11th Sunday After Trinity Readings: 1 Kings 19v4-8; Psalm 734v1-8; Ephesians 4v25-5v2; John 6v35 & 41-51. Let us pray: May the words of my mouth, and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word: In the reading from the 1st Book of Kings we hear what God did for Elijah. For after Elijah had walked for a day in the wilderness, Elijah was so distressed that he asks God to take back his life from him because he feels he is no better than his ancestors. Then in his exhaustion, Elijah falls to sleep. We know that God heard Elijah’s prayer but had other plans in mind for him because God sent an angel to him to speak with him and feed him twice. As a result, Elijah was strengthened by the angel’s visitation and food and subsequently continued his walk through the wilderness for 40 days and 40 nights until he reached the mountain of God. Then in the psalm we hear a witness testimony that proclaims that God heard the psalmist’s cries and helped him by sending his angel to stand by him, to protect him and to deliver him. In response, the psalmist blesses, glorifies, magnifies, exalts and praises the Lord. These ancient readings tells us that God hears all of our prayers and then answers them. However some may be answered in ways that we may not expect, for God may send his holy angels to help and assist us or maybe just provide us with all that he knows we need. Feeding and helping his people is something that recurs throughout the scriptures. So it should be of no surprise that in the gospel of John, we hear Jesus telling the crowds that he is the bread of life, the living bread that came down from heaven, the bread that feeds our hunger and thirst. For as Jesus says, he is the one sent into the world by the Father, the bread given for the life of the world, the bread of life that draws us into the body of Christ, so that everyone who eats it will live forever. However not everyone believed what Jesus had to say and those who struggled to accept his word complained about him to one another. In response to this, Jesus teaches, that it is only possible to be drawn to Jesus if the Father calls us. Jesus also says that the Father will teach everyone who is drawn to him and that on the last day Jesus himself will raise up all those who come to him to life everlasting. But what does it mean to be taught by God? In the letter to the people in Ephesus, Paul reminds us that the Lord’s people are called to become imitators of God, God’s beloved children, a people who live like Christ. For by trying to do this we are changed and become the people that God created and designed us to be. A people who live a self-sacrificing life of love. A people who are tender-hearted and forgiving towards one another. A people who turn away from their sinful ways. A people who choose to speak the truth. A people who hold themselves back from acting in anger. A people who work and labour honestly. A people who say words that build up those who are spoken to and those who hear. A people who by taking all of this positive action find they become able to resist the devil and not be tempted into sinning. Let us pray: Dear Lord, we thank you for your mercy, gentleness to us and gift of pardon and peace in your one true sacrifice which takes away our sin. We ask for your help to live as you call us to do, keep us secure on the foundation of Jesus so we may be preserved from the sins that destroy us and receive your gracious promises and eternal riches, at the end of our lives. Amen. Thank you for joining us.
10th Sunday After Trinity Readings: Exodus16v2-4 & 9-15; Psalm 78v23-39; Ephesians 4v1-16; John 6v24-35. Let us pray: May the words of my mouth, and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word: In the reading from Exodus we hear that the people who were saved from slavery in Egypt are now engaged in complaining to one another, about their leader Moses and his brother Aaron. From their complaints it seems that they have forgotten the bad things that happened to them in Egypt and are only calling to mind the times when they were not hungry. Moses turned to God and God intervened by telling Moses that he would not only feed the people but also test whether they would follow His instructions. Moses’ brother Aaron was a good public speaker appointed to support his brother. As Aaron told the people what God had said to Moses, the people saw a sign in the desert wilderness. For the Lord appeared to them as a cloud in a place where clouds were not seen. Aaron told the people that God would provide them with enough meat and bread to fill them – and that evening a flock of quails flew in and set down to rest in the camp. Then the next morning after the morning dew lifted, the people found a fine flaky substance on the ground, called manna that they could make into bread. In the psalm we hear thanks and praise to God for this ancient time in the wilderness when God fed his people with the quails and manna that kept them well-filled. In the gospel of John, we hear Jesus teaching the crowds and telling them that they are more interested in food than heavenly signs. Jesus tells them to stop concentrating their attention on food that does not last and instead to focus on the food that survives into eternal life – which is to believe in the one that God has sent to them. In reply, the people