St Matthew 19: 16 – 29
 
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony,  honour your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’” “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
 
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.
 
Reflection
 
Which one of these do you think you would find it harder to do – keep the commandments or sell your possessions and give the money to the poor? The young man who approached Jesus was confident that he had kept all the commandments, but baulked at the prospect of selling his possessions for the benefit of the poor.
 
Surely he was overconfident in claiming to keep all the commandments. Who does that all of the time – not me for sure. As for selling my possessions and giving my money to the poor, I do my best to be intentional and generous in charitable giving, but Jesus asks for much more than that.
 
If keeping the commandments and/or selling my possessions and giving the money to the poor is the minimum requirement for me to obtain eternal life then I’m sunk. I don’t have it in me to do either. As Jesus would put it, I’m a camel trying to squeeze through the eye of a needle.
 
If someone like me, who has already been visibly blessed by God with riches in this life, can’t make it into the kingdom of heaven, then as astounded disciples put it, ‘who can be saved?’ And Jesus’s answer is that no one can. No mere mortal like me (or you) can make this happen. It’s impossible, unless, of course, God chooses to make it possible.
 
Jesus goes on to talk about God making the impossible possible for those same astounded disciples, saying that they will ‘inherit eternal life.’ That won’t happen because they have cracked keeping all the commandments, though, nor because they have sold their possessions and given the money to the poor. It will happen because God has chosen to make it happen.
 
I need to relax. God’s ready, willing and able to squeeze me into the kingdom of heaven, somehow and somewhere. And for that I should give thanks, with keeping commandments and generosity to the poor being good ways to do so.
 
Prayer
 
Dear God, please do the impossible, and squeeze me into your kingdom of heaven.
Amen.

  
St Matthew 19: 13 – 15
 
Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”  When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
 
Reflection
 
In this short passage we are called to recognise how Jesus loved, and demonstrated that love, for children.
 
Jesus’ act is, for many, countercultural. For in this world the weak, small, and vulnerable are often disregarded without any care. However, for Jesus children come with no power or status and are the very embodiment of God’s Kingdom. A Kingdom where worth is not measured by position, strength or wealth but by innocence, trust, and love.
 
The passage challenges us to see all children as Jesus did, precious, sacred, and very much deserving of our love. When Jesus told the disciples “Let the children come” this was not just a spiritual invitation, it was a moral command. A command to break down the barriers of hatred, indifference, and violence that prevent children from experiencing life, love, and care.
 
When we look at the world in all its horror today, we witness children, the most vulnerable amongst people, caught in the crossfire of conflicts and wars. Wars which are in complete disobedience to the word of Christ who commanded us to “love our neighbour”.
 
It is therefore our responsibility, as the present disciples of Christ, to take a stance. To “let the children come”, to care for all the children of this world in whichever way we can. To give them a voice and to make their voices heard by those in power who put selfish I injustice before human life.
 
Jesus’ gentle act of blessing was a radical declaration that the compassion of God is, first and foremost, focused on those the world forgets. For instance, in Gaza, Ukraine and all other places where children suffer. This passage calls us to embody that same compassion. Not just in lip service but in advocacy, action and prayer. For, as Jesus reminds us, the Kingdom of heaven belongs to the weak and downtrodden.
 
When we defend, love and cherish the lives of children, we draw closer to that Kingdom on earth.
 
Prayer
 
Holy One,
You welcomed the little ones with open arms,
and so, we bring before You 
the children of Gaza, Ukraine 
and far too many other parts of this world,
living in fear, hunger, and loss,
Shelter them in your loving arms,
bring healing to their hearts, 
safety to their homes 
and peace to their lands.
In the name of Jesus, we pray.
Amen

 
Today’s service is led by the Revd Nicola Furley-Smith

Introduction and Call to Worship
 
We come on our own, we come together. We come with our excitement
and with our lack of expectation. We come with our longing and our pride. We come with our words and with our silence. We come to you, God of truth, with our hands and hearts open, asking that you reach out to us afresh. Show us your truth, direct our paths. You, alone, can change our lives. So we worship you – God of all that gives meaning to life. We worship you. Amen.
 
Hymn       Christ is the world’s true light
George Wallace Briggs (1875-1959) © Oxford University Press OneLicence No. # A-734713 Sung by the Choir of Sheffield Cathedral

Christ is the world’s true Light,
its Captain of salvation,
the Daystar clear and bright
to every land and nation;
new life, new hope awakes,
where we accept his way:
freedom her bondage breaks,
and night is turned to day.
 
2 In Christ all races meet,
their ancient feuds forgetting,
the whole round world complete,
from sunrise to its setting:
when Christ is known as Lord,
all shall forsake their fear,
to ploughshare beat the sword,
to pruning-hook the spear.

3 One Lord, in one great name unite us all who own thee;
cast out our pride and shame that hinder to enthrone thee;
the world has waited long,has travailed long in pain;
to heal its ancient wrong, come, Prince of Peace, and reign.
 
Prayer of Adoration
 
Holy and gracious God,
You speak through prophets and poets,
You shine through Christ, the Light of the World,
You stir our hearts by your Spirit
until we lift our eyes again to your glory.
e worship you
for your justice that rolls down like waters,
for your mercy that meets us in our weakness,
for your love that refuses to let us go.
We praise you
for creating us to shine with your light,
to season the earth with hope,
and to live as signs of your grace.
Receive our adoration, spoken and unspoken,
as your people gather in your name. Amen.
 
Prayer of Confession
 
Forgive us, loving God,
for the times we have sought our own glory
and lit our own lamps.
Forgive us when we have hidden the light you have kindled in us,
when fear has dimmed our discipleship
and pride has overshadowed your grace.
Shine the light of your humility and mercy into our hearts,
that individually and together we may reflect the obedience
and the self-giving love of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
 
Assurance of Pardon

Hear the good news:
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
In Christ we are forgiven; in Christ we are renewed. Thanks be to God.
 
