Worship on the Lord’s Day
Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost
10:00 am Nov 17, 2024
Minister: Rev. Brad Childs Music Director: Binu Kapadia
Vocalist: Lynn Vaughan Reader: Sabir Aziz
Children’s time presenter: Courtney Vaughan
Welcoming 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
Preparation for worship
Call to worship:
L: The God of wisdom calls us to worship;
P: In humility, we gather to offer our thanks and praise.
L: The God of peace calls us to let go of our cares and worries;
P: In faith, we turn to God for hope and guidance.
L: The God of past, present and future welcomes us into this moment;
P: In joy, we celebrate life in God’s presence!
L: Let us worship God together.
P: Hallelujah! Let us praise the Lord!
Opening praise: I lift my eyes up
Prayers of approach and confession
Great and wonderful are all your works, O God;
We lift up your name in honour and praise.
Your power is known throughout the earth.
Your greatness reaches beyond the heavens.
Hear our praises as we gather to worship you.
Receive our confession we make through your mercy and grace.
Merciful God, as we honour and adore you we recognize our own weaknesses.
You have sent your Son to guide us yet we refuse to listen.
We let the troubles and worries of life weigh us down.
We live as those without hope, we give into temptations.
We forget that we are a new creation. We forget that you have offered to take our heavy burdens. We forget that your grace is sufficient. We forget that you alone provide, that you alone cleanse and we attempt to provide for ourselves and work out our own salvation.
In your love forgive us and help us to walk more closely to you; to give our full trust to You and truly make you Lord of our lives.
We pray this in the name of Christ – Amen
Sung Response: We come to ask your forgiveness
Assurance of God’s love for us
When Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at God’s right hand For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
And the Holy Spirit adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Amen
We listen for the voice of God
Children’s Time
Sung Gradual: Jesus loves me (373)
Story: Talking with God
Prop: Cell Phone
- Does anyone here like to talk on the phone?
- Do any of you talk to people through the computer with emails, Skype or Zoom?
- Who do you like to talk to? What do you talk about?
- How often do you talk to others on the phone or through the computer?
Talking with people is important to us! Nowadays, it’s all very easy, and we make sure that we can call or connect others whenever we want. We also make sure people can reach us wherever we are.
- Do any of you talk to God?
- How do you do that?
- How often do you talk to God?
- Do you do it as often as you talk to your friends or family?
Talking to people is easy and we do it all the time, but I think that we sometimes find it hard to spend time talking with God.
Why is that?
(Invite responses such as: We get busy. We don’t see Him all the time, so we forget. We don’t know how. We might question whether God is really listening. We might think our problems are too small.)
It’s important to talk with God because:
- God wants us to know Him.
- God loves us through prayer.
- We love God through prayer.
- God really does answer prayer.
Today, we’re going to talk a little bit about HOW to pray because that is the first step. Remember that it’s just as simple as talking to someone you love. Let’s go through the letters for the word TALK. (Show the word TALK as an acrostic on a board.)
The letter T: TAKE the TIME: (Point to a pretend watch on your wrist.)
Find time in your day to talk to God. Maybe even pray at the same time each day, so it’s easy to remember, like at bedtime, or before meals, or first thing in the morning. Make it a habit, like brushing your teeth. You remember to brush your teeth, right?
The letter A: Ahhhhhhh …. Quiet: (Invite children to take a deep breath with you.)
Find a quiet place in your home. Turn off the TV, turn your music down, and maybe find a way to escape from your little brother or sister … just for a few minutes. Sit under a table, go into your closet if it’s big enough, make a fort, whatever! It’s easier to concentrate on talking with God when it’s quiet and you can focus.
The letter L: LEARN – from God’s Word. (Place hands palm side up as if holding a Bible.)
Read one bible verse a day. If you’re up for the challenge, read one chapter a day. Try to understand what God is saying to you. Ask a grown-up who knows more about Jesus for a little help, if you need it. We can ALL learn from the Bible at any age, young or old.
And finally,
The letter K: KEEP a Prayer Journal. (Hold up a small booklet/journal.)
If you’re old enough, write down how you like to pray. Write down your favourite praises, prayer requests, and special bible verses that mean a lot to you. Keep it simple and even have some fun with it, so it doesn’t seem like a chore and you’ll WANT to do it.
