Today’s service is led by the Revd Catherine McFie

 
Introduction

Hello and welcome to worship. My name is Catherine McFie and at the time of recording this service I am approaching the end of my current ministry in Liverpool. I have been called to the Ecumenical post on the Isle of Man and all going well when you are listening to this service I will be one week into that new ministry. There is much to be thankful for as I reflect on my time in Liverpool and there is much to look forward to as I embark on a new journey in a different place and with different people.  It is a privilege to share worship with you and I pray that wherever you are and whenever you are listening, God’s Spirit will bless our time together.  So let us worship God. 

Call to Worship

In this season of Advent can you imagine a world that is different: a world where everyone has hope, a world where we live in peace with our neighbours, a world where we give joyful thanks to God, despite everything, a world where people know that they are loved by God,  can you imagine what that would be like?

Transforming God, as we come in praise and worship
open our hearts to the work of your Spirit
that we may be transformed 
and so in turn we become your transformers. Amen.

Hymn     Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness
Rusty Edwards (born 1955) © 1987 Hope Publishing Company. OneLicence No. # A-734713. Sung by Heather Jordan from the St George in the Pines Anglican Church, Banff, Canada

Praise the One who breaks the darkness with a liberating light.
Praise the One who frees the prisoners turning blindness into sight.
Praise the One who preached the Gospel healing every dread disease.
Calming storms and feeding thousands with the very bread of peace.

Praise the One who blessed the children with a strong yet gentle word.
Praise the One who drove out demons with a piercing two-edged sword.
Praise the One who rings cool water to the desert’s burning sand.
From this well comes living water quenching thirst in every land.
 
Praise the one true love incarnate: Christ who suffered in our place.
Jesus died and rose for many that we may know God by grace.
Let us sing for joy and gladness seeing what our God has done.
Praise the one redeeming glory. Praise the One who makes us one.

Prayers of Approach and Confession

Amazing God, we thank you for another new day 
and the opportunities it holds to serve you
we thank you that we can come together to worship you, 
learn from your Word and grow as disciples.
We thank you for your faithfulness, despite our wandering;
we thank you for your unfailing love.
We thank you for Jesus and that through his life, death 
and resurrection we are reconciled with you. 
we thank you for the Holy Spirit living in us and working through us
Triune God, we bring you our praise and worship. 

Gracious and loving God, 
sometimes following your ways is not easy,
forgive us for the times when we have ignored our neighbour’s need,
forgive us for the words we have spoken that have hurt and divided,
forgive us for not trusting in your promises or standing up for our faith.
Lord in our imperfection we come seeking forgiveness, 
knowing that only you can help us be more faithful disciples. 

(silence)

Gracious God, your heart is full of mercy.
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven.
Let us return to you with joy in our hearts.
Thanks be to God,  Amen.

Hymn     People Look East
Eleanor Farjeon (1881-1965) Unknown Copyright OneLicence No. # A-734713 Sung by Chris Brunelle and used with his kind permission.
 
People, look east. The time is near
of the crowning of the year.
Make your house fair as you are able,
trim the hearth and set the table.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the guest, is on the way.

Furrows, be glad. Though earth is bare,
one more seed is planted there:
Give up your strength the seed to nourish,
that in course the flower may flourish.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Rose, is on the way.

Stars, keep the watch. When night is dim
One more light the bowl shall brim,
Shining beyond the frosty weather,
Bright as sun and moon together.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the star, is on the way.

Angels, announce with shouts of mirth
Christ who brings new life to earth.
Set every peak and valley humming
With the word, the Lord is coming.
People, look east and sing today:
Love, the Lord, is on the way.

Prayer of Illumination

Lord, as we listen to your word read and preached, 
open our ears that we may hear your Word anew.
Open our hearts that we may respond to the promptings of your Spirit.
May what we learn blossom within us so that we are transformed.
In Jesus name we pray.  Amen 

Reading     Isaiah 35:1 – 10

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus  it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,  the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people;  no traveller, not even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Hymn     From All That Dwell Below the Skies 
Isaac Watts (1674-1748) Public Domain. Unknown Singer at the First Presbyterian Church of Saginaw.

From all that dwell below the skies
let the creator’s praise arise:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Let the redeemer’s name be sung,
through every land, by every tongue:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

In ev’ry land begin the song;
to every land the strains belong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
In cheerful sound all voices raise
and fill the world with joyful praise.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
 
Eternal are thy mercies, Lord;
eternal truth attends thy word: 
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore,
till suns shall rise and set no more: 
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Reading     St Luke 1:46b – 55

Mary said:  ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Sermon 

Isaiah chapter 35 is a wee bit of a surprise. The preceding chapter is not an easy read and paints a picture of destruction and then without a break and without an explanation we suddenly have a picture of restoration and hope. While some scholars debate the placement of this chapter and question if it is a later addition to the book I wonder if these words are exactly where God intended them to be. God knows that there is only so much destruction and judgement that a people can take before losing hope completely so this surprising change of focus would have been like a breath of fresh air, and would have given the people something to cling on to, something that speaks of a better place, a different time, a new life compared to their current experience. 

At the heart of the image painted by the words is a journey through the wilderness, a journey of returning to the promised land. The original journey out of Egypt was fraught with trials and challenges but this return journey will be one of rejoicing as the wilderness blossoms and flourishes with life. 
As we read through the verses of this chapter, we can see that this is not just simply about an exile people returning to their homeland, but this is about physical, spiritual and ecological restoration. 

The wilderness that was once a place of fear or struggle or suffering is now a place where people can see the glory of God in the flowers that bloom. The land that was once barren is now so fertile it is compared to Lebanon and Sharon, places known for their natural beauty and rich vegetation. The human voice no longer cries out in lament but sings in praise. Water that was scares now flows in streams and gathers in pools and where there is water there is life. Lions and other dangerous animals are no longer a threat to travellers. 

