Mexborough Baptist Church Sunday 21st March 2021
Fifth Sunday in Lent
As we approach our service today, Lord, we pray, “Come, Holy Spirit, and breathe new life into our hearts and minds. By your Holy Spirit equip each of us to offer the praises you deserve, and set our worship on fire, for your glory’s sake." Amen.
Though we are scattered, we unite together and sing a morning hymn of praise "When Morning Gilds The Skies" followed by "Majesty, Worship His Majesty" please click on the links
Family Corner
God is amazing! Incredibly, wonderfully amazing! WOW! So amazing because he gave the gift of his only Son to the world - that's you and me and every other person on the planet, whatever their colour, tribe, nation, language, from the youngest to the oldest! God freely gave us this precious gift. click on the link
When God's Son Jesus came into the world, he did what his Father wanted him to do - some incredibly, wonderfully amazing things. click on the link
Enid leads us in prayer....
“You came from heaven to earth to show the way.” Lord Jesus, you lived in this world as we do now. Heavenly Father, once again today we come to worship you. Each of us in our own homes, yet united in fellowship because of our love for your Son, Jesus. Today, Lord, as we sing our hymns and read your word and as we pray together, enable us to worship you with our hearts and minds and feelings as well as the words we say. Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the many blessings you pour into our lives - the love of our families, our friendships and our church fellowship. Thank you for the patience you have with us when we don’t put you first in our lives and when we try to do things our own way and in our own time. Thank you that we can always come back to you and seek your will afresh, especially when we have said or done something we know was not gracious. Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness when we have let you down. Lord Jesus, we know that you are there for us all the time. Please show us how to live for you this week, and to take opportunities you give us to show your care and love to all we come into contact with so that your name and your Father in heaven will be glorified. Amen.
During Lent we have been looking at journeys Jesus made in his earthly life. Week 1 was a journey before Jesus was born and other journeys in his childhood. Week 2 Jesus journeyed to the Jordan to be baptised by John and then into the desert to be tempted by the Devil. Week 3 Jesus journeyed to a wedding and was even late for a funeral. In each of these journeys, Merys has been wanting us to see how God came into the world in Jesus, to live among us and share in all the experiences of our human life. Paul says of Jesus, "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." (Philippians 2:6-7). The writer to the Hebrews says, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin." (Hebrews 4:15)
Some of you may remember Marilyn Baker. For me, one of her most memorable songs "God Came Among Us" sums up these thoughts from the last few weeks. Make yourself comfortable and let these words enfold you as Marilyn sings click on the link
Pause and think. How did listening to that song feel for you? What touched you - was it the words or music, the voice or piano? Whatever your response to this song, take a few moments to offer your response to God in your own words. Amen.
Thank you to Merys as she shares her thoughts on Jesus' journey to Jerusalem....
Jesus has travelled throughout Palestine for around three years. He has touched the lives of many. He has spoken of a hope that is ours if we will accept Him as Lord and Saviour of our lives. He has shown us His power through the miracles He performed and the way He taught us as one with authority (Mark 1:21-28).
Jesus knows that He is on His final journey on this earth, a journey that we will look at in two parts - 1. the journey Jesus takes to Jerusalem and 2. the journey Jesus takes from Jerusalem to the cross.
1. The journey Jesus takes to Jerusalem
The Gospels describe the beginning of this final journey in similar terms, e.g. Matthew 17:22-23 'When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.' Jesus knew His time had come. Jesus and His followers leave Galilee and set off for Jerusalem and He continues to teach, perform miracles and serve His people, using every opportunity to show us God’s love and forgiveness.