So, the main point here is that we just need to PRAY! We need to let God know what we’re thinking and just keep talking to Him. You can pray out loud or silently; at any time of the day or night; in any place; maybe with a journal or a book or a Bible. You can pray with groups of people or all alone. Remember that God is always listening and hears you whenever you talk to him. And don’t forget: prayer isn’t just about begging for things. We should praise God, too, and give thanks to Him for all that He does in our lives. Prayer brings us comfort and peace because we draw closer to our Lord and communicate not just to Him, but with Him.
So, what are we waiting for? Let’s say a prayer right now!
Prayer: A repeat after me prayer
Dear God,
Thank you for giving us prayer.
Help us to remember to come to you.
And to give thanks and praise
for all your blessings.
Thank you for hearing our prayers.
Thank you for your love.
We love you, God!
And now, we pray the prayer that you taught us, saying “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will … “
The Lord’s Prayer (535 )
Song: How great thou art (332)
Scripture readings: 1 Samuel 2:1-10; Hebrews 10:11-25; Mark 13:1-8
Sung Response: Glory to the Father
Message: “Called Near”
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living gate opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
The Jewish Temple was a very complex thing indeed. It was essentially one room inside another room inside a large courtyard. But it was a bit more complex than that. See around the outside was a wall with 8 gates. Inside was the area called Solomon’s Porch or the Gate of Gentiles. That is where non-Jews were allowed to observe. But only Jewish people were allowed beyond this point. As you came to the inner sections of the Temple structure (reserved just for the Jews) you came to another wall beyond the main courtyard which had thirteen gates. Each with its own rules and own intentions for who might enter through it and why.
On the south side, beginning with the southwest corner, there were four gates: Shaar Ha’Elyon (the Upper Gate) where most visitor were supposed to enter, Shaar HaDelek (the Kindling Gate), where wood was brought in Shaar HaBechorot (the Gate of Firstborns), where people with first-born animal offerings entered. & Shaar HaMayim (the Water Gate), where the Water was brought in.
On the north side, beginning with the northwest corner, there were four more gates: Shaar Yechonyah (The Gate of Jeconiah), where kings of the Davidic line enter, Shaar HaKorban (The gate of the offerings, where priests entered with kodshei kodashim offerings, Shaar HaNashim (The gate reserved just for women), and the Shaar Hashir (The Gate of Song), where the Levites entered with their musical instruments.
On the east side was Shaar Nikanor, between the Women’s Courtyard and the main Temple Courtyard, which had two minor doorways, one on its right and one on its left. On the western wall, which was relatively unimportant, there were two more gates and for some unknown reason they did not have any names on them and scholars have no idea who they were for or what rules visitors were to follow when entering through them. We just know, they were defiantly for a specific group of people and there were definitely rules on who could enter by them.
At this point visitors would read the edict inscribed in Greek and Latin both:
NO FOREIGNER IS TO GO BEYOND THIS POINT
OR TO THE PLAZA OF THE TEMPLE ZONE
WHOEVER IS CAUGHT DOING SO
WILL HAVE HIMSELF TO BLAME FOR HIS DEATH WHICH WILL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW.
Going inside the actual temple sanctuary there would be one more gate. Inside these gates was the Court of the Israelites. Only the Jews were allowed to step here. Inside it was sectioned into two main area’s the Court of Women at the back and the Court of Men at the front facing the unseen Court of the Priests and the Holy Place.
To go to the Court of men, closest to the Holy Place one must not only be Jewish but one must also be male.
Now if that’s not complex enough… out in the court of the Israelites is a huge water basin called The Bronze Sea where ritual water was used for cleansing and there is also the bronze alter of sacrifice where the offerings were made. After the sacrifice was handed to the priests there would be no more contact between priest and patron accept a quick laying on of hands. Only the Jewish Male Priest would be allowed at the altar. When the sacrifice was completed the Jewish Male Priest would say the blessings given to Moses and Aaron “The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His peace.” This would be a person’s request for forgiveness. But God sealed that forgiveness on just one day of the year. Rosh Hashanah (the Day of Atonement).
To go beyond this point would be to enter the Holy place. To do this one must be Jewish; one must be male and one must be among the priestly family. One must be chosen to work inside the Holy Place… Oh and one must also go through a number of rituals.
First you must partake in a ritual bath. Then you must put on your linen pants (which are purple and blue underwear) in fact one translation even calls them “britches” which were “to cover their nakedness” (ex. 28:42). Then you put on a body tunic covering the entire body from neck to calves and also had long sleeves. Next you put on a Priestly sash (all white). Next you put on the Priestly turban. And if you were Jewish, a male and from a priestly family and you were chosen to serve on a particular day and you were dressed in proper attire then you could enter the Holy Place.
