St John 16: 25 – 33

‘I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures, but will tell you plainly of the Father.  On that day you will ask in my name. I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf;  for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.  I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.’ His disciples said, ‘Yes, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure of speech!  Now we know that you know all things, and do not need to have anyone question you; by this we believe that you came from God.’  Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe?  The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.  I have said this to you, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!’

Reflection

The disciples’ moment of clarity reads like the end of a story. “Now we know!” they declare. “Now we understand!” But Jesus knows better. And with good reason.

There’s something deeply human about mistaking the lightbulb moment for the destination. The instant when the penny drops and, suddenly, we think we’ve arrived. But recognition is not the end of the story, but the beginning of transformation. The disciples have grasped something profound about Jesus – that he knows all things, that he came from God – but this glimpse of truth is the starting point, not the finish line.

It calls to mind the Zen teaching story where a student rushes to his master declaring, “I’ve achieved enlightenment!” The master smiles and says, “Wonderful! Now your real work begins.” The disciples have experienced their moment of breakthrough, but Jesus understands that belief is not a destination – it’s the starting point for a transformative journey.

Jesus responds to their excitement with characteristic gentleness and devastating honesty. “Do you now believe?” The question hangs in the air. Because he knows what’s coming. The scattering. The abandonment. The reality that their newfound certainty will crumble when tested by actual crisis.

And that’s the point. Faith isn’t a moment of intellectual breakthrough. It’s a lifetime of learning to trust even when the clarity fades. Even when the neat answers dissolve. Even when – especially when – we find ourselves scattered and alone.

The disciples think they’ve reached the summit, but they’re standing at the basecamp. Their confident declaration is not the end of their education but the beginning of their real apprenticeship in following Jesus. Sometimes the most dangerous moment in faith is when we think we’ve figured it out.

But there is something more as well, there is the comforting assurance that their faith is merely embryonic, not misplaced. And that, in the end, the one whom they recognise can be relied upon.

Prayer

God of deepening mystery, 
when moments of clarity come, 
help us receive them as invitations 
rather than destinations. 

Save us from the illusion 
that understanding equals arrival. 
Grant us courage for the long apprenticeship 
of living what we glimpse, 
trusting that your love holds us through every season. Amen.

St John 16: 16 – 24

‘A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me.’ Then some of his disciples said to one another, ‘What does he mean by saying to us, “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me”; and “Because I am going to the Father”?’  They said, ‘What does he mean by this “a little while”? We do not know what he is talking about.’  Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, ‘Are you discussing among yourselves what I meant when I said, “A little while, and you will no longer see me, and again a little while, and you will see me”?  Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy.  When a woman is in labour, she has pain, because her hour has come. But when her child is born, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world.  So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.  On that day you will ask nothing of me.[c] Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.  Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

Reflection

There are two types of change that we go through – there are those we actively choose and those that are thrust upon us. In John 16, Jesus prepares His disciples for the significant shift they will encounter with His impending ascension. He, importantly, acknowledges the emotional turmoil that this separation will bring and, in doing so, shows us that grief is a natural and necessary part of our journey.

Jesus felt grief, his experiences with Lazarus, Judas, Peter, and others taught him the weight of loss keenly.  He tells those around him about the importance of grieving as a pathway to healing. This understanding informs His teachings, reminding both the disciples, and us, that it is essential to honour our feelings during times of change. Mourning is not a sign of weakness; instead, it is a vital step on the path to finding joy once more.

The words of Amanda Gorman in her Children’s Book “Change Sings” resonate powerfully with this theme. The imagery of stepping out of the shade and into the light symbolises the courage required to embrace change. Gorman’s invitation to be “brave enough to see it” and “brave enough to be it” encourages us to confront our fears and welcome the unknown with open hearts.

Ultimately, this reflection on John 16 and Gorman’s poetry inspires us to navigate the complexities of change with grace and compassion for myself. It acknowledges grief, honours our emotions, and inspires trust that even in the depths of sorrow, the dawn of joy awaits. By embracing both the pain and the potential for renewal, we have the potential to move forward with hope and courage, ready to welcome the transformative journeys that lie ahead.
 
Prayer
 
Dear Lord,
help us to navigate change, however it comes.
Remind us of the grace and love that you have for us,
that we should have for ourselves.
May we be ready for joy when it comes to us.
Amen

 
Today’s service is led by Emma Howarth

 
Introduction

Emma Howarth is the Training and Development Officer for the Mersey Synod

On this Sunday in July, an ordinary Sunday, a summer’s day, we come to worship God.  Today we leave busy lives and, perhaps, our troubles behind as we focus on a gracious and generous God who loves us.  Our readings today look at the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan and we explore the compassion of the Samaritan and the goodness of a God who sees suffering and wants to make a difference.  As we lift up our eyes to Jesus, we think about the God who loved the world so much he wanted to help mend it so He sent His Son to carry the pain and the trouble for us.

Call to Worship 

Praise God, everybody! Applaud God, all people! His love has taken over our lives; God’s faithful ways are eternal. Hallelujah!  And the people cry: Hallelujah!

Hymn     When I Needed a Neighbour
Sydney Carter © 1965 © Stainer & Bell Ltd. (admin. Hope Publishing Co.) OneLicence # A-734713 Sung by Frodsham Methodist Church Cloud Choir and used with their kind permission.

When I needed a neighbour, were you there, were you there?
When I needed a neighbour, were you there?
And the creed and the colour and the name won’t matter,
were you there?

I was hungry and thirsty, were you there, were you there?
I was hungry and thirsty, were you there? 
And the creed and the colour and the name won’t matter,
were you there?

I was cold, I was naked, were you there, were you there?
I was cold, I was naked, were you there? 
And the creed and the colour and the name won’t matter,
were you there?

When I needed a shelter, were you there, were you there?
When I needed a shelter, were you there? 
And the creed and the colour and the name won’t matter,
were you there?

When I needed a healer, were you there, were you there?
When I needed a healer, were you there? 
And the creed and the colour and the name won’t matter,
were you there?

Wherever you travel I’ll be there, I’ll be there,
wherever you travel I’ll be there. 
And the creed and the colour and the name won’t matter,
were you there?

Prayers of Approach & Confession

Hear the words of the Psalmist:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbour his anger for ever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Jesus says, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.’ So let us turn away from sin and turn to the Lord, confessing our sins in penitence and faith.

In a dark and disfigured world we have not held out the light of life:
Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.

