St Clement Church Community Epiphany 2 Service 2024
Good morning to you all as we celebrate our 2nd Sunday of Epiphany Service. I hope you are keeping well and may Christ’s love sustain you always.
Much love to you all,
Rev Di and family xx
Let us pray;
God of all mercy, your Son proclaimed good news to the poor, release to the captives, and freedom to the oppressed: anoint us with your Holy Spirit and set all your people free to praise you in Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn; ‘From the Eastern Mountains’
Our prayers of Penitence
During the season of Epiphany, let us seek the renewal of our lives in the light of God’s love for us, revealed by Jesus Christ:
Jesus, Saviour of all, who revealed the breadth of God’s love, forgive us when we fail to show care to those who are different…
Lord, have mercy.
Jesus, Son of God, who revealed the depth of God’s love, forgive us when we are too busy to pray, or to seek God’s will…
Christ, have mercy.
Jesus, Son of Man, who revealed the cost of God’s love, forgive us when we have made light of our sins…
Lord, have mercy.
May Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us pray our Collect for today
Eternal Lord, our beginning and our end: bring us with the whole creation to your glory, hidden through past ages and made known in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Readings:
1 Samuel 3. 1-10 [11-20]
Revelation 5. 1-10
Hymn; ‘O Worship the Lord’
Gospel: John 1. 43-end
(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)
The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth.’ Nathanael said to him, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Philip said to him, ‘Come and see.’ When Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, he said of him, ‘Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!’ Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these.’ And he said to him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.’
(This is the Gospel of the Lord. Response: ‘Praise to you, O, Christ’)
Reflection
‘Come, and see!’ A new shop opens nearby to where we live, and the word begins to spread, as satisfied customers go to their neighbours, family and friends, and say; ‘Come, and see!’ Businesses say that one of the best forms of advertisement is word of mouth—Customers that have been pleased with goods provided, or services rendered, and have gone on to tell others, ‘Come, and see!’
Well, Christmas has come and gone, and we’re now in the season that began with the Magi’s visit to see the baby Jesus.
As those wise men looked upon him, they had an ‘Epiphany’ as Jesus was revealed to them and they knelt to worship their King.
And throughout this season, the Scripture readings are filled with stories of Jesus being revealed to a variety of people who, like the Magi, had their own Epiphany and saw Jesus Christ for all that He is.
In today’s Gospel reading, we hear of the Epiphany of both Philip and Nathanael, when Jesus finds Philip and says to him; ‘Follow me.’ In the next sentence, Philip found his friend Nathanael, and tells him about this new teacher; ‘We have found him about whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth’.
I like to think that we’re all a bit like Philip. We’ve become disciples of Jesus through the circumstances of our own Epiphany. At some point in our life, Jesus was revealed to us, and we answered his call, the same call He extended to Philip; ‘Follow me.’ And we can discern that the number of Jesus’ followers increases from one generation to the next, because of people who continue to say; ‘Come, and see!’
But Philip’s news caused Nathanael to be sceptical. This person Philip is claiming to be the fulfilment of the Scriptures—is from Nazareth, and is the son of Joseph the carpenter.
And Nathanael couldn’t imagine Nazareth producing the best of anything. ‘Can anything good come from Nazareth?’ is his reply.
I think we all have sceptics in our lives like him, who don’t think too much about Jesus. To whom we just want to say; ‘Come, and see!’
I recently read a book called; ‘Unchristian’, and it details the negative perceptions that many people have of Christianity. It’s a worry that if these negative thoughts remain and continue to grow, they’ll cause people to reject, not just the organised church, but Jesus Christ altogether.
We, like Philip, want everyone to experience the peace that only Jesus can provide, but we don’t have to argue sceptic people into their own Epiphany, thankfully, that is above our pay-scale,
all we have to do is say; ‘Come and see!’ and let the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ do the rest.
For where words escape us, and arguments fail to convince—the only hope we have for the Nathanael’s in our lives, is that they will come, and see, and have Jesus revealed to them for who he is.
For it is Jesus alone who will replace doubt with trust, will turn unbelief into faith, and will turn the Nathanael’s in our lives into disciples of Jesus.
