Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the First Sunday of Lent. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Forty Days and Forty Nights"
Today's Gospel
Luke 4:1-13 The Testing of Jesus
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 tested 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 all this authority and their glory, 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 led him to Jerusalem and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple and said 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.
Reflection
“When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.”
I don’t know about you, but when I read this line it always feels like an ominous warning. The devil is always waiting around the corner looking for opportunities to test us and trip us up.
No matter how well intentioned we might want to be, there are always instances where we might be put to the test. How many times have you ever said, “well I really shouldn’t….but….”
Most of the time it’s in relation to fairly minor things like having another piece of cake or another drink. Relatively harmless things in the grand scheme of things, (unless you’re driving home!).
We are also tested in our resilience to do what is right by not procrastinating or putting things off that we know are important, especially when our lack of action impacts someone else. That is why when we pray for forgiveness, we say we are sorry ‘for what we have not done’.
I think it is no accident that this encounter happens just after Jesus has been affirmed by God as His son at His baptism, and before He begins His ministry. Also bear in mind that Jesus Himself must have told the disciples about the encounter after He began His ministry because there was no one there with Him in the wilderness. It was clearly important to Him.
Rather than refer to this in the usual way as the “temptations” of Christ, I have chosen to call them tests. Because that’s what they are – Jesus is alone in the wilderness, praying and reflecting hard about how God is calling Him to His mission. He is fasting and praying in isolation and Satan takes the opportunity to strike just as He did in the Garden of Eden when He caused the fall of Adam and mankind.
This same Satan that tested Eve is still as devious and wily, and thinks there’s an opportunity to take advantage of Jesus when He’s vulnerable and hungry and also by misquoting scripture.
Firstly Satan appeals to His physical hunger for food, and asks Jesus to turn stone into bread. On the face of it this wouldn’t hurt anyone, would it? But it would compromise Jesus’ validity as the servant King if His first miracle was to do something to help Himself – a servant of mankind who looks after themselves first. That’s a test we all face as individuals and moreover for our leaders who currently seem obsessed with putting themselves and the country first.
When Satan asks Jesus to worship him in return for authority and glory it was effectively asking Jesus to be unfaithful to God and avoid His destiny on the Cross. To go against God’s plan. Like many folk who want everything today and instant fame or results, we should learn to have faith in His God’s plan for us, however that works out. As Mother Teresa said, “we are called to be faithful not successful”. Moreover, we should never try and succeed at the cost of others.
Lastly, Satan attempts to test Jesus’s faith in God because He is God’s son. Satan uses scripture to goad Jesus into doing his will, but Jesus also knows the Word of God inside out and cannot be caught out by Satan quoting the bible out of context. We also are God’s children and we should have faith in Him, we too are called to trust God and not to test God.
I started by thinking about the devil being always around the corner – He has been there since the beginning of creation and when I look around the world today, at examples of greed, selfishness and war, I think that there is no doubt that he is still there, influencing people and leading them astray every day. However, Jesus has shown us that with humility and faith in God, the devil can be defeated. When we do what we know is right and put God and others first, Satan cannot win.
Yes Satan is around the corner and being tested by him is inevitable - but it is not an unsurmountable test. No matter what is happening in our lives, no matter the temptations and trials and tests we might be going through, we can turn to Jesus, and he will be there for us, to lead us and guide us all along the way. Paul
Our Prayers
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the example of Jesus in facing temptation
and overcoming the schemes of the enemy.
Fill us afresh with Your Holy Spirit
and grant us wisdom to recognise and resist the temptations
that seek to lead us astray.
Help us to choose Your will above all else.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "Lead us, Heavenly Father, Lead us"
Notices
The Churches Together in Lees and District Lent Lunches start this Wednesday at Zion Methodist Church. All are most welcome - please see the poster below for details.
This year is the full renewal of the Parish Electoral Roll. Even if you have been on the roll previously, you will need to complete a new form The Electoral Roll is a list of people who are members of our churches and are entitled to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM).