The Lord’s Prayer
 
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
 
Hymn       Longing for light, we wait in darkness
© 1994 Bernadette Farrell (born 1957) published by OCP Publications 
OneLicense No. A-734713 Sung by Chris Brunelle and used with his kind permission.

Longing for light, 
we wait in darkness.
Longing for truth, 
we turn to you.
Make us your own, 
your holy people,
light for the world to see.
 
Christ be our light! 
Shine in our hearts.
Shine through the darkness.
Christ be our light!
Shine in your Church 
gathered today.
 
2 Longing for peace, 
our world is troubled.
Longing for hope, 
many despair.
Your word alone 
has pow’r to save us.
Make us your living voice.
 
3 Longing for food, 
many are hungry.
Longing for water, 
many still thirst.
Make us your bread, 
broken for others,
shared until all are fed.
 
Introduction to the Readings
 
Today’s Scriptures draw a straight line from the cry of the prophet Isaiah
to the teaching of Jesus on the hillside. Isaiah reminds God’s people that true worship is not outward performance but lives shaped by justice, compassion, and liberation.  And Jesus, using images of salt and light,
calls us to a faith that is visible, transformative, and grounded in God’s long faithfulness. Let us listen for the Word of the Lord.
 
Reading   Isaiah 58:1–9a
 
Shout out; do not hold back! Lift up your voice like a trumpet! Announce to my people their rebellion, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet day after day they seek me and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they want God on their side. “Why do we fast, but you do not see? Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?” Look, you serve your own interest on your fast day and oppress all your workers. You fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day to humble oneself? Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush and to lie in sackcloth and ashes? Will you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.”
 
Reading   St Matthew 5:13–20
 
Jesus said:  “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything but is thrown out and trampled under foot. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. People do not light a lamp put it under the bushel basket; rather they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
 
Sermon
 
This is at the heart of what it means to belong to God’s people. These are not abstract teachings. These are not lofty theological puzzles. They are earthed in the ordinary, the everyday, the things we handle without thinking: Salt. Cities. Light.
 
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus turns to these mundane images for a reason. They are familiar enough that no one could miss the point—yet, if we listen closely, they carry a challenge that unsettles us.
 
“You are the salt of the earth,” Jesus says. Useful, necessary, preserving, sharpening, giving life flavour. Yet he presses the metaphor: salt that loses its saltiness is no longer salt. It is neither seasoning nor a preservative. It has forgotten what it is for. And so, it is thrown onto the path, where it simply becomes dust beneath other people’s feet.
 
It’s a stark picture. Because Jesus isn’t talking about the ingredients of a first-century kitchen. He’s talking about us. About the vocation of God’s people. About righteousness—not righteousness as self-importance or moral superiority, but righteousness as faithfulness to God’s call, the kind of living that makes God recognisable in the world.
 
So how is righteousness like salt? Perhaps because it is meant to make a difference. Salt without flavour is pointless; righteousness without action is equally so. And who is the salt that has lost its saltiness? That is the question Jesus leaves hanging in the air. It’s meant to make us uncomfortable enough to look at our lives and our church with honesty. Have we forgotten what we are for? Have we lost our distinctive tang? Have we become so cautious, or so weary, or so anxious about reputation, that we have lost the courage to live differently?
 
If salt unsettles us, then light reorientates us. Jesus moves from the seasoning of life to the visibility of God’s hope. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. A lamp is not lit to be buried under a basket.
Light spills. That is its nature. It illuminates more than just the lamp itself. And Jesus says: So it is to be with you. Your life, your actions, your witness are meant to shine—not so that people will admire you, but so that through you, they will glimpse God’s goodness.
 
And this is crucial: the light does not belong to us. “Let your light shine before others,” Jesus says, “so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” Our good works are not our possession. They are the overflow of God’s grace through us. We are signs, not the source. We are conduits, not creators. We are lanterns, not the flame.
 
Which means that when we hide the light—out of fear, out of self-protection, out of a desire to remain unchallenged—we are dimming not ourselves but others’ chance to see God at work.
 
And this is where Isaiah 58 speaks so directly into Jesus’ teaching. Because Jesus is not inventing a new moral code. He is not overturning the Hebrew Scriptures. He is standing in the ancient river of God’s justice.
 
Isaiah cries out against a people who think that holiness is found in ritual alone. They fast, they bow their heads, they adopt pious postures—but they oppress their workers, quarrel and fight, and turn away from the hungry. They want the appearance of religious devotion without the cost of compassion.
 
“Is not this the fast that I choose,” says the Lord, “to loose the bonds of injustice,to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free… to share your bread with the hungry…to bring the homeless poor into your house?”
 
Isaiah insists that righteousness is visible. It is salty. It flavours the lives of others. It is light that spills outward—exactly as Jesus says. When we live in this way, Isaiah promises, “your light shall break forth like the dawn.”
God’s people have always been called to this visible, justice-shaped faith.
So when Jesus speaks of salt and light, when he warns of losing our saltiness or covering our flame, he is echoing Isaiah. He is reminding the crowds—and us—that righteousness is not abstract ideals but lived trust in God’s promises. That obedience to God is not mere rule-keeping, but participation in God’s liberating work.
 
Which is why Jesus goes on to say something that must have startled his first hearers: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.” No—Jesus has not come to make them irrelevant, or to replace them with something new and shiny. He is fulfilling them, drawing out their deepest intentions, bringing them to their flourishing.
 