Towards the end of our reading, we are introduced a highway through the desert, the Holy Way. This represents the future and hope for a people who are struggling with their faith in exile. In this future, on this road, it is not possible to go astray, and those who take this road will rejoice in their homecoming. 

We hear echoes of this future in our reading from Luke’s gospel as Mary sings out her praise to God. Every time I read these words I am in awe of Mary. Despite all the drama that is going on her life she understands more than many of the people we met in the bible. Mary recognises that what God has asked her to be part of is not something that will simply make her life complicated for a time, but it is something that is changing the future for everyone. The future is not one that people are expecting because now the future is one in which the promises of the past become reality, where the voice of the disenfranchised is heard and justice and equality shape how things are done. 

In Isaiah there is the promise of restoration and in Luke the transformation process has begun. God’s kingdom in now a reality on earth, and Mary recognises that this baby she is carrying has a key role to play in this new future. The fact that God has involved her in bringing this change about, the fact that God’s hand is and will be at work in the world, the fact that this future is underpinned by God’s love and mercy, is it any wonder that Mary’s voice is raised in praise and worship to God. 

As I have looked at these two passages I have been struggling with the difference between restoration and transformation because I see elements of both in each passage. The desert will be transformed by crocuses, but the people will be restored to Jerusalem. Maybe true restoration is only possible through transformation, as long as our hearts follow the ways of the world then the process of restoration is never complete. 

On this third Sunday of Advent as we prepare to welcome Christ into the world as a newborn baby, two questions come to my mind to challenge us.  The first is where to we see transformation taking place in our communities or in the wider world? If transformation has begun as Mary’s song suggests then there must be signs of this transformation in our world. When I read about crocus blossoming in the desert, I thought about the poppies that came to life on the battle fields of France and Belgium after World War 1 transforming the landscape. In one of my churches, they have a welcome space which is open for a couple of hours once a week. When I visited recently it was great to see how the small group of men who attend regularly have transformed from strangers to people who share what is happening in their lives and encourage and support each other. Transformation happens when barriers are broken down, where people feel valued, where there is a common cause to support and where actions are driven by love.  The second question is harder but just as important – what are we doing to transform the world around us? Mary transformed the world by being willing to be Jesus’ mother, to carry him in her womb, go through childbirth and love and care for him until he was an adult. So how is God asking us to help transform the world today? How are we using our time and talents in kingdom building? How are we being transformed by the Spirit so we can be more faithful and willing disciples? What has us raising our voice to God in praise because of what God is doing in our communities? 

Isaiah describes a future that speaks of spiritual, physical and ecological renewal. Mary’s song tells us that God has already started this renewal through transformation. When I look at the community around me, as I listen to the news I know that work still needs to be done so as we prepare for Christmas let us take some time and answer these two questions and let us be as willing as Mary to do our part in transforming the world into a place that lives by the values of the kingdom of God. Amen.  

Hymn     Heaven Shall Not Wait
John L Bell (born 1949) and Graham Maule (1958-2019) © 1987 WGRG, c/o Iona Community OneLicence No. # A-734713  Performed by Ruth and Joy Everingham © 2020 and used with their kind permission.

Heaven shall not wait for the poor to lose their patience,  
the scorned to smile, the despised to find a friend:  
Jesus is Lord; he has championed the unwanted;  
in him injustice confronts its timely end.  

Heaven shall not wait for the rich to share their fortunes,  
the proud to fall, the elite to tend the least:
Jesus is Lord;  he has shown the master’s privilege –
to kneel and wash servants’ feet before they feast. 

Heaven shall not wait for the dawn of great ideas,  
thoughts of compassion divorced from cries of pain:  
Jesus is Lord; he has married word and action;  
his cross and company make his purpose plain.
 
Heaven shall not wait for triumphant hallelujahs,
when earth has passed and we reach another shore:
Jesus is Lord;  in our present imperfection:
his power and love are for now and then for evermore.
 
Prayers of Intercession

In our prayers today there will be space to voice your own concerns. We will end each section with Lord in your mercy, if you could reply, hear our prayers.

Transforming God, 
we come before you now with our prayers for others. 
We long to see your kingdom grow, 
and yet there is much pain, hatred and conflict 
that we can struggle to see your vision of a better world. 
As we come together in prayer, open our hearts to the need around us
and help us bring these things before you. 
Lord in your mercy hear our prayers

We pray for people and places who are affected the most because of the climate crisis …
(pause)

Lord in your mercy hear our prayers

We pray for those whose voice is ignored or simply not heard …
(pause)
Lord in your mercy hear our prayers

We pray for those who face racism, prejudice, hatred daily ….
(pause)
Lord in your mercy hear our prayers

We pray for those who are trying to make a positive difference in reducing inequality and injustice ….
(pause)
Lord in your mercy hear our prayers

We pray for places of conflict, of political unrest, of danger….
(pause)
Lord in your mercy hear our prayers

God of hope, we offer up our prayers in the name of Jesus as we pray together the words he taught us saying: Our Father…

Offertory Prayer

With joyful hearts let us prepare to offer to God the first fruits of our labours so that God’s work can continue to transform our communities. 

Generous and gracious God, 
We thank you for all that you have freely given us.
With thankful and joyful hearts, we bring you our offering, 
of money time and talents. 
Use these gifts to your glory, 
Transforming us and our communities into places 
where your name is glorified 
and your kingdom values shape our life together. 
In Jesus name we pray.  Amen. 

Hymn     Tell Out My Soul
Timothy Dudley-Smith (1926-2024) from Luke 1 vs46-55 © administered by Oxford University Press in Europe OneLicence No # A-734713 BBC Songs of Praise

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!
Unnumbered blessings, give my spirit voice;
tender to me the promise of his word;
in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his Name!
Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done;
his mercy sure, from age to age the same;
his holy Name, the Lord, the Mighty One.
 