A new Electoral Roll is compiled every 6 years, and everyone needs to apply, even if they have previously been included. 2025 is the year for a new roll, and we have to complete it not less than 15 days before the APCM, which will take place on Sunday 27th April.
It’s important to us and to the Diocese to know how many members we have. And it’s important to you because you need to be on the Electoral Roll if you wish to be elected to the PCC or any other office. Also, the numbers on our roll determine how many representatives we have on Deanery Synod, which affects our influence on decisions about the future of our parish.
Any person who is aged over 16, has been baptised, and is a member of the Church of England, who lives in the parish, or if living outside parish has habitually attended public worship in the parish during the 6 months prior to enrolment, is eligible to be included on the Electoral Roll.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Sunday before Lent, also Church Action on Poverty Sunday. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Beauty for Brokenness"
Today's Gospel
Luke 9:28-43 Jesus Heals an Epileptic Child
Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking about his exodus, which he was about to fulfil in Jerusalem.
Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep, but as they awoke they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah,” not realizing what he was saying. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” While he was being brought forward, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.
Reflection
Today’s gospel passages have two very different episodes from Jesus’s life. The first is the wonderous account of the transfiguration of Christ - something I have written about a number of times, so for a change I will look at the second story.
It is totally in contrast with the former passage. We see Jesus in a very non-typical light. He seems to exhibit, (for want of a better phrase), quite un-Christian behavior.
He seems so fed up and annoyed, and speaks to the worried father of the child and His disciples in what sounds like very petulant and dsimissive way. In fact I’d go as far as to say He speaks to them in an angry manner when He says, “You faithless and perverse generation”. That doesn’t sound like the loving gentle Jesus we are all familiar with does it?
But he goes on, “…how much longer must I be with you and put up with you?” That sounds like Jesus is totally fed-up and deeply disappointed.
Before we explore that, take a moment to think how the nine disciples who had not been on the mountain with Jesus felt. How would you have felt if Jesus talked to you in that way?
None of us like to be reprimanded, even when we think we might deserve it. But when it’s someone you really respect and love then the pain of admonishment hits even harder. The feeling that we have let someone down who is an important part of our lives. Yes it hurts because we feel sorry. Can you think for a moment about a time when you have let someone down and how you felt about it?
So why was Jesus so harsh with them? Surely it wasn’t the nine disciples’ fault that they couldn’t cure the child with epilepsy. They had been begged by the child’s father and no doubt tried their best, but just couldn’t manage to heal the child. Even though they had previously healed in Jesus’s name, they now appeared to be lacking in something when He wasn’t around.
So why did Jesus seem so upset? Let’s not forget, Jesus was also human and experienced emotions and ups and downs like the rest of us. He was returning from the exhilarating encounter with Moses and Elijah and had experienced the transfiguration. Now he returns to find that His followers were unable to call on the Holy Spirit to help a sick child despite all He had shown them. He would have been concerned for the sick child and the pain of the father and, despite His dismay for His disciples, He was also concerned for how they felt about their failure. In this this window on to the humanness of Jesus, we can appreciate that His words were tempered with love and compassion. He would have felt for them - confused and disappointed with themselves.
In Matthew’s account of the story, the disciples ask why they couldn’t heal the child and Jesus explains that it was because their faith was lacking and explains that even with the smallest amount of faith we can move mountains.
There are many times when Jesus’s disciples disappointed Him, especially Peter, but He loved them and persevered, so much so that He made Peter the rock of His church. We know their faith became strong, because we read about all the miracles they went on to perform in His name in the Book of Acts.
So when we feel let down or disappointed with someone, we need to treat them with love and compassion, and perhaps think about how they might be feeling also. Likewise there will be times when we as Christians feel we have let others down and let Jesus down. While Jesus rebuked the disciples, he still remained faithful to them. His goal was to make them into God's people.
Next time you feel disappointed, remember to turn to our Lord Jesus, who knows what disappointment and failure feels like and put your trust and faith in Him.Paul
Our Prayers
Heavenly Father,
Help us not to be overly discouraged
when other people don't measure up to our expectations,
or when we do not measure up to what we should be.
