BURTON JOYCE
COMMUNITY CHURCH
Sunday September 19th 2021A service written by Ian Wood & adapted for Burton Joyce Community Church by Phil Colbourn
Call To Worship
Our God is a Loving Father, always Faithful and True.
As we draw nigh to him, He draws even closer to us and welcomes us into his presence.
So, now, we come to praise and worship him, to celebrate his glory and his greatness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Hymn SoF 1200 Christ whose glory fills the skies
Psalm 146
Thanksgiving for life
Wonderful God, Creator and Friend, we praise you and give you thanks for the remarkable experience of the life you have granted us.
For all of its highs and lows, its sweet and sour, pleasure and pain....
When the sun shines on our days and rain refreshes the land, when there is a bounce in our step and a song on our lips: we will thank you, God of all life.
When the clouds are low and cold winds sting our face, when the day’s tasks wear us down and it becomes an effort to smile: still, we will thank you God of all life.
When a full moon shines and the night seems like a dear friend, when we go to bed content, and sleep is deep and satisfying: we will thank you God of all life.
When the night is pitch black and our lurking fears crawl towards us, when we go to bed exhausted yet toss and turn all night: still, we will thank you, God of all life.
When blossom covers the fruit trees and rainbows are in the skies, when our world seems full of promise, and our bodies glow with health: we will thank you, God of all life.
When hail destroys the harvest and floods sweeps the soil away, when illness afflicts our bodies and each day is struggle against pain: still, we will thank you, God of all life.
When new creatures are being born and fresh growth seems everywhere, when children’s laugher rings and young people fall in love: we will thank you, God of all life.
When age and decay seem all around and dear friends suffer and die, when we grow frail and simple tasks take much time and effort: still, we will thank you God of all life.
For you are always with us, and you love each one of us. You sent your Son to bring us life in all its fullness. He gave his life, dying on a cross but the grave could not hold him. He rose again, and is alive for evermore. For his saving and renewing power, we praise you.
In the name of Christ. Amen
Confession
God of Compassion and mercy we turn to You in confession,
seeking Your healing for our broken lives and our broken world.
We acknowledge before You and in the presence of our sisters and brothers, that we have not always listened for Your word, neither have we obeyed Your commands to love as we have been loved; to seek Your peace, and the unity of the church; to forgive as, we pray, we may be forgiven.
We have allowed distrust and fear to rule our heart and diminish our lives. We have created division and hurt when we should have sought one another's good.... Forgive us all that is past, and renew us for all that lies ahead reconciling us with each other and with You, our God.
The Good News is this:
Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation; who we have been is gone; who we are yet to be, God is revealing to us day by day, as we are shaped by the knowledge of God's mercy and reconciling love.
Know that in Jesus' name we are forgiven. May we know his peace. Amen.
Hymn SoF 205 I cannot tell
Lesson: Isaiah 35
Sermon
The 35th chapter of Isaiah is a passage of hope written whilst God’s people were exiled in Babylon, facing hardship and with a sense of abandonment. It starts optimistically (v1-2):
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing.
If they had abandoned God, he surely had not abandoned them. They were his people with whom he had made an everlasting Covenant. Their national faith stories are woven into a rich tapestry – we see cycles of victory, defeat, obedience, folly, apparent abandonment and then restoration. The history and poetry of the OT shows the faith of a people who saw God in all the events around them, a God who loved them, but who demanded faithfulness and obedience. In this chapter the prophet begins with a clear promise, offering hope; words bidding them not to give up under their present distress and depression.
I suspect we can see similar cycles in our own stories, and in the life of our church. There are times when faith is hard and it seems as if we are swimming through treacle, and we wonder “What’s the point?” and other times when we are filled with a sense of God’s presence and purpose, and wonder why we were struggling? We know the seasons of the soul in our own experience, and know too the hand of God upon our lives sustaining us.
And just as we have known times of drought, we have known times of weakness. When we just did not seem to have the strength to carry on. Sometimes our weakness is real, sometimes it is just in our mind, but feels real and sometimes it is just an excuse. Sometimes we feel weak because we are afraid – afraid we are not good enough – afraid we might fail – afraid we’ll look stupid.
Hear Isaiah’s words in v3-4: God is always with us, sometimes almost close enough to touch, and that is why we can declare that there is no need to fear. However, I must confess to having a little difficulty with Isaiah’s next phrase: He will come with vengeance and a terrible recompense.
