Sunday 17 May 2020 6th Sunday of Easter

Contents

Welcome
Hymn 458 At the name of Jesus
All-age time
Prayer
Readings
- John 14: 15-21
- 1 Peter 3: 13-22 (Good News Bible)
Reflection
Prayer for others
Hymn 439 Look ye saints the sight is glorious
Blessing

Welcome

Welcome and let us worship God

click on the > play button to hear Ian’s welcome

‘If you, bad as you are, know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him’ Matthew 7: 11

Hymn 458 At the name of Jesus (Church Hymnary 4th Edition)

click > play for verse 1

1 At the Name of Jesus
every knee shall bow,
every tongue confess him
King of glory now;
’tis the Father’s pleasure
we should call him Lord,
who from the beginning
was the mighty Word.

click > play for verse 2

2 Brothers, sisters, name him
with love strong as death,
but with awe and wonder
and with bated breath!
He is God the Saviour,
he is Christ the Lord,
ever to be worshiped,
trusted, and adored.

click > play for verse 3

3 In your hearts enthrone him;
there let him subdue
all that is not holy,
all that is not true:
let us grace support you
in temptation’s hour;
and his will enfold you
in its light and power.

click > play for verse 4

4 In his Father’s glory
Christ shall come again,
angel hosts proclaiming
his return to reign.
For all wreaths of empire
meet upon his brow,
and our hearts confess him
King of Glory now.

All-age time

In today’s reading from the Bible, we hear Jesus telling us that he is always with us, ready to help us. We all like to do things by ourselves (whether we are 3 or 93), but sometimes we need help. Some people give us quite a lot of help, quite regularly. Others are there to be asked when we need help

So who helps us?

Does a parent or grandparent/

Or a child or grandchild?

Or a friend or neighbour?

Or a carer?

Anyone else?

Who is ready to come and give help if we need it?

Have you had to dial 999 and call an ambulance, the police or fire service?

Have you had to go to A&E at the Hospital?

Have you had to call out the AA or RAC when the car wouldn’t start?

Anyone else you’ve had to call upon?

What could we do to help others?

Who might need our help?

Something to make

A ‘thank you’ card for someone who helps you. Colour it, decorate it. Express your thanks and appreciation for what they do

Something to do

Are these actions helpful or not?

Shaking hands with someone you meet in the street
Sneezing into your hand
Phoning someone for a chat
Putting waste paper in the recycling
Asking someone with a white stick if they need help crossing the road
Washing your hands with soap regularly
Throwing your empty plastic bottle into a hedge
Fly-tipping because the recycling centre is closed
Inviting friends round for a party
Wearing a face covering in the supermarket

Opening Prayer

Loving God

You know everything

You are so powerful

You are everywhere

but when you came to earth in Jesus

his knowledge became as limited as ours

he could do no more than we can do

he was limited to being in one place at one time

In the days before Easter

only those who lived in the Holy Land

could meet Jesus

hear him speak, talk with him

ask him to heal them

After Easter

and especially after he received back

all the power and majesty that he had before

he is with us wherever we are

he welcomes us and cares for us

he offers us his listening ear

his healing hand

his word of comfort and challenge

Through him we bring you our praise and thanks

Through him we seek your word for us

Through him we ask for forgiveness

for healing and for wholeness Amen

Bible reading

John 14: 15-21

“If you love me, you will obey my commandments. I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you for ever. He is the Spirit who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive him, because it cannot see him or know him. But you know him, because he remains with you and is in you.
“When I go, you will not be left all alone; I will come back to you. In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me; and because I live, you also will live. When that day comes, you will know that I am in my Father and that you are in me, just as I am in you.
“Whoever accepts my commandments and obeys them is the one who loves me. My Father will love whoever loves me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them.”

1 Peter 3: 13-22

Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? But even if you should suffer for doing what is right, how happy you are! Do not be afraid of anyone, and do not worry. But have reverence for Christ in your hearts, and honour him as Lord. Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect. Keep your conscience clear, so that when you are insulted, those who speak evil of your good conduct as followers of Christ will be ashamed of what they say. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if this should be God’s will, than for doing evil. For Christ died for sins once and for all, a good man on behalf of sinners, in order to lead you to God. He was put to death physically, but made alive spiritually, and in his spiritual existence he went and preached to the imprisoned spirits. These were the spirits of those who had not obeyed God when he waited patiently during the days that Noah was building his boat. The few people in the boat – eight in all – were saved by the water, which was a symbol pointing to baptism, which now saves you. It is not the washing away of bodily dirt, but the promise made to god from a good conscience. It saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone to heaven and is at the right-hand side of God, ruling over all angels and heavenly authorities and powers.

Reflection

We probably all have stories of times when we felt we were left on our own to do something, which left us feeling stressed, angry and maybe a bit disillusioned with people. It might have been at work, or looking after a relative, friend or neighbour, or doing some kind of voluntary work/ work for a group to which we belonged. Usually we came through the experience as a wiser and more skilled person, but maybe with scars (scars that could still be there!) Maybe at this present time there are healthcare and social care staff, and others who have those feelings. Having help on hand, to whom you can turn for advice and guidance, is a big reassurance, taking a weight of the shoulders.