To suggest that the Sermon on the Mount supersedes the law is, in fact, to risk losing the very saltiness Jesus calls us to keep. Because the law and the prophets testify to a God who hears the cry of the enslaved, a God who sets people free, a God whose commands are rooted in compassion and liberation. Why would Jesus mute such a trustworthy and transformative promise?
 
And yet, as the Church, sometimes we have done just that. We have spiritualised the Gospel until it no longer speaks of justice. We have turned commandments into constraints rather than signposts to abundant life. We have treated God’s law as if it were about behaviour rather than about belonging to the God of exodus and liberation.
 
For Jesus, these cannot be separated. The promise, the story, and the commandment belong together.
 
Jesus says: those who set aside even the smallest commandment—and teach others to do the same—diminish themselves and distort others. Because breaking a commandment is never just breaking a rule. It is loosening our grip on the God who saves, doubting God’s promises, stepping away from the path of life God lays before us.
This is not moralism. Jesus is not setting up a spiritual exam. This is about trust. If God is faithful—if God truly brings light out of darkness—then the life God calls us to live is not burdensome but freeing. It is the salty, luminous life that makes God visible to others.
 
Which brings us to Jesus’ closing sentence: “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees…”
 
Not “more rule-keeping,” not stricter obedience, not moral superiority. But a deeper alignment of the heart. A righteousness that flows from the God whose character is mercy, justice, and liberation.
 
And as we shall see next week, Jesus will push us further still. The commandments are not the ceiling of righteousness but the floor. They are the starting point, not the finish line.
 
We live in a time when the Church is watched carefully. We worry about reputation, about charitable governance, about safeguarding, about not bringing the Church into disrepute—and rightly so. But Jesus’ question remains: does our concern for reputation ever lead us to hide our light? To soften our saltiness? To avoid speaking or acting prophetically because it is safer not to?
 
Isaiah 58 and Matthew 5 together remind us that God has always called God’s people to visible, justice-shaped living. Not a righteousness we manufacture, but one that flows from God’s grace through us. Not a private piety, but a public witness. Not a safe and dim light, but a lamp that shines so others may see God.
 
Friends, the world needs that kind of Church.
 
A salty Church that preserves what is good and refuses to lose its edge.
A luminous Church that refuses to hide what God has lit within it.
A trusting Church that lives God’s righteousness out loud—feeding, welcoming, liberating, forgiving.
A Church whose very life points beyond itself to God.
May we be that Church.

May our salt not lose its flavour.
May our light shine with the radiance of God’s justice.
And may all who see our good works give glory, not to us, 
but to our Father in heaven. Amen.
 
Hymn       Brother, sister, let me serve you
Richard Gillard (born 1953) © 1977 Scripture in Song/Maranatha! OneLicence No. # A-734713 Sung by St Laurence’s Church, Chorley and used with their kind permission.

Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant, too.
 
2 We are pilgrims on a journey,
and companions on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.
 
3 I will hold the Christlight for you
in the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.
4 I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh, I’ll laugh with you;
I will share your joy and sorrow
till we’ve seen this journey through.
 
5 When we sing to God in heaven,
we shall find such harmony,
born of all we’ve known together
of Christ’s love and agony.
 
6 Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant, too.

Prayers of Thanksgiving
 
Generous God, we thank you for daily blessings –
for kindness received, for strength renewed, 
for hope rediscovered in ways small and significant.
We thank you for Christ who walks beside us,
for the Spirit who empowers us,
for the Church that surrounds us with fellowship and prayer.
For the light that guides our feet
and the salt that flavours our living,
we give you thanks. Amen.
 
Prayers of Intercession
 
We pray, gracious God, for your Church throughout the world – 
may we be light bearers and truth tellers.
Where there is disappointment, 
may we shed the light of encouragement.
Where there is corruption,
may we shine the light of integrity.
Where there is uncertainty,
may we offer the light of clarity.
Where there is complacency,
may we bring the light of challenge.
Where there is rejection,
may we hold out the light of acceptance.
We pray for our world:
for peace where conflict rages,
for justice where people are silenced,
for compassion where suffering overwhelms,
for wisdom for leaders
and courage for peacemakers.
We pray for all who are unwell, all who grieve, all who are lonely,
all who fear the future.
May your healing surround them.
And we pray for ourselves:
that we may walk, pray, and serve in humility and hope,
so that others may see you in us and give you glory.
We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 
Hymn        Lord, the light of your love is shining
Graham Kendrick (born 1950) © 1987 Make Way Music OneLicence No. # A-734713 
BBC Songs of Praise
 
Lord, the light 
of Your love is shining,
in the midst 
of the darkness, shining:
Jesus, Light of the world, 
shine upon us;
set us free by the truth 
You now bring us —
shine on me, shine on me.
 
Shine, Jesus, shine,
fill this land with the Father’s glory;
blaze, Spirit, blaze,
set our hearts on fire.
Flow, river, flow,
flood the nations 
with grace and mercy;
send forth Your word,
Lord, and let there be light!
 
2 As we gaze 
on Your kingly brightness
so our faces display Your likeness,
ever changing from glory to glory:
mirrored here, 
may our lives tell your story —
shine on me, shine on me.
 
Sending Out Prayer
 
May you be as salt where there is staleness;
light where there is darkness; truth where there is unbelief;
and love where there is great need.
And the blessing of God Almighty Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Be amongst us and remain with us this day and for evermore. Amen.