In a hungry and despairing world we have failed to share our bread:
Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

In a cold and loveless world we have kept the love of God to ourselves:
Lord, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.

God of mercy, we acknowledge that we are all sinners. We turn from the wrong that we have thought and said and done, and are mindful of all that we have failed to do. For the sake of Jesus, who died for us, forgive us for all that is past, and help us to live each day in the light of Christ our Lord. Amen.

Absolution

May God our Father forgive us our sins and bring us to the eternal joy of his kingdom, where dust and ashes have no dominion. Amen.

Prayer for Illumination

Lord, open our ears that we may hear your Word.  Lord, open our eyes that we may see your world.   Lord, open our hearts that we may be stirred into action for you.  Amen

Reading     Deuteronomy 30: 9-14

And the Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all your undertakings, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your soil. For the Lord will again take delight in prospering you, just as he delighted in prospering your ancestors, when you obey the Lord your God by observing his commandments and decrees that are written in this book of the law, because you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.

Hymn     Goodness of God
Jason David Ingram / Brian Johnson / Edmond Martin Cash / Benjamin David Fielding / Jenn Johnson © 2018 Bethel Music Publishing (ASCAP) OneLicence # A-734713  Sung by Anthem Lights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOzuB1Lytd8
 
I love You Lord for Your mercy never fails me.
All my days I’ve been held in Your hands.
From the moment that I wake up until I lay my head,  
I will sing of the goodness of God

All my life You have been faithful.
All my life You have been so, so good.
With every breath that I am able  
O I will sing of the goodness of God.

Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me.
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me.
With my life laid down I surrender now; I give You everything.
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me.

All my life You have been faithful.
All my life You have been so, so good.
With every breath that I am able  
O I will sing of the goodness of God.

Reading     St Luke 10: 25-37

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’  He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’  He answered, ‘You shall 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 your neighbour as yourself.’  And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’ But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.”  Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’

Sermon

Jesus used parables to illustrate or explain theological detail to ordinary people.  He would use items and scenarios that would have been familiar to his listeners and that were relatable to their lives.  A common description of a parable is that it is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus told many parables; in fact, at least for a time in His ministry, Jesus relied heavily on allegory and narrative.  In Mark 4 33 and 34 we read: “With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.”  There are over 30 parables recorded in the Synoptic Gospels but there are none in John’s Gospel.  We often can dismiss the parables as being stories, that is nice tales or simple children’s anecdotes.  Indeed, in Sunday School you and I will remember the parables of the sower, the lost coin and so on.  To this day, this will be the case in Junior Church or Sunday School or whatever your church calls it.  Why is this so?  Well, for a start they are really easy to understand the face-value meaning and the illustration is a visualisation of the scenario and this helps children understand.  For many it may be their only introduction to Jesus and so we should not dismiss this experience.  If, however, we dismiss parables as just nice stories or children’s tales, then we risk missing the crown jewels of Jesus’ teachings.

In the UK in 2025 it is difficult to imagine a homogeneity of society.  Where everyone looks, sounds, behaves the same.  Where we all have one way of doing things and any deviation from this is seen as subversive and rebellious.  There would be no-one from other cultures or countries.  We would all follow one religion.  If you have read or seen such things as A Handmaid’s Tale or Stepford Wives or more recently Don’t Worry Darling (excellent film, would highly recommend) this is the kind of conformist society suggested.  There have, of course, been attempts in history to create this, most horrifically and notably by Adolf Hitler.  Thankfully and vitally, we are blessed to live in a country which grows ever more varied in experience and encounter, and richer and stronger because of its diversity.  There is still massive injustice, and there are factions of society that are intolerant and downright dangerous however, in principle, the law of the UK upholds a society of diversity and inclusion if not always full equity.  

As Christians we are called to see beyond race, religion, and social status. The second commandment is “love your neighbour as yourself” as we know.  Who is our neighbour, everyone.  Our faith is not just words.  Our faith is a living, breathing, example-giving, expression of Jesus.  The parable known as the Good Samaritan is laden with example of those who were the same as the traveller who ignored him in his plight.  Those who held position and status who ignored him.  Finally, it was the one who was different to him, the one who had absolutely nothing in common with him, the foreigner, the man from Samaria.  Samaritans were absolutely hated by the Israelites.  They were originally Jews, seen in these times as a mix of already spiritually corrupt Israelites and pagan foreigners who created a religion for themselves that the Jews considered heresy.  The Samaritan’s actions challenge us to redefine “neighbour” as anyone we show love and compassion to, regardless of geography, race, religion, or social status. We often limit our help to those similar to us, but true love crosses boundaries and includes everyone, even those society labels as enemies or outsiders. For instance, stepping in to defend someone being bullied or harassed, even if they are not part of your social circle, exemplifies the Samaritan’s message of standing up for others regardless of societal labels.

Compassion is the driver behind this.  The definition of Compassion in Collins dictionary is “a feeling of distress and pity for the suffering or misfortune of another, often including the desire to alleviate it”.  So it is not just seeing someone is having a hard time and feeling bad about it.  It is being stirred to do something to help.  Compassionate is a word we often use about Christ.  John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  This is the compassion of God.  He sees the suffering and he has the desire to do something about it.  

I said before about our faith not being just words.  As Christ followers we are called to follow him and try to be Christ in the places that we are, the encounters and the experiences that we have.  We need people to be able to see and think “that’s a different way.  I want some of that.”  If we want to be more like Christ we need to closely examine ourselves and get rid of the bits that don’t work or are not aligned to him.  We need to study Jesus and learn his ways.  This is being a disciple.  Disciples are dedicated to learning from their mentor’s teachings and often strive to emulate their example.  Learning to become more confident in sharing our faith stories and talking faith to others is a critical step on that journey.  It is something that many find hard or struggle with and that is ok.  We often are fearful of getting it wrong, saying the wrong thing or upsetting people. For the past two years in Mersey Synod we have been looking at Talking Faith and how to encourage people to do just that.  One of the things that we heard time and time again is what if I am asked something that I don’t know, what if I get a really hard question.  People are worried that they will say the wrong thing or just not know the answer.  I feel like that too! What we learned is that there is no real right or wrong way to address this fear, what we also learned is that the more you practice telling your faith story or talking about Jesus, the easier it becomes.  This year we have moved the theme on to Living Faith.  Of course we care carrying on Talking Faith, but Living Faith is about encouraging people to live out their everyday lives as Christ would.  Becoming more like Christ each day in our everyday activities.  I genuinely think that compassion fits securely into the Living Faith bracket.  If you are familiar with the song Hosanna by Brooke Fraser there is the line “Break my heart for what breaks Yours, everything I am for Your kingdom’s cause”, this sums up compassion well.  We are moving into a phase of such close dwelling with Jesus that we feel his pain and his joy as he does.  We want it because we want to do it for God and the heavenly kingdom.

