Seek the Lord while He may be found

18 September 2013

Opening Prayer/Worship

Song: Do something new in my life

Theme: Knowing the Lord

Topic: Seek the Lord while He may be found

Reading: Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28

¹¹At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness toward the daughter of My people—not to fan or to cleanse—¹²A wind too strong for these will come for Me; now I will also speak judgment against them.”

²²“For My people are foolish, they have not known Me. They are silly children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.” ²³I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; and the heavens, they had no light. ²⁴I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth. 25I beheld, and indeed there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens had fled. ²⁶I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the Lord, by His fierce anger. ²⁷For thus says the Lord: “The whole land shall be desolate; yet I will not make a full end. ²⁸For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black, because I have spoken. I have purposed and will not relent, nor will I turn back from it.

Introduction

It is the Lord’s earnest desire that all will come to the knowledge of Him through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.  Knowing the Lord can be confused with ‘hearing about God’, as well as numerous other misconceptions.  Knowing the Lord is being in a relationship with Him.  The Scripture is clear that God first loved us in that He gave His only begotten Son to die for our sins on the cross of Calvary.  So to know the Lord starts with an acknowledgement that He loves us.  This should then be followed with deliberate actions to seek Him, know His ways and follow the His guidance.  It is for a lost and dying world that Christ died; that we may be reconciled with our Father in Heaven.  For the process of reconciliation with God be progressive in our lives, we need to constantly seek the Lord; not for Him to love us but in acceptance of His love.  The Lord is always on the lookout for those who seek Him; as well as those who are lost.  The question is: are you hiding/running away from the Lord?

Questions/Discussion

1. What are some of the factors that hinder us from seeking the Lord? 

Psaml 10

¹Why, Lord, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

²In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. ³He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.

⁴In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.

⁵His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies.

⁶He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.”

⁷His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. ⁸He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent. His eyes watch in secret his victims; ⁹like a lion in cover he lies in wait. He lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. ¹⁰His victims are crushed, they collapse; they fall under his strength.

¹¹He says to himself, “God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees.” ¹²Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God. Do not forget the helpless. ¹³Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, “He won’t call me to account”? ¹⁴But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. ¹⁵Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out. ¹⁶The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. ¹⁷You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, ¹⁸defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.

Psalm 14

¹The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. ²The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. ³All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

⁴Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord. ⁵But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. ⁶You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge. ⁷Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

Isaiah 44:6-20

⁶“This is what the Lord says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. ⁷Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come— yes, let them foretell what will come. ⁸Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.” ⁹All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind; they are ignorant, to their own shame. ¹⁰Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit nothing? ¹¹People who do that will be put to shame; such craftsmen are only human beings. Let them all come together and take their stand; they will be brought down to terror and shame. ¹²The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals; he shapes an idol with hammers,

he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint.

¹³The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in human form, human form in all its glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. ¹⁴He cut down cedars, or perhaps took a cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. ¹⁵It is used as fuel for burning; some of it he takes and warms himself, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. ¹⁶Half of the wood he burns in the fire; over it he prepares his meal, he roasts his meat and eats his fill. He also warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm; I see the fire.” ¹⁷From the rest he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships. He prays to it and says, “Save me! You are my god!” ¹⁸They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. ¹⁹No one stops to think, no one has the knowledge or understanding to say, “Half of it I used for fuel; I even baked bread over its coals, I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” ²⁰Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself, or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

2. What are the lessons for us in Luke 15:1-10?  

Luke 15:1-10

¹Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ²But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

³Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. ⁸“Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

3. Discuss the benefits and challenges involved in seeking the Lord.  

Isaiah 55:1-13

¹“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money,

come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. ²Why spend money on what is not bread,

and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare.

³Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. ⁴See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples. ⁵Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.” ⁶Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. ⁷Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. ⁸“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. ⁹“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ¹⁰As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, ¹¹so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. ¹²You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. ¹³Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, that will endure forever.”

1 Timothy 1:12-17

¹²I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. ¹³Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ¹⁴The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. ¹⁷Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion

God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us.  May we yield our hearts and lives to Him that we may experience the joy and peace He so graciously gives to all who seek Him.

Closing Prayer

Father we love You because You first loved us and has continued to love.  Grant us the grace to seek You with all our hearts, all the days of our lives.  We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen. 

