Marsden
Road Uniting ChurchCarlingford
The Beatitudes and Barriers
All
Saints in the year of Matthew 9.30 am
Gathering God’s People
As we
gather, we remember that we are not alone!
We
gather with the saints, who live in the presence of God, singing praises to the
God of our salvation.
From
every nation, race, clan, and culture, God's people gather to worship the
One-Who-Is-without-Peer!
To God
and to the Lamb, all honour, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, strength, and power.
Blessed
be God, now and forever! Amen!
Amen!
HYMN 455 verses 1, 2, 4
6, 7 & 8: For All the Saints
(tune
- Sine Nomine)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OaBgaMcOvM
1
For all the saints who from their labors rest,
who
thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy
name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
2
Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
thou,
Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
thou,
in the darkness drear, their one true light.
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
4 O
blest communion, fellowship divine,
we
feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
yet
all are one in thee, for all are thine.
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
6
The golden evening brightens in the west;
soon,
soon to faithful warrior cometh rest;
sweet
is the calm of paradise the blest.
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
7
But lo! there breaks a yet more glorious day;
the
saints triumphant rise in bright array;
the
King of glory passes on his way.
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
8
From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
through
gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing
to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia!
Alleluia!
William Waltham How
(1823-1897)
Tune Ralph Vaughan Williams
(1872-1958)
Opening prayer
Blessed
are you, God of our salvation. As we turn to you in prayer, be with us and
reveal to us your ways from your self-revelation in Jesus, teach us how to live
in ways that honour you: by humbling ourselves; by being content with what we
have rather than striving for more; by caring and cooperating, rather than
competing in unhealthy ways. Teach us, giver of all goodness, to be strong in
your strength for the sake of the gospel. Help us honour your prodigal grace,
by living as doers of peace. in this world, you love. Amen.
A Prayer of Confession
Holy God, we so often fail to remember how
profoundly you love us.
You bless us even when we are at our wit's
end.
You created us, and you love us as we are, even as
you inspire our desire to be better through your Holy Spirit. Forgive us when we fail to remember that we
are the body of Christ, saints-in-process.
Empower us to begin anew, encouraged by the stories
of those who live in your eternal presence.
In the name of Jesus, and for the sake of the gospel, we pray. Amen.
Declaration of Forgiveness
Beloved,
we are the children of God. Don't fear failure. It is endemic to our human
nature. Learn from your mistakes and cherish the forgiving grace of God. Give
thanks for all you are, and go forward in faith, knowing that God is faithful.
Thanks, be to God! Amen
The Peace
Beloved, we are god’s children now. what we will be
has not yet been revealed. what we do now is this: when Christ is revealed, we
will be like him, for we will see him as he is. greet one another with the
peace of Christ, recognising the presence of Christ in each person you meet.
The peace of Christ be with you.
The peace of Christ be with you always.
Offering Prayer
Hymn TIS 278: O What a gift
(Tune – Canticle of the Gift)
You-tube has two extra
verses more than TIS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVWmNw_hwp0
O what a gift! What a
wonderful gift!
Who can tell the wonders of
the Lord?
Let us open our eyes, our
ears and our hearts
It is Christ the Lord, it
is he!
1 In the stillness of the night
when the world was asleep,
the almighty Word leapt
out.
He came to Mary, he came to
us
Christ came to the land of
Galilee.
Christ our Lord and our
King!
O what a gift! What a
wonderful gift!
Who can tell the wonders of the Lord?
Let us open our eyes, our ears and our hearts
It is Christ the Lord, it is he!
2. On the night before he
died
it was Passover night,
and he gathered his friends
together.
He broke the bread, he
blessed the wine,
it was the gift of his love
and his life.
Christ our Lord and our
King!
O what a gift! What a
wonderful gift!
Who can tell the wonders of
the Lord?
Let us open our eyes, our
ears and our hearts
It is Christ the Lord, it
is he!
3. We are gathered here to
remember that night;
To break the bread and
bless the wine.
Open your eyes, your ears
and your hearts.
This is his peace and
unity:
Christ our Lord and our
King!
O what a gift! What a
wonderful gift!
Who can tell the wonders of
the Lord?
Let us open our eyes, our
ears and our hearts
It is Christ the Lord, it
is he!
4. On the hill of Calvary
the world held its breath,
for there for the world to
see,
God gave his Son, his very
own Son
for the love of you and me.
Christ our Lord and our
King!
O what a gift! What a
wonderful gift!
Who can tell the wonders of
the Lord?
Let us open our eyes, our
ears and our hearts
It is Christ the Lord, it
is he!
5. Early on that morning
when the guards were sleeping,
back to life came he!
He conquered death, he
conquered sin,
but the victory he gave to
you and me!
Christ our Lord and our
King!
O what a gift! What a
wonderful gift!
Who can tell the wonders of
the Lord?
Let us open our eyes, our
ears and our hearts
It is Christ the Lord, it
is he!