St Matthew 19: 1 – 8

When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan.  Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”  “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’  and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”  “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”  Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.  I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”  The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.  For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

Reflection

This difficult reading does not resonate with current Western culture where divorce is not seen as extraordinary and where grounds are not limited to infidelity. In the New Testament world Jewish women had a fairly high status – they could own their own homes, serve as patrons, had their own court in the Temple, had use of their own property and some could be rich (think of the woman who anointed Jesus with costly nard.) Jesus, here, seems to be following a more conservative rabbinic school which restricted divorce to adultery. I could defend Jesus by saying that he challenged the rights of men to discard their wives for only producing daughters or not being able to produce children or any other reason bar adultery but women were already reprotected financially by their marriage contracts. 

Jesus does seem to depart from mainstream Jewish thought, which strongly encouraged marriage and procreation, with his words about ‘living like a eunuch for the sake of the Kingdom’.  This Gospel was written by someone several decades after Jesus’ death and we don’t know what was in the author’s mind when he wrote it. There was a belief the Kingdom was coming soon, even within their own lifetimes, so possibly marriage was a secondary consideration compared to proclaiming the Kingdom.   We know the Gospel was written at a time of growing tension between Christians and Jews and the conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees outlined in the Gospel should be read in the light of those tensions.

If Jesus were here today I am certain he would not have been quoted as saying anything remotely as stern sounding or judgemental as this – if he did, in fact, say it in the first place. What we do know is that Jesus’ message is one of unconditional love, forgiveness, peace, and compassion; it is about loving and caring relationships that reach out to all regardless of status, wealth, age or gender and is without any prejudice whatsoever.

Prayer

Loving and compassionate God,
Jesus teaches us that love transcends all divides.
By Jesus’ life we see his uncompromising
and irrepressible love freely given for all people,
never giving up even on those who opposed him.
Let us today learn to love as Jesus loved!
And open our ears and eyes to those who need our love today.

Amen 

St Matthew 18: 21 – 35

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him.  Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’  The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.  He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened. “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.  Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’  In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Reflection

The scale of the servant’s extraordinary, unpayable, debt (more accurately rendered 10,000 talents) in this story is extraordinary.

A single talent was worth six thousand denarii and a single denarius was a day’s wage for a jobbing labourer. One talent then, or one ‘bag of gold’ was equivalent to about 20-years-worth of wages – a full lifetime’s worth in those days.

The sum of ten thousand talents exceeds even the sort of imperial tribute demanded of an entire province. The amount is supposed to be shocking.

In Roman provinces like Judea local elites collected taxes on behalf of Rome, using a practise known as ‘tax farming.’

Wealthy individuals, known as a publicans, would pledge to pay the required tax for an area, and that would give them the right to collect taxation from the inhabitants of that area – anything over and above what they had already paid out was for them to keep. Alternatively, if there was a shortfall, they were liable. It operated in a pyramid model, with agents licensed to collect from specific areas on the same basis. 

This story reflects that reality, here a tax farmer is unable to pay the enormous sum demanded of him. The mercy shown to this publican is radical and offers the opportunity for a reversal of circumstances, but the tax farmer fails to replicate it to his agent, he fails to extend that mercy he received – instead multiplying the oppression on those below him. There is no ‘trickle down’ mercy in exploitation systems – only cruelty.

As Jesus travelled around encouraging the formation of communities based on mutual support, love, and care, he was keen to explain and demonstrate that true forgiveness of debts cannot simply be a transaction – it must be an act of radical solidarity. Mercy cannot be simply personal, it must be structural.

According to Jesus’ teaching here, systems of debt and punishment are the opposite to the ways of God’s kingdom, where justice is restorative not retributive.

Prayer

God your kingdom values
subvert the exploitation of our time.
You call us to lives of radical grace,
to enact systems of justice,
to think differently,
and to live differently.
Help us to see
the way that people are exploited and oppressed.
Lead us out of such systems,
into a way of living that speaks
of different values, different priorities.
Lead us, most of all God,
to prioritise love over all.
Amen

St Matthew 18: 15 – 20

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.  But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’  If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Reflection

The records of one of our churches in the 18th century recalled the departure of members – in many cases a date of death together with the text and synopsis of the Funeral sermon: in others a note that they had moved to “distant parts” but for a few the fate was worse – one man was dismissed for “walking disorderly with Baptists.”

Matthew was writing for and reflecting the experience of local churches that he knew; our text is one of two instances where the word “church” is used – a term that Jesus is unlikely to have used during his earthly ministry; Gospel writers had no verbatim transcript of what Jesus had said but shared the understanding of his teaching that developed among believers, among whom there were those whose human failings caused concern. It seems clear that churches known to Matthew had no authority figure with disciplinary power but acted in a conciliar way. An offended believer should try and resolve matters quietly but, failing to do so, should take others to witness the discussion, which could become a confrontation, uncomfortable for those truly trying to follow in the way of Jesus.

But what are we to make of the phrase, “let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector”? This suggests that Matthew was unfamiliar with Gentile congregations and those like Zacchaeus who features in Luke’s Gospel. The harshness of these words is uncomfortable but does alert us to the need to be clear and firm when the health and integrity of a local congregation is compromised.

We rightly treasure the words, “where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” As Christians we are called to support and encourage each other – our Lord is with us as we meet, wherever and whenever: no need for specific places or formally appointed leaders, but there is a need for fellowship with other Christians.

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
we pray that you will help and guide us
so that our lives may never cause others to stumble
but that our example helps others find the right path
with your light shining brightly in your Church. Amen

4 February 2026
 

Racial Justice Sunday

Dear Friends,

Racial Justice Sunday has been observed since 1995 and currently takes place on the second Sunday of February, providing a very useful focus for many churches.  Our friends at Churches Together in England have created this excellent resource for those looking to mark this day in worship:

https://cte.org.uk/racial-justice-sunday-2026/

I hope you find it useful.

