Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity. 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 "On a Hill Far Away (The Old Rugged Cross)"
Today's Gospel
John 12:27–36 Jesus Speaks About His Death
“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say: ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”*
The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
Jesus said to them, “The light is in you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.”
Reflection
Today, we are taking a detour from the Gospel of Luke as we celebrate Holy Cross Day.
As you read the passage above, what thoughts go through your head? Perhaps you can try to put yourself in Jesus’s shoes – He knows what destiny lies ahead. That He is going to be killed in Jerusalem. Not only that, He knows what kind of death that is going to be. An excruciatingly tortuous, painful and drawn out death on the Cross.
This takes place at the beginning of Holy Week just after Palm Sunday where He was welcomed with rapture as the Messiah. Therefore, not only is Jesus aware what lies ahead, He also knows that it is imminent.
For an instant, in the opening line, it seems as though Jesus might be having second thoughts – and who wouldn’t? However we need to appreciate that in coming to earth Jesus gave up His divine nature and became one of us, fully human.
As St. Paul tells us – “though he was in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God … but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in human likeness.” [Philippians 2:6–7]
Jesus wasn’t like Superman, a being from another planet who had super powers and was impervious to pain and suffering, He was fully human and as such had emotions and fears, and as we see, He could experience doubt and anxiety and fear.
Yet, despite this momentary doubt, He almost instantly affirms His commitment to meet His destiny. He decides He is not going to be side-tracked from His mission to bring salvation to all who turn to Him.
In this moment of hesitation we see vulnerability in Jesus’ humanity. He is clearly troubled to the core of His soul. So what does He do? He talks to God. He bares His soul and tells God just how anxious He is. Surely, there’s a lesson in this for us. If Jesus needed to turn to the Father in times of need, then we too can do the same when we are faced with difficult challenges or decisions in our lives.
When we make time to share whatever is in our hearts with God, and take our fears and troubles to Him, we are opening our relationship with God to enable a deeper connection and spiritual understanding with Him.
In this story. Jesus reminds us that it’s OK to be frightened or uncertain sometimes – it’s human. Being scared of what lies ahead is not a sign of weakness – it’s human.
But Jesus also shows us that we sometimes need to stand back from our worries and look at the bigger picture. Picking up our own cross sometimes means taking the option that isn’t the most obvious and may cause us some short term pain.
Talking with God also means listening to what He wants us to do. When Jesus reflected on what lay ahead, He could see that in God’s greater plan, His personal suffering on the Cross was the only way that our sins could be atoned for. Putting aside His fears, Jesus could see that what He was being asked to do as part of God’s plan was essential for humanity.
In this vulnerable moment, Jesus battled with His human emotions and anxiety and chose to trust in God - to submit to God’s will and his plan and to put His misgivings aside for the greater good. That is the essence of true faith – when we allow ourselves to put others first even if it causes us personal grief then we too can demonstrate that we are willing to pick up the cross.
As we navigate the winding journey and the ups and downs of our lives, let us look at this powerful example of how Jesus faced into His fears. Let His example of faith give us hope and assurance that we too can lean on God to point us in the right direction. Paul
Our Prayers
Father God ,
We ask you to let us see the light of your son Jesus.
That we may be led by His most precious light
Out of darkness and into the ways of
goodness and righteousness
So that we may become children of light.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "What a Friend we Have in Jesus"
Notices
Special Notice – For anyone who wasn’t in church last Sunday to hear the announcement, we are pleased to say that we will have a Curate in Charge before Advent this year.
Revd Kirsten Stott is coming to us from St Luke’s Heywood and St John’s Hopwood, and will be serving the remainder of her curacy at St John’s Hey and Leesfield under the supervision of her Training Priest, Revd Kirsty Screeton.
When Kirsten’s training is complete, expected during Spring 2026, the Bishop will formally ‘sign off’ her Curacy, and she will then be able to apply for the role of Incumbent.