6. "It is the
Lord" cried Peter from the boat.
"It is the Lord"
cried Magdalen.
"It is the Lord"
cried Thomas the doubter.
"It is the Lord"
cry we.
Christ our Lord and our
King!
O what a gift! What a
wonderful gift!
Who can tell the wonders of
the Lord?
Let us open our eyes, our
ears and our hearts
It is Christ the Lord, it
is he!
7. Some day with the saints
we will come before our
Father
and then we will shout and
dance and sing.
For in our midst for our
eyes to see
will be Christ our Lord and
our King.
Christ our Lord and our
King!
O what a gift! What a
wonderful gift!
Who can tell the wonders of
the Lord?
Let us open our eyes, our
ears and our hearts
It is Christ the Lord, it is he!
Pat Uhl (Howard) Arr.
Betty Pulkingham
The Service of the Word
The First Reading: Revelations 7:9-17
The Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:1-12
Readings: NRSV Translation
Revelations 7:9-17
9 After this I looked, and there was a great
multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and
peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in
white, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried
out in a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the
throne, and to the Lamb!’ 11 And all the angels stood around
the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell
on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, 12 singing,
‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and
might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.’ 13 Then one
of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, robed in white, and where
have they come from?’ 14 I said to him, ‘Sir, you are the one
that knows.’ Then he said to me, ‘These are they who have come out of the great
ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the
Lamb. 15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and
worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the
throne will shelter them. 16 They will hunger no more, and
thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; 17 for
the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide
them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from
their eyes.’
Matthew 5:1-12
1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Preaching of the Word - The Beatitudes and Barriers - Matthew 5:1-12
Well, if you have ever
thought any of these, you are not alone. The Beatitudes have been a source of
inspiration and challenge throughout the history of the church. Today, I want
to mention a few major approaches to them.
During the Middle Ages,
many people saw the Beatitudes as “Counsels of Perfection”. That is, they were
things that applied to a spiritual elite made up of priests, monks, and nuns,
but not to ordinary folks. Monks and nuns took extraordinary vows of poverty
and obedience, so these things about blessings of the poor, the meek, the
hungry, the merciful were about folks seeking perfection, but for other people,
keeping the Ten Commandments and loving God and our neighbour is enough.
This approach recognises
the real challenge these sayings put upon believers, but it limits the full
force of them by saying that, in this life, they are only for a spiritual
elite.
During the Reformation,
Martin Luther took issue with the whole notion of a spiritual elite. The idea
that there were higher and lower levels of Christians was repugnant to him.
Luther famously proclaimed the priesthood of all believers, that is, that we
are all on the same level—no higher, no lower—all called to share in the
priestly ministries of the Church. So, Luther saw the beatitudes as applying to
all Christians, not just to the few.
Most New Testament
scholars these days don’t find these approaches helpful. Rather, they see the
Beatitudes—and indeed the whole Sermon on the Mount—as something that Jesus saw
as applying to all his disciples, not just an elite few, and he probably
thought that they were, in fact, doable. Certainly not easy, after all, he
says, blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all
kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Still, most scholars think
that he probably meant for his followers to live this way. That’s probably why
they stress that these were things that need to be lived out in the context of
Christian community. These are not things for spiritual superheroes, but for
communities to live out.
And that’s probably also
why Jesus stressed the need and reality of forgiveness and reconciliation in
our communities. These things are going to take practice.
So, one of the reasons why
we have this Gospel lesson on All Saints’ Day is because they are practices for
all the saints. And by all the saints, we mean everybody who has been baptised
into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They are practices for
all of us ordinary saints of God.
Today, I want to focus on
just one beatitude and explore how we might try to live that out in our
ordinary lives. We will have other All Saints’ Days to deal with other
beatitudes. So, let’s focus on, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be
called children of God.” Most of us probably will not be Nobel Peace Prize
winners. But that doesn’t mean we are not called in our own ways to be peacemakers.
How may we go about this in our lives? Paul Wadell gives us some practical
guidance on how we all can be peacemakers. He reminds us that in Ephesians,
Paul speaks of Christ and his cross breaking down the walls that divide us,
removing all the barriers that keep us apart, and overcoming the hostilities
that so often leave us living more in enmity with one another than in peace.
Wadell says, “There is no
shortage of barriers that need to be dismantled if God’s dream of peace is to
become a reality. We create barriers through our attitudes toward others. We
create barriers when we freeze people out or simply ignore them. We create
barriers when we refuse to talk to certain people. We create barriers when we
refuse to deal with problems that weaken relationships. We create barriers when
we refuse to give ourselves to others. We create barriers when we hold on to
grudges and refuse to forgive. We create barriers when we nurture cynicism,
bitterness, and resentment instead of seeking peace.”
