Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on Trinity Sunday. Our Church Services today are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11 am at St Thomas'. If you're unable to be with us in person, you can find today's Gospel reading, a reflection and prayers below.
Our first hymn this morning is "I Bind Unto Myself This Day"
Today's Gospel
Matthew 28:16-20 Jesus Appears to His Disciples
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Reflection
The passage above contains the closing words of Matthew’s Gospel. It concludes with one if the most awesome and reassuring lines in the bible – “remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” If that doesn’t fill you with warmth and comfort, then I’m not sure what will!
The whole passage is often referred to as ‘The Great Commission’. In the last few words of his Gospel, Matthew shares Jesus’s instruction to the disciples regarding what He wants them to do after He has gone to heaven. It is clear that what he is telling them is a ’command’ rather than just a request or a suggestion. To emphasise this, Jesus starts by saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” As we have seen so many times in Matthew’s Gospel, he does not allow for any doubt that Jesus is one with The Father. He is not just a messenger or a teacher, a miracle worker or a prophet. He is the Lord!
What Jesus is telling them to do is an instruction from God. He is delivering a divine commission that the eleven should build the church by making disciples of all nations. Let’s think for a minute about the word all…..
Jesus wasn’t saying go back to your home villages and tell your friends and neighbours about the good news of Jesus who was raised from the dead for the forgiveness of all our sins; He was telling them to go far and wide and tell everyone. He didn’t just say go and tell the Jews, He was clear that they were to make disciples of people in all nations, from all different backgrounds, cultures and religions. To do that they are required to “baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you”
It is not about superficial storytelling, or persuading folk that coming to church services is a good thing, it’s about creating new followers and believers in our Lord. To put it another way, if we had a church full of non-believers every Sunday what would that achieve? Jesus wants a world full of people who are willing to be baptised. People who truly believe in the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. People who can relate to a Lord who died, was buried and raised from the dead for us.
Jesus gives that same divine challenge and instruction to us. It’s not just the remit of priests and preachers, but for all of us to encourage discipleship and new believers. It is our mission too! He even tells us how to go about it: by teaching them to obey His commands and observe His ways. He is willing and waiting to reach out His hand to all who are willing to follow Him now and forever….. because we have His divine promise that - He will be with us always until the end of the age. Paul
Our Prayers
Almighty and everlasting God, you have given to us your servants grace, by the confession of a true faith, to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, and in the power of your divine Majesty to worship the Unity:
Keep us steadfast in this faith and worship, and bring us at last to see you in your one and eternal glory, O Father; who with the Son and the Holy Spirit live and reign, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty"
