Mexborough Baptist Church Sunday 27th June 2021
When planted
Now
We welcome everyone to our gathering in this new season, whether you are in church or at home. This is our first gathering in church since 15th March 2020 and, wherever you are, we'll be sharing the same service. We're now officially in summer and we begin with that lovely hymn 'Summer Suns Are Glowing' click on the link
Gracious God, we praise you for your goodness to all your creation. You cause the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and send rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. You pour your blessings on us all, whether we deserve it or not and, truth be told, not one of us deserves it. We have all sinned and fallen far short of your glory. And yet you love us with a steadfast love, a love that comes from who you are and not from what we do. We give you all the praise and glory because you are worthy of it, you deserve it for all your goodness to us. Amen.
Our next song takes up the theme of God's steadfast love with a quote from Lamentations 3:22-23 (Revised Standard Version) set to music - 'The Steadfast Love Of The Lord' click on the link
Family Corner
Do you remember the sunflowers we planted for our young families at the end of May? They're coming on....
Every week since then we've encouraged you to colour in a sunflower to display in church. We'd like to grow our display - please take a colouring page with you or print off the one attached here, colour it in and bring it with you next time you come to church. Lisa is doing a sunflower craft with the children in church today and hopefully adding more to our display.
Sharing our stories
God has been so kind, so merciful to us all over these last 15 months. We all have stories to share of God's love, things he's been showing us and the different ways in which we have been able to serve him and other people. Eileen is going to share with us some thoughts about sunflowers. Thank you, Eileen....
Thank you to Denise, who now shares with us her reflections for today....
The other week, Paul let Neroli out on a glorious sunny morning onto our patio. She promptly came back into the kitchen with a young sparrow in her mouth. Sadly the poor thing didn't survive. Later that morning I went to Paul and said, "you're not going to believe this." My Bible reading was Matthew 6:25-34 which includes, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Later that afternoon we went to Harrogate Court to deliver Ann's paper copy of the email service and she asked us, "Is it all right to pray for animals?" She had been having a debate with a neighbour about this. We responded that we pray for animals regularly in the EXTRA because we love them and God loves them too. Ann then said, "Yes, God knows when even the meanest sparrow falls."
The Lord has a way of getting your attention, doesn't he? When an event and 2 Bible passages, all with a common word or theme, occur on the same day, it's no coincidence. Last Sunday afternoon we delivered the paper services and Maddie showed us a tract she had picked up in town. It had a picture of a sparrow on the front and quoted, "not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father knowing." It also quoted Jeremiah 29:11 which had been in Paul's Bible reading that same morning.
Please read Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 10:29-31 and Jeremiah 29:11-13.
As that little sparrow died, it reminded me of how all of us have experienced loss of some kind during this last 15 months. Some of us are grieving people we love. Some of us have laid down ministries with a mixture of sadness and joy. Some of us have not seen our families and friends in person. We haven't been able to worship together in one place, visiting places we love, have holidays or meals in favourite restaurants, go shopping, etc. We've had no choice but to do things differently: shop online, get used to leisure time we didn't have before, worship together but as scattered church in our own homes. We are in a time of change and transition and God is doing a new thing. Isaiah 43:18-19 "‘Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?"
All the Bible readings this morning come from times of transition. Matthew 6:25-34 is from the Sermon on the Mount which is in three chapters in Matthew, chapters 5-7. Here Jesus is teaching his disciples at the beginning of his ministry, laying out for them what they could expect if they continued to follow him, challenging all they had accepted and lived by previously, but also giving them reassurance that God was with them and would look after them. Matthew 6:25-34 is a promise that God gave to Paul and me in the first year of our marriage when Paul gave up his job so that we could concentrate on preparing to go into mission work together. And God did provide for us wonderfully.
Matthew 10:29-31 is from Jesus' instructions to the twelve disciples when he sent them out to 'the lost sheep of Israel' to proclaim the message: "‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons." (Matthew 10:6-8)
Jeremiah 29:11-13 is from the letter Jeremiah wrote to the Jews who were in exile in Babylon, telling them to 'build houses and settle down; plant gardens ... and seek the peace and prosperity of the city' in which they were in exile. (Jeremiah 29:5,7)
These were all uncomfortable times: the disciples being challenged to examine their familiar beliefs, traditions and practices in a new light and probably suffer for it. The disciples being sent out to do things they had never done before, and to trust God for absolutely everything they would need, physically, mentally and spiritually. The Jewish exiles having to settle in an unfamiliar place and a strange culture as a broken, conquered people. God's message to them all is that he is with them, their protector and provider, the one who has great and wonderful plans for them. And God is giving the same message to us in our uncomfortable time of transition in this new season.
What is the new thing God is doing? What are his plans for us? I don't know; as a Baptist church we discover that together. How? By praying and reading God's word and listening to what he is saying to us. And also by accepting where we are. Most of us don't like change and have a rose-tinted view of the 'good old days' which don't have to be too long ago. The Israelites were not long out of slavery in Egypt when they told Moses they wished they'd never left - Exodus 14:11-12, 16:3. The Jews in exile in Babylon lamented their homeland - Psalm 137. We have very deliberately NOT said 'we're going BACK to church.' We want to embrace the new thing God is doing in our lives and in our church life and move forward into this new season.
Prayers
Heavenly Father, Your Word tells us to forget the former things and not dwell on the past. You have ended some things because You have a plan for something new and wonderful. Thank You for the new things you are doing in our church. Lead and direct us as we go through new challenges. Guide us and help us to keep our eyes fixed on You as we move forward into this new season in the life of our church. In Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Yesterday was Armed Forces Day and we pray - Lord God, Almighty Father, creator of mankind and author of peace, we are ever mindful of the cost paid for the liberty we possess. We ask you to bless the members of our armed forces, especially Daniel serving in the Navy and Oliver in the RAF. Give them courage, hope and strength. May they ever experience your firm support, gentle love and compassionate healing. Be their power and protector, leading them from darkness to light. To you be all glory, honour and praise, now and forever. Amen.
Heavenly Father, we pray for our church family: for those who are having investigations and waiting for results - pause; for those in rehab and residential care - pause; for those living with life-limiting conditions - pause; for those who are grieving - pause; be close to them all and be their comfort and strength; in Jesus' name, Amen.
Our closing hymn is one of our favourites over the last 15 months 'Go Forth And Tell!' click on the link
Benediction
Be the eye of God dwelling with you,
The foot of Christ in guidance with you,
The shower of the Spirit pouring on you richly and generously.
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God
and the partnership of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen.
PPCW
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