With every good wish

Andy

The Rev’d Andy Braunston
Minister for Digital Worship
 

St Matthew 17: 22 – 27

When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief. After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?” “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him.  “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

Reflection

There are several passages in the Gospels about taxes, taxation and tax collectors. And we readily pair tax-collectors with sinners. Usually we associate these taxes and tax collectors with the Romans, with an exploitative empire and a resented power. But the tax referred to here is not a Roman tax. It was asked of all adult male Jews for the support of the Temple (building maintenance, salaries for the temple priests etc). We are told it was two drachmas (two day’s wages for a labourer?). The collectors of this tax ask Peter whether Jesus pays it, and Peter says he does. The story betrays some suspicion about whether Jesus supported the Temple or not, and until today there are different views about whether Jesus wanted to reform the Temple or simply to abolish it. But in a later conversation Jesus seems to say that the children of God should not have to pay for their own temple, or at least (perhaps better) that they shouldn’t be ‘taxed’ for it. Taxes are compulsory, obligatory, taken from us. Whereas a house of God should be resourced from the gifts of the faithful. Is this what Jesus is getting at? 

Envelopes for our collections at church often describe them as ‘free will’ offerings.. There are no pew rents, no church tax, no levies. Only free will offerings. And I treasure that biblical phrase that we sometimes repeat; “for all things come from you, and of your own do we give you” (from 1 Chronicles 29:14, as David prays in thanksgiving to God).

It is too easy to slip into thinking of financial contributions to the church as a ‘tax’, to resent them or to think we would need a miracle to meet them! Can we reframe them as thank offerings, and remember too that the widow’s small gift was greater than all the others? 

Prayer

Gracious God,
help me to worship you
with my words and with my body,
with all I do and all I say. 
Let all I own and all I give
bear witness to your love 
and your unfailing generosity.

This day, 
may my receiving and earning, 
my spending and giving 
be good news for others,
and give glory to you.
Amen. 

 
Today’s service is led by the Revd Andy Braunston

Introduction
 
Hello, and welcome to worship.  Our world chases ever after happiness – and promises that happiness can be found through the things we have, through a pill or a bottle, through having the right lifestyle or job or possessions.  Yet our readings tell us that joy is found in doing justice, loving kindness and walking in all humility with God.  Justice is integral to our readings, Jesus teaching, and our calling as Christians; in justice we find joy.  My name is Andy Braunston and I am the United Reformed Church’s Minister for Digital Worship and it is my joy to lead worship for you today; let’s worship God together.
 
Call To Worship
 
With what shall we come before God?  Burnt offerings? Wealth and riches to lay at God’s feet?  With what shall we come before God? Shall we sacrifice even those dearest to us – the fruit of our body to blot out the sin of our souls? With what shall we come before God? Do we need to appease an angry God? With what shall be come before God? God has told us mere mortals what is good;to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with our God.
 
Hymn       Gather Us In / Here In This Place
Marty Haugen (born 1952) © 1982 GIA Publications Inc. OneLicense No. A-734713 Sung by folk from Devana Parish Church, Aberdeen
 
Here in this place 
new light is streaming,
now is the darkness vanished away,
see in this space 
our fears and our dreamings,
brought here to you
in the light of this day.
Gather us in – 
the lost and forsaken, 
gather us in – 
the blind and the lame;
call to us now, and we shall awaken,
we shall arise 
at the sound of our name.
 
2 We are the young – 
our lives are a myst’ry,
we are the old –
who yearn for your face,
we have been sung 
throughout all of hist’ry,
called to be light to 
the whole human race.
Gather us in – 
the rich and the haughty,
Gather us in – 
the proud and the strong;
give us a heart 
so meek and so lowly,
give us the courage to enter the song.
 
3 Here we will take 
the wine and the water,
here we will take 
the bread of new birth,
here you shall call 
your sons and your daughters,
call us anew to be salt for the earth.
Give us to drink 
the wine of compassion,
give us to eat 
the bread that is you;
nourish us well, 
and teach us to fashion 
lives that are holy 
and hearts that are true.
 
4 Not in the dark 
of buildings confining,
not in some heaven, 
light years away,
but here in this place 
the new light is shining,
now is the Kingdom, 
now is the day.
Gather us in and hold us for ever,
Gather us in 
and make us your own; 
Gather us in – 
all peoples together,
fire of love 
in our flesh and our bone.

Prayers of Approach, Confession, and Grace
 
O Most High, we come to You in these dark days of winter,
where light is scarce, winds are cold, and we are drenched in rain.
We come to worship and adore.  We come to hear and obey.
We come to love and offer You our praise.
 
O Risen Lord Jesus, we come to You in these dark days of winter, 
We come with our faith and our doubts, 
our questions and our certainties, our moans and our groans.
Forgive us, good Lord, when we complain about our lot,
when the struggles of life seem to overwhelm us,
and we cry to You in our selfishness and pain,
expecting You to save us from problems of our own making.
Forgive us and remind us of what You expect from us!
 
O Most Holy Spirit we come to You in these dark days of winter, 
trusting in Your loving kindness which gives us time to change.
reminding us of Your presence, even when we doubt, 
assuring us of Your love, even when we have our heads in mire,
showering us with mercy, even when we forget to do justice,
live kindness, and walk humbly with You.
 
Give us grace, Eternal Trinity,
to accept the love and forgiveness You offer us,
and to share love and forgiveness with others, and with ourselves.  Amen
 
Prayer for Illumination
 
Welcome us into your tent, O Most High,
that we may walk blamelessly, do what is right, and speak the truth.
As we listen to Your word read and proclaimed,
let there be no slander nor evil in our lives,
that we may keep our promises and live lives of integrity. Amen
 
Reading   Micah 6:1-8 
 
Hear what the LORD says:  “Rise, plead your case before the mountains,  and let the hills hear your voice.  Hear, you mountains, the case of the LORD,  and you enduring foundations of the earth,  for the LORD has a case against his people, and he will contend with Israel.  O my people, what have I done to you?  In what have I wearied you?  Answer me!  For I brought you up from the land of Egypt  and redeemed you from the house of slavery,  and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.  O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised,  what Balaam son of Beor answered him,  and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,  that you may know the saving acts of the LORD.” 
 