Help us to be gracious with them just as you are with both them and us.
Protect our heart against discouragement about the failure
and strengthen our faith and trust in you.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen
Our final hymn today is "My Jesus, My Saviour"
Notices
Everyone is welcome to join us for All-age Worship Singing this Monday at 6.30 pm at St Thomas’. Please note that we have changed the time of this event, as some people found that the earlier time was inconvenient. If you haven’t been before, come along and join us as we have a great time practicing old and new hymns.
This year’s Ash Wednesday Service will be at St Agnes’ Church at 6.30 pm on Wednesday 5th March.
Churches Together in Lees and District are holding a special service for the World Day of Prayer at 2.30 pm on Friday 7th March at St John’s Church.
This year is the full renewal of the Parish Electoral Roll. Even if you have been on the roll previously, you will need to complete a new form The Electoral Roll is a list of people who are members of our churches and are entitled to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM).
A new Electoral Roll is compiled every 6 years, and everyone needs to apply, even if they have previously been included. 2025 is the year for a new roll, and we have to complete it not less than 15 days before the APCM, which will take place on Sunday 27th April.
It’s important to us and to the Diocese to know how many members we have. And it’s important to you because you need to be on the Electoral Roll if you wish to be elected to the PCC or any other office. Also, the numbers on our roll determine how many representatives we have on Deanery Synod, which affects our influence on decisions about the future of our parish.
Any person who is aged over 16, has been baptised, and is a member of the Church of England, who lives in the parish, or if living outside parish has habitually attended public worship in the parish during the 6 months prior to enrolment, is eligible to be included on the Electoral Roll.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Second Sunday before Lent. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Lord, for the Years"
Today's Gospel
Luke 6:27-38Love for Enemies
Jesus said, "I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."
Reflection
Jesus has bit of reputation. Not a particularly good one!
That may seem like an odd statement to make about someone who is without sin and came to redeem mankind. But at the time He was teaching in His ministry, there were many who disliked and despised Him and what He stood for – so much so in fact that they would eventually crucify Him.
Part of the reason they hate Him so much is that He lives in this upside down world where He challenges normality. Jesus cares for the downtrodden and the persecuted, the outcasts and poor.
He feels for them and is not ashamed to be seen with them, despite how much He is criticised and pilloried. More than that, as He addresses them in His ‘sermon on the plain’, He blesses them and promises future blessings on them.
But now, He really starts to ‘up the ante’. It is one thing to show love to the persecuted and encourage them to love one another, but now He’s asking them to love their enemy!!!
What sort of teaching and ethic is this? Surely it’s an impossible thing to ask. Modern day folk might say, ‘He’s thinking outside of the box’ or His thinking is, ‘out of this world !’
But Jesus isn’t just speaking to an individual or a small group of people, He’s speaking to the multitudes – a large crowd of people.
He is encouraging them to think in terms of community and social behaviour. He is describing a blueprint for how we can all work together. If only one or two people change their behaviour, it is unlikely to make any real difference, but if many of us change the way we act towards one another then we can change the world for the better.
It agree that some of the examples feel hard to swallow, and it’s still so in modern times. We have culture that says, when somebody transgresses the law or hurts our feelings, they should be punished or we should retaliate in some way.
How often is it that our first thought is about caring for the other person instead? Do we even stop to think about their circumstances? Or do we immediately assume that there is a selfish or malevolent intent behind their actions.
But what if the person stealing a loaf of bread or a tin of beans is doing so to feed a starving child because they simply don’t have any money. Because they can’t get work or have been ill or lost their job. It is one thing to support charity by giving money or food to a food bank but charity also includes having a loving and understanding attitude and looking for the good in people instead of the bad. In fact, isn’t that what we are expected to do as Christians, ‘look for the good in people’? Jesus says, “anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt” – doesn’t that suggest that we should consider that the other person may have a greater need than us?
But Jesus is going much further than that. He is pointing out, that when we are only willing to deal with people we care about or those we trust, everything we base our lives upon is purely transactional. Think about it, if you only give or lend to those who you expect to get something back from in return, it’s just a transaction.