If we, St John’s and Kirsten are all happy to proceed at that time, there will be a formal interview for the role of Incumbent of both parishes, and if successful, Kirsten would then become our Vicar.
With only one ordained priest across the two parishes, three churches and four schools, there will, inevitably, be some alterations to worship patterns in both Leesfield and St John’s. We are currently working with St John’s, with guidance from Area Dean Daniel and Archdeacon Karen, on what this might look like.
Please hold Revd Kirsten and both parishes in your prayers as we jointly discern how best to serve God and our communities over the coming years.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity. 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 "Give Thanks, with a Grateful Heart"
Today's Gospel
Luke 14:25-33 The Cost of Discipleship
Now large crowds were travelling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?
Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions."
Reflection
This week the church looks at ‘thankfulness and generosity’ – and we explore the cost of discipleship. In today’s Gospel reading Jesus says that if we are serious about following Him, then we should pick up our cross and give up all our possessions.
Well I don’t know about you but that sounds like a pretty big ask.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be simply be thanked once in a while just for coming to church?
Well, personally, I am thankful that we are here – but I think we are here not because we want to be thanked but because we are thankful to Jesus. Because we love Him and genuinely want to follow Him and grow as His disciples. We’ve a lot to be thankful for.
We should be thankful because God the Father gave his only Son Jesus, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Because Jesus loves us and is always there for us. Because God lavishes His grace upon us.
It’s right to be thankful to God. It’s right to want to follow Jesus – and in today’s gospel passage Jesus encourages us to do just that. But it also comes with a message that’s uncomfortable to hear.
One of the challenges in the teachings of Jesus is that sometimes there are hard things to hear and get our heads around.
It’s not just the easy things that Jesus teaches, but also the hard things, too - and today just happens to be one of those hard teachings from Jesus. Jesus doesn’t always sugar coat the message.
Let’s go back to that scary bit about giving up all our possessions: In the original Greek translation, Jesus talks about renouncing all our possessions, not giving them up altogether.
He is not literally saying pack up everything you’ve got and take it all to the charity shop. Empty the fridge and give everything to the local foodbank. Sell your house and your car and donate all your money to good causes.
By telling us to renounce our possessions, He is telling us to look at our priorities. And to get our priorities right – to put following Him before our personal ambitions – Jesus is telling us that following Him isn’t something that we can do by half measures – we have to be all in, and put Jesus before everything else in our lives.
Following Jesus is a way of life - a commitment where we put Jesus first as our top priority. To put God first and foremost above friends, family and possessions.
Our first priority has to be to follow His example, to glorify God and give Him the thanks He deserves, and the second priority is to look after one another.
Today Jesus is telling us bluntly, that if we are to follow Him, then we can only do that when we put God and others first.
And we can only do that if we de-prioritise our fixation on material things, spending nearly all our time and money doing things primarily for ourselves and our families.
Ok, that’s maybe not as bad as saying sell everything you have and give it away, but it’s still a pretty tough message, So why do we find giving meaningfully so hard to do?
I suggest there are two key reasons: –
Firstly - greed. The more we have, the more we want. We can live relatively comfortable lives compared to many in the world but we are persuaded by advertising and consumerism to think it’s better to have more. A voice in our head that says, I’ve worked hard for what I’ve got, why shouldn’t I reap the benefit and indulge myself. Why shouldn’t I have that extra holiday or the newer gadgets and phones, even though there is nothing wrong with the ones we have. Why shouldn’t I buy some nice new clothes even though my wardrobe is bursting to the limits?
But, if we think this is the right way to live our lives, then we have totally missed the point. We are just paying lip-service to living a Christian life. We are forgetting that everything we have is ours by the grace of God.
The second barrier to giving is about insecurity and fear. Will we have enough to put the kids through college? Or plan for a good retirement or what if I lose my job? That’s a harder concern to answer. Do we want security? Of course we do.
But is the security we seek to be found in wealth and a good lifestyle, or is it in Jesus? Those who put their faith in money think along the lines of, the more I give away the less I will have left for me. Those who put their faith and trust in Jesus believe that the more we give away, the more God will provide for us. And I firmly believe that God will.