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!
Powers and dominions lay their glory by.
Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight,
the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!
Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.
Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord
to children’s children and for evermore.
 
Blessing / Sending out

Lord, as we leave this time of worship 
and go out into our communities
open our eyes to your work around us
open our ears to your calling on our time and talents
may we be ready to be agents of transformation. 
As we go, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
The love of God and the fellowship of the holy Spirit, 
Be with us today, tomorrow, and always.  Amen. 

Saturday 13 December 2025
 

St Matthew 10: 24 – 25

Jesus said: “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!’

Reflection

Matthew 10 reads like an induction programme for new recruits, something with which many of us are familiar. We get the overall brief, the detailed instructions, warnings, guidance  and commentary. These particular verses are part of the warnings. The disciples can only expect the treatment which the leader – the teacher – will receive, including defamation and false accusation. These warnings will be borne out in the lives of the Apostles, saints and martyrs.

In the classical world, the well-to-do would hire a tutor for the household. Aristotle, for example,  was tutor to Alexander the Great.  Alternatively, young men would study with a tutor at a school or follow an itinerant teacher.

This pattern we see with Jesus and his followers, –  the inner circle of the twelve, the seventy, the women, and the crowds who came to hear him or be healed. The teacher’s message might not find favour with the authorities. It is striking that the two greatest teachers of the western world – Jesus of Nazareth and Socrates of Athens – were both executed by the state. However, there is a stark contrast. Socrates took poison and died in the company of his friends. Jesus died a brutal, public, humiliating, death; abandoned except by a few friends both men and women.

However you have experienced teaching and learning – as student or teacher or both – you will know it is a varied and complicated experience. In the Gospel narratives we find misunderstanding, resistance, incomprehension, then growing recognition and response amongst the disciples but outright rejection by Judas. 

Our contemporary experience at school and after will perhaps be less personally focussed than in the classical era but we will surely be able to identify a teacher who has made a profound impression on us and helped to shape our lives. This is most significant in the journey of faith. Reflect on those who have supported you on that journey by word and deed. 

Prayer

 Lord – thank you for teachers, for those who have helped us learn, grow and develop, especially in faith.

Thank you especially for Jesus, the best teacher of all. Help us to be worthy to be called his disciples.

Amen

inspiration in your inbox 11 December 2025   St Matthew 10: 21 – 23 Jesus said:  “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death.  You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.  When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Reflection When I read these verses, I feel the weight of Jesus’s honesty, following Him will be costly, and sometimes that cost shows up in the hardest places, even within our own families. It’s not what we want to hear. Deep down we long for peace, for our faith to bring unity and to be celebrated by those we love most. But Jesus makes it clear, there will be moments when following Him stirs up misunderstanding and even resistance. That’s a heavy weight to bear, it’s not easy to accept.   I don’t believe Jesus said this to discourage us. I believe He was preparing us. He knew we’d face rejection, that ridicule might come from those closest to us. But even in those difficult places He gives us hope. He promises to walk through it with us. He promises He will always be with us. He asks us to endure, to cling onto Him when the going is tough. To trust that He is there and we’re not alone because Emmanuel, God is with us.   Jesus doesn’t want us to pretend that it’s ok, to act as if there’s no loss or cost, He understands, He gets it, he knows the sting of rejection and opposition. It cost him his life. What Jesus wants is for us to not lose sight of what we have found and gained in Him. When we feel battle worn and weary, He wants us to remember that following Him is worth it. Always.   And the beautiful thing. He notices it all. Every quiet act of faithfulness, every tear, every whispered prayer, every time we choose to keep going when it would be easier to give up. He sees us. It all matters to Him. He treasures each moment. None of it is wasted. Prayer   Lord Jesus, thank You for never asking me to walk this path alone. When following You feels costly, remind me that You understand, and You are near. Give me courage to endure and a faithful heart that trusts that You are always enough, that You are the One who calls us and You are always faithful. Amen.

Today’s writer Mandy Bayton is the Director of Mission for the Diocese of Swansea  New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

St Matthew 10: 16 – 20

Jesus said: “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.  Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues.  On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.  But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say,  for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Reflection

“Do not worry about what to say or how to say it … for it will not be you who will be speaking but the Spirit”.

These are comforting words for anyone tasked with standing up in church to preach or reflect on the day’s scripture or sitting at a computer desperately trying to write an engaging daily devotion!  But I do worry.  

I worry that what I write or say may not be authentic.  Is this really me speaking, or am I simply parroting the words of others that I have read or heard? 

I worry that my words may be clumsy and misunderstood and that I might offend.  Should I dare to speak freely from notes or play safe and write out the text in full? 

And I worry that what I say may not be interesting and engaging.   Does my unique lived experience have any relevance to others?  Do I have something worthwhile to say?

Over the years, I have learned that the words do come, even if at times the Spirit seems to want to make me work a little harder.  I am amazed at some of the thoughts and ideas that get put into my head as I wrestle with the scripture.  And I learned very early on that the world is not quite as hostile as Jesus warned.  My audiences are gracious and supportive and encouraging.

So I will carry on speaking and writing about my faith-view of the world … using the words that the Spirit gives me.

Prayer

God be in my head, and in my thinking.
God be in my mouth, and in my speaking.
God be in my heart and in my living.
Amen.

St Matthew 10: 9 – 15

Jesus said: “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts –  no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave.  As you enter the home, give it your greeting.  If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.  If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.

Reflection

This was not the Bible reading, when at Synod, everyone needed to be persuaded to appoint yet another paid member of staff.  When should we guarantee people a secure salary, sickness benefits and a pension in order to carry out their discipleship?