“With what shall I come before the LORD and bow myself before God on high?  Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,  with ten thousands of rivers of oil?  Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,  the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” 
 
He has told you, O mortal, what is good,  and what does the LORD require of you  but to do justice  and to love kindness  and to walk humbly with your God?
 
Reading   Psalm 15  
 
O LORD, who may abide in your tent?  Who may dwell on your holy hill? Those who walk blamelessly and do what is right  and speak the truth from their heart;  who do not slander with their tongue  and do no evil to their friends  or heap shame upon their neighbours;  in whose eyes the wicked are despised but who honour those who fear the LORD; who stand by their oath even to their hurt;  who do not lend money at interest  and do not take a bribe against the innocent. Those who do these things shall never be moved.
 
Hymn       The Kingdom of God Is Justice and Joy
Bryn Rees (1911-1983) © Alexander Scott One Licence # A-734713 
sung by Paul Robinson and used with his kind permission
 
The kingdom of God 
is justice and joy,
for Jesus restores
what sin would destroy;
God’s power and glory 
in Jesus we know,
and here and hereafter
the kingdom shall grow.
 
2 The kingdom of God
is mercy and grace,
the prisoners are freed,
the sinners find place,
the outcast are welcomed
God’s banquet to share,
and hope is awakened
in place of despair.
3 The kingdom of God
is challenge and choice,
believe the good news,
repent and rejoice!
His love for us sinners
brought Christ to his cross,
our crisis of judgement 
for gain or for loss.
 
4 God’s kingdom is come,
the gift and the goal,
in Jesus begun, 
in heaven made whole;
the heirs of the kingdom  
shall answer his call,
and all things cry glory 
to God all in all!

Sermon
 
The United States of America was the first country in the world to have “the pursuit of happiness” as a goal in its founding documents.  Around 20 other countries have followed suit and our culture assumes life is all about happiness – and after all what’s not to like about striving to be happy?  Happiness can be bought, we’re told, via online shopping companies or by wandering around actual shops.  It comes from having the right things – the right job, partner, education, home, and family.  Happiness is often cast as being dependent on what we have.  If we don’t have much then we wonder if we can be happy.  Companies increasingly see it their mission to make us happy, for a price, and there is a whole industry of therapy, and medication, to if not make us happy stop us feeling sad.  French sociologist Emile Durkhiem though the hall mark of post-industrial society would be despair and alienation; maybe it’s also unhappiness. 
 
Our first reading from the book of Micah is a dialogue between a representative of the Jewish people, grumbling about their lack of happiness which they believed God should give them and an advocate speaking for God who reminded the people of their, rather than God’s responsibilities.  
 
Micah was a contemporary of Amos, Hosea and Isaiah and ministered in the southern Jewish kingdom of Judah.  His messages were directed to the elite in Jerusalem and he prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and Samaria by the Assyrians and the destruction, and restoration, of the southern state of Judah.  Perhaps the end of today’s passage is the most well-known verse in the book (along with the prophecy in chapter 5 about Bethlehem being the birthplace of the Messiah).  The reading sounds a little like a legal argument, with an audience, and is concerned with the breakdown of the people’s relationship with God.  
 
The Lord has a case against His people whom he rescued from Egypt, but who displease him.  An advocate asks what God requires and wonders about burnt offerings and sacrifice – even to the point of offering their firstborn – but the prophet reminds us that God has already demanded we “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.”  
 
In an age attuned to the ecological crises which engulf us we are captured by the striking image of God, or God’s advocate, asking mountains and their foundations to bear witness to the divine words. Of course, now creation does more than bear witness to our sinful behaviour but groans with the agony we inflict upon it due to our greed and sin.  
 
The passage is in response to the people moaning about God and, in this passage, Micah turns the tables and reminds the people what God expects of them rather than what they should expect from God.  This rhetorical device has captured the imagination of believers for millennia.  God does not critique people for complaining but offers a counter narrative – even though life has been difficult God has been there journeying with and freeing the people from their enslavement, asking in return, that we do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly.  
 
The prophet shows that God is not concerned about the nature of our worship but the quality of our lives.  How do we, as believers now,  respond to this passage addressed, as it is, to those with, not those without, faith.  This is not a question asking how to be saved but asking how believers should behave.  Whether we’re in a small congregation gathering in a simple unadorned meeting house or part of a crowd of hundreds in a great cathedral we only truly worship if we do those things which God requires.  
 
Our Psalmist continues the theme of right living that was started in our reading from Micah.  It is thought the Psalm was part of the liturgical life of ancient Israel and sung by pilgrims as they approached Jerusalem and the Temple.  There’s a left over thought from the days of the Holy of Holies containing the Arc of the Covenant being a tent in the middle of the wandering people of God in the opening line.  The demands of ritual purity for worship are ones which give us pause: 
 
no lying in an age devoted to “alternative facts”, 
no shaming others in an age delighting in scandal and the unmasking of (other people’s) proclivities, 
no bankers in a late capitalist society, 
no bribery in a corrupt world. 
 