Compassion and living faith require sacrifice.  The Samaritan who showed radical love in action gave his time, money and possibly in his society his reputation.  How far will we go?  One thing that I love when I hear about the roots of the United Reformed Church is the uncompromising daring brave stance that people have taken over their faith.  They are truly non-conformists and will not be told what to do, rather they see what needs doing and act upon it.  In 1972 it was a brave and bold leap of faith taken by the Presbyterian Church of England and the Congregational Church in England and Wales. And again in 1981 and 2000. And again when, whatever your personal view, the decision in 2016 to allow churches to offer same-sex marriages.  Big and bold and beautiful moves that demonstrate compassion and faith in a God that is bigger and bolder than society’s rules and norms.  To do the things that God required of the spiritual mothers and fathers of this denomination meant that they sacrificed much including their lives in some cases.  Jesus was a disrupter and so were these people.

What does this mean for us now?  We have been equipped to do and speak the name of Jesus.  Deuteronomy 30:14 “No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.”  So go, friends, talk faith and live faith.  Do it with compassion and passion.  Speak Jesus and act Jesus.  Be a disrupter and a non-conformist and moves into action for Christ.

Hymn     We Are One in the Spirit, We Are One in the Lord
Peter Scholtes, 1938–2009 © 1966 F.E.L. Publications (admin. The Lorenz Corporation) OneLicence # A-734713  Performed by the Beyond the Walls Choir and used with their kind permission
 
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
we are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
and we pray that all unity may one day be restored:

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love. 

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
we will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
and together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land:

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love. 

We will work with each other, we will work side by side;
we will work with each other, we will work side by side;
and we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride: 

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love. 

We are called to make choices, we respond with our love.
We are called to make choices, we respond with our love. 
And together with Wisdom, she’ll connect us all as one.

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;
yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love. 

The Apostle’s Creed

Do you believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist? We believe and trust in him.

Do you believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again? We believe and trust in him.

Do you believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God and makes Christ known in the world? We believe and trust in him.

This is the faith of the Church.
This is our faith. We believe and trust in one God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen

Intercessions for the World

Almighty God, we come to you in prayer and petition.
We pray for our communities where we live, work and rest.  
We pray that Your light may shine in the darkest corners, 
illuminating where we need to bring Your Word.  
We pray for a softening of hearts and a turning of minds towards You.  We pray for your justice and mercy to flow out into our communities.

Lord, in Your mercy hear our prayer.

We pray for our churches may they be beacons of hope in our communities and across our land.  We pray that all we do is for You and of You, that people may see Your Light in the darkness of the World.

Lord, in Your mercy hear our prayer.

We pray for our local and national governments and those in positions of authority.  May the people that we elected speak up for those that they represent, represent all with fairness and work for the good of all.

Lord, in Your mercy hear our prayer.

We pray for world leaders. We ask for wisdom and compassion, for truth and justice, and for Your will to be done in all their decisions and actions.  We pray that they act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with you, O God.

Lord, in Your mercy hear our prayer.

We pray for the environment and that all may see their own responsibility for its care.  We recognise that we are just stewards of your world, help us to care as much as we should and do as much as we can.

Lord, in Your mercy hear our prayer.

We pray for nations in conflict or oppression.  Save and protect those in danger and peril in these places, Lord.  Stay the hand of the oppressors and flood their hearts with compassion for your people.  As hard as it is, Lord we pray for those who stir up and perpetrate acts of  hatred and violence turn their hearts of stone into love and peace.

Lord, in Your mercy hear our prayer.

We pray for all nations in crisis including our own, Lord.  We pray for people to turn to you as we seek your kingdom.  Build your Kingdom here, and come again, we pray.

Lord, in Your mercy hear our prayer.

Almighty and Merciful God, we bring our prayers to you through the loving mercy of our Lord, and Saviour, Your Son, Jesus Christ and may Your Spirit rest with us. Amen

Offertory Prayer

As we bring our monetary gifts and our lives before the throne of the Almighty we listen and respond with this prayer.

Almighty God, take our financial offerings either given on the plate or through the bank.  We give out of your generosity to us.  Take this and use it to bring your kingdom here on earth.  Almighty God, take our lives and use our time, our gifts and ourselves to bring your kingdom here on earth.  Almighty God, may we be outrageously generous and radically different because you first gave all this to us.  Amen 

Hymn     Lord for the Years
Timothy Dudley-Smith 1969 © Hope Publishing Company, Performed by Ruth and Joy Everingham and used with their kind permission.  OneLicence # A-734713  

Lord, for the years your love has kept and guided,
urged and inspired us, cheered us on our way,
sought us and saved us, pardoned and provided:
Lord of the years, we bring our thanks today.

Lord, for that word, the word of life which fires us,
speaks to our hearts and sets our souls ablaze,
teaches and trains, rebukes us and inspires us:
Lord of the word, receive Your people’s praise.

Lord, for our land in this our generation,
spirits oppressed by pleasure, wealth and care:
for young and old, for commonwealth and nations,
Lord of our land, be pleased to hear our prayer.

Lord, for our world when we disown and doubt him,
loveless in strength, and comfortless in pain,
hungry and helpless, lost indeed without him:
Lord of the world, we pray that Christ may reign.

Lord for ourselves; in living power remake us –
self on the cross and Christ upon the throne,
past put behind us, for the future take us:
Lord of our lives, to live for Christ alone.
 
Blessing

Eternal God, giver of love and power,
your Son Jesus Christ has sent us into all the world
to preach the gospel of his kingdom:
confirm us in this mission, 
and help us to live the good news we proclaim;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
And the blessing of God, Father Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and those we love and those who we find it difficult to love now and forever.
Amen

St John 16: 1 – 15

Jesus said: ‘I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God.  And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me.  But I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.

