregations he is writing to. A vice list was commonly used to say “many bad things.” He’s just saying that if we understand that our sins are paid for, we should be dead to sin.

Envying your neighbour’s vacation, putting that work project above taking your kids to the game, thinking you’re so good at your job nobody could ever replace you, lying to your boss, getting angry at your coworkers, sharing that dirty joke, talking bad abut that lady, gossiping behind someone’s back, pretending you don’t see that guy on the corner who probably wants eye contact as much as a quarter… it could all be on Paul’s list.

From his hospital bed on the eve of open-heart surgery, pastor Bruce MacGyver asked his cardiologist, Dr. Lee Johnson, “Can you fix my heart?” The Physician said, “Sure,” and then walked away. Following the 12-hour surgery, MacGyver asked Dr. Johnson, “In light of the blocked arteries that I had when I checked in, how much blood supply do I have now?” “All you’ll ever need,” replied the surgeon. Before MacGyver was discharged from the hospital, Bruce’s wife Lana asked the doctor, “What can you tell me about my husband’s future quality of life?” Dr. Johnson paused and then said this… “I fixed the heart; quality of life is up to him.” 404

To die with Christ is also to put to death “the former self” and to aim for something new.

Paul worked diligently for the sake of the gospel but did not remotely believe that his work ended when someone accepted that Jesus had died for their sins. Instead, that was a part of the discipleship journey. The idea here is pretty simple. God loves you exactly the way you are. I’m going to say that again. God loves you exactly the way you are. But He also loves you too much to let you stay exactly as you are. People today love that first part. But we all often forget the second part, don’t we?

In the end, Paul has one final point to make, and it’s often taken wildly out of context. He writes, “Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, enslaved person or free, but Christ is all and is in all.

Paul tells a group of Jews and Gentiles that they are loved. He says it doesn’t matter if you are a part of the “chosen people,” or you grew up in the faith, or you are from a “high” or “low class,” or even if you are a Scythian (a group thought of as the most barbaric and violent clan in history at the time), if you come to Jesus, then you are all the same… forgiven sinners trying to do better. And every one of you is welcome to come just as you are. But at the same time, we must be willing to put some things in the tomb with our old selves. We all have to. That is what calling Jesus “Lord” means. Amen.

Song: Spirit, Spirit of gentleness (399)

We respond to serve God.

Our time of giving

Prayer of gratitude and for others and ourselves

Thank you for what we have accomplished through the work we do, and for what each one of us contributes to the wellbeing of our community. Inspire us to work together on the challenges we face and surprise us with the solutions to problems that once seemed overwhelming.

Today we pray for all those who labour in difficult situations:
for children who work in terrible conditions and are paid very little.;
for migrant workers who are far away from their families.;
for those who are underpaid or unjustly treated in their workplace.
God, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

We also pray for those who cannot labour:
for those who are unemployed or underemployed.;
for those who have become injured on the job or too sick to keep working;
for those who are denied the opportunity to earn a living because of war or discrimination or just plain overwhelming poverty.
God, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

We pray for those who labour in our community.
for those who must work today and tomorrow instead of enjoying this long weekend;
for those who must work several jobs to care for their families;
for those who work at jobs, we wouldn’t want to do ourselves because they are messy or unpleasant.
God, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

God, we offer gratitude for laws that protect children,
for health and safety practices that prevent tragedies in the workplace,
and for generations before us who advocated for vulnerable employees.
Thank you for the work that goes on behind the scenes,
delivering things we enjoy and services we rely on.
Help us to look beyond these things
to picture the faces of those whose work provides for all our needs.
Through their faces, let us see your face, Creator and Sustainer of all that is.
God, in your mercy
Hear our prayer.

Lord above all else, help each of us to labour as one devoted to you. In our words and deeds make us upright. Help us put to death those things that wish to control us, whatever they might be and help us to put our minds on things above.
In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Song: How Great Thou Art (332)

Sending out with God’s blessing

As you leave this place
may the Living Lord go with you;
May he go behind you, to encourage you,
beside you, to befriend you,
above you, to watch over you,
beneath you, to lift you from your sorrows,
within you, to give you the gifts of faith, hope, and love,
and always before you, to show you the way.

