Sunday 11th July 2021

Burton Joyce 

COMMUNITY CHURCH

with Nottingham North East Circuit 

Sunday 11 July 2021 

This short act of worship has been prepared for you by Deacon Helen Snowball to use at home and edited by Phil Colbourn. Spend a few moments with God, knowing that other people are sharing this act of worship with you. Hymns are from Songs of Fellowship (SoF).

Psalm 24 

The earth is the Lord’s and all that’s upon it 

SoF 40 Be still, for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One, is here

Prayers of Adoration, Confession and Thanksgiving. 

On our journey of faith, you are with us as we walk, encouraging, teaching, lifting us when we stumble, guiding us along the road. On mountaintop, resting for a while, you draw nearer still and stir us with quietness. For such experiences, we bring you our praise, and ask that on our journey you lead us not only in green pastures, but to higher ground as well, where we might rest and be refreshed. 

Lord God, in your presence, we are aware of our sin, our pride, our selfishness and lack of humility, the desire to go our way not yours. 

You lavished on us the riches of your grace and we have squandered this precious gift, for temporary gain. Forgive us. Renew our faith that our lives bring glory to your name not tears to your eyes.
© John Birch Prayers of ACT 

God has heard our confession, loves us still and, through Christ, offers healing and a new beginning. 

Hear then, Christ’s gracious words: “Your sins are forgiven.” 

Amen. Thanks be to God. 

Thank you, Lord, for reminding us, as we sing and recite liturgy, that your servant David raised his voice and lifted his hands and danced before you, worshipping with body, soul and spirit. Free us Lord, just a little, to express more openly, the gratitude in our hearts. Amen

Reading Ephesians 1:3-14 

We sing again, SoF 1202 Come down, O Love divine!

Reflection 

This piece of writing from Paul is a glorious stream of praise, written in one continuous declaration, with no punctuation, just gushing forth from Paul as though he couldn’t vent his prayer quickly enough. His scribe must have had a hard time keeping up. 

Various commentators have tried to find metaphors to describe this stream of praise – my favourite from William Hendrickson says this ‘... it is a snowball tumbling down a mountain picking up volume as it descends.’ It’s like Paul has become overcome with his emotions, he just has to try to explain the greatness of God’s blessings on us. This is pure praise and worship and expressing love for Christ. 

I want to think about how much this resonates with us?

Does this feel like an experience that you have felt? 

Verse 3 contains the words ‘...Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Anointed One, who grants us every spiritual blessing.’ Let’s think about these two phrases. Firstly, ‘Father of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed one.’ Father is problematic for some people, those who haven’t had a good relationship with their human father, but Jesus spoke to and about his Father in heaven, and he made it known that they had a good relationship, and he encourages us to nurture that relationship too. When we say ‘Our Father in heaven...’ it is not the same as speaking about a parent. God is so far above that. Father of Jesus yes, Father of all of us. God is the perfect Father, not the one we would prefer not to think about because of a painful relationship. No, this Father in God is perfect, he loves us, he forgives us, he offers hope and trust, and will never ever hurt us or turn away. Think for a moment about what God as Father means to you. 

The second part to think about is this ‘...grants us every blessing.’ 

We often turn to God less in thanksgiving, than we do in intercession, when we are praying for a situation, a country, our family or friends, or ourselves. And yet, we have so many blessings, as this part of the verse says God grants us every blessing. Every blessing. Take a moment to think about the blessings in your life, the times when you have felt Christ close to you, the times when you can give praise to God for something, maybe something large, or maybe something small, like refreshing rain, or a glorious sunset, or the fact that you live in a country where the health service is free. 

Next, verse 4 says: ‘God chose us to be in a relationship with Him.’ 

I think that’s pretty special, don’t you? God chose us – he wants to be in a relationship with us, individually, so that we can get to know God in return and have a relationship with him. Do you feel like you have a relationship with God? Or is it a one-way conversation when you pray? Do you remember to stop and listen, to see what guidance you might be receiving? Do you remember to thank God for what he’s done? In any relationship there needs to be listening and empathy with one another, we know we need to care about each other, to think about each other’s needs – why would we treat God any differently? 

Then, ‘Ultimately God is the one worthy of praise for showing us His grace; He is merciful and marvellous, freely giving us these gifts in His Beloved’. These are the words from verse 6 – God is worthy of our praise. He is merciful and marvellous. This says it all doesn’t it? 

He is merciful, we are forgiven and loved, we are his precious creation. And he is marvellous – marvellous in his grace, in his creation, in his love for us. I mean, what could we possibly do to deserve this sort of love? Nothing. We just get it because God loves us, just because he does, because God is love. Can you appreciate that level of love, and are you able to reciprocate? Are you able to thank God for all the blessings you receive from God? 

Finally, the passage ends with ‘To God be all praise and glory!’ 

These are the sentiments that Paul has been trying to express, with the limits of language he has tried to convey his feelings of love for God - the God who gives us everything, loves us, forgives us, and blesses us in every way. I’d invite you to pray to God this day, ‘To God be all praise and glory!’ and thank him for every single blessing we have.

Have a read through again of today’s passage, maybe try to write your own expression of praise. Try writing it like Paul has, without punctuation, without pause, just let the words flow, let your praise pour forth in thanksgiving of the grace that we receive, which pours forth from our great, gracious and loving God. Amen. 

Prayers of Intercession 

Lord God, we pray that our lives may be upright and holy; that our church communities shine with goodness and love, humility and truth. We pray that all are strengthened through your merciful forgiveness. 

Holy God, scatter all darkness and bathe our world in light. 

Lord God, we pray that many may be empowered to recognise evil and fight against it. To discern your warnings and speak them out. To notice the sparks of love and goodness and celebrate them. 

Holy God, scatter all darkness and bathe our world in your light. 

Lord God we pray that our households and neighbourhoods, our places of work and leisure, may be arenas of praise and thankfulness. 

Not only in comfortable times but in disturbed and difficult times. 

Holy God, scatter all darkness and bathe our world in light. 

Lord God, we pray for those in prison for those leading cruel and violent lives. For all victims of oppression or abuse. For all who suffer mental anguish of physical pain. 

Holy God, scatter all darkness and bathe our world in your light. 

Lord God we pray for those who have died, that they, and we in our turn, may be given merciful judgment through Jesus our Saviour and brought into the unquenchable light of heaven. 

Holy God, scatter all darkness and bathe our world in light. 

Lord God, we pray for our families and friends, for those ill, grieving, lonely or struggling with life at the moment, and we ask for your love to surround them. 

Merciful Father, accept these prayers. through your son, Our Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen. 

The Lord’s Prayer 

Our final hymn SoF 21 And can it be that I should gain

Blessing 

May you know the love of God, the presence of Christ and the strength of the Holy Spirit and be surrounded by peace and joy. 

Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ.
Amen.