Pause and think about how you can take every opportunity to acknowledge God’s love for you and draw other people to want to know about our friend and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Jesus' journey to Jerusalem takes him to Jericho where Zacchaeus collects taxes on behalf of the Roman government. Judith and Trevor reminded us a few weeks ago that Zacchaeus is too short to see over the crowds and climbs a sycamore tree, such is his keen desire to see Jesus. Jesus calls up to him, continuing His mission to save the lost. Jesus invites himself to stay in his house and Zacchaeus shows how sorry he is for abusing his power and cheating people; he promises to pay back four times the amount to those he has cheated. (Luke 19:1-10)
On the way out of Jericho, Bartimaeus, a blind man, is begging by the roadside. When he hears that Jesus is approaching he shouts out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus responds to Bartimaeus by asking him "What do you want me to do for you?" and Bartimaeus answers "I want to see." Jesus heals him. (Mark 10:46-52)
Jesus and his disciples climb up the long road from Jericho and approach Jerusalem from the east. Reaching Bethany he stops off to visit His old friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Jesus, knowing what is before Him, enjoys the warmth and comfort of friendship with those He knew He would see one day in Paradise. (John 12:1-8)
From here, Jesus sends two disciples ahead to collect a donkey from its owner and rides down the hillside from Bethany towards Jerusalem. As the Pharisees in the crowd voice their opposition to Jesus’s teaching once again, Jesus is saddened that they cannot recognise what would bring peace to the city (Luke 19:29-44). These verses tell us that Jesus weeps over Jerusalem, such is his love. click on the link
2. The journey Jesus takes from Jerusalem to the cross.
Those whose hearts were hardened and who chose not to see and believe that Jesus was the Messiah conspired and planned to have their Saviour silenced. Jesus alone knew what was going to happen. His disciples and followers knew who He was and had been witness to His power and teaching. Jesus however was facing His fate on His own. Jesus is God with the power of earth and heaven in Him and at His call, yet He chose not to use them and faced death as a human. This is God, laying aside his immunity to pain, entering into our world of tears and blood and death. He takes on the worst of human suffering, to accept the cross.
While we look forward to Easter morning when we can shout with faith "Hallelujah, He is risen!", we must first face the pain and suffering our Lord Jesus Christ took on for us. No matter where we are, no matter what we have endured or what we know in pain and suffering, in loss, in betrayal, in abuse, here at the cross we meet our God. Jesus endured the worst to set us free, to bring mercy, to bring healing, to bring release from all of the anger, all of the pain, all of the isolation, all of the sorrow, and to pour into us a life that only He could give us. A life marked, yes, by power, but also by his mercy and his love. A life where authority and tenderness meet—and change the world. God became man who lived among us as a human, feeling love, pain, compassion, sorrow and joy and came to know us as we are - sinful and lost. In His sacrifice Jesus endured the excruciating pain and loneliness of His horrific death as a human. He was not spared the shame, isolation and agony as the Son of God, He went like a lamb to His death, free of any sin except ours. Isaiah 53:7 says, "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." He felt the cut of the whip, He felt the agony of the scourging, He felt the nails hammered into His feet and hands.
As He carried our cross to Calvary He would have remembered His life here on earth, the people He met, those He taught and healed. He would remember His family, He knew His mother and brothers were watching Him suffer. Jesus would have seen His followers terrified and helpless yet He kept to His path and completed His journey to the Cross as he promised He would.
Our next hymn was written by Cecil Frances Alexander and was first published in 'Hymns for Little Children' in 1848. She also wrote "All Things Bright and Beautiful" and the Christmas carol "Once in Royal David's City." Her husband considered the hymn we're about to sing as one of her best, and the French composer Charles Gounod thought it was "the most perfect hymn in the English language." It is certainly a very clear presentation of the redemptive work of Christ. We sing together 'There is a green hill far away' click on the link
One year ago today we began our email services as scattered church away from the building on Windhill, expecting it to be a short term measure. Who would have thought then that one year on we would be gradually easing out of our third national UK lockdown and still unsure about when we will return to our building to worship together? Who expected covid-19 to turn into a global pandemic with, to date, 122 million cases and 2.7 million deaths worldwide, 4.3 million cases and 126,000 deaths in the UK (figures from Google)? We have all been touched by grief for family members, friends, colleagues, neighbours who have died of covid or are still suffering the after effects. It has been a year of weeping, but we have a sure promise in the Bible that "He (God) will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4) The time will come when we will be together in once place click on the link
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. AMEN! Revelation 22:20-21
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