Inside the Holy Place you would find the table of showbread (and replace the bread to keep it fresh). You would find the golden lampstand (the menorah) and you would trim the wicks and keep it fresh with oil and ensure that it never went out as a sign of God’s presence (much as we do with our Christ Candle). And you would replenish the scent offerings on the altar of incense which was present to keep the room filled with smoke just in case a priest accidentally saw God he would not see the full “Shekinah Glory” of God but rather smoky, hazy version of God instead and possibly live to tell about it. But the chosen Jewish, male, priest, in proper dress could not dare go beyond this space. Only one person, once per year could enter the Holy of Holies where the Ark of God was kept and where God was thought to sit upon the Ark like a thrown (so much so that it was commonly referred to as The Mercy Seat rather than The Ark).
But on one special day, one special Jewish, male, chosen priest, in proper dress, would be chosen and asked to serve as the High Priest (the greatest honor in Judaism). But only if he (the Jewish, male priest, chosen, and dressed, chosen again as high priest) first took 5 more ritual baths, put on a fancier version of the linen pants, an elaborate and embroidered body tunic, a priestly blue robe with tassels and fringe, an ephod with precious stones on it, a High Priests turban (that looked much like a huge chef’s hat, a breastplate covered in gems and a golden crown that read Holiness unto the LORD“ upon it and swore not to recite a blessing with his hands higher than the word `LORD` written on his crown.
Then… then… only then… if you were a Jewish male, from the priestly family, chosen to serve as high priests and having done the rituals required and wearing the proper attire, and swore your oath, on one day of the year (the Day of Atonement – the one day God sealed the forgiveness from all the sacrifices from the past year)… then… you could go beyond this point. Then you could go the curtain or more accurately The Veil; you could find the center seam and slip through it as long as no other priests were in the Holy Place who might accidentally see inside.
But first… first you must remove your shoes; you must see the other priests, who would tie a rope around your ankles for safety’s sake, just in case you accidentally insulted God while in the Holy of Holies and fell dead. This way, the other priests could pull your body out of the Holy of Holies without ever having to enter the forbidden space.
The Temple was a very complex thing indeed. And each level became more and more restricted as people came closer and closer to the presence of God. From the gates to the courts to the porch to the steps to the sanctuary, to the door, to the court of women, to the court of men, to the Holy Place and finally past the veil and into the Holy of Holies.
But why all this mystery. Why all this separation?
It`s simple really. The word “veil” in Hebrew means a screen, divider or separator that hides. See, each section was more restricted because each section was meant to hide God from people and people from God more than the last. Essentially, it was to shield a holy God from sinful people. Whoever entered into the Holy of Holies was thought to be entering the very presence of God. In fact, anyone except the high priest who entered the Holy of Holies was said to die. Even the high priest, (in the people’s own understand – God’s chosen mediator with His people) could only pass through the veil and enter this sacred dwelling once a year; just for the Day of Forgiveness and that day alone.
The picture of the veil was that of a barrier between humanity and God, showing people that the holiness of God could not be trifled with. As Habakkuk 1:13 puts it “God’s eyes are too pure to look on evil and He can tolerate no sin”. The veil and all the intricate rules and different sections were a barrier to make sure that people could not carelessly and irreverently enter into God’s awesome presence. Even as the high priest entered the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, he had to make some meticulous preparations: He had to wash himself, put on special clothing, bring burning incense to let the smoke cover his eyes from a direct view of God, and bring blood with him to make atonement for sins. It was a very complex and intricate system. The whole point was to keep what is profane (sinful people) apart from what is Holy (a perfect God).
But according to the author of Hebrew’s Jesus came to do just the opposite.
He writes, 10:19 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living gate opened for us through the veil, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
In other words, the Author says, it’s not just the High Priest after his baths and dressed just right. He says, it’s not just the chosen priest from the right family on the right day. He says it’s not just the priests, not just the men and not just the Jews: he says that We, “brothers and sisters” can enter into the presence of God (and I love the King James Version here because it says, “With Boldness”. Not only are we gonna not hide ourselves away from God but we’re going to march right into the Holy of Holies, right into the presence of God and we’re gonna do so BOLDLY.
Instead of shying away from God the author of Hebrew’s says, “Let us draw near to God – with sincere hearts.