In Ephesians, Paul tells
us to get rid of all bitterness, all passion and anger, harsh words, slander,
and malice of every kind. Paul says leave all that behind, get away from it,
and refuse to be ruled by it, because all those things put walls and barriers
between ourselves and others. Instead, Paul says be kind to one another,
compassionate, and mutually forgiving, just as God has forgiven you in Christ.
These are the practices of peace. We nurture peace among ourselves and others
when we are people marked by kindness, compassion, healing, reconciliation, and
forgiveness.
Jesus said, “Blessed are
the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Happy All Saints’ Day to all you saints of God. The Beatitudes are for you!
Hymn 448: Blest
are the pure in heart
(tune – Franconia)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpnU2auc3Rk
For they shall see
our God;
The secret of the
Lord is theirs,
Their soul is Christ’s
abode.
The Lord, who left the heavens
Our life and peace to
bring,
To dwell in lowliness
with men,
Their Pattern and
their King;
Still to the lowly
soul
He doth himself
impart
And for his dwelling
and his throne
Chooseth the pure in
heart.
Lord, we thy presence
seek;
May ours this
blessing be;
Give us a pure and
lowly heart,
A temple meet for thee.
Words: John Keble [stanzas 1 & 3]; William Hall [stanzas 2 & 4]. Tune: “Franconia
Intercessory Prayers
God of all truth, you
have chosen as your blessed ones those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
We give thanks for those whose lives have shone with integrity and goodness,
for your prophets of old and all today who fight for justice, freedom and
truth. Help us to follow their example, that we too ma y be filled with your
spirit.
God of truth, for all
the saints, we give you thanks and praise.
God of all peace, you
have chosen as your blessed ones those who bring peace to a world of strife. We
give thanks for negotiators, peacekeepers and all who work for reconciliation,
for those who respect and value others and those who listen and give wise
counsel. Help us to follow their example, that we too may be called the
children of God.
God of peace, for all
the saints, we give you thanks and praise.
God of all humility,
you have chosen as your blessed ones those whose hearts are simple and pure. We
give you thanks for those who do not grasp at material possessions, for those
whose good works have been unnoticed and unsung. Help us to follow their
example, that we too may come to see your face.
God of humility, for
all the saints, we give you thanks and praise
God of all compassion,
you have chosen as your blessed ones those who show mercy to others. We give
you thanks for those who are filled with generosity and grace, for those whose
hearts are forgiving and kind. Help us to follow their example, that we too may
receive your mercy.
God of compassion, for
all the saints,
we give you thanks and
praise.
God of all
consolation, you have chosen as your blessed ones those who mourn especially,
we remember those from our congregation. We pray for those who weep for what is
lost, for all who grieve for those they love, for all whose lives are lonely,
desolate and bleak. We pray for and give thanks for continued healing,
especially for those in the congregation. Help us to ease all their pain, and
in times of trouble may we too be comforted.
God of consolation,
for all the saints, we give you thanks and praise.
God of all
faithfulness, you have chosen as your blessed ones those who have remained
steadfast in the face of danger and persecution. We give thanks for those of
this parish who have gone before us, for all whom we hold dear who are now in
your eternal presence, and for all who have followed in your way until their
life's end.
Help us to follow
their example, that we too may rejoice to come into our reward and, with all
the saints of heaven, worship you forever.
God of faithfulness,
for all the saints, we give you thanks and praise.
THE LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your
name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us
today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against
us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom,
the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.
Hymn 456: Your hand, O God, has guided
(tune –
Thornbury)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaI3cRtXqRw
Thy
hand, O God, has guided
Thy
flock, from age to age;
The
wondrous tale is written,
Full
clear, on every page;
Our
fathers owned thy goodness,
And
we their deeds record;
And
both of this bear witness:
One
Church, one faith, one Lord.
Thy
heralds brought glad tidings
To
greatest, as to least;
They
bade men rise, and hasten
To
share the great King's feast;
And
this was all their teaching,
In
every deed and word,
To
all alike proclaiming
One
Church, one faith, one Lord
Through
many a day of darkness,
Through
many a scene of strife,
The
faithful few fought bravely,
To
guard the nation's life.
Their
Gospel of redemption,
Sin
pardoned, man restored,
Was
all in this enfolded:
One
Church, one faith, one Lord
Thy
mercy will not fail us,
Nor
leave thy work undone;
With
thy right hand to help us,
The
victory shall be won;
And
then, by men and angels,
Thy
name shall be adored,
And
this shall be their anthem:
One Church, one faith, one Lord.
Author: E. H. Plumptre (1864)
Tune: Thornbury – Basil Harwood
Benediction
And the blessing of God almighty, Creator, Redeemer and Giver of life be with you always Amen
(Tune – Somos Del Señor)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-u-WxpmOpN4
Shalom to you now, shalom, my friends.
May God’s full mercies bless you, my friends.
In all your living and through your loving,
Christ be your shalom, Christ be your shalom
Author: Elise S. Eslinger (1980)
Tune: Somos Del Señor
