Sunday 9th May 2021: Easter 6

 BURTON JOYCE 

COMMUNITY CHURCH

Sunday 9 May 2021 

EASTER 6

Prepared this week by Phil Colbourn

Call to worship 

Psalm 98 

Sing to the Lord a new song

Let the sea sing, and everything in it.

Let the rivers clap their hands and the mountains rejoice.

For God comes to judge the earth in truth and equity

Hymn: SoF: 301 

Jesus shall reign where e’er the sun

Let's pray 

We come to you, O Lord. 

Meet us as we pray

Thank you for the sun & the rain 

Your love is new every morning

We come in worship

You are beyond all we know or understand

Thank you that you came to the rescue when we needed you most

We come in response to your call

Receive us in your love

Forgive us, Lord 

Hear us, Lord

Jesus says: “You are forgiven, go and sin no more.”

Bible Reading: 

Acts 10 v44-48 

Peter & Cornelius

Hymn: SoF: 51 

Breathe on me, Breath of God

Reflection 

The shock of the new 

They are on their own now. Jesus has gone and the Holy Spirit has come and the disciples have to make the best of it. They follow the guiding of the Spirit and try to find their way into the unknown. Peter has come to Joppa. He thinks he knows why he’s here but he is in for a shock. Somewhere, someone is praying.

When Jesus said, “Abide in me & I in you”, this is what he meant. The flow of the Holy Spirit is linking Jesus, Cornelius and Peter. The first Peter hears about it is in a dream quickly followed by a knock on the door. Peter may not always get the point very fast but this time, he does. He goes with the strangers to a strange place to meet – Romans! If that didn’t feel scary, I don’t know what would.

But there is more to come. Peter tells them what he knows and – woosh! – God intervenes, the Spirit comes – on the Romans. Peter must have been dumbstruck but, again, as is clear from his reaction, he is abiding in Jesus. He responds to this unexpected turn of events with generosity & love: “Who am I to say ‘no’ if God has said ‘yes’?”

It's a lesson for all of us.

As we look to the future, we can be sure that things will not go the way we expect them to. Are we ready to respond to the Holy Spirit? The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is loving and kind. We can trust this God with the future. 

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord. Amen

Hymn SoF: 183 

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty

Prayers of Intercession 

Thank you, Lord, for your love. We need your help today 

Thank you for our world. Please help 

·  world leaders with Covid19

·  the planet in the climate & biodiversity crisis

Thank you for our neighbourhood. Please help

·  schools and colleges, hospitals and clinics

·  the local elections candidates

Thank you for our church family and friends. Please help

·  the lonely, sick and dying; the anxious 

·  those joyful and full of celebration 

Thank you, Lord, for your love. 

We need your help everyday

In your mercy Lord, hear the cries of our hearts 

The Lord’s Prayer 

Hymn: SoF: 205 

I cannot tell 

Blessing 

May we follow Jesus where the Spirit leads and discover whole new worlds of love and praise. Amen.

Go in peace, to love & serve the Lord. Amen.