God might not provide what we think we want. It might not be unlimited wealth or the best of health, but we can trust that God will provide what He knows we need and He will do it cheerfully. And that is what Jesus wants us to do also.
In 2 Corinthians 9:7. St. Paul says:
"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
If you’re still not convinced, look at it this way:
Think about how you feel when you see your children unwrapping presents on their birthday? They are full of glee and excitement and it warms your heart with joy and happiness.
And you’re cheerful and happy even though you might have spent far more than you planned to and had to sacrifice spending on something you wanted for yourself. -
It’s easy in this case to see the joy of our children benefiting bringing us happiness.
And when we are happy because we have given generously, then Jesus is happy too, He is happy for us.
Isn’t that a good feeling? To know that Jesus is happy for us.
Similarly, when we give to others, the people or organisations we give to are blessed and enriched by our action. When we give generously and cheerfully we glorify God and in turn we too are enriched and blessed in the eyes of God. When we give generously we are being thankful to God for all He has done for us. Thankfulness and generosity go hand in hand.
In our parish we are facing a stark future, with a meagre income from regular giving being far less than what we need to cover the cost of utilities, maintenance and the parish share. That is before we consider how we are going to raise the £50,000 needed to repair the heating and the costs of fixing the leaking porch at St. Agnes. And as new people replace the older members of the congregation we need them to volunteer to help with the routine tasks of running the services. So let us all prayerfully think about what we might give to keep the church going.
It's always hard to talk about generosity and giving, and whilst Jesus does not pull His punches about the commitment He expects from those who follow Him; He’s not trying to load us with guilt. He actually wants to make us happy and free. He doesn't want us to be generous so he can make us miserable. Instead, He wants to give us more joy, more contentment and to be more enriched in who we are.
As we strive to build our relationship with Jesus, let’s embrace those challenges, and rejoice in our sacrifices, and feel how happy He wants us to be. And let’s not forget, the ultimate reward for following Jesus is far greater than the cost. Paul
Our Prayers
Almighty Father, we thank you for the many blessings you give us.
We pray that we may be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit,
To follow Jesus as His disciples.
We pray for the future of churches in Lees.
Help show us the way to give more generously and cheerfully
knowing that we are blessing others and you with every act of kindness.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "Will You Come and Follow Me"
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Eleventh Sunday after Trinity. 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 can find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "In Christ Alone"
Today's Gospel
Luke 14:1,7-14 Humility and Hospitality
On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, `Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, `Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
Reflection
We pick up this week, where we left off last week.
This time, Jesus is not teaching in the synagogue but has been invited to a Sabbath meal with the leader of the Pharisees and other important guests. We are told that they were closely watching Him.
The setting of the scene reminded me of a movie where a well to do young man falls in love with a beautiful young lady who is quite poor and, for want of a better phrase, is unsophisticated. Inevitably the time comes when he invites her to dinner with his parents. The situation that unfolds is extremely uncomfortable as every action she takes, how she eats and everything she says is deeply scrutinised.
Have you ever found yourself in a position where you have felt, ‘under the microscope’? Maybe at a job interview or a new member of a club?
I mentioned last week how important Sabbath meals were in the Jewish community and so tensions would have been quite high. The religious parties were no doubt keen to delve into Jesus’ views quite deeply and see if they could trip Him up especially with regards to observance of their laws. In verses 2-6, (not included above), Jesus confounds them when He again cures a person on the Sabbath. He again challenges their views about where Scripture says you cannot heal on the Sabbath and is met with silence. They are still struggling with His compassionate approach of following the heart and spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law.
By observing the way people were behaving, Jesus is able to interpret their behaviour in terms of the societal norms. Amongst those invited to the meal there are clearly differing levels of status and seniority. This is not a situation where all are treated equally – it is a power driven situation where people are competing for favour or recognition. In modern society, one might compare it to the clamour for political or celebrity status.
