Final Midweek Bible Study during Lent St Matthew with St Chad Church, Windmill Lane, Smethwick Thursday, 10.45am on 21st March 2024 Today’s reading from the Bible, Amos 2v21-24: I hate, and despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! New International Version – UK A comment for today: God called Amos and gave him this message to take to the northern Kingdom of Israel in about the 8th century BC. Amos did not count himself as a prophet but did take the message. In the reading we hear that God is really upset by the behaviour of his chosen people for they were misusing their power and wealth by taking advantage of the helpless, oppressing the poor and misusing women. The reading, like the whole book of Amos, tells us about God’s passion for justice and God’s anger with injustice. It also tells us about the importance of social justice and worship that is acceptable to God. Taking time to ponder Read and re-read the Bible reading then ask yourself the following questions: Do you think that there things that God wants us to stop doing as his Church? Do you think that there things that God wants us to start doing as his Church? If so, who will you tell? Now offer what you have thought about to God and then say the pray that follows. Closing Prayer: Dear God, we come before you today with open hearts and minds, seeking your guidance and wisdom. We thank you for your justice and mercy and pray that we do your will by seeking justice and righteousness in all that we do. We pray for the oppressed and marginalized, bring them comfort and hope. We pray for the wealthy and powerful, may they use their resources to help those in need. We pray for our leaders, that they will govern with wisdom and compassion. Help us Lord to be faithful to you, even when it is difficult. Give us courage to stand up for what is right. Amen
What's on and whenPalm Sunday - We shall begin Holy Week with our Palm Sunday holy communion service at 10am on Sunday 24th March.Maundy Thursday - There will be no morning service this day because we shall gather for our service of remembering the origins of the passover meal and our Lord's last supper, with a celebration meal together, hand/foot washing and holy communion at 6pm on Thursday 28th March.Good Friday - we shall gather for a quiet service of reflection at 10am on Friday 29th March. If the weather is kind we shall go for a walk of witness, if not we shall remain in Church.Holy Saturday - we shall gather for the Service of Light at which we light our new pascal candle, remember that Christ rose from the dead and celebrate with light refreshments, at 6pm on Saturday 30th March.Easter Day - we shall give thanks for our salvation and renew our Baptismal promises at our holy communion service at 10am on Sunday 31st March.
5th Sunday of Lent – Passiontide Readings: Jeremiah 31v31-34; Psalm 51v1-13 or Psalm 119v9-16; Hebrews 5v5-10; John 12v20-33. 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 Jeremiah, we hear God’s promise of a new covenant in which God promises to write the laws of godliness within the hearts of all people from the greatest to the least. Through this new covenant God promises to forgive sins and to cease to remember the sins of his people. God says that this new covenant supersedes the previous covenants, the covenants that God’s people broke and failed to uphold. In the gospel we hear the promised covenant being fulfilled as Jesus recognises that his time has come to fulfil his father’s plan when some Greeks come to the festival seeking him. Jesus declares that he will draw people to God when he is lifted up for the sake of all and that the ruler of this world will be driven out to save people from the judgement of their sins – all to the glory of God the Father. Jesus promises that all who serve him will be honoured by his father – and instructs that we must follow him. After Jesus shared this message, a voice from heaven was heard, confirming that the Father’s name will be glorified. The letter to the Hebrews tells us more about this new covenant. It tell us that Christ was a high priest in the order of Melchizedek. For Jesus was not from the priestly families of the Israelites – instead he was a priest sent into the world by his father, a priest called forth to do God’s work, just as Melchizedek had been called up to serve God in the days of antiquity. As a high priest Jesus: offered prayers and intercessions; he obeyed and submitted himself to God’s will; he suffered and was made perfect; and now is the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. This is a covenant that enables us to recognise and confess our sins; and to turn to God for absolution and cleansing from our sins – as can be heard in psalm 51. It is also a covenant that enables us to ask God for help and guidance to live as God would have us live. Today is our day to give thanks for God’s new covenant that supersedes all covenants. A covenant that we believe was fulfilled by Jesus’ life, death on a cross and resurrection back to life. A covenant that God made to save us all from our sinful ways. A covenant that is the source of eternal salvation for all who obey and follow Jesus. A covenant that draws us back to God every time we fail and sin. A covenant that makes us clean because of Jesus. A covenant that makes us bold to ask God for guidance and help. Today let us put our faith and trust in Jesus so that we can follow him wherever he leads, to do whatever he asks us to do for his sake, to the glory of God the father. Let us pray: Most merciful God, we give you thanks for your son Jesus who suffered on the cross to deliver and save the world. Help us to live like he did, so that we can be servants of others in the world for which he died. Teach us how to share the message of Good News that because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the entire world is able to rejoice in the power of all he accomplished for us. Amen Thank you for joining us.
Midweek Bible Studies during LentSt Matthew with St Chad Church, Windmill Lane, SmethwickThursday, 10.45am on 14th March 2024Today’s reading from the Bible, Galatians 5v13-14: You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” New International Version – UK A comment for today: In this letter, Paul is explaining that Christ’s sacrifice gives believers freedom to follow the Spirit rather than stay tied to our sin and all the rules we think will save us. Paul says that God has called us to a life of freedom - but warns that we must not misuse this freedom as our excuse to sin. Instead, we are reminded to use our freedom to serve one another in love, for in so doing we fulfil God’s ancient and longstanding command. Leviticus 19v18: Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. New International Version – UKTaking time to ponder:Read and re-read the bible passage and then ask your self if you are trapped by rules that you think you have to keep? If you do feel trapped by rules, consider whether you could accept your freedom by replacing the rules with love and service to others?If you have identified something to help you to serve God in the world, other than keeping rules that entrap you, offer this to God and thank him for your freedom. If you do not feel trapped by rules, then give thanks to God for this freedom.Closing prayer: Dear God, thank you for the freedom that you have given us through your son Jesus Christ. Help us to use this freedom to serve one another in love, rather than as an opportunity to indulge in our sinful ways. May we always remember that the entire law is summed up in a single command: To love our neighbour as we love ourself. Amen.”