Where is the love and generosity in that? Where is the risk? In the financial and business sectors there are people who talk about risk and reward. In other words, if I am only prepared to take a small risk or do something that is relatively safe, I expect a small reward in return. On the other hand, with higher risk I hope for greater return, albeit that does not always follow otherwise it wouldn’t be high risk.
So, here’s the message; when we are prepared to help those who we dislike or those who have wronged us, we are not risking anything. What is done, is done! But when we are prepared to forgive someone instead of condemning or judging them, we are showing them the mercy that Jesus would show them.
When we give or lend and do good to others and expect nothing back, we are showing the same mercy and grace that we hope for from the Father.
That is a reward that is, ‘out of this world!’
Paul
Our Prayers
Heavenly Father,
We pray that we may live and grow more like our Lord Jesus in the choices we make.
We know that it is not easy to forgive our enemies;
and so we pray for the strength
to love our enemies as Christ loved those who nailed Him to the Cross.
Give us the grace to be forgiving,
That your example of love may be reflected in what I do.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "What a Friend we have in Jesus"
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Third Sunday before Lent. Our Church Services today are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "I, The Lord of Sea and Sky"
Today's Gospel
Luke 6:17-26Blessings and Woes
Jesus came down with the twelve apostles and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed all of them.
Then he looked up at his disciples and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets."
"But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
"Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
"Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
"Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets."
Reflection
There aren’t many things that make me feel really, really angry. Although, I’ll admit there are quite a few things that I grumble or moan about – but I put that down to age – I am turning into Victor Meldrew, the archetypal ‘grumpy old man’.
However, when I heard that the richest man in the whole world, (Elon Musk), had recommended that billions of dollars of aid should be immediately cancelled for some of the poorest people in the world, – I was more than a little annoyed – I was livid! To make matters worse, more than two thousand aid workers will lose their jobs as a result. Against that backdrop it is very fitting that Luke’s version of the Gospel gives an insight as to what Jesus had to say.
In Luke 6:17-26 we hear Jesus addressing the crowds in His ‘Sermon on the Plain’. It is arguably one of the most profound passages in Luke’s gospel which summarises the thrust of Jesus’ ministry, and is highly relevant to our world circumstances today.
Jesus tells of the themes and nature of God’s kingdom: divine faithfulness, salvation, social reversal, and the universal scope of God’s work. These themes outline ‘kingdom values’ and how the radical nature of Jesus’ message turns the values of our world upside down.
A key difference to Matthew’s version of the ‘Beatitudes’, is the inclusions of the ‘woes’ or curses. At first glance, they might seem somewhat demoralising and discouraging. But I don’t think that Jesus is suggesting that to have wealth and health is, in itself, wrong and sinful. Maybe even a little luxury once in a while.
But what is wrong, is when we put those things above all else. When in our relative comfort, we feel safe and fall into a sense of misguided complacency that we are in ultimate control of our own destiny.
When we forget that we all need God in our lives and the Holy Spirit to be with us and guiding us. When we arrogantly believe that everything we have is what we have earned for ourselves and forget that who we are, what we have and how we live is down to the grace of God.
Jesus is quite clear that our God is an inclusive God and wants everyone to follow Him and live by His values. But we need to be willing to recognise that we have been blessed by God in so many ways in this life, and also think about how we might be thankful for that.
What might that thankfulness look like? Perhaps in the way that we look after each other, and how we show them compassion, love and support. To think about how we might bring that upside down version of God’s kingdom here today.
The woes in the Sermon on the Plain don’t have to be a portent of doom or a cloud hanging over us, but they are a powerful reminder that God’s kingdom operates on principles that are the opposite of those of a materialistic world. The poor and downtrodden will be blessed and have plenty to laugh about, when they know the grace of God.
But remember, Jesus is inclusive, and wants us all to share that grace - and we can, when we follow Him and turn our lives to God.
Some of you will have suffered sadness, struggles or illness in your lives. Some may be going through difficult times at the moment or face them in the future.