British culture and British churches have traditionally been much more wedded to voluntary principles than in many other countries. From lifeboats to blood transfusions, the British system is utterly dependent on committed volunteers who seek no gold or silver or copper. Apart from the part-time cleaner and a little something for the organist, many of our churches have relied wholly on volunteers for sustaining church life for generations.

But the mood is changing. The burdens feel more daunting. In settings where people power is in desperately short supply but bank balances are growing, it can make perfect sense to appoint a paid person to relieve the burden of administration. Some people even fantasise that if a person is paid they will automatically be more “professional” than the passionate volunteer.

Each case needs to be settled on its merits but is Jesus suggesting there is a bigger issue to consider too? He wants a community of disciples who are mutually dependent, not because it is inevitable but because it is healthy. The urgings of our culture to seek individual self-sufficiency Jesus has already seen through.

Under our stipendiary system the church family guarantees our ministers a basic income, sufficient to relieve them of financial anxiety even if not large enough to fill a wardrobe with extra shirts. It can be seen as a well-established working out of exactly what Jesus is seeking. For those of us not called to be ministers, what sorts of insecurity are we willing to accept in return for dependence on our sisters and brothers in Christ?

Prayer

Lord Jesus,
the only Head of the Church.
you constantly nudge us to be a better Church.
 
Help us to challenge our culture with your teaching.
Help us to live out that challenge in our choices.
 
Within our churches, bind us together in mutual dependence:
   celebrating our possibilities
   enjoying our differences
   discerning each other’s needs
   offering our gifts of time, expertise and money
   and ready to receive as well as give.

Amen        

 

St Matthew 10: 1 – 8

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John;  Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;  Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.  Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.  As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Reflection – Judas the healer?

As incredible as they are, sometimes when we see these ancient texts, we need to look at the more supernatural stuff, like driving out impure spirits and healing every single disease and sickness, with a pinch of salt. I’m not necessarily doubting that Jesus could perform miracles, but we have to understand that today’s reading talks of the mission of Jesus sending out his twelve disciples, which is from a very different time. 

This is the first time in the book of Matthew where the twelve are mentioned, and they are a mixed bunch – fishermen, tax collectors, zealots, doubters and betrayers. What is remarkable here, not just that Jesus sends out his followers to perform miracles to the lost sheep of Israel, is that Matthew doesn’t leave anyone out. Judas Iscariot, the traitor who betrays, performs miracles. 

The fact that Judas shared in the ministry should challenge us all. God’s love is not limited by human weakness, hypocrisy or even treachery – Judas was a vessel of grace too. So who is “fit” for ministry? I’m not sure we should be drawing hard and fast lines on that question to be honest. If someone like Judas was sent, then no one is disqualified as an instrument of God’s compassion.

The passage ends with Jesus’ reminder: “Freely you have received; freely give.” The authority of the call is not a possession that we earn or own, but gifts that are freely given to everyone. We as disciples of Christ are called to be generous, not to control. We might be as flawed as Jesus, as uncertain as Thomas, as impetuous as Peter, but Christ sends us out to embody the Kingdom through word and deed. 

Prayer

Jesus,
you gave power even to Judas,
showing that your Kingdom breaks every boundary we draw.
Send us out with the same reckless grace,
to heal, to disturb, to set captives free.
Use us, despite our failures,
to make your dangerous love visible in the world.
Amen.

 
Today’s service is led by the Revd Andy Braunston

 
Welcome and Introduction

Hello and welcome to worship.  It’s my honour to lead this service today; my name is Andy Braunston and I am the United Reformed Church’s Minister for Digital Worship.  I live in Orkney, an island county off Scotland’s far north coast.  Our readings today both, in their different ways, speak of hope.  In an ancient war-dominated society Isaiah offered a vision of a new leader who would bring peace, justice, wisdom, and righteousness.  His words echoed around a besieged city sure of its doom.  In our Gospel reading we hear the fiery words of John the Baptist – a preacher with whom the establishment was ill at ease.  His fiery words of judgement coupled with a call to turn lives around offered hope – but a hope that comes through deliberate hard work.  In our own world wedded to war we need the hope of peace.  In a world of rabble-rousing political leaders, we need folk like John the Baptist who can speak truth to power.  In a world longing for justice, we need to embody the coming Kingdom where the poor are lifted up, the hungry fed, and the oppressed freed.  So, with such a hopeful mission before us we come to worship. 

Call to Worship

Come to worship from east and west, north and south,
to prepare a way for the Lord.
Come to worship, rich and poor, comfortable and just getting by,
to prepare a way for the Lord.
Come to worship with your lives and your loves, your prejudices and politics
to prepare a way for the Lord.
Come to be fed, inspired, and renewed; 
we come to prepare a way for the Lord.

Hymn     Isaiah the Prophet Has Written of Old
Joy F Patterson, © 1982 The Hymn Society (admin. Hope Publishing Company). OneLicence A-734713

Isaiah the prophet has written of old
how God’s earthly kingdom shall come.
Instead of the thorn tree the fir tree shall grow;
the wolf shall lie down with the lamb, the lamb,
the wolf shall lie down with the lamb.

The mountains and hills shall break forth into song,
the peoples be led forth in peace;
for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God
as the waters cover the sea, the sea,
as the waters cover the sea.
 
Yet nations still prey on the meek of the world,
and conflict turns parent from child.
Your people despoil all the sweetness of earth;
the brier and the thorn grow wild, grow wild,
the brier and thorn tree grow wild.

God, bring to fruition your will for the earth,
that no one shall hurt or destroy,
that wisdom and justice shall reign in the land
and your people shall go forth in joy, in joy,
your people shall go forth in joy.
 
Prayers of Approach, Confession, and Grace

We come to worship, Eternal One, 
full of praise for Your love and faithfulness.