In His first example, Jesus reminds us that people will think more of us when we are humble and do not assume privilege or prestige. In fact we do well to consider that many may have a totally contradictory view of us depending how we behave. To quote an Oldam colloquialism, we might be seen as ‘having a shilling on ourselves’. In other words, other people may have a much lower opinion of us than we have of ourselves.
In the second example Jesus exposes the motivation that dictate our actions. It is good to show hospitality but we need to be welcoming to everyone – not just those who are capable of and willing to reciprocate. It’s a bit like the ‘Scrooge’ approach of giving Christmas presents, where the value of what he gives is proportional to what he thinks he will get back in return.
What does mean for us our community and our churches in Lees?
How much do we think about how we are serving others? I have no doubt we will consider this in more detail next week when we look at generosity but there are some things that do not require money.
Do we think about how we treat others and are more concerned about how they see us? Who are the ‘others’? Non-Christians, newcomers, those we don’t normally associate with, the poor and vulnerable living rough only a mile away?
Are we creating a welcoming space for everyone and anyone, or do we instinctively still tend to lean towards people of a similar social standing? As Christians, are we emulating Jesus by creating a welcoming space where healing and authentic connection can thrive? – If not, what more can we do to genuinely be a church where everyone can be welcomed to a place at the table. Paul
Our Prayers
Gracious Father, Your Son Jesus Christ,
Showed by His teaching and examples
how to be compassionate and caring to everyone.
Let us demonstrate a willingness to embrace
those we feel challenged by or don’t understand.
Help us to reflect on how we can embody Jesus’ love
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Tenth Sunday after Trinity. This morning we have just one service in the parish - a 10 am Parish Eucharist at St Thomas' Church.
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 "Morning Has Broken"
Today's Gospel
Luke 13:10-17Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman
Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the Sabbath day."
But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?" When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
Reflection
There are so many themes that we could explore in this short passage such as how we treat people as opposed to animals, the need for compassion, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Scribes and the desire to control people with endless rules. Many if these I have explored before, so for a change I want to look at the subject of the Sabbath. What does it mean, both to us and others, and why is it so important? Or perhaps in this secular society, with 24 by 7 activity perhaps the question we might ask is, ‘Is the Sabbath still important?’
The word Sabbath is mentioned 172 times in the Old Testament and 61 times in the New Testament. It first appears in the account of the creation at the very beginning of the bible in Genesis where it is referred to as a hallowed day of rest blessed by God. [Genesis 2:2-3]
To many the meaning is therefore that the Sabbath is a day of rest – or a day where we are not supposed to work. It reflects the seventh day where God rested after he had created the world and everything in it. It follows therefore, that technically the Sabbath is on a Saturday and is still celebrated as such by the Jewish faith. That perhaps begs the question, why do Christians celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday?
Before that we should consider what are we supposed to do on the Sabbath apart from rest?
Play games or sport, play games on computers, go for a nice walk, visit friends and relations or just loaf about streaming the latest box set of TV series.
Of course all of these activities might be considered as rest, but Sabbath is about much more than that isn’t it? Sabbath is not just about chilling out; it’s about renewal, it’s about spending quality time with God - the creator, it’s about worship and thanksgiving and fellowship with God.
That renewal and refreshment doesn’t just relate to physical rest, it also means ‘spiritual’ rest and transformation. Time to reflect on what we have done with our lives in the last week, and where we have seen God at work. Also looking forward to what we have planned in the coming week and how we might go about that in a more Christ-like manner.
Sabbath is therefore very much about being with God, recognising the role that his only Son Jesus continues to play in all our lives, and asking for the Holy Spirit to guide us.
To answer my earlier question, why did Christians adopt Sunday as the Sabbath? It’s because we chose to associate it with the day of Christ’s Resurrection. Quite simply, in the decades after Jesus’ death and Resurrection, Sunday became recognised as ‘The Lord’s Day’.
