Canvey Methodist Church Service - Sunday 19th July 2020
A World Of Wheat and Tares
1).Introit: Who is there likeYou.
CCl Licence No: 425086
Who is there like You?
And who else would give their life for me?
Even suffering in my place
And who could repay You?
All of creation looks to You
And You provide for all You have made
So I'm lifting up my hands
Lifting up my voice
Lifting up Your name
And in Your grace I rest
For Your love has come to me
And set me free
And I'm trusting in Your word
Trusting in Your cross
Trusting in Your blood
And all Your faithfulness
For Your power at work in me
Is changing me
Stuart Townend
2).Welcome: Welcome to this Sunday Service Of Worship from Canvey Island Methodist Church on Sunday 19th July 2020.
We hear the words from Psalm 95 calling us before Almighty God to offer our adoration and praise.
“O come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
O come, let us worship and bow down,
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
The Lord is here: His Spirit is with us.”
We sing the hymn written by John Newton who worked as a slave trader before he was converted, became a Christian and an ardent abolitionist of slavery. We know the hymn today as “Amazing Grace”.
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3.Hymn: Amazing Grace StF440 HP 215-CCl Licence No: 425086
Amazing grace, How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now I am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come,
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.
John Newton
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4.Prayer Praise and Lords Prayer
Almighty God, we come as your faithful people to offer our praise, adoration, love and gratitude to you for your gentle presence, your care, kindness and your everlasting patience. Lord Jesus, we praise you that when we receive you and believe in your name, you give us power to become children of God; that when we are lonely, you remind us that we really are the children of God; that when we are scared, you remind us that that we need not be because we are the children of God and that your perfect love casts out all fear; that when we may be hurting, you remind us that you too bear our pain because we are the children of God; that when we are sad, you remind us that you too weep with us because we are the children of God. Lord God we come humbly and sincerely before you, acknowledging that our lives are sometimes over crowded, filled with both wheat and weeds. As your children help us to be single minded in grace and truth, and open to your loving correction and guidance. Be gentle with us, almighty God, and help us to help one another as we journey together, that your kingdom may come and your will may be done, here in this place, in our communities and in our lives, now and always. Lord God, we offer our worship to you in sincerity, truth and singleness of heart and mind. Please fill us with the power of your love, grace and truth.
Now and always. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
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5.OT Lesson:Isaiah 44:6-8- New International Version- The Lord, Not Idols.
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.
7 Who 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.
8 Do 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.”
Make your minds up time: The Lord or Idols. (Look at the evidence. Consider all the Lord has done vs Idols who have done nothing except to look imposing! )
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6. Epistle. Romans 8:12-25
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.[a] And by him we cry, “Abba,[b] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
Present Suffering and Future Glory
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[c] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Read full chapter
Footnotes
a.Romans 8:15 The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture; also in verse 23.
b.Romans 8:15 Aramaic for father
c. Romans 8:21 Or subjected it in hope. 21 For
Hope for the future in the one whose Spirit has delivered us from slavery to the flesh/ human desires.
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7. Hymn- Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy. CCl Licence No: 425086
1. Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever child-like, no cares can destroy,
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.
2. Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,
Be there at our labors, and give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.
3. Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,
Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.
4. Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,
Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.
Traditional Irish Tune
Lyrics by Jan Struther, 1931
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8. Gospel- Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43- The Parable of the Weeds
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
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9. Prayer greetings.
Mrs Joan DeVilliers
Mrs Salle Baillie
Mrs Deidre Morgan
Master Rufus Green (Now at Home).
10. Prayers For Others
Dear Lord, We turn our hearts and minds to you and we bring the words in the hymn by John Milton to you. “Let us with a gladsome mind Praise the Lord, for He is kind. For His mercies shall endure, Ever faithful, ever sure.”
So Lord, we come before you with a gladsome mind, to thank you for this beautiful day, for all the blessings we have received this week and for all answered prayer, and to praise you for your mercies which do endure and are ever faithful and sure.
God of all creation, you hold the world and the depths of the earth in your hands.
Lord, please hear us today as we pray for our world, for all the countries and for their leaders.
We pray especially for the Lebanon, where they are facing economic collapse and a humanitarian crisis. Please bring a solution to this situation. Please keep Anna safe as she does your work in Beirut. And we pray a special blessing on her right now.