We come to worship, Lord Jesus,
thankful for the faithful prophets of old.

We come to worship, Most Holy Spirit,
full of joy yet yearning for change.

Meet us in this place, Eternal Trinity,
that as we offer our praise, You may lift our spirits;
that as we bring our thanks, You may change our hearts,
that as we bring our joy, You may inspire us to serve.

Yet despite our praise, gratitude, and joy, we are conscious, O God, 
of grumbling hearts, selfish lives, and miserable spirits.
We know we easily turn away from following You,
preferring the expedient over the right, 
the easy over the just, and the pragmatic over the prophetic.
We are sorry and ask for time to change, time to return to You,
time to put our lives, and the life of the world, right.
Have mercy, O God, and grant us time to change.  Amen.
God, our Maker,  is the source of all mercy,
and through the life, death, and resurrection of the Son, Jesus Christ,
has reconciled the world to His own self,
and sent the Holy Spirit amongst us for the forgiveness of sins.
Through the ministry of the Church we receive pardon and peace;
we are absolved from our sins by God,
Eternal Majesty, Enfleshed Word, and Enlivening Spirit,
and find the strength to forgive ourselves.  Amen.

Prayer for Illumination

Come upon us, Spirit of counsel and might,
Spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord,
and be our delight.
That as the Word is read and proclaimed
in ancient and contemporary word,
we might judge with righteousness and equity,
and live in peace with people and planet.  Amen.

Reading     Isaiah 11:1-10

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.  The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see or decide by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge for the poor and decide with equity for the oppressed of the earth; he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist and faithfulness the belt around his loins. The wolf shall live with the lamb; the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the lion will feed together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Hymn     On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry
Charles Coffin  (1676-1749) Public Domain Sung by the Grosse Pointe Memorial Church (Michigan) Virtual Choir with James Biery, organist and used with their kind permission. 
 
On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
announces that the Lord is nigh;
awake and hearken for he brings
glad tidings of the King of kings.

Then cleansed be every heart from sin;
make straight the way for God within;
and let us all our hearts prepare 
for Christ to come and enter there.

We hail you as our Saviour, Lord,
our refuge and our great reward;
without your grace we waste away,
like flowers that wither and decay.

Stretch forth your hand, our health restore,
and make us rise to fall no more;
O let your face upon us shine,
and fill the world with love divine.
 
Reading     St Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'” Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region around the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Therefore, bear fruit worthy of repentance, and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. “I baptize you with water for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is more powerful than I, and I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Sermon 

The task of the preacher is to make links between the world of the ancient writers, whose works are collected in the Bible,  and our own.  The preacher has to make sense of their message then and see how that message might make sense now.  Of course, it’s your job to judge how ably the preacher does this!  

Advent is a season full of hope; the hope represented in the Christ Child, the hope represented by the knowledge He will come again at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, even the simple hope of having some extended time off to catch up with loved ones.  We’re offered readings about hope but as we see in today’s Gospel reading the hope might be elusive!  Yet hope is a theme which is something humans repeatedly return to.  Hope keeps us going in tough times; hope knows that things will get better, and hope gives us the strength to work for those better times.

In recent years there have been two great trends in politics; one hopeful and one not.  In one rage and resentment are stoked as the social problems we have are blamed on migrants.  Small boats crossing the Channel are seen as the biggest problem for our politicians to address; some of us, of course, might think more problems are caused by private jets and their passengers.  Against this angry rhetoric traditional parties try to respond by tacking towards the rabble rousers, offering some political “red meat” to the crowd in the hope it will calm their thirst.  

However, another way is coming to the fore now; not radical rabble rousing nor hopeless handwringing but a hopeful move towards the anger in order to counter it.  In America Zohran Mamdani confounded the Democratic Party’s establishment and was elected on a message focused on hope and changing the problems which best New Yorkers without blaming the poor, the excluded or the migrant.  He not only gained far more votes than his competitors but also increased the size of the turnout.  A hopeful sign in an age ever more cynical about our politics.  In the UK Zack Polanski’s new leadership of the Green Party of England and Wales is interesting in his desire to tackle the issues that others make into priorities head on offering a different narrative.  As others try to critique and belittle, membership of his party – and its place in the polls – increases.  Regardless of what we think of the policies offered by either Polanski or Mamdani, those who are attracted to them speak of hope and social justice.  Of course, it remains to be seen if this hope is deserved and what it might lead to but hope in our political life is a rare thing in our age just as it was in Isaiah’s.

Isaiah gives an image of a truly righteous leader; predator and prey will lie together and even creation itself will be at one with the Creator.  Against the lived reality of war, the writer proclaims peace.  Against the nightmares of the age, the writer offers a dream!  There is hope of a new beginning represented by a shoot springing from disaster and destruction.  

There wasn’t, however, much cause for hope in the age in which it was written.  Assyria had destroyed the northern Jewish kingdom of Israel which was a more fertile area than the southern kingdom of Judah.  It acted as a buffer against Assyria – a buffer which was now gone as the Assyrians came within reach of Jerusalem.  These words may have been proclaimed in a city surrounded by a foreign army, giving hope to a besieged people with little food.  The hope offered is of a political leader who does justice, leads with wisdom, and cares for the weakest.  A political leader like that, then and now, would be a marvel!  In Isaiah’s vision absolute power does not corrupt, unlike in our world where humanity’s fallenness leads to corruption, cronyism, and crisis after crisis.  More, this wise ruler is dependent upon God and knows the source of peace, power, and grace is God’s own self.  This realisation evokes joy and delight.  This is a king who will defend the poor – not the elite – and those who oppose him will be seen as wicked.  