We were all young once. Whether as toddlers or teenagers we thought we knew it all. We didn’t need grown-ups to help us, we could manage perfectly well on our own! Aye, right! We now recognise that we didn’t know it all, couldn’t do everything, and there were times when we needed that ‘someone’ to turn to for advice and guidance. Some may say that the ‘I can manage on my own without help’ attitude does not entirely disappear with the transition to adulthood: there are comments about male drivers who become lost, but will resolutely refuse to stop and ask anyone for directions, or senior members of the community who are adamant that they do not need help with cooking or cleaning, and will not wear the alarm necklace or bracelet.

We like to be independent, to do things for ourselves, but we can’t do everything. We have our own skills and abilities, but we are not endowed with every possible talent and competence. For some things we need to depend on others, or at least look to their expertise (and also recognise that there are areas where we have experience and expertise, and need to share that with others). At the same time, whether at work, in leisure activity, or in caring for others, we need to feel that we are supported. There are some supervisors and managers that are completely ‘hands off’, never seen, taking no real interest in what is happening until a problem arises – and then often being full of criticism and complaint (partly to cover their own back?) Others try to micro-manage everything, criticise but never praise, and seem to be constantly looking over your shoulder. The ones who give the most reassurance and help their staff to grow in experience and self-confidence are those who know when to be on hand, when to step back, when to offer encouragement, support, or constructive criticism, always ensuring that the task itself is achieved as planned.

The work that God had for Jesus – building the ‘Kingdom’ on earth (establishing in everyday life a way of living of relating to each other based on God’s standards and values) – was not just for one individual to do. It required a whole team – ultimately everyone on earth – because the task is huge, and it requires a great variety of skill and experience to make it happen. Sometimes organising the team can be challenging – people have personalities, and personalities can clash! Jesus did not leave the task entirely to us (thankfully!). The Spirit – the living presence of God in the world – is active and with us. Through the Scriptures we know about God’s values, standards and expectations for human living. The Spirit enables us to bring our skills and abilities together as part of the team. It develops in us Christ-like qualities (things like patience, kindness and self-control). It helps us to discover skills we never knew we had. It helps us to cope with adversity and know that we are not alone or abandoned.

The people for whom 1 Peter was written (Christians living across what is now North and Central Turkey) knew from personal experience that being followers of Jesus/ trying to build the Kingdom, wasn’t easy. They experienced suspicion, criticism and persecution. Some Christians today live in parts of the world where they face exactly the same thing. People here can find that trying to live out Jesus’ values and build the Kingdom is not easy either: they encounter indifference, ridicule, criticism or lack of appreciation for what they do. Jesus assures them, and us, (as he assured the disciples in the Upper Room) that God never abandons us. We are never on our own. Through the Spirit he is with us. We may talk with him through prayer, and he will respond to us (though his timing and his answer are not always what we want or expect).

Prayers for others

Caring God

You know where there is sadness or need in your world

Through your Spirit you are always working

to put right wrongs caused by people or nature

We ask you to take and use these prayers in that work of healing

We pray for those who are ill

those who look after them, who worry about them

for people waiting for treatment or receiving treatment

and for those for whom there is no treatment

for those who are lonely or are feeling down

those grieving a friend or loved one

for those who are worried about family or friends

home, money, work, lack of work, a job in the future

for those who don’t have enough to eat

somewhere to call home, all the things we take for granted

for those who long to live in peace and safety

especially in parts of the Middle East and Africa

for those who have fled from their homes seeking safety

We pray for the Queen,

the governments, all in positions of leadership

We pray for your church

our own congregation

the wider church in Dumbarton

the worldwide church

We bring to you our prayers for people and situations of special concern to us

And we sum up our prayers in the words of the prayer Jesus gave us

click > play to hear the Lord’s Prayer

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 debts,

as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen

Hymn 439 Look ye saints the sight is glorious

click > play to hear the music

1 Look, ye saints, the sight is glorious:
See the Man of Sorrows now,
from the fight returned victorious —
every knee to him shall bow.
Crown him! crown him! crown him! crown him!
crowns become the Victor’s brow.

2 Crown the Saviour, angels, crown him!
Rich the trophies Jesus brings;
in the seat of power enthrone him,
while the vault of heaven rings.
Crown him! crown him! crown him! crown him!
crown the Saviour King of kings.

3 Sinners in derision crowned him,
mocked the dying Saviour’s claim;
saints and angels crowd around him,
own his title, praise his name.
Crown him! crown him! crown him! crown him!
spread abroad the Victor’s fame.

4 Hark, those bursts of acclamation!
hark, those loud triumphant chords!
Jesus takes the highest station —
Oh, what joy the sight affords!
Crown him! crown him! crown him! crown him!
King of kings, and Lord of lords!

Blessing

Christ was raised from the dead

by the glorious power of the Father.

Set out then on a new life with Christ.

and the blessing of God Almighty,

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

rest and remain with you,

today, and every day, and for ever. Amen

Heart and Soul Sunday Live online 17 May 2-4.20pm (www.churchofscotland.org.uk) (fb.me/churchofscotland).