‘I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, “Where are you going?”  But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts.  Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.  And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgement:  about sin, because they do not believe in me;  about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer;  about judgement, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

‘I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.  He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you.  All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Reflection

This final teaching by Jesus to his disciples takes on a particular resonance for the times we find ourselves in, a warning for us to be on guard even in a place of worship.

In her sermon for the presidential inauguration, Bishop Budde preached the message of the Gospel as she felt called to do. For this she has been ridiculed, trolled, and threatened. In what way does this illustrate the commands not to judge or to love others as ourselves? What witness does this give to the world as Christians themselves cannot agree? Undoubtedly, over many centuries, people have debated and dissected scripture but we need to be aware of how we express these different opinions and think about who benefits when we tear ourselves apart.

Jesus says, shocking though it may be, people will hate you and the gospel you preach and you’ll remember that I told you it would happen. While in the UK, we currently do not face what Christian martyrs (past and present) endure, it seems inevitable that preaching the Gospel is going to be an increasingly lonely and hostile place. Are you ready for that?

And for the disciples there’s more “bad” news, Jesus tells them he will no longer be alongside to support them but this will be a good thing! That must have been hard to hear. But we know God’s ways are not our ways and in sending the Holy Spirit, instead of a small group of disciples being helped by one man, now everyone can now have the encouragement and wisdom they need.

Gradually, the disciples were transformed into the emboldened people God needs to carry out the work of bringing people back into relationship with the One who created them. Although Jesus’ teaching on earth concluded, he still has more to say. What are the new ways in which the Holy Spirit is guiding you to listen today?
 
Prayer

Holy Spirit guide us this day 
to speak the words of wisdom the world needs to hear.
Encourage us when this gets difficult.
Embolden us when we feel this is impossible.
Enthuse us when we lose hope,
and gladden our hearts as we step forward in faith
Amen

St John 15: 18 – 27

Jesus said: ‘If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you.  If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, “Servants are not greater than their master.” If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.  But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.  Whoever hates me hates my Father also.  If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not have sin. But now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.  It was to fulfil the word that is written in their law, “They hated me without a cause. When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf.  You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.”

Reflection

The Australian novelist Patrick White wrote “The truth is often truest when others call it lies.”[i] This powerfully resonates through Jesus’ words in today’s reading which make clear that aligning ourselves alongside him as disciples will be costly.

Flying in the face of the world’s values will court vociferous opposition and opprobrium. We increasingly appear to live in an age of misinformation where the words of the noble are twisted and the humble who dare to speak truth to power on behalf of Christ are condemned as arrogant and subversive. When, in the most gentle and kindly of tones, the Right Rev Mariann Edgar Budde pleaded at the inauguration of President Trump for the marginalised who, she said, were feeling afraid in the face of the sweeping changes being made by his administration, she was pilloried as being “nasty,” a term which ironically exactly befitted her accusers.

In these words from John’s gospel, Jesus sets out with marvellous clarity that the way to combat the sin of the world is for Christians to identify with Christ – and thus in turn, through him, with God. This sense of belonging to Jesus, rather than the world, of walking in his way, may very well bring us into conflict with those at odds with the path we tread.

But living the life of Jesus does not mean cutting ourselves off from the world.  In an essay to be published soon, Beverley Clack echoes this sense of Jesus being our living model: “in the life of Jesus, God is found in the patterns of ordinary, daily life.” She concludes:

“This is not about withdrawing from the world to the comfortable illusions of ‘self-care’ where the painful political world is shut out and the suffering of others ignored. This is about cultivating a world in which love is able to thrive, because we take seriously our obligations to each other.”[ii]

References

[i] From Patrick White’s novel Riders in the Chariot.
[ii] Clack, B. (2025) Embracing Uncertainty in a Chaotic Age in Brown, C. and Handscomb. G. (2025) Demagogues, Misinformation and Populism: A Guide to Combating Dark Ideas.  Emerald publishing.

Prayer

Dear Lord,
we know that we belong to you
and that this may come at a cost.
Fortify us to walk your way.
Give us courage
to engage with the world.
to model your saving presence to the world
and to take seriously
the obligations we have for each other.  Amen.

St John 15: 12 – 17

Jesus said: “‘This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you.  I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.  You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.  I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

Reflection

The significance of love, and of being loved, doesn’t appear to be a priority in public debates about politics and finance from those in power. Rather, wealth creation and issues about tax and tariffs dominate.

Jesus brings a different approach, offering love as the underlying priority for life. This love is God’s gift, seen in the sacrificial offering of Jesus’ life. It starts with knowing that, as we are, we are loved by God.

There are times when the pressures of this life can take us personally away from that close sense of God’s love. We can feel too busy to take time to stop and wait upon God. Or we can get caught up in despair and difficulty, and feel abandoned and on our own. Or we can feel guilty at all the things we think we should be doing and don’t have time for.

In the wider world today love can seem to be disregarded. There’s a focus on the self, leading to stepping away from people rather than being alongside people. Too often we hear words of hatred, see acts of violence, or hear about war rather than peace, being a priority.

Jesus invites us to the path of love and appoints us to bear fruit. We’re no longer on our own. We don’t need to despair, even in the most difficult times. When we’ve trusted ourselves into God’s hands, we’re no longer living only in our own hands. We can only do so much. What’s significant and gives us hope and strength is that we do what God calls us to.

Knowing that we’re loved by God is the starting point for our being able to live in love. Growing in this knowledge takes time, putting ourselves into God’s hands day by day. When we’re filled with God’s love, we can then bear the fruit which God asks of us in this troubled world. We can put aside our differences and disagreements and be inclusive of a wide range of diversity, just as God’s love embraces a wide range of different people.

Prayer

Compassionate God,
may I again this day place my life in Your loving hands.
As I receive your love,
help me to live in this love for those around me,
and in this troubled world.
May I bear the fruit to which you call me,
in however difficult the circumstances might be.
To You be the glory, now and always.
Amen.

St John 15: 1 – 11

Jesus said “‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower.  He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit.  You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you.  Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.  I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.  Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.  If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.  As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.  I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

Reflection
 
So says a sign hanging in my kitchen – a gift from my sister-in-law. This being the first thing that came into my mind as I read this passage!

In February, I decided that I wanted to start a new gym programme – nothing serious, just to get into better condition and feel better about myself. As a family (my husband and two teenage daughters [my son is still too young to join the gym]) we regularly went to gym, attended the classes, so I didn’t have to think, and really enjoyed myself. But now I wanted to get more serious. So, I had the gym owner personalise a programme for me and now I go more regularly – at least four times a week. I feel so much better in myself – physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Which actually has me drinking less wine because I want to remain healthy; an unconscious choice, I might add!

