Sunday Worship 5th July
We have been ‘doing church’ in a different way over the last 3 months or so. It has been interesting to be involved in the virtual church, through all the online resources. We do need to think more about these different ways of being part of church. I do think that Sunday morning services in church are the core of our worship, but increasingly over the years it has become clear we need to cater for people whose lives don’t fit easily with that pattern- and I think the last few weeks have made this even clearer. This will surely be a discussion it is important to have once we are able to be together again.
Edith
Our first hymn today is "Come Down O Love Divine" -
Today's Bible reading -
Today’s gospel reading is two separate short passages put together. The first part shows people who are not easily pleased. They didn’t like John the Baptist, his way of living with its self-denial made them uncomfortable – some even suspected he had a demon. Then came Jesus with his quite different lifestyle. He celebrated with all, enjoyed food and drink, threw parties which spoke of God’s lavish, generous love and forgiveness – and they didn’t like that either. It’s a bit like a spoilt, tantrum-throwing child, not satisfied whatever happens.
The second part of the passage shows an entirely different sort of child. Jesus talks very movingly of his relationship with his father, with God. Jesus had come to know his father the way a son does, not by studying books about him but by living in his presence, listening for his voice and by learning from him as an apprentice does from a master, by watching and imitating. Jesus has known the love, support and delight of his father and can now care for others. Jewish culture stressed the importance of wisdom, wisdom was gained by studying the law and teasing out its finest points. For the average Jew of Jesus’ day this was way out of reach. You had to be a scholar, trained in languages and literature, with the free time to be able to ponder and debate weighty and complicated matters. Jesus discovered that the wise and learned were not the ones who really knew God. It was rather the ‘little people’ - the poor, the sinners, the tax collectors, ordinary folk - were discovering more of God simply by following Jesus than the learned specialists who declared that what he was doing didn’t fit with their complicated theories.
So Jesus came to see that he was himself acting as a window on to the living God. Where Jesus was, through his words and action, people were coming to see who the Father really was. So with Jesus, things were, are, different. People are no longer to be burdened by the Jewish law with all its commandments. Jesus offers a different ‘yoke’ – coming from his mercy and love.
Jesus did say people had to be prepared to leave behind family, possessions, even their own life. But the ease and the joy, the rest and refreshment which he offers all spring from his own inner character, his gentleness and warmth to all who turn to him, weighed down by burdens, moral, physical, emotional, financial or whatever. He declares that he is ‘gentle and humble of heart’ and that isn’t boasting. He is encouraging us to believe that he isn’t going to stand over us like a policeman. The welcome he offers, for all who abandon themselves to his mercy, is the welcome God offers through him. This is the invitation that pulls back the curtain and lets us see who ‘the Father’ really is, and encourages us to come into his loving and welcoming presence.
Looking back at the beginning of today’s gospel passage, to that picture we have of the spoilt child, we can see that Jesus offers them rest, rest from their discontent and frustration. Just as he offers us rest when we are weary, refreshment when we are parched and hungry.
Edith
Today's second hymn is an invitation to all of us - "Will You Come And Follow Me"
Our prayers for today -
And our final hymn this morning is - "God Is Working His Purpose Out" -