We also bring before you Apolina, Romania. Thank you that we have heard that the building of the orphanage has started. We pray that you will have that area in your care and that you will look after Pastor Attila.
Please bring your miracles of provision to Romania and the Lebanon.
And now, We pray for our country. For your leading and guiding, and for our economy. We pray for our National Health Service and for everyone who works there.
Dear Lord, We are thinking and planning for the re-opening of our church building and we ask for your wisdom to guide and lead us. We ask that the right decisions will be made for our safety but also for your glory and our fellowship as we all long to get back to worshipping you together in our church building.
We lift Colin and Cathy before you. We thank you for them and as a new stage of their life begins we ask you to richly bless them. We ask you to continue to lead them in their work for you and to protect them. We pray a special blessing on them and their family. And we think of baby Rufus and ask for your protection and care on him and his family.
And now Lord, We ask you to BE ‘JEHOVAH RAPHA’ ( which name means -The Lord who heals us) to everyone mentioned in our church prayer book. There are so many people listed there who need you and we place them individually before you for your blessing, healing and help. We know that you know who these people are and know all about them.
We pray for all those who feel in a dark place today. We pray that they will experience your strength and that your light will shine through their darkness.
We pray for all those known to us who have caught COVID-19 and we ask you to bring an end to this virus. And we pray for all hospital chaplains, who are doing very difficult work, that they will be protected and will be able to give your strength and support to the patients and staff.
We bring before you all who are mourning. Please have these dear people in your care and please surround them with the comfort and strength that only you can give.
Thank you for hearing all our prayers - we rejoice and are thankful for your great love and care.
May you bless each and every one of us and may Jesus touch our lives in a very special way today.
Dear Lord, as we bring these prayers to you in the great and powerful name of Jesus Christ, we ask you to be our Yahweh Shalom (Our Peace.)
AMEN
11. Hymn. The Ancient of Days.
CCl Licence No: 425086
Blessing and honor,
glory and power,
be unto the Ancient of Days.
From every nation,
all of creation,
bow before the Ancient of Days.
CHORUS-
Every tongue in heaven and earth,
shall declare Your glory,
every knee shall bow at Your throne,
in worship.
You will be exalted O God,
and Your Kingdom shall not pass away.
Oh Ancient of Days.
BRIDGE-
Your Kingdom shall reign over all the earth,
sing unto the Ancient of Days.
For none can compare to Your matchless worth,
sing unto the Ancient of Days.
Gary Sandler & Jamie Harvill
12. Sermon
It often seems that weeds in my garden seem to grow much quicker and far stronger than the plants purchased from the garden centre and then lovingly laid in freshly prepared flower beds. Looking at the parable that Jesus told in our gospel reading today, it seems that I am in good company and that this is not a new problem. Jesus told a parable about a field of wheat that had also been sown with weeds by an enemy of the owner. It is thought that the weed was a plant called Darnel and that this looks very much like the wheat of the area at that time.
Jesus often used stories that involved the natural world to help his disciples to think more about the Kingdom of God and what this practically might look like. In this particular parable, both the good crop and then the weeds (which are planted later) begin to grow; as they grow, they merge together. Unfortunately Darnel has deeper roots than wheat and so pulling the Darnel up would risk pulling up the wheat. Quite understandably the farm workers were initially all for pulling up the offending weeds but fortunately the farmer was a wise and experienced horticulturist. He decided to let the two grow together until they were both fully grown and then to harvest both when they could more easily be separated without damage to the main crop.
The response of this farmer in the passage is helpful, as it reassures the reader that he knows just what is going on and has a solution to bring about a healthy and full harvest.