Response: Gloria in Excelsis Deo

Music postlude

————————————————————————-

Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).

The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2024) on all original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.

Worship on the Lord’s Day: Fourth Sunday of Advent
10:00 am December 22, 2024
Minister: The Rev. Brad Childs
Music Director: Binu Kapadia     Vocalist: Lynn Vaughan
Welcoming Elder: Darlene Eerkes
Children’s time: Brad

We gather to worship God

Music Prelude

Greeting
L: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ  be with you
P: And also, with you

Welcome and announcements
Preparation for worship
Call to worship: David Burnett, Thandi Chaponda and Angel Castell
L: As we prepare for Christ’s coming, we remember that Christ modelled love by seeking justice for those on the margins.
P: We come with a desire to love everyone, even when it’s hard.
L: We light the fourth candle of Advent, a symbol of God’s love, which knows no boundaries.
(Light the candle of love)
L: May the light of this candle inspire us to act towards our neighbours near and far in loving and justice-seeking ways
P: Holy One, we love because You first loved us. By the power of your Spirit, commit us to love in action in service of our neighbours. Affirm within us a dedication to show your love to the world, in both word and deed. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen

Opening praise: Hope is a star (119)

Prayers of approach and confession

Our Lord, we gather together to praise you for your incredible work.

We praise you for this world, and all that’s in it.

We praise you for a free country to gather without fear of persecution.

We praise you for a beautiful country, beautiful people, and your beautiful grace. But Lord, though you are perfect, we are not. We are flawed people striving to improve, so now, in unison, we confess our shortcomings to you.

God of our past, present, and future, we confess the evil we have done and the good we have failed to do, the words not said, and things spoken in anger or out of carelessness, the harm we have done to others and the harm we have done to ourselves. We acknowledge that our love has been shallow, our joy thin, and our hope fleeting. Forgive us for all these things and help us to do Your will. And remind us that when we fail, Your grace has already forgiven us through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Response: We come to ask your forgiveness

Assurance of God’s love

By God’s will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all. Know that God’s love has already restored you. Believe that you are forgiven and forgive one another. Amen.

We listen for the voice of God.

Response: Jesus loves me (373)

Children’s Time: Luke 1:26-31; 2:8-12

Book The Visit of the Wise Men by Martha Jander (Concordia Press)

For me one of the most special things about this story from the bible is that no person starts out knowing who Jesus is and every person is invited to know. The Shepherds were busy in the fields, the Magi were from another religion and land They didn’t really even no quite Why they were there, some were wealthy, some had almost nothing, but all are welcome.

I love this passage from 1 Timothy. It goes like this: “We work and struggle for this, our hope. For our hope is set on the living God, who is the savior of all people, especially those who believe.” – 1 Timothy 4:10

I love that verse because it reminds me that Christ is the saviour of all, whether they believe it or not. Sometimes, in life, we are tempted to think that Christmas is too commercial or non-religious, but I say bring it on. Everyone, no matter what they believe, is invited to celebrate the Savior’s birth, whether they know him or not. I pray that the whole world will find a way to celebrate Christmas, even if they don’t quite get it.                   

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for Christmas miracles. For the birth of Jesus and the invitation to come and meet him. Thank you for his life, example, offering, and glorious return. Amen.

If I don’t see you before the 25^th, Merry Christmas to all of you.

The Lord’s Prayer (535)

Song: My soul gives glory (123 vss 1,2,3,5)

Scripture readings: Micah 5:2-5a; Luke 1:46b-55; & Hebrews 10:5-10                                  

Response: My Lord, he is a’ comin’ soon

Message: “Love”

Luke 1:45 says, “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!”

The Roman Catholic Church has almost always stressed the “Blessed is she” portion of scripture concerning Mary. It has been largely responsible for her elevation despite scripture containing almost no information about her. But I have always wondered, as probably many of you have… is what Mary believed exactly.

What exactly did Mary believe in, and how did she believe in whatever it was she believed in?

Elizabeth is John the Baptist’s mother and Mary’s cousin. But here, Elizabeth says that Mary is blessed because she is (pi-stu-o) pisteuō.

This original Greek word from this passage means most literally, “To think to be true.”

So, Mary is blessed because she “thinks” something to be true? Well that doesn’t solve much. It seems pretty subjective. You got to wonder… how much confidence are we talking about here? What did Mary Believe exactly? Did she 70% believe it?