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Our Neighbours as Ourselves

04 September 2013

Opening Prayer/Worship

Theme: Love and Humility

Topic: Our Neighbours as Ourselves

Reading: Luke 14:1, 7-14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. ⁷ When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. ⁸‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; ⁹and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. ¹⁰But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. ¹¹For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’ ¹² He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. ¹³But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. ¹⁴And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’

Introduction

The purpose of the invitation to Jesus for a meal at the home of a Pharisee on the Sabbath is not Hospitality. We are told that “they watch him closely.” They will scrutinize everything that he does, that is to observe him and his behavior with a critical eye. In fact it might be more than that, they want to entrap him. They seat Jesus right in front of the sick man and someone even warn Jesus not to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus heals the man and in his defense asks who would not save an ox or a child from drowning on the Sabbath. They all would. So, people take priority over purity rules. Jesus noticed that everyone wanted a place of honour, a seat or couch near the host. So, Jesus encourages humility; that is the quality of being grounded or down to earth. Humility is about seeing yourself as not terribly different from others. Just like us our enemies, neighbours, friends and family bleed, laugh, cry, experience joy and pain. The challenge Jesus give is to invite the poor, crippled, lamb and the blind. This fosters two things: humility – we are all the same (children of God) and; love – people are our priority (like it is for God).

Questions/Discussion

1.  People are more important than rules. What implications are there for us today?

Luke 14:1-6

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. ²Just then, in front of him, there was a man who had dropsy. ³And Jesus asked the lawyers and Pharisees, ‘Is it lawful to cure people on the sabbath, or not?’ ⁴But they were silent. So Jesus took him and healed him, and sent him away. ⁵Then he said to them, ‘If one of you has a child or an ox that has fallen into a well, will you not immediately pull it out on a sabbath day?’ ⁶And they could not reply to this.

Mark 2.22-3.4

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.’ ²³ One sabbath he was going through the cornfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. ²⁴The Pharisees said to him, ‘Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?’ ²⁵And he said to them, ‘Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? ²⁶He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.’ ²⁷Then he said to them, ‘The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; ²⁸so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.’

Matthew 12.11-12

He said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out? ¹²How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath.’

2.  Jesus teaches humility, connectedness, being down to earth. Discuss.

Psalm 25:4-14

⁴ Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
   teach me your paths.
⁵ Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
   for you are the God of my salvation;
   for you I wait all day long. 

⁶ Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
   for they have been from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
   according to your steadfast love remember me,
   for your goodness’ sake, O Lord! 

⁸ Good and upright is the Lord;
   therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
⁹ He leads the humble in what is right,
   and teaches the humble his way.
¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
   for those who keep his covenant and his decrees. 

¹¹ For your name’s sake, O Lord,
   pardon my guilt, for it is great.
¹² Who are they that fear the Lord?
   He will teach them the way that they should choose. 

¹³ They will abide in prosperity,
   and their children shall possess the land.
¹⁴ The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
   and he makes his covenant known to them.

Matthew 11.28-30

‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

Matthew 17.26-18.5

When Peter^* said, ‘From others’, Jesus said to him, ‘Then the children are free. ²⁷However, so that we do not give offence to them, go to the lake and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin;^* take that and give it to them for you and me.’ ¹⁸At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ ²He called a child, whom he put among them, ³and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.⁴Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Philippians 2.3-13

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. ⁴Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. ⁵Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, ⁷ but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, ⁸ he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. ⁹ Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰ so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹ and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ¹² Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Let mutual love continue. ²Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. ³Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. ⁴Let marriage be held in honour by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. ⁵Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ ⁶So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?’ ⁷ Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. ⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. ¹⁵Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. ¹⁶Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

3.  How do love and humility impact our faith?

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Let mutual love continue. ²Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. ³Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. ⁴Let marriage be held in honour by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. ⁵Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, ‘I will never leave you or forsake you.’ ⁶So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?’ ⁷ Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. ⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever. ¹⁵Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. ¹⁶Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Matthew 5.38-48

‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” ³⁹But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; ⁴⁰and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; ⁴¹and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. ⁴²Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you. ⁴³ ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” ⁴⁴But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. ⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers and sisters,^* what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 22.32-40

“I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.’ ³³And when the crowd heard it, they were astounded at his teaching. ³⁴ When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, ³⁵and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ³⁶‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?’ ³⁷He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” ³⁸This is the greatest and first commandment. ³⁹And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” ⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’

Intercession/Worship

Conclusion (hymn): Jesus Loves Me

Closing Prayer (Collect for 15^th Sunday after Pentecost)

Author and Giver of all good things,

graft in our hearts the love of your name,

increase in us true religion, nourish us in all goodness,

and of your great mercy keep us in the same;

through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever. Amen.