St Clement Church Community Sunday Service
Good morning to you all as we celebrate our service of the first Sunday of Lent, Oh my gosh, no chocolate for me until Easter day…….. it’s a good job I’ve not given up Macaroons…..
Lent (the ‘lengthening of the days) is an old English word meaning Spring. In earliest times it was observed by those who were preparing for their Baptism at Easter. Later the 40 days of Lent were identified with the 40 days when Jesus was tested in the wilderness. It’s an opportunity for us to humbly re-examine our lives and through prayer, study and self-denial, to renew our love for God.
We will be holding our Eucharist in Church, this Service of the Word is for those of you who are unable to worship with us in person, but will be with us in spirit at home.
May Christ’s love sustain you always.
Much love to you all,
Rev Di and family xx
Let us pray;
Lord God, as we begin our journey through Lent, give us the desire to seek first your Kingdom, the honesty to admit our failings, and the humility to receive your forgiveness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn;’ On Jordan’s Bank, the Baptist’s Cry’
Our prayers of Penitence
The first commandment is:
‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
There is no other commandment greater than these.
Amen. Lord have mercy.
Let us confess to God our failure to keep his commandments:
Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed.
We have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves.
In your mercy forgive what we have been,
help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be;
that we may do justly, love mercy,
and walk humbly with you, our God.
Amen.
Let us pray our Collect for today
Heavenly Father, your Son battled with the powers of darkness, and grew closer to you in the desert: help us to use these days to grow in wisdom and prayer that we may witness to your saving love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 26. 1-11
New Testament Reading: Romans 10. 8b-13
Hymn; ‘God is Working His Purpose Out’
Gospel: Luke 4. 1-13
(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.
The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” ’
Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’
Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you”, and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’
Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’ When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.
(This is the Gospel of the Lord. Response: ‘Praise to you, O, Christ’)
Reflection
As we know, we have lots of Sundays during the Church year that have titles; for instance, Pentecost, or Trinity Sunday.
Well, if this first Sunday of Lent were to get its own name, it would have to be “Temptation Sunday.” Here we are only four days into our freshly decided Lenten disciplines, and I’m already craving chocolate, closely followed by a Gin and Tonic.
Thank goodness I haven’t given up Macaroons.
There’s temptation all around us, and you know what Oscar Wilde said, “I can resist anything, except temptation.”
When we think of temptation during this Lenten season, we generally think of those things we’ve decided to try and give up, and then, how many of those things, all of a sudden, seem to be all around us, tempting us to break our vows. Have you given up chocolate? And everywhere you go, you see chocolate. Or have you given up alcohol? Suddenly, people you haven’t seen for months are inviting you out for a drink.
Of course, these perceptions aren’t really accurate. It’s just that we become fixated on that which we cannot have – making it very difficult to stay away from temptation.
But these temporary Lenten decisions aren’t really temptations at all – not ones of any great significance anyway, not compared with those of Jesus.
Jesus had gone forty days without food when the devil came to Him, and Luke tells us Jesus was famished. No kidding! Any normal human being would be dead by then, I know I’d be, or at least hallucinating. I have a tough time going four hours without food.
So, Jesus is starving when the devil appears and says, “Well, if you’re hungry, turn this stone into a loaf of bread” But this isn’t about hunger, it’s about whether Jesus is going to trust God, or co-opt God’s power and change the nature of a stone for His own purposes.
Jesus however, resists temptation and moves on – still weak and hungry, but trusting God.
Then the devil offers Jesus the whole world to rule if he worships him.
And basically Jesus tells him, “On your bike. We’re all called to worship God, not this man you see before you, and certainly not you.”
Next, the devil took him to Jerusalem and says, “Jump off the top of the Temple. Don’t worry about hurting yourself, the angels will catch you – if you are who you think you are.” And again, note that the devil quotes Scripture to Jesus when he tempts Him. ‘’On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’’
In essence, the devil is saying, “I know God’s Word too and in Psalm 91 it says the angels will guard you.”
And again, Jesus resists temptation and trusts in God’s real providence by saying, “It is also said; do not put the Lord your God to the test.’’
I believe these stories are meant to tell us that it’s in our human nature to want to be God.
But we don’t really want to be God – not really.
No, what we want is to be God of our lives.
We want absolute power over the things around us.
For instance, we want to be able to make it rain when we’re hot and the garden is getting too dry, and then make it stop when we have a barbeque planned.
But mostly, we want everything to go right in our lives – we want our lives to be perfect and stress free, with well-behaved families and friends; or maybe lots of money; perfect health and slim figures.
