Weekly Church Service – Epiphany 4 – 3rd of February 2019 – includes sermon audio

Includes Sermon Audio

Sentence:

Now we see in a mirror dimly; but then we will see face-to-face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:14

Collect of the day

Living God,
in Christ you make all things new:
transform the poverty of our nature by the riches of your grace, and in the renewal of our lives make known your glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Today’s readings

Today’s readings:
Jeremiah 1:4-10
Psalm 71:1-6
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
Luke 4:21-30

Next week:
Isaiah 6:1-8
Psalm 138
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11

A student’s prayer for a new school year

Lord Jesus, I ask for your help as I begin this new school year.
Allow me to experience your presence in the many blessings you put before me.
Open my eyes to the new challenges and exciting opportunities that this new school year brings.
Open my heart and mind to new friends and new teachers.
Give me a generous spirit to be enthusiastic with my studies, and courage to accept new opportunities.
Help me to be attentive to my teachers and let me experience your presence in my new friends.
Jesus, inspire me to do my best this year.
Amen.

A thought to ponder upon

Epiphany 4-Luke 4:21-30

There is a cost to being a prophet; to proclaim what is right, just and good can be a lonely, isolating experience.

Today’s gospel continues last Sundays account of Jesus teaching in the synagogue at Nazareth. After proclaiming the fulfilment of Isaiah’s vision of the Messiah (last Sundays gospel), Jesus sits down-the posture assumed by one who is about to teach-and begins by explaining in no uncertain terms that he cannot perform any healings or miracles there because of their lack of faith. He teaches that the Messiah does not come for Nazareth alone, but for every race, culture and nation of every place and age.

His explanation is met with indignation and anger. Many Jews of the time was so convinced that they were God’s own people that they despised everyone else. They could not accept Jesus idea that others-Gentiles!-were as loved by God as they were. Jesus is forced to leave his home town.

Standing up for what is right, speaking out for such things as ethics and justice, either call of the Prophet. To speak-and to listen-as prophets demands the courage and conviction to risk isolation, ridicule and persecution for the the sake of the justice and mercy of God.

God continues to raise up parents and teachers, preachers and ministers, friends and classmates to help us to realise our own call to be prophets of God’s word, to embrace God’s grace, enabling us to transform our own Nazareth into God’s dwelling place.

The core of the gospel is the revelation that God became what we are so that we can better understand what God is and grasp what God is about: love, forgiveness, compassion, justice, peace. © Connections/media works.