We might despair.  We might think of the Swiss theologian Karl Barth and remind ourselves that Jesus is the one who can enter blamelessly into God’s presence on our behalf.  We might, however, ponder how thoughtlessly we modern people come into God’s presence; a wonderful desire to move away from fear and self-loathing has meant we’ve also ditched awe and wonder – especially in Protestant forms of worship. We, rightly, come just as we are without one plea but know that we can’t stay as we are.  In worship we are shaped and guided to live lives worthy of our calling, to become the people able to stand firm in God’s presence, to live as God intends.
 
Perhaps the best way to live as God requires is summed up by Jesus in the start of the Sermon on the Mount in the passage we call the Beatitudes.  Each beatitude in our reading starts with the Greek word makarios which is hard to translate into English; most Bibles render it as “blessed” some as “happy”.  It can mean fortunate, happy, privileged or spiritually prosperous.  Certainly, our modern understandings of happiness don’t include mourning, being poor or meek, yearning for justice, nor being merciful, or poor.  Surely peacemakers find their role challenging more than happy and the persecuted aren’t happy nor are those who are reviled.  
 
Jesus’ words only make sense with the perspective of the Kingdom where we’re called to be blessed and find happiness only in the context of blessing.  Being blessed is God’s gift and isn’t found in security, success, or status.  Life in the Kingdom is about a promise of eternal, abundant life, not about wealth and worldly power.  The conditions Jesus offers for a state of blessedness are signs of the inbreaking power of the Kingdom; they are a later rendition of Micah’s words to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God.  The Kingdom is a reordering of the values of our world – some preachers try and shy away from that language preferring the rather weaker, “kin-dom” which speaks of relationship.  Yet the point, I think, of Biblical Kingdom language is to offer a different vision of power, a different type of king.  
 
We’re called to be blessed not fixate on passing notions of happiness which our culture associates with possessions and wealth.  We’re called to focus on justice, kindness and humility rather than pristine, or politically correct, worship.  We’re called to balance who we are with the reality of God’s holiness.  In an age which demands happiness, but can never provide it, it’s more realistic to think about what makes us blessed (and what allows us to be blessings to others), to take a step back from the cultural assumptions that happiness needs to be pursued, grasped, and earned. Instead, we need to remind ourselves that blessings come from God as free gifts and are the source of our meaning, purpose and, indeed, our happiness in life.  
 
Let’s pray:

Praise you, O God, from whom all blessings flow;
help us to join our praise with all of creation here below,
with all the heavenly host, and with all who have gone before us
marked with faith, that we, with them, praise You, 
Father, Son and Holy Ghost, Amen.  
 
Hymn       When The Poor Ones Who Have Nothing
Jose A Olivar and Miguel Manzano, a Spanish-language hymn Cuando el Pobre, translated by Mary L Bringle (born 1953) © 1971 Jose Olivar/Miguel Manzano published by OCP Publications
OneLicense No. A-734713. Performed: Vocals: Anna Morris, Eva Lam, Cora Tischaefer Melodica: Sung Lee Piano: Carol Churchill from Sammamish Hills Lutheran Church and used with their kind permission.

When the poor ones
who have nothing still are giving;
when the thirsty pass the cup, water to share;
when the wounded offer others strength and healing:
We see God, here by our side, walking our way;
we see God, here by our side, walking our way.

2 When compassion
gives the suffering consolation;
when expecting brings to birth 
hope that was lost;
when we choose love, 
not the hatred all around us:
We see God, here by our side, walking our way;
we see God, here by our side, walking our way.
 
3 When our spirits, 
like a chalice, brim with gladness;
when our voices, 
full and clear, sing out the truth;
when our longings, 
free from envy, seek the humble
We see God, here by our side, walking our way;
we see God, here by our side, walking our way.
 
4 When true goodness poured from heaven fills our dwellings;
when the nations work to change war into peace;
when the stranger is accepted as our neighbour;
We see God, here by our side, walking our way;
we see God, here by our side, walking our way.
 
Affirmation of Faith
 
Our society tells us to be happy; God tells us to be blessed! Our social circles tell us to find happiness in possessions, status and wealth; Jesus tells us to be poor in spirit! Our social media influencers tell us to never be sad; Jesus tells us when we mourn we are blessed and comforted! Our culture admires the strong and mighty; Jesus reminds us that the meek will inherit the earth! Our leaders tell us not to disturb the status quo; Jesus calls us to hunger and thirst for righteousness! The press call for ever more draconian criminal sanctions against those they loathe; Jesus tells us to be merciful in the hope we will receive mercy! Our civilization delves into the mire to find dirt and scandal; Jesus tells us to be pure in heart in order to see God! Our nations are at war, or where not at war busy preparing for it; Jesus calls us to be peacemakers, children of God! We are obsessed by status and influence, and want people to think well of us; Jesus tells us to be happy when we are reviled and persecuted! Our society tells us to be happy; God tells us to be blessed!
 
Offertory
 
Throughout human history there has been a desire to sacrifice, to offer what we value to God; often sacrifice has been seen as a way to bribe or appease God; yet God desires not the sacrifice of crop or animal but a sacrifice of lifestyle where we leave behind our selfishness and, instead, joyfully serve God in others.  We do this through the giving of our time, our talents and, of course our treasure.   We give of our time as we listen to others, as we volunteer for any number of good causes, when we visit the sick or imprisoned.  We give of our talents for church and charity, for friend and neighbour.  We give of our talents on the plate, in little envelopes, direct to the bank, and for charities near and far.  We give as an antidote to our human selfishness and self-centredness.  So let us give thanks for all that is given in this church:
 
Eternal God, we thank you for the gifts you give us, 
and for all that is good in our lives;
we thank You for gifts of time, talent and treasure in this congregation,
bless all that is given and help it make a difference in our world, Amen.  
 
Intercessions
 
We bring our prayers to God who knows our needs, 
feels our pain, and comforts our distress.
 