So what tempts us to try to be God? Is it perhaps the desire to change the choices that our family or friends make?
How about the need to have everyone else think the way we do?
Or perhaps we’re tempted by the one that gets more people than any other – the need to be perfect.
It is difficult not to have such thoughts as;
If I don’t do it, it won’t get done right. I’m a terror on that one, just ask Ken……
Or, if everybody would just pay attention to me and do it my way, things would turn out the way they should. I’m guilty of that too, just ask Ken…..
Recognise any of those? They’re all about trying to be God – trying to control all the things in our world so that everything can turn out in our image.
That’s the greatest temptation of all.
But we can’t be God – we don’t have God’s power, or ability, or even God’s sense of humour, so instead, for all our efforts, we just end up being a pain in someone else’s neck!
So instead of seeking after perfect lives; this Lent, why don’t we take an honest look at ourselves, and try to change our natures to be more like Christ.
When we’re tempted to judge someone else, or to try to keep a tight hold on things; why don’t we try to acknowledge that God is God and we’re not, and trust in God’s grace and providence.
Yes, Jesus refused to turn stones into bread. But he turns bread into himself at every Eucharist. We are here to share that meal as we trust in God, as equals in this community, and enjoy a taste of his kingdom. Amen.
Hymn; ‘I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say’
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 Daphne Hawkins
In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father. Merciful Father, we pray that you are in our midst at our beloved St Clement or joining us in spirit from wherever you are as we start out on our Lenten journey to the cross. Thank you, Father, for a night of peace and rest. Thank you for our health and energy as we begin a new day. Thank you for the certainty that whatever this day may bring, we do not face it alone, but with a friend beside us, a friend who will never let us down.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Dear Lord, we pray for the Church world-wide and any religion that brings the good news of Jesus Christ to all people. We pray for our bishops, priests, and all church leaders in the challenges they daily face in their churches and surrounding communities. We pray for Reverend Diane and the support of her family; our Reader, Liz; our church always there for anyone whatever they need.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Merciful Father, our world is searching for peace. Please be with those in government and the heads of state and all involved in peace talks. May these talks restore trust and commitment in ending all conflict. May the human suffering and devastation that has brought so much pain to many, come to an end.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Dear Lord, in the peace of our home county it is hard to come to terms with the plight of those existing in war zones. We are privileged to live in such a place of beauty and tranquillity. May we always be mindful that we are truly blessed. May we care for our environment and not take the nature around us for granted.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Dear Lord, we pray for our community, for those whose lives are difficult at this time. Poverty, homelessness, mental health, and physical disabilities bring untold problems to some of those around us.
We pray that the generosity of those able to help coupled with the financial and physical support from those in authority will ease the burdens of those in need.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Lord, we pray for King Charles, Queen Camilla and the royal family. Be with them as they carry out their many duties. Under the cloak of royalty, they are just like any normal family, not immune from stress or pain.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Most merciful Father, we bring to you those near to us who may be suffering in body, mind, or spirit, not forgetting those unknown to us with troubled lives and anyone alone with no one who cares. We remember: Reverend Diane, Ken, May, Susan, Lynda, Terry and Dot, Maureen, Pam and David, Sandra, Roger, Michael and Patricia, Rob and Alison, Stella, Jeremy, Anita and Stephen, Callum and Elaine, Sue and Martin, Margaret and John, Dave and Jeanette, Carrie and John Paul, Nan, and Barry.
May your healing hands bring comfort, peace, hope and light to our troubled lives knowing you are always by our side.
Welcome into your kingdom, Lord, all whose earthly journey has ended. May they join those who have gone before, in eternal rest and peace. We remember with love and thanks all whose anniversary falls at this time: Michael Fairburn, John Polkinghorne, Ivy Stribley, Lilian Brand. We may not see them anymore but we still love them and they remain in our hearts for ever.
Lord, in your mercy: hear our prayer
Our lives are not meaningless. You have shown us our purpose in life, not for ourselves but for others; not to get what we can but to give what we can; not to make a name for ourselves but to glorify your name; not just to live but to live for Christ. Help us to acknowledge these gifts and not miss the purpose for which you made them. Amen
Rejoicing in the fellowship of St Allen, St Andrew, St Clement, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, we commend ourselves, and all who stand for love and peace, to your unfailing love.
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; ‘Lead us, Heavenly Father, Lead us.’
The Peace
‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name’ says the Lord,
‘I am there among them’
May the peace of God be always with us. Amen.
Blessing
May Christ give us grace to grow in holiness, to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him; 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.