In my studies this year, I have been fortunate to work with a Rabbi and some of the Jewish community who shared the importance of the Sabbath to their faith. The Orthodox Jews are particularly fastidious about maintaining all aspects of the Sabbath and for them the Sabbath actually begins on the Friday evening after work and before sunset.
It starts with Friday - a day of preparation including preparing food for the following day. This follows from the time when God provided manna for the people of Isreal to eat. He only provided it for six days of the week, so they were expected to gather what they needed to eat on the Sabbath on the previous day. [Exodus16:22].
Friday is also a day of hospitality where many Jews come together to share what they have and celebrate the eve of the Sabbath. One of my friends told me that during Covid it was almost unbearable for people to have to stay at home, and in some cases eat and pray alone.
Similarly, just as Christians were required to shut down churches, Jews were also made to shut down the synagogues. However, for Orthodox Jews it was arguably harder because Jewish rules did not allow for them to worship online.
As we read in the gospel passage, one of the issues was that over the years the religious leaders, (Jews), had taken the fourth commandment, “keep the Sabbath Day Holy” and introduced laws that made many things forbidden. Interpreted in today’s world this would prohibit driving a car, turning off electrical appliances, or even tying up rubbish bags and putting them in the bin. Albeit for less orthodox Jews, a less prescriptive approach is now adopted.
As we see, Jesus was inclined to take a much more nuanced view. I would argue one can faithfully keep to spirit of the Sabbath without adhering to all sort of ridiculous man-made rules. As Jesus interpreted it, there is no commandment that you should not heal someone on the Sabbath. Moreover, His second commandment is clear, ‘that we should love our neighbour as ourselves’, [Mark 12:31]. Jesus shows us a more loving way of interpreting the spirit of the law.
However, to address my earlier question, “is the Sabbath still important?” – I leave that up to each of us to answer for ourselves. Are we worshipping and focussing on God as much as he would expect us to be? Are we looking after one another as much as we might? Paul
Our Prayers
Creator God, who made heaven and earth
We pray that we may use the time you have given us,
to rest and give ourselves the work-life balance you wanted us to have.
Let us spend more of that time giving you due thanks and
worship for all you have done for us and what you continue to do.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "I Danced in the Morning (Lord of the Dance)"
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Ninth Sunday after Trinity. 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 of all Hopefulness"
Today's Gospel
Luke 12:49-56Jesus the Cause of Division
Jesus said, "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptised, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided:
father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, `It is going to rain'; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, `There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?"
Reflection
How do you picture Jesus? If someone asked you to say a sentence or two about Jesus what might you say?
Gentle shepherd meek and mild. Prince of peace, wonderful counsellor, our redeemer who died for us, caring, loving and healing.
So what’s happening here? Is Jesus having a really bad day? This is not the image of Jesus we would immediately call to mind and indeed it is an image that many may feel unsettled by.
Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem and is addressing large crowds along the way, some who have come in the hope of seeing miracles performed and some who want to hear what he has to say – and to see if he really is the promised Messiah who is going to lead them and defeat the Roman forces.
In the previous weeks he we have heard Him talk about the need to guard against hypocrisy, to put aside worry and trust that God will provide for us, to be watchful and prepared for the second coming of the Son of Man, and to be generous and give to those who are in need. A mixture of hope and promise and also about making what could be described as painful choices like the one Jesus is about to make on the Cross.
In today’s address it looks like Jesus has really gone over the top. It sounds like he is complaining about the stress he is under as he journeys towards the cross - it might be hard for us to imagine that Jesus can have a bad day, but we should not forget that he was fully human. Why shouldn’t Jesus feel frustrated when he sees the injustice and unfairness all around him and the failure of people to follow God’s will.
We are more comfortable when Jesus criticises the leaders of the day but now it seems like His finger is well and truly pointed at the crowds and also at us. There are threats of division and rifts even between family members and talk of bringing fire to the earth.
This is the Jesus that Simeon spoke of when he was presented as a baby at the Temple when he told Mary, - “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” [Luke: 2-35]
And these are the same words that Jesus now uses.