Pope John Paul II wrote, “After I came to faith, living things became precious to me. I wanted to pet them, hug them, – babies, dogs, lizards, whatever. For me the great fruit of belief is joy. Know this, there is a God, there is a purpose, there is a meaning to things, there are realities we cannot guess at, there is a big peace out there somewhere and you and I are part of it. God is good. Near him is where you want to be.” (Illustrations, 192)
“Near Him is where you want to be.” More to the point Near him is where we’re called to be.
Our scripture continues on it says, “Let us draw near to God – with sincere hearts… In full assurance of faith – clean from sin and washed pure.”
In his book “Listening to the Voice of God” Roger Barrier tells this story. He writes, “When I left for college, my mother – who had always done my laundry – made a canvas duffle bag for me. ‘Put your dirty clothes in this every night’ she said. ‘At the end of the week, wash them at the Laundromat.’ Seven days later, I took my dirty clothes to the Laundromat. I remember thinking, this is no big deal. Why is my mother always complaining about this? The machine does all the work. And with that I threw the full duffel bag into the washer, dumped some powdered soap in the top, inserted my change and turned the machine on. Moments later, a loud Thump, Thump, Thump, Thump rang out all through the building and the washing machine started to rock violently from side to side. Immediately a nice young co-ed approached me with a grin and opened the door of the machine to stop it. ‘I think your clothes might get a little cleaner if you take them out of the bag first’ she said. Years later I could not escape the fact that my life seemed to be spiraling out of control. I was hiding away a secret life and it was just getting worst and worst… until I remembered that day at the Laundromat. Suddenly it hit me. If I want to start over fresh and new and get my life together. I need to stop hiding my sins from God. I’d better take my life out of the bag (so to speak) and go marching up to God so God can clean it. (1001, 87)
The author of Hebrews says that we as a people spent far too long thinking of God as someone to hide from. Instead of hiding ourselves away he says, we need to run to God instead, sin and all, without fear.
There is no doubt about it. The Jewish Temple was a very complex thing indeed. And in a way not much has changed. In 1 Corinthians Paul tells us that WE as believers are the new Temple. And because we the people, complete with flaws and all… are the temple, the temple is still a pretty complex things. But what’s different now is that the gates and rituals and courts and veil are gone. The things that were designed to separate us have gone away. We have a new kind of life, with a new kind of High Priest, a new and eternal sacrifice by the blood of a first born sacrifice, and we are called to a life, not of fear and hiding, but to a life where we can run to God, anytime we wish, to be near God, to know God’s presence, and to never be afraid to do so.
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living gate opened for us through the veil, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us ALL draw near to God.
Thanks be to Jesus Christ our Lord, one sacrifice for all time, forever and perfect. For nothing separates us from the Love of God in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Song: Jesus bids us shine (773)
We respond to serve God
Our time of giving
Prayers of thanksgiving and intersession
Loving God, who is faithful in all generations; we come to you now with thankful hearts for all you have done for us.
You care for us when we are destitute.
You lead us when we are lost.
You correct us when we have made mistakes;
and you uplift us when we are filled with joy or sorrow.
Through your son Jesus Christ you have set your plan for creation in motion. His coming will change the world. His sacrifice will be, for eternity, our reconciliation with You.
To you O God most high we give you praise and thanks.
Loving God, your care for the world is evident in creation. We are grateful that you are always ready to hear us when we come to you with our petitions.
We pray for our world…
for distant countries where people struggle for food and water,
… in lands where there is oppression and injustice.
We pray for nations embroiled in war and political strife.
Bring justice and healing to the nations Lord.
Teach us to live peaceful lives and to never overlook the needs of others.
Help us to become committed to sharing our own wealth with those who are starving and homeless both abroad and in our own country.
Help us to be the temple you created us to be. Not a temple of restrictions and rules but a temple open to all in Christ.
Hear us now, O God, as we pray for those in our midst.
…there are many who suffer in silence.
We pray for those who are troubled by life…
….those confused, those facing pain and sorrow,
…those who are grieving..
Hear us, lord, as we name them to you in the silence of our hearts…
You know the troubles which afflict us every day…
…strengthen where weakness resides…
…encourage where defeat looms….
…comfort where despair haunts…
In the name of your holy and blessed servant Jesus Christ, who for us is the way, the truth, and the life – A light shining for all to see. Amen.
Song: Lord, the light of your love is shining (376)
Sending out with God’s blessing
May you always know that God is near
May you always come boldly into God’s presence
May you never be ashamed to take the laundry out of the bag
And may the Day of Forgiveness be for you, every day.
Sung Response: Go forth into the world
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.