Luke tells us that Jesus has will restore us if we have faith. Whatever problems we may have, we can give them to Jesus and rest a little easier. We might not feel better right away, but we will be healed in God’s time.
Paul
Our Prayers
Merciful Father,
We give you thanks for the blessings in our lives.
Help us to always remember,
that everything we have comes from you.
Lord, give us the true richness that comes from knowing you and doing your will here on earth.
Lord we pray for those who are less fortunate that their prayers will be answered and lives made better.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "Great is Thy Faithfulness"
Notices
Our Sunday services next week are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes’ and 11 am at St Thomas’. The Tuesday morning service of Holy Communion is at St Thomas’ at 10 am, and Worship for all Generations is at St Agnes’ at 6.30 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Ladies of Leesfield have their monthly meeting in St Thomas’ Community Room at 2 pm on Tuesday the 18th February, and then on Saturday the 1st March they will be hosting their Coffee Morning at 10.30 am. All are most welcome to join the ladies for refreshments and companionship.
On Monday the 24th February, there will be an Eco-Church Gathering at 4.30 pm at St Thomas’.
On Saturday 1st March, there will be a Pub-style Quiz Night at St Thomas’, starting at 7 pm. We will have a pie supper, pub-themed raffle and lots of fun – please bring your own booze! Tickets are now available from Lesley, price £10.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Fourth Sunday Before Lent, also Racial Justice 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 are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Will You Come and Follow Me"
Today's Gospel
Luke 5:1-11 The Calling of the First Disciples
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets."
When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
Reflection
Luke’s account of the calling of the first disciples is far more descriptive than those of Matthew and Mark which merely say he called Simon and Andew to follow Him and become fishers of men and they did so. Luke takes time to put more narrative and context into the tale - he gives us some of the back-story.
We know that Simon and Andrew had finished their day’s fishing, albeit unsuccessfully, and were cleaning up ready to go home. We also know that the first thing Jesus did was to ask them to take him out a little way from the shore on Lake Gennesaret, (Sea of Galilee) so that He could preach to the gathering crowds.
Although it was very early in Jesus’ life of ministry, He was obviously very popular, and even though we are not told what He preached about, He was clearly recognised as an engaging speaker. “Someone capable of drawing a good crowd,” as folk say!
We also see that teaching was Jesus’ first priority. I wonder how Simon felt at His request. Maybe he was overjoyed that this popular teacher had chosen his boat or maybe he was a little disgruntled because he’d had a rubbish day so far and had been looking forward to going home.
We do not know if Simon knew Jesus before this encounter and some argue that it was likely he would have in such a small region.
After addressing the crowds, Jesus turns His attention to Simon Peter and asked him to start fishing again. Again I wonder what thoughts initially went through Simon’s head.
Maybe along the following lines:
“What on earth does this religious preacher know about fishing? Everyone knows the best fishing is at night, and all those crowds you attracted will have scared the fish away. We’ve worked all night, we’re tired and we’ve already washed our nets . Let’s just go home.”
But nonetheless, Simon goes along with what Jesus asks – not to humour Him, but because He believes in Jesus and is willing to listen to Him and put his trust in Him.
Sometimes we can feel like no matter how hard we try it’s difficult to get results. But when we let Jesus direct our work, we see results. However, if we make excuses and just give in, maybe we will miss an opportunity to see Jesus at work.
We see Simon’s faith and trust in Jesus is amply rewarded. Suddenly, they have an abundance of fish, more than two boats can handle. There is so much that they need the help of others to bring the catch in.
The amount of fish is way beyond their own immediate needs, beyond the ‘daily bread’ required to feed their families. All the fishermen will have enough to take to market and sell to meet their financial needs for the foreseeable future. Moreover, what they sell will be able to sustain others in the community. – No-one need go hungry for some time to come.
We are then told that Simon was amazed at the power of Jesus that he said, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" Simon truly recognised who Jesus was, and was in total awe of Him. He knew that Jesus was the Lord and he also recognised his own spiritual inadequacies and weakness, as a man and a sinner. He was humble in the presence of the Lord.