So what is this parable all about? What do the wheat and weeds represent in our world? Is Jesus, through this parable, shedding light as to how we, also can live as Christians in an imperfect world? Are there challenges introduced by an enemy for us to face as we grow the fruit of the Holy Spirit in the field of our lives? Fortunately Jesus not only told the parable but he also explained its meaning to the disciples. The Sower is Jesus, The Seed are the Children of the kingdom, The Field is The field of the world, The Darnell are The children of the evil one. The mention of the Continuing presence of evil is the result of ongoing enemy action, The Promise is that Evil will be eradicated one day at the end of the age (the harvest), The Harvest are when Angels will collect sin out of the kingdom, The Causes of sin are the things which causes stumbling to happen, The weeping and gnashing of teeth refers to the End time judgement, a time of anguish, fear, and anger for the enemies of God as this final separation takes place. Yes, Jesus here is speaking openly and directly about the devil’s attempts to thwart God’s growth plans and how, in the end, this will fail when everything is sorted out justly at the end of the age. In fact all of the passages we heard read today speak of the power of God and God’s action in the world triumphing ultimately over evil. For those of us who wonder about the question of suffering, these words do all testify to the ongoing presence of evil and suffering in the world that is at the root of all this distress. They also reassure us that there will come a time of final reckoning, only just not yet. It will only be at the end of time that all evil will be eradicated and the promises of God finally fulfilled.
Jesus knew all about the impact of good and evil, even as he uttered the words of this parable. For him, this cosmic clash of kingdoms was, of course, to find its full force as he walked the way of the cross. He knew about human nature. He knew that goodness, truth and justice are indeed in the world but so is oppression, injustice and conflict. They are there also and this fact has to be acknowledged. Just like the plant and the weeds which grow together in this parable, so the complexity of human experience both good and bad exists alongside one another. The crop and the weeds grow together as do good and evil and so does opportunity and oppression, hope and despair, light and darkness. It is only when the harvest is brought in that the weeds and the crop can be separated. Here is a parable of the end times, but it was also a parable of the hope of the Kingdom which means that forgiveness is always offered and when accepted has a transformational impact on the way that life can be lived and hope is shared. We live, therefore, in an imperfect world, where human beings do both the best of things, and also the worst of things. Jesus knew that, finding the best when he took the smallest offering of 5 loaves and 2 fish which fed the crowd of well over 5000 people and yet finding the worst in a crowd crying, ‘Crucify’. The parable speaks to the reality of the human condition; to your life, and mine. How about us then as we quietly reflect and apply these thoughts to our lives. Are we choosing to be more like wheat or weeds? What can we do to keep ourselves weed free?
Paul, in our reading from his letter to the Romans, tells us that the whole creation eagerly awaits redemption. Here is the deeper hope, a moment when all may find redemption offered through the cross and the renewal that it brings. After all, as Jesus shows us, there is hope for all in what God has done and in what God is doing now. In this sense, God’s Kingdom is both present now through us, and is also coming in the future when history (his story) is eventually closed and completed. May we be encouraged, now, as this hope is seen in our lives, through our caring response to the world, as we discover and share God’s love in practical ways to those we meet in the week ahead. And best of all, God promises to be with each of us in this mission. Amen.
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13. Hymn. Guide me O Thou Great Redeemer. CCl Licence No: 425086
Guide me O Thou great Redeemer
Pilgrim through this barren land.
I am weak but Thou art mighty
Hold me with thy powerful hand.
Bread of heaven
Feed me now and evermore
Open now the crystal fountain
Whence the healing streams do flow,
Let the fiery cloudy pillar
Lead me all my journey though,
Strong Deliverer
Be Thou still my strength and shield.
When I tread the verge of Jordan
Bid my fears subside
Death of death,
And hell's destruction,
Land me safe on Canaan's side,
Songs of praises
I will ever give to thee.
William Williams
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14. Prayer and Benediction.
Christ has died.
Here, where hope seems overturned,
and God's purposes prevented,
here we meet with you, the Lord who gave up heaven
to take on human life.
Here we meet a saviour who knows risk,
and pain, and loss.
Here we meet the Christ who died for us,
and knows us in all our hurts and fears.
Christ is risen.
Lord, now we celebrate and sing of your wonderful awakening from death,
and give praise to God for the hope and promise
of everlasting life.
Here we meet the Christ who has broken the power of death,
and opened to our sight the splendour of God's plan.
Here we meet the Lord of hope and joy
who invites us to share his life.
Christ will come again.
Lord, we do not know the hour, but we do know that you have come to us already.
Here we meet the Lord whose work is not complete,
who lives with hope that all shall be brought in,
who calls us to hear his voice and follow him.
Here we place our trust in the God who reveals his unfolding purposes through his son, our saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Benediction.
And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and forevermore.
Amen
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God Bless from Sally