A God of vengeance seems out of kilter with the God revealed in the gospels. So, what is Isaiah really saying? The Hebrew word has an emphasis of "retribution that brings liberation to the oppressed” and perhaps we best understand the term if we think "restorative justice" rather than "vengeance." So perhaps the verse means: “Here is your God. He will put things right again.”
Isaiah goes on to speak of the restoration of the blind, the deaf, the lame and the speechless, and perhaps we can take heart because we know that our ministry and service is often impaired. We can be blind to the needs of those around us, blind to what God is trying to show us, blind to the opportunities he gives. We can be deaf to the cries of the hungry, the outcast and the downtrodden, deaf to the still small voice of God, and the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
We can be silent rather than speaking out against injustice, silent because we do not witness to our neighbours, silent because our prayers are cold, and our praise half hearted. We can be lame because we don’t want to go out of our way, because it’s too far, or too tiring. We are blind, deaf, speechless and lame, but God does not condemn us for our failings.
God wants to restore us, equip us, fill us and heal us (v5-6).
When we allow God to work within us, helping us to overcome the things that are holding us back. When we allow him to enable and empower us amazing things can happen. In the wilderness and the dried-up places of our community, as part of the Body of Christ, we can find practical ways to make a difference, and help provide rest and refreshment for those who need it.
In v8, Isaiah says that the exiles will be restored to their own land, perhaps with one eye on a previous time of exile, when they were in Egypt. In contrast to the 40 years wandering around in circles in the desert, Isaiah prophesies a more straightforward return when they leave Babylon: a highway where no traveller shall go astray.
Finally, he concludes with words (v10) that Brahms eagerly snapped up for his German Requiem and I can hear Brahms’ music in my head whenever I read the words. This verse is a glorious declaration. Just as the Children of Israel looked forward to returning home their spiritual home in Jerusalem, so we Christians, who are ransomed and redeemed because of what God has done for us in Christ, can look forward to being part of God’s eternal Kingdom.
The Kingdom is already here, but it is both now but not yet, and the Kingdom in all its fulness is promised, but yet to be realised. It is a Kingdom we enter singing, and we are filled with joy when we arrive, and even as we journey gladness and joy will overtake us on the way. It’s a joy of knowing how much God loves us, a joy of knowing he has called us and forgiven us, a joy of celebrating how he has changed us and helped us to blossom, a joy of knowing he is working with us and within us to overcome our weaknesses a joy of knowing we are part of an eternal Kingdom.
God in his mercy refreshes us, strengthens and encourages us. He enables, equips and empowers us to work for him wherever we are. He calls us and leads us on towards his heavenly Kingdom, that Kingdom of light and love and peace where there will be no suffering, no sorrow, no sighing, only everlasting joy. Amen
Hymn SoF 533 The king of love my shepherd is
Prayers of intercession
Living God, we bring our prayers to you now for all that concerns us.
Hear our prayer, O God, as we hold before you our concerns for the Church: For Christians whose church buildings have been attacked or destroyed; for Christians persecuted and imprisoned for their faith; for Christians seeking renewal of their faith; for all those who are seeking purpose in life. May we your people be faithful in proclaiming the gospel. May we be steadfast in our witness and generous in showing your love
Silence
Hear our prayer, O God, as we hold before you our concerns for the world: for those who are hungry and thirsty; for those who endure homelessness, poverty and unemployment; for those who are stifled by injustice and abuse; for those who have it all, and yet still feel empty; for the powerful and the abuser; for the planet
Silence
Hear our prayer, O God, as we hold before you our concerns for our community: for good and right relations between people of different faiths, traditions and creeds; for those who serve our community's needs – our schools, surgeries, shops and cafes; for fire-fighters, ambulance crews and police officers; our hospitals, hospices and hotels; for those who administer our resources; for those who administer justice; for those who in silent and unobtrusive ways do what is right and make us feel better:
Silence
Hear our prayer, O God, as we hold before you our hopes and dreams, our fears and uncertainties: for those we know who are unwell; for the bereaved; for those suffering in body, mind or spirit; for all making a new start in life, or with important decisions to make; for youngsters in new schools, those starting university, or beginning new jobs; for all who are growing deeper in their life of faith; for ourselves and who we are:
Silence
And, finally, we ask that we may be part of God's answer to the prayers we have made for we pray in the name of Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit Amen.
Hymn SoF 1566 Through all the changing scenes of life
Blessing
Gracious God, as we resolve to retake our place in the world
we offer our hands to do your work;
we offer our hearts to pray for your world;
we offer our gifts to be used in your service;
we offer our lives to be changed by your Spirit.
And may the blessing of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be with us all this day and for evermore. Amen.