As Christians we read this text, particularly in Advent, and our minds are drawn to Jesus as the ideal ruler.  Yet for the Jewish people who heard this passage, and still read it, the yearning for a new world where justice and righteousness flow is strong.  If secular folk were asked to describe a good politician the attributes in today’s passage might be seen as worth considering.  As we approach Christmas we are led to wonder how we both embody and demand the leadership described in this passage.  How do we speak of and live out justice?  How do we protect the poor and vulnerable -even as forces of evil and destruction are raging at the gates?  

It’s often said that preachers shouldn’t bring politics into the pulpit; yet our Gospel reading today is incredibly political if we know where to look!  In the Old Testament book of 2 Kings the prophet Elijah made himself a thorn in the flesh of the political leaders of the day.  Queen Jezebel wanted him dead, King Ahab was at the receiving end of his barbs and, in a memorable episode he intercepted the messengers of King Ahaziah who sought messages from a pagan deity on the hapless king’s behalf.  The messengers reported back to Ahaziah of the person they met who had taunted them with the line “Is there no God in Israel?” and told them to inform the King of his own coming demise.  The messengers didn’t know who this prophet was, but on describing him to the king “a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist” the exasperated Ahaziah knew it was Elijah who had foretold his doom.  
In today’s reading Matthew describes John the Baptist as wearing clothes made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist.  The point is clear; John was playing the part of Elijah, a part that meant condemnation of the king.  In this case the puppet king Herod who had married his sister-in-law against the strictures of the Jewish law and who collaborated with the Roman occupiers.  John announced that it was time to repent as the people were forgetting God and that this was the long-promised time the people had been yearning for.  God’s reign is at hand.  It doesn’t get more political than critiquing the royal family, telling people to change their ways and announcing that the current order of things will be overthrown!  In case anyone was to miss the political implications, John dressed as the prophet Elijah.  

It doesn’t get any more hopeful than proclaiming God’s kingdom is at hand.  John’s ministry was successful with people coming to be baptised in the Jordan to symbolise their turning away from sin and injustice.  Even baptism in the Jordan is symbolic; in the days of old the Jewish people crossed it to enter their promised land, now a new promised land is at hand – God’s kingdom.  A kingdom where the poor are raised up, the hungry fed, the prisoners freed, the ill healed and God’s favour is on us all.  That sounds more hopeful even than the message proclaimed by Messers Mamdani and Polanski – and just as radical!

The Church gives us these readings in Advent when we think of the coming kingdom inaugurated by Jesus; our Isaiah reading is taken by Christians to speak of Jesus but we are tempted to divorce both Isaiah’s prophecy and John the Baptist’s preaching from their political contexts.  Maybe we do that so we don’t have to think too much about what repentance, critique of today’s rulers, and righteousness might mean for us!  There’s plenty in Jesus’ teaching calling out hypocrisy, the misuse of religion, and a call to leave behind our destructive ways.  Like his cousin John, Jesus had a contemptuous relationship with Herod; before Pilate Jesus said little provoking Pilate’s angry disbelief.  John, and Jesus, offered hope, just as Isaiah had in his time.  It might not seem hopeful to lay an axe at the root of the tree, but Isaiah reminds us that from stumps come new shoots.  

Our Isaiah passage offers hope in the midst of the ever-present threat of war.  Our passage from Matthew offers radical hope, a hope of God’s kingdom breaking in but a hope tinged with action – that axe poised to bring down the fruitless. An audacious hopeful prophet told crowds to repent.  Audacious prophets were not afraid to critique the powers of the day.  It seems to me that our world is still crying out for this type of hope and a lasting meaningful change.  The cost-of-living crisis demands sacrifice and difficult choices yet we worry that paying even more tax won’t make a difference; we wonder too if the very rich really pay their fair share.  Rabble rousing politicians enrage the people making them take their legitimate anger at the way things are out on folk who haven’t caused the problems. 

Politicians who offer hope offer an unusual analysis these days, almost Biblical in its implications: times are a-changing, the rich can’t continue as they are and will be called to account.  I’m not for a minute suggesting either Mr Polanski or Mr Mamdani are playing the part of John the Baptist, but both have been nurtured by Scriptural messages of justice and of a God who demands righteousness.  Might their understandings of their own faith traditions help us understand ours more clearly?  Let’s pray,

Audacious God give us hope this Advent,
hope for a better world, hope for a lasting peace, hope for justice,
and hope for integrity in our religious and political leaders.
We place our faith in hope embodied in a baby 
born in precarious times, seen as a challenge to the powers,
executed as a rebel, but raised by You on high.
Give us hope, dear God, that through You,
we may change the world.  Amen.  

Hymn     When Out of Poverty Is Born
© Kathy Galloway, Wild Goose Publications OneLicence # A-734713. Unknown Singers at Christian Aid Service on YouTube

When out of poverty is born a dream that will not die
a landless, weary folk find strength to stand with heads held high,
it’s then we learn from those who wait to greet the promised day:
‘The Lord is coming; don’t lose heart be blest: prepare the way!’

When people wander far from God, forget to share their bread,
they find their wealth an empty thing, their spirits are not fed.
For only just and tender love the hungry soul will stay.
And so God’s prophets echo still: ‘Be blest: prepare the way!’
 
When God took flesh and came to earth, the world turned upside down,
and in the strength of women’s faith the Word of Life was born.
She knew that God would raise the low, it pleased her to obey.
Rejoice with Mary in the call: ‘Be blest: prepare the way!’

Affirmation of Faith

We believe in God: a God of justice who lifts the poor, 
feeds the hungry, delivers the needy, and crushes the oppressor.  

We believe in Jesus Christ: 
God made flesh who knows what human life is like, 
who through story and miracle explained who God is, 
who forgave sinners, ate with outcasts, 
loved the unlovely, upset the religious 
and challenged the powers of His day.  