I wanted ‘to continue to be in a place for a significant amount of time’* and isn’t that what Jesus is saying here? As people grafted onto the vine, we draw our nourishment from the main branch, and as we try to stay healthy, to stay in relationship with one another, to stay in and grow our relationship with Christ, to share that relationship with other people around us, we need ‘to continue to be in a place for a significant amount of time’, that place for me being to abide in Christ, to sojourn# with him until I feel more physically, spiritually and emotionally stable#. A place where I can gladly bear fruit and in so doing share that relationship I have, that love I have for Christ, with all those around me.

 *According to www.merriam-webster.com the definition of ‘remain’

#All synonyms for abide.

Prayer

Vine grower God,
thank you for grafting us into you as your branches,
your people called to bear fruit and show your love to all those around us.
As we sojourn with you may we continue to be in you,
as your joy becomes a reality in our lives. Amen.

St John 14: 15 – 31

Jesus said: “‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever.  This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.  In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’  Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.

‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.  You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I am coming to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.  And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.  I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me;  but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way.

Reflection

Many of us, and I am one such, struggle to respond coherently when asked to imagine what we think the Holy Spirit is and how we experience its presence. It is easier just to refer blithely to the “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” without worrying too much about what we mean.

When I was a child, this third force was described as the Holy Ghost and it was tempting as a keen young reader to imagine a fairy-like figure fluttering around us like Tinker Bell, eager to hang out with Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. But those days are long gone and now we turn to the Holy Spirit whom Jesus describes to his followers as an advocate sent by God, a supporter, invisible to us but somehow tangible.

It’s the “tangible” bit that poses the biggest challenge personally. These days, it is common to describe the Holy Spirit as a comforter. To my mind, however, we were not sent the Holy Spirit just to make us feel better about ourselves and our faith as if it were a favourite teddy bear.

Here is a suggestion. What if we think of the root of the word Spirit, the Latin word “spirare”, alongside other words that share the same root, like inspiration, aspiration, respiration, transpire, expire, conspire and so on? Spirare means to breathe, and breath goes both in and out.

On that basis, we breathe in. Jesus was telling his followers that remembering him, recalling and studying his teachings, turning to God in prayer would help us to firm up our faith.

Then we breathe out and it is our actions, our behaviour, our care for others that will offer a tangible message to the world that God is with us all and everyone is worthy of our and their care and attention. 

Just a thought.

Prayer

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.
Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. 
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy.
Amen

(Extracts from a prayer of St Augustine)

St John 14: 1 – 14

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.  In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.  And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’  Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’

Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”?  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.  Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.  I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

Reflection

Despite having a degree in geography, and Google Maps on my phone, I am quite good at getting lost – and it can induce panic when you don’t know which way to go.  

In a world of fake news and social media, I often struggle to know who to listen to and believe. It’s unsettling when you can’t easily separate truth from lies.

In our consumerist culture, bombarded with adverts, it’s hard to distinguish which choices, products, or experiences will really give life. It’s easy to be overwhelmed and believe the advertisers’ hype.

As Christians, we can sometimes get lost – or think we’ve got lost. I have often wondered: am I where Jesus wants me? Am I doing what Jesus wants me to do? Have I misheard and gone to the wrong address? We can struggle to know what is true, and be led astray by the voices that whisper, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1). We can look in all the wrong places for “life in all its fullness” (John 10:10).

Jesus prepared to go to the Cross knowing his disciples would be troubled. But Jesus is the answer to their troubles – and to ours. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, for he is not merely a human teacher, prophet, or miracle worker. Jesus is the word made flesh, the image of the invisible God. Jesus is not just a ‘chip off the old block’ – he is the old block! So as we believe in the Father, so we are called to believe in Jesus – to trust him with all that we are. And from believing, we are called to action: to do the works that Jesus did, and more! To do even “greater works” than turning water into wine, feeding the 5000, healing the sick and raising the dead. How is this possible? Because the Father is ready to hear our prayers and to work through us, in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
when I am lost, show me the way.
When I am confused and doubtful, speak to me your truth.
When I am searching for life, be my life – life in all its fullness.
Give me eyes to see you, 
ears to hear you, 
an open mind to perceive you, 
a soft heart to love you, 
and hard feet to go and to serve wherever you may lead.
To the glory of the Father,
Amen

 
Today’s service is led by the Revd Andy Braunston

 
Welcome

Hello and welcome to worship.  Today we think of a story of a pagan general, an enemy of Israel, seek healing from Israel’s God and one of His prophets.  A healing freely given long before any profession of faith in the One who heals.  God’s loving kindness acted in unexpected way and, as we shall see, with unexpected people.  My name is Andy Braunston; God’s loving kindness unexpectedly brought me to Orkney where I live in the West Mainland of this lovely island county.  Here, as elsewhere, we look for God in unexpected places and unexpected people, so let’s worship together as we seek God together.

Call to Worship

We come to seek You, O Most High, in word and song, movement and silence, and in each other. We come to seek You, O Most High!

We come to seek You, Risen Lord Jesus, in bread and wine, in unexpected places and in unexpected people. We come to seek You, O Most High!

We come to seek You, Most Holy Spirit, in love of friend, neighbour, and stranger, in the spectacle and the stillness.  We come to seek You, O Most High!

We come to see, You, Living God, break through the hardness of our hearts, the blindness of our senses, and the stubbornness of our wills, that we may see you in our midst. We come to seek You, O Most High!

Come and worship God!

Hymn     Come Down O Love Divine
Bianco da Siena; Translator: Richard Frederick Littledale (1867) Public Domain. Courtesy of St Andrew’s Cathedral Sydney Chamber Choir, directed by Ross Cobb.

Come down, O Love divine, seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with thine own ardour glowing;
O Comforter, draw near, within my heart appear,
and kindle it, thy holy flame bestowing.

O let it freely burn, till earthly passions turn
to dust and ashes in its heat consuming;
and let thy glorious light shine ever on my sight,
and clothe me round, the while my path illuming.
 
Let holy charity my outward vesture be,
and lowliness become my inner clothing;
true lowliness of heart which takes the humbler part,
and for its own shortcomings weeps with loathing

And so the yearning strong, with which the soul will long,
shall far outpass the power of human telling;
for none can guess its grace, till he become the place
wherein the Holy Spirit makes a dwelling.
 