Jesus responds with His characteristic love and compassion, He wants to relate to us on the principle of love, not the principle of a cowering fear. So He calls Simon to follow and put his skills to ‘fishing for men’. Just like Simon and his friends needed help to land the fish in the boats, Jesus wanted Simon’s help to recruit new disciples. And He calls for us to follow Him in the same way - no skill or expertise in fishing needed because Jesus will show us how when we spread his word and follow His example and teaching. Paul
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leefield Parish on the Feast of Candlemas. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Longing for Light, We Wait in Darkness"
Today's Gospel
Luke 2:22-40Presentation of Christ at the Temple
When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
"Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
And the child's father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed-- and a sword will pierce your own soul too."
There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. At that moment she came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him.
Reflection
At the beginning of the text we are told that Jesus was taken to the temple in accordance with the law. The law dated as far back as the time of Abraham, [Exodus 13:1-2] and was part of what was known as the purification rite as written down in the Torah, [Lev. 12:1-8].
At the temple, the Holy family encounter Simeon, who has been promised by the Holy Spirit that he would see ‘the comfort of Israel’ before he dies. Guided by the Spirit, Simeon enters the temple and recognises Jesus as the promised Messiah and ‘comfort of Israel’, and takes him into his arms, blessing the Lord.
For those of you who have attended the night service of Compline, you will recognise Simeon’s words, which are also known as the Nunc Dimittis; "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."
This heartening moment serves as a reminder of the power of expectant faith and the rewards of perseverance in seeking God’s will, and shows us God’s total faithfulness in keeping His promises.
Simeon’s words would have been highly significant to the Jewish people, who lived during a time of great expectation and were waiting for a Messiah to liberate them from oppression by the Romans and restore Israel’s glory. The phrase ‘comfort of Israel’ in particular would have pointed to towards a sign of hope for redemption and salvation that the nation yearned for.
Simeon also foretold the destiny of Jesus, when he indicated that, "This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed.” This hints at the divisive nature of Jesus’ ministry, predicting that He would inspire faith and belief among some, while triggering division and rejection among others. As we later learn though the story of Jesus’ ministry, He would not be a leader that many were expecting, one who would come to conquer through might and war; instead as Simeon foretells, He would be a leader who led by opening up the kingdom of God to gentiles as well as Jews and brought the opportunity of salvation to everyone.
Simeon's words to Mary also foretell the pain and suffering that Jesus would be prepared to endure on the Cross for our redemption. It may seem contradictory, that as Simeon is giving thanks and blessing for the Messiah, he is also predicting His suffering. But that is the point! The Good News of Jesus is not about the absence of suffering, it’s about the grace and love of God sacrificing His only Son for our redemption.
Simeon’s song reminds the faithful of the joy and peace that comes from encountering the Saviour not only in person but in our everyday lives. Paul
Our Prayers
Heavenly Father,
We give you thanks for the example of your servant Simeon,
Who waited with patience and devotion,
for your promise to be fulfilled.
We pray for that same level of trust and devotion, that we will in faith, be with you in happiness and delight.
AMEN
Today's final hymn is "Be Thou My Vision"
Notices
Our Sunday services next week are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes’ and 11 am at St Thomas’. The Tuesday morning service of Holy Communion is at St Thomas’ at 10 am, and Worship for all Generations is at St Agnes’ at 6.30 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Monday 3rd February we will have our All-Age Worship Singing at 4.30 pm in the Community Room. Everyone is most welcome to join us as we practice some old and new hymns and worship songs. Also, if you have any favourite hymns, please feel free to tell us, and we’ll try to include them in our worship.
This Thursday, the 6th February, representatives from the Churches Together in Lees and District group will be meeting in St Thomas’ Community Room to discuss our plans for upcoming joint services and events during Lent and Easter. Everyone is invited to come along and join our fellow Christians as we work together in unity.