For this he was unjustly tried, tortured, 
and put to a shameful criminal’s death.  
God, however, did not leave Jesus to rot, 
raising him to new life, defeating evil, sin, and death itself.   

We believe in the Holy Spirit: 
who nourishes us as showers that water the earth, 
who makes righteousness flourish and peace abound, 
who calls us to be Church 
and to proclaim the Kingdom that is to come.  Amen.

Intercessions

We bring our prayers to God for the needs of the world, the Church, those we love, and ourselves knowing that God holds us in love and inspires us to change.

Eternal God, we look at our world and its needs 
seeking Your wisdom and understanding;
our world is at war, and where not at war busy preparing for it,
yet we long for peace.

Give your counsel to peacemakers
bless their efforts of diplomacy and dignity, of passion and protest,
that lands, homes, and children may be safe,
that people need not flee for their lives,
and that justice will flow.

God, in your mercy…hear our prayer!

Risen Lord Jesus, we look at Your Church and its needs 
seeking fortitude and knowledge,
the Church suffers through persecution and indifference,
yet we long to follow You.

We pray for congregations meeting in secret,
where prayers are said in fear and candles lit in darkness.
We pray for congregations facing closure knowing their work is complete,
and for Christians in these islands 
faced with indifference, suspicion, and distrust.
Give us a vision of who we are to be, Lord Jesus, in these changing times.

God, in your mercy…hear our prayer!

Most Holy Spirit, we look at our own lives and needs, 
and the needs of those we know and love,
seeking fear of the Lord and righteousness.

We bring to You, first those who are ill in mind, body or spirit,
those in despair and think life not worth living…

We lift ourselves before You,
faithful, yet often faithless, disciples, a holy, yet often unholy, people,
folk who are fearful of social change, attitudes and values
when we should be full of awe for You alone…

Remake us, O Spirit, that as we bring our needs, the needs of the Church, 
and the needs of our world before You, we act to make a difference.

God, in your mercy…hear our prayer!

We bring all our prayers together as we pray as Jesus taught saying, 
Our Father…

Offertory

The prophets in our world tell us not to flee the wrath to come but adapt to the changing climate.  Our prophets point out the idiocy of business as usual in the face of catastrophic changes and urge us to live more simply so that others may simply live.  Giving is part of the change we need to embrace; giving to charities and good causes, giving of our time, talents, and treasure.  Giving our love with generous hearts.  

In our churches the length and breadth of our nations we give; we offer hospitality, we collect food for the hungry, we give money to causes near and far, we give of our own time and love so that others may value themselves and God more highly.  And, of course, we give with our finances; sometimes in the plate, sometimes in envelopes or via standing orders directly to the bank so our money arrives even if we don’t!  So, we offer our all our gifts, of time, talent and treasure to God, that it may be used to pave the way of the Kingdom.  Let us pray

God of every good gift,
we thank You for all that is given here in this congregation,
let our gifts and generosity be signs of our love and life,
that the voices crying in the wilderness of our world
may prepare a way for your coming kingdom.  Amen.

Hymn     Bread of the World In Mercy Broken
Reginald Heber (1827) Public Domain Sung by Daniel Au & John Shields, accompanied by Dr. Lindsey Henriksen Rodgers at Central Lutheran Church, Aug. 2024.

Bread of the world in mercy broken,
wine of the soul in mercy shed,
by whom the words of life were spoken,
and in whose death our sins are dead.

Look on the heart by sorrow broken,
look on the tears by sinners shed,
and be Thy feast to us the token
that by Thy grace our souls are fed.
 
Holy Communion

Introduction

God be with you!                                      And also with you!
Lift up your hearts!                                   We lift them up to God!
Let us give God our thanks and praise!   It is right and proper so to do!

It is indeed right and good to give you thanks and praise,
almighty God and everlasting Maker, through Jesus Christ your Son.
For when he humbled himself to come among us in human flesh,
he fulfilled the plan you formed before the foundation of the world
to open for us the way of salvation.
Confident that your promise will be fulfilled,
we now watch for the day when Christ our Lord will come again.
And so we join our voices with angels and archangels
and with all the company of heaven
to proclaim your glory
for ever praising you and singing:

The Slane Sanctus
Michael Forster © 1993, 1995, Kevin Mayhew Ltd, OneLicence No  # A-734713
Soloist Lucy Bunce

Holy, most holy, 
all holy the Lord,
in power and wisdom 
for ever adored.
The earth and the heavens 
are full of your love;
our joyful hosannas 
re-echo above.  

Blessèd, most blessed, 
all blessed is he,
whose life makes us whole, 
and whose death sets us free;
who comes in the name of 
the Father of light,
let endless hosannas 
resound in the height.
 
Thanksgiving & Memory

Yes, Holy One, we bring You our praises for Your marvellous work;
You formed us in Your very image, set us in the midst of all creation, 
and made this world a garden of delight.
For this we thank You; for this we praise You!

Yet we chose not to work with Your creation but go our own way,
abusing and exploiting Your world and each other.
In response You gave holy law to guide us, judges to protect us,
and prophets to call us back to You through hard, direct, 
and often political words and action.
Yet we did not listen and so, in Your good time, 
You became one of us, one with us.
For this we thank You; for this we praise You!

In Jesus You know what human life is like,
its glory and tragedy, its joy and sorrow.
Jesus proclaimed good news to the poor, healing for the sick,
sight for the blind, release for captives, and the coming of Your Kingdom. 
For preaching love and fidelity He was betrayed by one he loved. 
For proclaiming justice and peace, He was given over to secret trial, 
lying witnesses and violent torture.
For showing how abundant life brings joy,
He was nailed to a cross and left to shameful death.
But You did not leave Him in the grave, and raised Him on high,
defeating death and sin and injustice.
For this we thank You; for this we praise You!