For me, it’s interesting to ask and I think there are spiritual implications for just how much faith one needs.

However, I must say that, at least, simply believing Something to be true is all good and acceptable… But that belief doesn’t make it a reality.

The fact is people all over the world believe all kinds of things. Some are true. Some are not. And while belief is important… simply believing something – doesn’t make it so.

Now often, the world will tell us (and it does so more and more) that it doesn’t really matter what you believe in, just so long as you earnestly believe in something. Countless TV programs and films push this agenda, probably because the writers don’t have any particular beliefs to speak of and, quite frankly, don’t understand what that feels like. Partly it’s probably well-meaning because they don’t want to single any group out. Partly it’s about money then. Why offend when you can just claim that everyone is right.

But is it true? Recently internet videos and memes have brokered the idea that “biblically accurate angels” have been hidden from them, and that angels in the bible are actually described as big swirling light orbs. Now to be clean, even though no theologian agrees with those silly internet pictures of angels everyone seems to believe it. But let’s be clear here. Angolos means messenger. And in the bible angel is not as much a type of being as it is a job description. And angel brings a divine message.

Angels appear in scripture often, but not one of them has wings – ever. Now it’s true that two other beings in scripture are described as having wings. These are the Cherubim (with 4 wings) and the Seraphim (with six wings), however these are never referred to as angels, they are just titled Seraphim and Cherubim. Cherubim also have four faces and attend to guard or guard things. Seraphim are likely serpent like and covered with fire. Most of these descriptions are probably more about a rolling thrown or the moving of the tabernacle worship space – we can talk about that later, BUT… for now, let’s just agree that far too many people are out there walking around believing unintelligent garbage they saw on TikTok although Bibles are pretty easy to come by.

Just because people all of the sudden believe that angels in the bible are whirling fire balls of wheels within wheels (a mistake combining a number of events into one), does that make it so?

More bluntly, if you get on an airplane earnestly and believe wholeheartedly that you’re headed for Hawaii, but the plane is scheduled to land in White Horse, guess what? You had better have a coat.

The fact is, It can’t just be about belief in something. Believing in the right things is essential.

I wrote for The Presbyterian Record magazine for about eight years. Once I wrote about a group called the Prince Philip Movement. It’s a Yohanan tribal religion on the southern island of Tanna in Vanuatu. The Yohanan believe that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the consort to Queen Elizabeth II, is a divine being, the pale-skinned son of a mountain spirit and brother of John Frum. According to ancient tales, the son travelled over the seas to a distant land, married a powerful lady and would, in time, return. The villagers had observed the respect accorded to Queen Elizabeth II by colonial officials. They concluded that her husband, Prince Philip, must be the god of their legends. The group was formed sometime in the 1950s. And their beliefs were strengthened by the royal couple’s official visit in 1974. Prince Philip was made aware of the religion and, as a result, arranged to exchange gifts with its leaders, even visiting them for worship. He allowed himself to be worshiped by them and never did anything to dissuade this false belief.

The Church of Euthanasia (CoE) is a political/religious organization started by the “Reverend Chris Korda” of Boston, Massachusetts. According to the church’s website, it is “a non-profit educational foundation devoted to restoring the balance between Humans and the remaining species on Earth as well as nature herself.” The CoE is notorious for its conflicts with Pro-life activists. According to the church, the greatest commandment is “Thou shalt not procreate.” The CoE further asserts three major principal pillars to a decent life: suicide, abortion, and cannibalism (strictly limited to consumption of the already dead”). Slogans employed by the group include “Save the Planet, Kill Yourself”. But Chris Korda believes she and her followers are right, moral people.

Nuwa-ubi-an-ism is a quickly growing religion that claims that Satan collects unburied after birth and is a space alien who makes seven evil clones of each person at any given time on earth where each one is constantly trying to replace you, meaning the person right next to you at any given moment might be an alien demon clone rather than the person you think they are. Now, while I’m not a Nuwa-abi-anist, I must warn you… If your spouse appeared particularly kind this morning or your children calmly ate their breakfast and got ready for church today without issue – this one might have more credence than it first appears to.