Prayers of Approach, Confession, and Grace

We gather today, O Most High, 
to seek You, to bring You our thanks, 
to rest in Your presence, and to feel Your loving kindness,
knowing You meet us in this place.

We gather today, Risen Lord Jesus,
to listen to Your voice,
proclaimed in ancient and contemporary words,
to respond to Your call to follow,
and to find You in the unexpected.
Forgive us, good Lord, when we’ve refused to seek You,
when we’ve ignored Your voice, turned away from Your call,
and disregarded You when we stumble across You.
Forgive us and give us time to change,
for we know You meet us in this place.

We gather today, Most Holy Spirit,
and accept the forgiveness You offer,
live the peace You bring,
and respond to Your energising presence,
like perfume in the air as You meet us in this place. Amen.

Introduction

In today’s main reading we read of Naaman – an Aramean (now we’d probably call him a Syrian) general who had led many attacks against Israel – seeking healing for his skin disease.  Hearing of a prophet from a Jewish slave girl he asks the King of Israel for details.  The king panics not knowing, it seems, of Elisha’s ministry, and assumes the letter is an excuse to invade.  The slave girl knows of  God’s healing power, the King is ignorant.  Naaman, being an important man, is rather put out that he gets not the prophet but a messenger and is told to go and have a bath.  Getting over himself he follows instructions and finds healing; a healing which leads to both gratitude and a profession of faith.  Our Psalmist today rejoices in God’s healing power.  As we listen we muse on where we find God; for Naaman it was in an unexpected person in an unexpected way.  We might muse too on our attitudes having found God – are we grateful?  Do we let our encounters with God change us?

Prayer for Illumination

Do not hide Your voice from us, O God,
but speak through prayer, hymn, silence, reading, and sermon,
that we may hear, understand, respond, and obey.
Amen.

Reading     2 Kings 5:1-19

Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favour with his master because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from a skin disease. Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his skin disease.” So Naaman went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. And the king of Aram said, “Go, then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.” He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of garments.  He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his skin disease.” When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his skin disease? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.” But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God and would wave his hand over the spot and cure the skin disease! Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean. Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.’ But he said, ‘As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing!’ He urged him to accept, but he refused. Then Naaman said, ‘If not, please let two mule-loads of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will no longer offer burnt-offering or sacrifice to any god except the Lord.  But may the Lord pardon your servant on one count: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I do bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant on this one count.’  He said to him, ‘Go in peace.’

Hymn     All With Joyful Exultation (Psalm 30)  
Michael Morgan & Hal H Hopson OneLicence # A-734713  

All with joyful exultation let us sing to God our praise;
to the Rock of our salvation loud hosannas raise.
 
Lord we sing with joyful voices;
Your great power can lift and save;
by your healing touch, revive us,
life restore beyond the grave.

All with joyful exultation let us sing to God our praise;
to the Rock of our salvation loud hosannas raise.

Praise to you our sure salvation, 
You, the Holy One above.
End the night so dimmed by anguish,
with Your light of peace and love.

All with joyful exultation let us sing to God our praise;
to the Rock of our salvation loud hosannas raise.

Change our sorrow to rejoicing, 
clothe with gladness all despair;
cause unsteady feet that stumble 
now to dance beneath your care.

All with joyful exultation let us sing to God our praise;
to the Rock of our salvation loud hosannas raise.

Dry our tears we shed in mourning,
give us steadfast hope always;
fill our hearts with expectation;
fill our songs with thanks & praise.  

All with joyful exultation let us sing to God our praise;
to the Rock of our salvation loud hosannas raise.
 
Sermon

One of the many reasons why we keep reading the Bible is that it so often resonates with us today.  This collection of stories, laws, poetry, and letters describes so many facets of human experience that we keep reading it and finding our own stories reflected in the tales we read.  In today’s story we read of a man searching for healing.  In that healing, he found God and changed his life.  

The setting for the story is after the deaths of Elijah and his old foe King Ahab.  Ahab’s son, Jehoram, is on the throne and is disturbed by the presence of Naaman, the Aramean general responsible for his father’s death, appearing in the royal court.  Not only does Naaman appear he brings a letter from his king asking the impossible.  Aware that only God can heal, Jehoram despairs either unaware of Elisha’s ministry or is wilfully blind to it seeing the letter as a pretext for yet more war.    
The Hebrew text makes clear that Naaman was an important man who wanted to make a big deal out of the miraculous healing.  Despite being put out by the rather disinterested approach of Elisha he returned to profess his faith and try to pay the prophet.   Later Jesus used this passage (in Luke 4) to make a point about healing gentiles – much to the crowd’s fury.  Elijah and Elisha, and Jesus, exerted themselves on behalf of foreigners; possibly to contrast the faith of the outsiders with the unbelief of the insiders.  

In the story we read that Naaman was seeking God.  The person who should have known where God was at work – the Jewish King Jehoram – didn’t have a clue; a slave girl did.  As a result of an experience of God’s saving loving kindness, Naaman confesses his faith and changes his life.  God is found in the unexpected places in life and acts with unexpected people – Naaman was, after all, the pagan general responsible for the death of the former Jewish king.   But more than this, the story implies that God is not always found where we’d expect God to be found; God is not always where the religious folk he should be!

God is found in the unexpected.  Throughout the Biblical narratives we see, again and again, that the poor, the weak, and those of no account most acutely see God at work.  In today’s passage it’s a Jewish slave girl captured in a raid and put to work in this general’s household who knows where God is.  The King suspects a trick and despairs – Elisha has the answer but isn’t at court.  Where, I wonder, did the King expect to find God?  Where did Naaman? – he went to the royal court after all.  The King of Aram, Naaman, and the King of Israel did not know where to find God; the unnamed servant girl, Naaman’s other slaves, and Elisha all did.  

If someone came into your church saying they were seeking God would you know what to say?  Where might you suggest they look (and don’t dodge the question by suggesting they speak to a minister!)  

We know this story, we can feel smug at the ignorance of the up and the in and feel pleased God is at work with the down and out – but what might we say to one looking for God now?  It seems that material advantages don’t make one closer to God – (two kings and a general hadn’t got a clue) whereas the ones who didn’t have their freedom were much closer to the Kingdom.  Perhaps we might find God when we are with the marginalised?