His own life was one of complete devotion, and compassion soaked with his redemptive love and his mission to save us – yet he sees that those around him lack that commitment to follow his example and teaching. He is reaching out to teach us all that we need to listen more carefully to his message of redemption and the way to fulfil God’s will. It’s a message of tough love where he acknowledges that the cost of following him is not always going to be easy.
The cost of true discipleship can be hard when we are expected to truly love one another, even our enemies, and to share rather than hoard our wealth; when we are called to make personal sacrifices each day and stand up against unfairness and injustice across the world.
In Acts we are told that on the Day of Pentecost what seemed like tongues of fire rested on them and they were filled with the Holy Spirit. [Acts 2:3] and the prophet Malachi predicted, “He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness.“ [Malachi 3: 2-4].
Jesus brings fire on the earth, with the Holy Spirit’s transformative work in our lives. Just like fire refines and purifies, we should let the Holy Spirit work within us, sparking our minds and hearts with the same love, passion, and truth that Jesus had for us.
As Jesus wanted, we need to kindle this Holy Fire to live as committed and faithful disciples, and to go out and make a difference in the world even if that sometimes means we are not always liked and respected.
Paul
Our Prayers
Almighty God,
Open our minds to understand Jesus’ words more clearly,
That we may discern his teaching.
Send your Holy Spirit
to light our hearts and minds with fire,
that we may be transformed and refined
and unwavering in our commitment to you.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "Father God, I Wonder"
Notices
Next Sunday, the 24th August, we have a Parish Eucharist at 10 am at St Thomas' Church, with no service at St Agnes'.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Eighth Sunday after Trinity. 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 "When Morning Gilds the Skies"
Today's Gospel
Luke 12:32-40Do Not Be Afraid, Little Flock
Jesus said to his disciples, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.
"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
Reflection
The opening of this passage picks up where we left off last week, [Luke 12:39] talking about generosity and sharing what God provides with others.
But wealth is not the only thing we need to consider and this is addressed in the rest of Jesus’ message above. Arguably the most precious commodity we all have is time. Time is something we all have – but we can’t buy or sell time, We don’t know how much time we have, “none of us by worrying add a single hour to our life”, [Matthew 6:27]. None of us know how much time we have, which is what makes it so precious.
Just as what we do with our material wealth is up to us, it is also up to us what we do with our time and how we value it. We can choose to use it wisely or waste it – it’s up to us.
There are similarities here with the parable of the ten virgins who were told to remain dressed with their lamps burning waiting for the groom to return [Matthew 25:1-13], where we are warned to stay alert for the return of Christ.
But it is not just about being ready for when Christ returns, it is also about what we do with our time and lives whilst we are waiting. We are not expected to idle our time away while we wait and then pretend that we have been living righteous lives while doing so.
We are expected to be alert and active doing God’s will every day. Willing to read and share His word with others and worship God not just on a Sunday but every day. That doesn’t necessarily mean going to church every day but it does require us to recognise and acknowledge His presence and role in our lives and to pray to Him.
Even when we are weary, we still need to be ready so that when God calls us to action, we can seize the opportunity to do His will and spread the good news.
Last Wednesday (6th August), was the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord. In Luke’s account he describes how Jesus’ appearance changed and his face and clothes became dazzling white as He was joined by Moses and Elijah. He then describes how Pater, John and James, although weighed down with sleep, had stayed awake, and as a result witnessed the glory of Jesus’ transfiguration and the meeting with Moses and Elijah.
The theme is the same, where by staying awake they were rewarded for their faithfulness.
At the time when Luke was writing this, many people in the early church had been expecting Jesus to return imminently, and some were weary and impatient for his second coming.
It is now over two millennia and we are still waiting, but as Jesus tells us, “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."
Only God knows when that will be, but it is still as important as ever that we remain vigilant and ready, watchful and prepared, because when He does return and finds us ready, we will be rewarded beyond our wildest dreams.