Institution

Before He was given over to betrayal, torture and death,
Jesus shared in the simplicity of a meal with his friends.
During the meal he took some bread,
said the ancient blessing,
broke it, and gave it to His disciples saying:

Take this all of you and eat it,
For this is my body, broken for you.

After Supper he took the cup filled with wine,
said the ancient blessing, and, giving the cup to his friends, said

Take this all of you and drink from it,
this is my blood given for the forgiveness of sins,
do this in memory of me.  

So let us proclaim the mystery of our faith:

Christ has died!  Christ is risen!  Christ will come again!

Epiclesis

Holy One, as we remember Jesus’ life, death, and new life,
send Your Holy Spirit on these simple things of bread and wine
that they may be for us the communion with the body and blood of Christ.

Gather us into heaven with You, 
that as we eat and drink we may encounter our risen and ascended Lord
as both guest and host at this table.

Send Your Holy Spirit on us,
that our lives, both simple and complex,
may be signs of Your coming kingdom,
breaking into our world, turning lives around, 
and reminding us of the proper order of things.
And so, through Jesus, with Jesus, in Jesus,
with the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is Yours, 
O Most High, for ever and ever, Amen!

The body and blood of Christ, given for you!  

Music for Communion     As We Gather At Your Table by Carl P Daw Jr 
Sung by Chris Brunelle and used with his kind permission. OneLicence No  # A-734713

Post Communion Prayer

O Lord our God, make us watchful and keep us faithful
as we await the coming of your Son our Lord; that, when he shall appear,
he may not find us sleeping in sin but active in his service
and joyful in his praise; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Hymn     Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
Charles Wesley Public Domain, sung by Phil and Lythan Nevard and used with their kind permission.
 
Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.
 
Blessing

May the One who yearns for peace and justice,
the One who proclaims the coming Kingdom,
and the One who calls us to action,
bless you with a hunger and thirst for righteousness,
that you may be ready when Christ comes again.
And the blessing of Almighty God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be with you all now and always,  Amen.
 

 
St Matthew 9: 35 – 38
 
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few;  therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.’
 
Reflection
 
I can remember, when I grew up in South Africa in the 50’s and 60’s, getting to know the first woman minister ordained in the Congregational Church, the Revd Dr Unez Smuts. One of her gifts was healing people. In my childhood I was both surprised and comforted by this gift. And it wasn’t a gift that was widely shared across ministers in those days.

Jesus’ ministry was full of his healing of those who were sick, even in the midst of all his teaching and travelling and calling people to be his disciples. I can also remember, after I came to the UK, reading up about the NHS and the background of the Church’s ministry among the sick in such areas such as the setting up of hospitals which helped to contribute to the formation of the NHS.

There are times when I find myself wondering today whether the Church could again raise up the ministry of healing more fully, as part of a tradition which can sometimes feel more neglected in our shared life. Could we offer more in prayer on Sundays or during the week for those we know who are sick and suffering? Could we pray and work more for the NHS in all that it offers today, despite its many struggles?

Jesus said to his disciples ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few’. It feels like in our present society there are rising numbers of people with health issues, but not always enough ‘labourers’ to care for everyone’s needs, whether in the NHS or across the churches.

It’s not only about healing. We need more people today who feel able to speak out about God’s love, and demonstrate by their actions, the way this love might be lived out. As we do this, we might come to see more of the kind of world God is promising, in which there is not just judgement and argument, but the reality of love and healing.

Prayer

Loving and healing God,
help us to see again today the way your love and healing may take place.
Increase our care for the sick and our prayer for the suffering.
Deepen our care, in the Church, for those we know who are unwell.
Strengthen the NHS in its places of struggle.
May your harvest of love be more and more abundant.
Amen.
.
 

St Matthew 9: 32 – 34
 
After they had gone away, a demoniac who was mute was brought to Jesus. And when the demon had been cast out, the one who had been mute spoke; and the crowds were amazed and said, ‘Never has anything like this been seen in Israel.’ But the Pharisees said, ‘By the ruler of the demons he casts out the demons.’
 
Reflection
 
Chapter 9 begins with the healing of a man who is paralysed, goes on the tell of the call of Matthew, and a controversy concerning fasting. Then the focus returns to healing as Jesus restores a young girl to life, heals a woman and two men who are blind.
 
Now after the departure of the two men we get a final description of a healing in this chapter as Jesus exorcises someone who is spoken of as a demoniac and is unable to speak. The word used here for muteness is kophos is likely to imply deafness as well. Later in Matthew’s Gospel a similar story is told of the healing of a demoniac who is both blind and mute (Matthew 12:22-24).
 
If you read this story in the Revised English Bible (and the New English Bible), the whole of verse 34, which is the response of the Pharisees is left out, the editors are following manuscripts of the Gospel which omit this verse. Other scholars take a different view and favour the longer reading and so include what the Pharisees have to say.
 
Let us return to the story, in Jesus’ day a number of diseases are associated with possession, and being unable to speak was one such disease. Jesus casts out the demon, we are not told how, and the crowds are amazed, they have not seen anything like this before. There is a contrast between the crowds and the Pharisees, who see the whole thing in a bad light. This has surely been done by the ruler of the demons.
 
The contrasting reaction between the people and those who oppose Jesus is at the heart of our understanding of the story. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-7:29), the demand to follow without turning back (Matthew 8:18-22), the calming of the storm (8:23-27) and his care for the troubled and the sick all indicate the radical nature of Jesus’ challenge, inviting faith or opposition. In Jesus the Kingdom has come.
 
Prayer
 
Gracious God,
Jesus was concerned for those who struggled,
The sick,
The poor,
And the oppressed.
He brought healing and liberation.
 
May we,
Who follow Jesus today,
Be open to the needs of those around us.
Challenging the demons of abuse, prejudice, conflict and injustice.
Amen.