God is found in the complexities of life.  God heals a pagan general who had waged war on Israel.  The general expects special treatment – he’s an important figure after all – but all he’s asked to do is go and have a bath in a river.  God doesn’t punish Naaman for his pride like we might expect God to do.  Naaman’s expectations and preconceptions were frustrated; he’s special in God’s eyes but no more special than the slave girl or his other slaves.  

Elisha’s message, and God, were judged by Naaman through the idea of a spectacle (and who doesn’t like a good spectacle?)  Instead, God works in ways which are outside our normal expectations amid life’s complexity.  God speaks through a slave, a messenger shows how the healing should happen – through something as simple as taking a bath.  

We too like to limit God by having our expectations on how God will act (or our assumptions about how God won’t act).  We can be tempted to be transactional like Naaman (who wanted to pay for his healing).  When we assume God acts exclusively how we want we end up disparaging other faiths, other people, and even the earth itself.  Yet God acts in life’s complexity with people of no account in ways which we aren’t expecting.  God is God.  

God is also found on the edge, with the unchurched.  The story shows the universality of God’s love; a pagan enemy is healed, a slave speaks God’s word, and an itinerant prophet is a means of healing.  Elisha doesn’t appear much in the story  – he sends word to the Jewish King and to Naaman.  There’s no great scene with the prophet calling down God’s healing, no burning fires, no murder of pagan priests.  Elisha’s presence, however, is throughout the story.  Elisha’s approach to this enemy of Israel is to offer healing not judgement.  God’s loving kindness is experienced before there is a confession of faith; a confession not asked for nor is healing given as a reward for it.  Instead, it is a response to finding God.  Having found God, Naaman is serious about how he can follow in the context of serving a pagan master.  This story can encourage us to serve and offer God’s healing to those outwith the Church, to welcome strangers without insisting on professions of faith, to not push for commitment from seekers but let them respond in their own, God’s own, time.  Naaman’s story shows we should help people find God but then let them respond rather than forcing a particular way upon them.  

Our contemporary society lives without much reference to the transcendent.  Religion is relegated to the private sphere; there may be respect for the religious but no real understanding beyond an awareness that certain religions have certain rules.  The idea that God can break into our imminent perceptions are uncomfortable, strange, and disturbing. Yet our faith is centred around the fact that God intervened in the person of Jesus Christ; God revealed divine love, power and purpose in Jesus.   

We find this difficult to remember though.  Even in the Church we don’t live, act, or believe as if we expect God to show up!  Yet in these stories we see God act in unexpected ways with unexpected people, amid the complexity of life and without demanding anything in return.  Naaman’s story can offer us clues about how people search and how God finds them.  It can remind us to let God work without us trying to force the issue; to give space to those who are seeking and to trust, always, in God’s loving presence and power to reveal Himself when and wherever he will – even in church!  Let’s pray.

Jesus, let us fly to You even as the waters roll,
that You may find us as we seek You,
heal us as we need You,
and meet us even we don’t expect You.
Amen.

Hymn     Jesus Lover of My Soul
Charles Wesley (1740) Public Domain. 200 Voice Mass Choir at St Andrew’s Kirk, Chenai, used with their kind permission.

Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly,
while the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high;
hide me, O my Saviour, hide, till the storm of life is past;
safe into the haven guide, O receive my soul at last!

Other refuge have I none; hangs my helpless soul on thee;
leave, ah! leave me not alone, still support and comfort me.
All my trust on thee is stayed, all my help from thee I bring;
cover my defenceless head with the shadow of thy wing.

Thou, O Christ, art all I want, More than all in thee I find;
Raise the fallen, cheer the faint, Heal the sick, and lead the blind.
Just and holy is thy name, I am all unrighteousness!
Vile and full of sin I am, Thou art full of truth and grace.
 
Plenteous grace with thee is found, grace to cover all my sin;
let the healing streams abound; make and keep me pure within.
Thou of life the fountain art; freely let me take of thee;
spring thou up within my heart, rise to all eternity.
 
Affirmation of Faith

We believe in God, 
Creator of all that is, seen and unseen.
God is searched for in fire and storm, 
law and grace, Creation and nature
but reveals Himself to us in Jesus Christ.

We believe in Jesus Christ, God’s divine revelation to us. 
His life, ministry, death, and new life are attested to in the Scriptures;
flawed human documents yet a medium for divine revelation.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
who gives us life as we encounter Jesus in the Word –  
written and proclaimed –
who reveals and reconciles us to God.

We believe the Church is called to listen to the Holy Spirit,
proclaim the reconciliation revealed in Jesus,
and live in the power, purpose, and promises of God.  Amen
 
Offertory

Naaman offered vast riches to Elisha in gratitude for his healing; Elisha declined them not wanting to confuse God’s freely given grace with a fee for services rendered.  Ever since God’s people have tried, and often, failed to keep gratitude and payment separate.  Our faith involves giving as an act of gratitude, faith, and confidence in the One who heals us and lifts us from the miry pits of life.  We express our gratitude in so many ways; through giving our time, our talents and, of course, our treasure.  We offer listening ears, help where needed, put money in the plate or direct to the bank.  Sometimes, though we try not to we can grumble, but remind ourselves that God loves cheerful givers.  So, today, we give thanks for all that is given in our church – acts of gratitude even if tinged with a bit of grumbling and offer all that we give to God.

Gracious God,
we offer to You all that we give,
our time, our talents, and our treasure,
as signs of our gratitude,
seeking nothing in return.  Amen.

Intercessions

Creating God, you reveal yourself through Jesus Christ, 
Your Word, ever fresh for us, 
always healing and reconciling,
moving us on through the Holy Spirit.
Be with us now as we bring before you the needs of our world.

We pray, Creating God, for peace,
peace where there is warfare,
justice where there is crime,
love where there is hatred.
May Your Church be an agent of peace and reconciliation.

God, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Enfleshed Lord Jesus,
Your call to us continues
to proclaim Your coming kingdom,
to forgive those we hate,
to bring your love and healing where all seems gloomy.
Bless us as we seek to serve You in the world,
bless those who use these buildings week after week,
those who walk past searching for You,
those who’ve popped in to explore,
and those who seek You.
Help Your Church to be agent of proclamation
pointing to You and Your unquenchable love.

God, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Most Holy Spirit,
You drive us out beyond our comfort zones,
beyond the boundaries of our time, 
to see Your dance in creation,
Your love at work where we least expect,
and Your judgement on our unjust structures and institutions.
Fill Your Church with zeal to proclaim the Gospel,
an agent of Your grace exposing and fighting injustice,
calling the world to find, in You, rest for their restless hearts.  

God, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

Eternal Trinity of Love,
Hold in Your love those we now remember in the silence of our hearts…

God, in your mercy…hear our prayer.

And so we bring  You all our prayers, Loving God, in the words Jesus taught us…Our Father…

Hymn     In Bread We Bring You Lord 
Kevin Nichols © Kevin Mayhew Ltd One Licence performed by Emmaus Music and used with their kind permission. OneLicence # A-734713  
 
In bread we bring You Lord our body’s labour.
In wine we offer You our spirit’s grief.
We do not ask you, Lord ‘who is my neighbour?’
but stand united now one in belief.
Oh we have gladly heard Your Word, Your holy Word,
and now in answer, Lord our gifts we bring.
Our selfish hearts make true. Our failing faith renew.
Our lives belongs to You; our Lord and King

The bread we offer You is blessed and broken
and it becomes for us our spirit’s food.
Over the cup we bring Your Word is spoken;
make it Your gift to us Your healing blood.
Take all that daily toil plants in our heart’s poor soil.
Take all we start and spoil, each hopeful dream,
the chances we have missed, the graces we resist,
Lord, in Thy Eucharist, take and redeem.
 
Holy Communion

Now let us hear the story of how this sacrament began.
On the night on which Jesus was betrayed,
he sat at supper with his disciples.
While they were eating, he took a piece of bread,
said a blessing, broke it, and gave it to them with the words,
“This is my body. It is broken for you.
Do this to remember me.”

Later he took the cup, saying,

“This cup is God’s covenant,
sealed with my blood.
Drink from it, all of you, to remember me.”

God meets us in the sacraments, 
holy acts in which his deeds elicit our response.
In the supper our Lord offers the bread and cup to believers
to guarantee our share in his death and resurrection,
and to unite us to him and to each other.
We take this food gladly, announcing as we eat that Jesus is our life
and that he shall come again to call us to the Supper of the Lamb.

So now, following Jesus’ example and command,
we take this bread and this cup,
the ordinary things of the world,
which Christ will use for extraordinary purposes.
And as he said a prayer before sharing, let us do so too.

Blessed are you, strong and faithful God.
All your works, the heights and the depths,
echo the silent music of your praise.
In the beginning your Word summoned light,
night withdrew, and creation dawned.
As ages passed unseen,
waters gathered on the face of the earth and life appeared.
When the times at last had ripened
and the earth had grown full in abundance,
you created humanity in your own image,
the caretakers of all creation.
You gave us breath and speech,
that all the living might find a voice to sing your praise,
and to celebrate the creation you called good.
So now, with all the powers of heaven and earth,
we sing the ageless hymn of your glory:

The Skye Boat Song Sanctus 
The Revd Michael Forster © Kevin Mayhew Ltd Vocalist Lucy Bunce  OneLicence # A-734713  

Holy, most holy, all holy the Lord,
God of all pow’r and might:
Heaven and Earth with your glory abound
wrapped in eternal light.
Blessed is he, he who has come,
come in the Father’s name,
Servant and Lord, Saviour and Judge, making his royal claim.
Holy, most holy, all holy the Lord,
God of all pow’r and might.
Now with hosanas and jubilant praise,
earth and the heav’ns unite.

All holy God, how wonderful is the work of your hands!
When sin had scarred the world,
you entered into covenant to renew the whole creation.
As a mother tenderly gathers her children,
as a father joyfully welcomes his own,
you embraced a people as your own 
and filled them with longing for a peace that would last
and for a justice that would never fail.
Through countless generations
your people hungered for the bread of freedom.
From them you raised up Jesus, your Son,
the living bread, in whom ancient hungers are satisfied.
He healed the sick, though he himself would suffer;
he offered life to sinners, though death would hunt him down.
But with a love stronger than death,
he opened wide his arms and surrendered his spirit.
Gracious God,
as we offer you our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving,
we commemorate Jesus, your Son.
Death could not bind him,
for you raised him up in the Spirit of holiness
and exalted him as Lord of creation.

Therefore we proclaim our faith
as signed and sealed in this sacrament:

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

Send your Holy Spirit upon us, we pray,
that the sharing of the bread that we break and the cup that we bless
may be for us the communion of the body and blood of Christ.
Grant that, being joined together in him,
we may attain to the unity of the faith
and grow up in all things into Christ, our Lord.
And as this grain has been gathered from many fields into one loaf,
and these grapes from many hills into one cup,
grant, O Lord, that your whole Church
may soon be gathered from the ends of the earth into your kingdom.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!  Amen

Hear the words of our Saviour:
“Come to me, all you who labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.”
Come, then, for all is ready.

We come not because we ought, but because we may,
not because we are righteous, but because we are penitent,
not because we are strong, but because we are weak,
not because we are whole, but because we are broken.

The body of Christ, given for you.
Thanks be to God.

The blood of Christ, shed for you.
Thanks be to God.

Music for Communion     Lamb of God (Michael Row the Boat)
Nick Fawcett © Kevin Mayhew Ltd, Vocalist Lucy Bunce. OneLicence # A-734713  

Post Communion Prayer

O amazing God, you come into our ordinary lives
and set a holy table among us,
filling our plates with the bread of life
and our cups with salvation.
Send us out, O God, with tenderheartedness
to touch an ordinary everyday world
with the promise of your holiness. Amen.

Hymn     He Came Down That We May Have Love  
Cameroonian Traditional, Public Domain performed by Jubilate Hymns

He came down that we may have love;
He came down that we may have love;
He came down that we may have love,
Hallelujah forevermore.

He came down that we may have peace;
He came down that we may have peace;
He came down that we may have peace;
Hallelujah forevermore.

He came down that we may have joy;
He came down that we may have joy;
He came down that we may have joy;
Hallelujah forevermore.

He came down that we may have hope;
He came down that we may have hope;
He came down that we may have hope;
Hallelujah forevermore.

He came down that we may have love;
He came down that we may have love;
He came down that we may have love,
Hallelujah forevermore.
 
Blessing

May the One who reveals himself unbidden,
the One who heals with loving kindness,
and the One who energises the Church,
reveal Himself to you anew,
shower you with grace,
and drive you out to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed.
and the blessing of Almighty God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with you, now and always, Amen.