ask Jesus for a sign and remind him about Moses and the manna that their ancestors ate in the wilderness. Jesus tells them that it was God who gave them the manna – not Moses – and goes on to say that he is the bread of life, the true bread from heaven, the bread given by his father. For Jesus knows that what God wants is for his people to be spiritually fed by believing in Jesus – so they will never again be spiritually hungry or thirsty. In the letter to the people in Ephesus, Paul says that the purpose of the body of Christ, the Church is to draw others and teach them so they become part of the unity of faith and are not tossed back and forth by false doctrine and wild nonsense. For there is only one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God and Father of us all. Paul also says that God’s people are called to lives of humility, gentleness, patience, peace, love for one another and unity of Spirit because all of God’s people has been given gifts, gifts given to empower the body of Christ to grow, to enable it to work properly and to build it up in love. For each one of us is made to fit with each other - a bit like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle that when all fitted together makes a picture. Today, as we remember how God sticks with us and helps us even when we moan and complain like those the wilderness, let us do our best to give God thanks and praise for past help given. Also, as we consider Jesus’ instruction to focus on him, the living bread that feeds our spirits and opens up for us eternal life – let us also be reminded that as Jesus’ people here on earth our calling is to work together in accordance with the gifts God has given to us, to grow in unity of faith and to draw others to God and his son Jesus by accurate teaching. Let us pray: Dear Lord, as we pray, help us to only ask for the things that are pleasing to you. Help us to recognise the gifts you have given us and to understand how you desire us to use them so that all people will be told and know that you hold open the gate of mercy to all who put their trust in you. Guide and lead us throughout our lives so that we never wander from the way of life opened to us by Jesus your Son. Amen Thank you for joining us.
9th Sunday After Trinity Readings: 2 Kings 4v42-end; Psalm 145v10-19; Ephesians 3v14-end; John 5v1-21. Let us pray: May the words of my mouth, and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word: I read the readings for this week and was struck by the way that we see God at work to help the hungry. In Kings we hear that after a man gave Elisha the first fruits of his harvest that Elisha told his servant to give the food to the people. Elisha’s servant thought there was insufficient food to feed the amount of people who were but Elisha told him to give it to the people because God had said that not only would they be fed but there would also be leftovers. In the gospel of John we hear that instead of sending the large crowd away, Jesus made provision to feed them using a child’s 2 fish and 5 rolls. Then, after the people were fed, 12 baskets of leftovers were gathered up. It seems so amazing to me that God is minded to use the gifts of those who are generous enough to hand over what they have to feed those who do not have enough. It is also why I am so thankful for the words of the psalm which tells us that we have a God who lifts up people who fall and generously feeds those who are hungry. In the psalm we also hear that God’s faithful people tell others about his kingdom as well as praise, bless and glorify God. This is because God’s word can be trusted, for we have a God who is mighty in power and action; a God who hears all call out to him; a God who always takes righteous and loving action. We see this in the Gospel of John, for even though Jesus kept on trying to find a place to rest with his disciples, he had great compassion for the people who sought him out and gathered to seek his help. Also, in the letter of Paul to the people in Ephesus we hear that we have a God who is able to accomplish more that we can either ask for or imagine. For we have a God who in the gospel walks on water and a God who hears the prayer for the people of Ephesus. For we have a God who wants to fill his people with spiritual strength and the fullness of God. A God who wants us to have faith in Jesus and knowledge of his overwhelming love for us. A God who wants us to be rooted and grounded in love. I do not know what God wants of us today but what I do know is that I am drawn to and want to serve God. For I am happy to give God what I can of my time and resources because I know that God can do miracles with the little I hand over to him. I also know that I can trust God to look after all those who I send God’s way – for we have a merciful, loving and generous God. Today let’s listen so we her what God is asking of us today. Let us pray: Dear Lord, you call us to be your people, a people of service in the world. Help us to hear your call and give us the courage we need to follow your calling. For even though you ask so little of us, it so often feels too much and beyond our ability. Melt our hearts so we sense your presence and peace, then lend us your strength so we can dare to follow in your footsteps. In the name of Jesus. Amen. Thank you for joining us.