Finally, a little update on the heating at St Thomas’ Church. There has been a leak in the system, which the gas engineer has been unable to trace because the pipework is below the stone flags. We are considering possible options, but repairs are likely to be very costly and take quite some time. In the meantime, we will continue to worship in the Community Room as we do on Tuesday mornings, because that space is on a separate heating system.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Third Sunday after Epiphany. Our Church Services this morning are at the usual times of 9.15 at St Agnes' and 11.00 at St Thomas'.
This afternoon we also have a Churches Together in Lees and District Service for Christian Unity at 2.30 pm at Zion Methodist Church, where everyone is warmly invited to join us.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "Thy Hand, O God, has Guided"
Today's Gospel
Luke 4:14-21Jesus Teaches at Nazareth
Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
Reflection
Wow, Jesus really is flavour of the month. Just listen to all the positives in this passage … in the power of the Spirit … a report went out … he taught in their synagogues … glorified by all … eyes of all fixed on him …
Then the bombshell. “Today, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” Boom!
This was a high-point in Jesus’ ministry. It was one of the few times when no-one was complaining or arguing or trying to chuck him off a cliff. Everybody loved him, everybody listened to him, everybody ‘liked’ him on Facebook.
We’ve all had times like this – when everything goes well and we feel the world is on our side. Other times, it all goes dreadfully wrong and we can’t wait to go to bed just to get the day over with. Jesus had days like that too. There were plenty of times when people heard Jesus’ words and saw the miracles and even ate the bread and the fish, yet still walked away with their hearts stubbornly closed. People misinterpreted him, lied about him and accused him of being in league with the devil. They humiliated him, beat him up and eventually killed him.
Pretty bad days. Where was ‘the Spirit of the Lord’ then? Where was the anointing? Where was the Lord’s favour?
Still there. Still exactly where it had always been. None of the bad stuff meant that the reading today was any less true that it had been in the glory days.
What Jesus had was not just the temporary ‘up’ of having a good day – passing the test, finding that thing you’d lost and winning the office quiz, plus having really good hair. It was a much bigger, deeper kind of ‘up’. It was the kind of ‘up’ that stays up even when the scaffolding underneath is taken away.
Ignatius of Loyola called this state ‘consolation’. It is much more than just feeling good because things are going well. It is an abiding joy that goes way beyond happy. It is the state of knowing that you are walking in step with God and it is not dependent on the circumstances.
It was this ‘consolation’ or abiding joy that enabled Paul and Silas to sing hymns of praise in the Philippian jail. Later, Paul did not mind whether he was in prison or not, even if he lived or not, because he was sure that he was doing what he should be doing. He was walking in step with God and so he could stride forward confidently. If it led to huge crowds and Caesar, that was fine. If it led to unseen drudgery and apparently fruitless ministry, that was fine. If it led to prison and martyrdom, that was fine too.
Jesus knew that he was walking in step with God, both here in our reading, in the glory days, and later, when the wind of opinion became a gale against him. That firm conviction stayed with him even in the most dire of circumstances. If it was going well and people loved him, that was fine. If it was not going well and people were baying for his blood, that was fine too.
What about today, in our lives? I know that I do not live in that permanent certainly of walking in step with God. I am more in step at some times and awkwardly hobbling behind at others. The first is definitely better. When we are walking in step with God, joining in the work that he is doing, allowing our hearts to beat with his, then we can all know the deep sense of peace – that passes all understanding. (Phil 4:7)
It is the ‘all shall be well and all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well’ spoken of by Julian of Norwich – no matter what the external circumstances. This is the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness depends on good things happening, and when those change, so does our mood. Happiness requires support from circumstances. Joy, or consolation, requires no external support, it is reliant solely on God.
It does not mean we have to pretend that life is a happy place when it is not. Sometimes life can be rotten. It means living beyond the rotten. It means knowing that if you are walking in step with God, then even when that walk takes you through muddy places, steep hills or shadowy valleys, it really is OK. Faye Rowlands
Our Prayers
Loving Father,
Thank you for all the good times in our lives.
Help us to be resilient in the times when things don’t go well.
Give us confidence and joy in our heart,
As we walk with you, through both the difficult and the good times.