Incidentally, they (and they have thousands of members) also claim that the Illuminati ushered in, Satan’s son, who was born on the 6^th of June 1966 at the Dakota House on 72nd Street in New York City to a woman named Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. They further purport that the Pope was present at the birth and performed necromantic ceremonies. Former U.S. president Richard Nixon then raised the child and now lives in Belgium, where he is hooked up to a computer called “The Beast 3M” or “3666” as they sometimes call it.

No, before you think I’m bashing other people’s traditions, I’m just gonna come out with it. Let’s remember that Christian beliefs are not all completely logical, either.

Christianity says that an all-powerful being created humankind for his loving pleasure, only to offer us free will, thereby allowing us to reject him and choose to do bad things. When we sinned, he then promised for thousands of years to count us as sinless and perfect anyway, if only we asked for forgiveness using a sacrificial system that he would someday make unnecessary by fulfilling it in a new way… that being by sending himself (as 100% God but also 100% human) to be born from a virgin (presumably with 23 miraculous chromosomes created out of nothing) so that he (God) could then live a perfect example of life for us knowing that he would be murdered by the ones he came to save and because of that was able to take the punishment we deserved; thereby calming us free and innocent if only we trust in him. Oh, and then he asked us to drink his blood and eat his flesh symbolically (because that seems totally like a normal thing) and then live lives of peace and generosity, giving our whole selves over to others even if it means our death as well.

When I say it that way… it all sounds kind of…… Crazy. But here’s the catch. It’s actually what I believe. Moreover, I believe it’s the right thing to believe. And for me, there’s no question that it’s the right thing. I think every single word of it is true. And I can’t talk myself out of it. I believe it. It is as innate a belief to me almost as if I were chosen to believe it and can do nothing about it.

In a way, that’s probably true for all of us. Belief is often seemingly outside us. Like John Calvin’s view of Irresistible Grace, I think, for the most part, that belief, or unbelief for that matter (like attraction or love at first sight) is not something we choose; it’s not something based on logic or reason at first, but rather something that happens to us (as if guided by some tremendous external force).

Think about that for a second. If you have ever been in a discussion group or Bible study with me, you’ve probably heard me say this before, but… Here it goes: If I got out a suitcase with 1 million dollars in it right now and said, “I will give this money to anyone in this church who can make themselves believe they can fly.” Nobody in this church would be able to do it. Someone might say they believed it, hoping to trick me, but it would be a lie. Someone might even get up enough nerve to climb up on top of the roof and jump off to try and convince me that they believed it, but that would be a lie, too. The fact is, there is nothing you alone can do to make yourself believe or disbelieve. You can investigate and draw conclusions, but ultimately, belief is something that happens to you. We are all working on a priorie ideas and taking in evidence we like as a result.

When it comes to the Christmas story, maybe belief has already happened to you, maybe it hasn’t, or perhaps it’s about to.

But trust me, what you believe in… matters, just like what you do with those beliefs.

And how you believe also matters. Sometimes, we hear this story and believe Mary is some superwoman with unshakable faith. But I bet right after that angel left, Mary started looking for the pomegranate that might have dropped on her head from some tall tree nearby. While Mary is blessed for her belief that what God has told her will come true, I don’t think that’s the same thing as blind faith, complete certainty, or a life utterly devoid of questions or doubts.

The Bible doesn’t talk about belief that way. Instead of a mountain of faith, it says we need “faith the size of a mustard seed.” And with that, we can move mountains.

Mark chapter 9 has a fantastic story about a boy and his father. In it, the father believes that Jesus is a miracle worker and comes to him begging. The man tells Jesus that his son has strange fits where he convulses and rolls around on the ground, foaming at the mouth and that it comes at random. He cries that his son has even fallen into fire or water. It’s a father that wants his child to be safe. In the verse, the Father says to Jesus, “If you can do anything, please take pity on us and help us.” Jesus’ response is odd. He repeats the man’s words, “If you can?” and then continues, “Everything is possible for one who believes.” And I love this verse. In Mark chapter 9, verse 24, the man says, “I do believe; help my unbelief!” Then, the boy is healed.

See, it’s not a blind faith God’s after. It’s certainly not perfect 100% belief at all times; he anticipates from us. Belief and faith are not a rejection of facts. It’s not belief without some measure of caution. It’s not belief without ever having any questions or doubts.