The mission of the church today, the task that God has given to us as disciples is the same task that Jesus gave to Philip and Nathanael and the rest of the twelve—to go to our neighbours, friends, and yes, even our sceptical family members, and say; ‘Come, and see.’ People need to hear about a God who has the power to change their world. They need to know there is a community where people do not weep alone, and encouragement and prayer are precious gifts. We need to extend the invitation once again; Come and see Jesus Christ at work. Come and hear how God has touched our lives. Come and know that there is a God who knows your name.’
And when Jesus is revealed, the sceptics in our lives will find that Jesus knows of the pain in their life and the guilt that they bear—and He says; ‘you are forgiven.’ He knows of the fear they face in their final days and he says; ‘I am going to prepare a place for you, and there we will dwell together forever.’ He says to them what he said to Nathanael; ‘You will see greater things than these!’ Indeed, Philip and Nathanael would see greater things, they would see Jesus suffer and die, and then three days later would behold him again. And so will all the disciples of Jesus, to whom he makes the very same promise. Come, and you will see greater things! For you too will behold me with your very own eyes. That is what Epiphany is all about, come and see what Jesus has done for us. Amen.
Hymn; ‘Hail to the Lord’s Anointed’
Affirmation of our faith
Let us declare our faith in God.
We believe and trust in God the Father, source of all being and life, the one for whom we exist.
We believe and trust in God the Son, who took our human nature, died for us and rose again.
We believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the people of God and makes Christ known in the world.
This is the faith of the Church. This is our faith.
We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Intercessions this week are written by Liz Davies
Everlasting God, your Son Jesus Christ called ordinary working men to follow Him as disciples. Help us to respond to the same call wholeheartedly without counting the cost. You spoke to awaken Samuel with Your call, and so we ask you to open our ears. Help us to proclaim your Gospel of hope and salvation here at St Clement and wherever we travel and to be faithful in all that we say or do. Hear us now as we pray for the Church and the world.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Creator God, we pray for our troubled world and ask that all may work together to bring to an end the suffering caused by war, violence, injustice, inequality, disease and poverty. Help us to establish friendly relationships among Jews, Christians, Muslims, and all other religions; to tear down the walls of indifference and hatred so that as we make our unity visible it may bring healing, justice, and solidarity to the world. We continue to pray for peace in your world, and especially for those involved in the process of reconciliation and bridge-building between peoples, cultures, and nations. Help us wherever and whenever we can in our everyday lives, to be instruments of your peace.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Father God, it is good when our lives point to you and when we live together in unity. Let the communities in which we live know that we are yours by our love for one another, whatever people’s race, colour, or creed and by the way in which we live in harmony with all our neighbours.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Loving God, you called the Apostles to be ambassadors for Christ and gave them the power to heal. Help us to bring healing by our visits, our care, and our prayers, that we may strengthen the spirits of those we love, especially in times of sickness and distress.
We pray for all those suffering in body, mind, or spirit; those who are struggling with so many issues and have no one to turn to; those who think no one cares; those who feel there is no light in their darkness – may they feel the warmth of your loving kindness and know that, no matter what they may have to face, they are never alone. We especially bring before you: Ken and Reverend Diane, May, Angela, Terry and Dot, Margaret, Alison and Rob, Maureen, Pam and David, Diana, Jan, Anita and Stephen, Michael and Patricia, Stella, Alison, Callum, Jay, Andy, Rupert and Linda, Barrie and Sandra, those known to each of us and those who have no one to pray for them.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Merciful God, your love reaches beyond the grave. Your Son Jesus Christ wept at the grace of Lazarus, His friend. At the end of our days on earth be with us, with those we love and welcome into your eternal kingdom all those who have gone before us. We bring before you all those who have died in the continuing horror of warfare and violence, those who have died in natural disasters and those whose time has come and they have slipped away. Be with all those mourning the loss of loved ones; comfort them in their loneliness in the sureness of the peace of eternal life.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Faithful God, we give thanks that we have been called to belong to the Church, to believe in the Gospel, and to be united with those who have been called before us. Send us out into the coming week ready to show our calling in all that we say and do as true followers of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Merciful Father, accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray with confidence as Jesus taught us;
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; ‘Songs of Faithfulness and Praise’
The Peace
Our Saviour Christ is the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end.
May the peace of God be always with us.
Amen.
Blessing
May Christ the Son of God perfect in us the image of his glory and gladden our hearts with the good news of his kingdom; and may the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among us, those whom we love, and remain with us always.
Amen.