God of solace, in a world chasing after happiness 
we bring to You those in need of deep life changing consolation:
hungry children in Gaza and frightened children in Israel,
girls longing for education in Afghanistan,
woman yearning for safety from male violence,
and parents on the move through Europe searching for sanctuary.
 
God, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
 
God of sanctification, in a world chasing after status,
we bring to You those in need of deep life changing blessing:
the poor and those excluded from our societies,
those who seek to change the world 
yet are laughed at by the powerful, and
the prophets who call us to change our ways 
but whom we prefer to ignore.
 
God, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
 
God of reconciliation, in a world continually at war,
we bring to You those seeking to make peace:
we pray for those who negotiate between warring countries,
those who seek to lead in troubled places,
those seeking to find community cohesion,
and those engaged in interreligious dialogue;
 
God, in Your mercy…hear our prayer.
 
In a moment’s silence we bring to you, O God, 
our own need of consolation,
 
Silence
 
Accept our prayers, Eternal God, for the sake of Your Son, our Saviour, 
who, through the Holy Spirit, hears us when we pray, Our Father…
 
Hymn       Gifts of Bread and Wine
Christine McCann (born 1951)© 1978 Kevin Mayhew Ltd  OneLicence No. # A-734713 Sung by Emmaus Music and used with their kind permission.
 
Gifts of bread and wine, 
gifts we’ve offered,
fruits of labour, fruits of love;
taken, offered, sanctified,
blessed and broken; 
words of one who died:
 
‘Take my body, 
take my saving blood.’
Gifts of bread and wine: 
Christ, our Lord.”
 
2 Christ our Saviour, 
living presence here,
as he promised while on earth:
‘I am with you for all time,
I am with you 
in this bread and wine.’
 
3 Through the Father, 
with the Spirit,
one in union with the Son,
for God’s people, 
joined in prayer,
faith is strengthened 
by the food we share.

Holy Communion
 
Introduction
 
All are welcome at this table; those who have been here often, 
and those who have not been for a long time.  
Those who have followed and those who have failed.  
Those who have much faith, and those who have little.
Those who seek consolation in their pain, 
and those who seek joy in the gloom.
Come to this table, not because I invite you,
but because the Lord Jesus is both guest and host here,
and invites all who are weary and heavy laden,
to find comfort and joy in this bread and this wine,
where He feeds us with His very self, and gathers us into God’s presence.   
 
Thanksgiving
 
The Lord Jesus, in His teaching, turns our values upside down;
instead of seeking fleeting happiness,
He tells us to seek God’s blessing where true joy is found.
Instead of seeking wealth he tells us to be poor in spirit.
Instead of chasing endless pleasure,
He tells us to find comfort when we mourn.
To the powerful he says the meek will inherit the earth!
To those who enjoy the way things are
he warns that those who yearn for justice will be fulfilled!
To those who exact revenge he teaches mercy in order to find mercy. 
In an age of salacious scandal, Jesus tells us to be pure.
In a society seeking yet more war, 
Jesus holds up the peacemakers as children of God.
In a world afraid to speak truth, he promises blessings to the persecuted. 
And so, we give thanks for all that Jesus taught,
and all that Jesus does in our own lives and in our own world. 
 
Memory & Institution
 
For we remember the night, long ago, when Jesus shared in the simplicity of a meal with his friends, and, during the meal, he took some bread, said the ancient blessing, broke the bread, and gave it to his friends saying:
 
“Take this all of you and eat it, for this is my body broken for you.
Do this in memory of me.”
 
And, later, after the meal, 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 the cup of my blood, 
the blood of the new and everlasting covenant for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in memory of me.”
 
Let us proclaim the mystery of our faith:
 
Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again!
 
Epiclesis
 
Come now, Most 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, and that we may be, for Him, Christ’s hands and feet,  love and action in the world. Transform us as we follow Him  in a world ever seeking, but never finding, happiness.

Doxology
 
We offer all our praise and all our pain, to You, O Most High,
through Jesus, with Jesus, in Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit,
for ever and ever, Amen!
 
Music for Communion    Down to The River to Pray
sung by Southern Raised 
 
Post Communion Prayer
 
We thank You, O Most High, 
for the blessings we receive at Your own hand.
We thank You, O Risen Lord,
for feeding us with Your own self as a mother feeds her children.
We thank You, Most Holy Spirit,
for being our consolation in the gloom.
Send us out to be 
signs of lasting joy in a world of passing happiness,
icons of love in a world filled with hate,
and speakers of truth in a world full of lies.  Amen
 
Hymn       You Are Salt of the Earth O People
Marty Haugen (born 1952) © 1986 GIA Publications Inc. OneLicense No. A-734713 Sung by the Beyond the Walls Choir

You are the salt of the earth, 
O people:
salt for the Kingdom of God!
Share the flavour of life, O people:
life in the kingdom of God!
 
Bring forth the Kingdom of mercy, 
bring forth the Kingdom of peace;
bring forth the Kingdom of justice,
bring forth the City of God!
2 You are a light on the hill, 
O people:
light for the City of God! 
Shine so holy and bright, 
O people:
shine for the Kingdom of God!
 
3 You are a seed of the Word, 
O people:
bring forth the Kingdom of God! 
Seeds of mercy 
and seeds of justice, 
grow in the Kingdom of God!
 
4 We are a blest 
and a pilgrim people:
bound for the Kingdom of God! 
Love our journey 
and love our homeland: 
love is the Kingdom of God!

Blessing
 
May the One who offers real joy bless you.
May the One who feeds you with Himself allow you to feed others.
May the One who comforts your distress allow you to comfort others.
And the blessing of Almighty God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit  
be with you, and all whom you love,
and all whom you find hard to love
now and always, Amen