This father doesn’t know it will work. He hopes it will work. And he HOPES with anticipation and action.

I guess the writer of Hebrews had a point when he said, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen.”

This father believes just enough to hope it’s true. And so, he considers just enough to want to consider more.

What a beautiful image of the Christian faith: a group gathered together with the same issues in the same flawed world, trying to see something more behind it all, catching the tiniest glimpse of the divine, and hoping upon hope in faith together that God’s words to us are true.

In the season of Advent, we light candles representing Peace, Hope, Joy, and Love. On Christmas, we light the Christ candle to represent the birth of Jesus, whom we believe to be (as the gospel says) “a light shining in the darkness that the darkness cannot overcome.” We do these things because, like Mary, we believe enough for God to do something powerful with us.

God is love.

If you are here today and believe, may it be a genuinely blessed and Merry Christmas.

What we believe matters.

But if you’re here today and don’t think you believe it just yet… remember this: for Jesus, “I believe help my unbelief” is more than enough to start with. Have a blessed and Merry Christmas to you as well. -Amen

Song: Come let us sing (706)

We respond to serve God.

Our time of giving

Prayer of gratitude and for others and ourselves

Lord God, thank you for the blessings You have given us year after year.

For a beautiful and fertile world, for a secure nation, for loving people around us, for friends and neighbours, for a time of prosperity, for minds leaning towards generosity, for the gift of sharing, for years of health, for the gift of breath and beating hearts, singing birds and new babies.

Every moment is an offering from you to us.

And now, Lord, we thank you by offering up a small piece of that gift.
Please help this church use these offerings for You alone.
Please help us by doing only what is true and correct.
Multiply these gifts for our use, bless the hands of the givers, and
Lead us in new ways of service to you and your kingdom here on earth.

Spirit of Hope, You pierce the darkness with light, hope, and renewed vision when the world is confusing and bleak. We thank you for lessons learned, changes of heart, discoveries made, and hope restored. We pray this day for those who are ill and dying, for those who are bereaved, and for any who mourn any burden of loss. God, make our time a time of hope.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

O God of Peace, Conflict and antagonism often exist within our relationships, communities, world, and ourselves. We pray for all places where violence and cruelty appear to win the day and where injustice cuts people down.

God, Make our time a time for peace.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

O Creator of Joy, We thank you for moments of joy and celebration in our lives, the pleasure given and received, and the quiet evenings spent in reflection and happy gatherings.  In these days of cold and darkness, we remember those who feel left out, who feel bitter while others rejoice, who are challenging to love, and those who walk in dark valleys; be their light and be their warmth and melt our hearts so that we might love more deeply all people in difficulty. God, make our time a time for joy.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.

O Love Come Down, You call us to live in communion with you and one another, and you have formed us into families and circles of friendship.  We remember before you our families, whether we are close or estranged, and our friends, whether they are near or far away, and we ask your blessing on our partners, children, parents and elders. Let us not keep our gratitude and concern for them bottled up, but let us express our love and concern through words and actions. God, make our time a time of love.

Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer.  

Song: Go tell it on the mountain (133)

Sending out with God’s blessing

May you depart knowing the invitation of God to move
– from comfort to insecurity
– from what we know to what we have yet to discover
– from where we have been to where we have yet to go
– from safety to a place of risk
– from questions to more questions

Go in the example of the saints before you, the Israelites in the wilderness, Paul is blind in Damascus, John in the desert, Mary to Elizabeth.

Go in the name of Jesus, our Christ, who said ‘follow me’ without saying where he was going, just promising transformation and relationship with the Triune God along the way.

And may we all believe even amidst our unbelief. Amen

Response: Gloria in excelsis Deo

Music postlude

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Numbers in brackets after a song/hymn indicate that it is from the 1997 Book of Praise of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Those and other songs are being used in accordance with the specifications of Dayspring’s licensing with One License (3095377) and CLC (A735555).

The Rev. Brad Childs retains the copyright (© 2024) on all original material in this service. As far as Brad Childs is aware, all of the material that has not been attributed to others is his own creation or is in the public domain. Unacknowledged use of copyrighted material is unintentional and will be corrected immediately upon notification being received.