Sunday February 28th. Virtual Service
Where your treasure is, there your heart will be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkuRdRkckjU
Isaiah 58:1-12 The new living Bible
1 “Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast. Shout
aloud! Don’t be timid.
Tell my people Israel of their
sins!2 Yet they act so pious!
They
come to the Temple every day and seem delighted to learn
all about me.
They act like a righteous nation that
would never abandon the laws of its God.
They ask me to take
action on their behalf, pretending they want to be near
me.
3 ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say. ‘Why
aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and
you don’t even notice it!’ “I will tell you why!” I
respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please
yourselves. Even while you fast, you keep oppressing
your workers.
4 What
good is fasting when you keep on fighting and quarrelling?
This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me.
5 You
humble yourselves by going through the motions of
penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind.
You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with
ashes.
Is this what you call fasting? Do you
really think this will please the Lord?
6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are
wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who
work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains
that bind people.
7 Share your food with the hungry, and
give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need
them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.
8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and
your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you
forward, and the glory of the Lord will
protect you from behind.
9 Then when you call,
the Lord will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he
will quickly reply.
“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop
pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumours!
10 Feed
the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light
will shine out from the darkness,
and
the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.
11 The Lord will
guide you continually, giving you water when you are
dry and restoring your strength.
Matthew 6:1-6 New International Version
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
What does do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing mean? When you do a kindness do not tell any one, do not recall the act or bring it to mind. Do it so one knows. I remember a person who was distressed and help came in form of a plain envelope with her name on it and the money she needed it was an answer to her prayer. This act was done in secret. She gave thanks in her prayers that evening in the quite of her room. And during the following Sunday service she stood up and gave thanks for the gift she had received.
All the congregation prayed that her prayers had been answered.
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Knowing this is a treasured gift, you can take time in secret to pray lay, your needs on Him and give your Father God thanks for the blessings you have received.
For where our heart is, our treasure is.
Please listen hope it will help you to pray
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_WZ1zQzy2E
MUSIC (red Bird picture)
Now; Read Psalm 51: 1 – 17 as a prayer
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your
unfailing love; according to your great compassion
blot
out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always
before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and
done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your
verdict and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I
was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother
conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the
womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash
me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and
gladness; let the bones you have crushed
rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins and blot
out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a
steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from
your presence or take your Holy Spirit from
me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and
grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so
that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from
the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God
my Saviour,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open
my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your
praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would
bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt
offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken
spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will
not despise.
In Isaiah 58: verse 7 it talks about Sharing food with the hungry, and giving shelter to the homeless. Giving clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. This is echoed in the story of the Good Samaritan a teacher of the law tried to question Jesus. Jesus being the Son of God He answered the man with a question.
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
When you needed a neighbour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fExR7eOhJO0
This next item to watch is very moving. A pregnant lady receives Gods blessing there is always something we can do, we do not need to share it on you tube. Remember this can be between the receiver you and God only.
There are many problems to do with homelessness right across the world. This case comes from America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dOJb17bNFM
Jesus is not being meek and mild he is challenging the expert of the law to go and do like wise; as he challenges us to day.
The teacher of the Law was trying to show how clever he was, he showed Jesus that he knew the scriptures. Of course the teacher of the Law would have known the psalms and would have recognised the scripture of the prophet Isaiah, the listeners to this story would not like the idea that a priest and the Levite were being pictured in an uncaring manner. The biggest horror, that the Jewish man who had been beaten up was cared for by a non-Jew, some one the Jews despised.
The expert in the law did not like his power and leadership, questioned, he felt that Jesus was becoming trouble, the priests and leaders in the synagogue started to find a way of getting rid of this teacher that the crowds were beginning to follow. This Man healing in the name of God. This Jesus who could forgive sins. This man who has disciples. This man who eats with sinners.
And as we know this Jesus the son of God This Jesus our saviour and intercessor.
O what a man.
2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10 New International Version Paul writes to the Church in Corinth.
20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
6 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
“In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation.
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonour, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
St Paul knew what it was to be hungry, in prison, beaten, many hardships, but Paul did not blame God.
He received strength, Hope through those praying for him and in doing so strengthened others in the Church.
Even if we find ourselves weak, lonely, depressed, sad, especially missing loved ones due to the Covid 19 virus. Mourning the loss of loved ones. We can pray for each other Building each other up through the love of God. God loves us to the uttermost there for we can and must share Gods love. As we lead up to Good Friday It is a time for us to thank God for His only son. To remember God empted Himself to rescue people from there sins.
By faith we know that Jesus saves to the uttermost. That we through grace will receive eternal life.
Amen
And Are We Yet Alive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQTmtEcrNuI
May God bless you and keep you, may He turn His face upon you, and give you His peace, this day and for always
Susannah
Let the world sing of His Amazing Grace.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA7pdABvpnc
HYMN/ SONG
Benediction
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