When the time comes, Jesus says "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Paul
Our Prayers
Father God
Like watchmen in the night,
we await the coming again,
of your Son Jesus Christ.
Help us to remain diligent and faithful,
Trusting in your promise of eternal life
and the pleasure of your kingdom.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "The Spirit Lives to Set us Free"
Notices
Next Sunday we will be celebrating the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day at St Thomas' at 12.30 pm.
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Sixth Sunday after Trinity. 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 "As the Deer Pants for the Water"
Today's Gospel
Luke 12:13-21The Parable of the Rich Fool
Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions."
Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, `What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?'
Then he said, `I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, `Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, `You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."
Reflection
I was recently studying the life of William Temple who was former Bishop of Manchester before being appointed as Archbishop of York in 1929 and Archbishop of Canterbury in 1942. He was the only Archbishop to be the son of a former Archbishop.
It is fair to say that he came from a very privileged background and went to private school and Oxford. Nonetheless, his time as Bishop of Manchester had a very profound and lasting impact on him. Temple travelled across the industrial towns of Lancashire and witnessed the acute hardship and harsh conditions faced by the majority of people. Those working in the mills, mines and other industry who had to endure harsh regimes and poverty, whilst those unemployed had no health care provisions or security.
This was during the period between the two World Wars and during the Great Depression. Temple was profoundly struck by the unfairness of a society where the rich got increasingly richer and richer at the expense of the poor.
As a result, he published a famous book called Christianity and Social Order which, among other things, challenged the role that the Church of England had to play in influencing Government and reshaping society to make it fairer for everyone.
In researching his publication he worked alongside many learned economic scholars and politicians such as John Maynard Keynes and William Beveridge and at the end of his book he outlined in detail his ‘Suggested Programme’ which was effectively the blueprint for the introduction of the Welfare State. This included Family Allowance for each child after the first two, education for all up to the age of 18, two days per week rest, paid annual holidays, fair wages to support a family of four, decent housing built near to where people worked and free school meals and milk. This was implemented by a new Labour Government in 1945 after the end of the war.
How does this relate to today’s reading? Essentially, it provides a living example of how we should look after one another and how we need to focus not on material things as the be all and end all. I am not suggesting that wanting to be successful and making a better life for ourselves is necessarily a bad thing - but when it becomes the main focus for our lives and when we ignore the suffering of those around us because we are oblivious them, then we are on a road to our own ruin. When we become so attached to what more we can get, that is purely and simply greed.
When we fail to acknowledge that God has given us plenty and do not look at the misfortune and suffering of others then that too is greed. William Temple had experienced privilege but when he saw impoverishment around him, his first reaction was to use what God had given him to make a difference to others.
In the parable of the farmer he has also been very fortunate and he has such an abundance but all he can think about is how he can preserve it in bigger barns and keep everything for himself. How he can ensure that he has a safe and indulgent retirement.
His only thoughts are for himself and he is trapped in his own success. He has not even contemplated how he can use what God has provided for anyone else. I was struck by something an older person said to me this week when I was in his garden. We were looking at a profusion of fruit on his trees and he said, “there’s far too much for me and my wife – we’re going to bag most of it up and give it to local charities and hospices.”
It never crossed his mind that he could have sold some of it or frozen it; as far as he was concerned there was more than enough for himself and his first thought was to share it those who need it most. To hold on to everything would have been selfish greed.
On the other hand, the foolish farmer can only think about himself. But that’s the issue with wealth and greed, it can narrow our perspective and we fail to see the challenges and needs of others. Instead of giving thanks to God for what he had and thinking how he might show his gratitude, he can only think about himself. It doesn’t occur to him how he might ask the Holy Spirit to guide him as to how he can use his excess to build God’s kingdom.
As Jesus says above, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." We need to remember that all we have comes by the grace of God, and we should be generous in our giving and be rich towards Him by blessing others as God has blessed us. Paul
Our Prayers
Heavenly Father,
We thank you for all we have.
For life, health, our homes and wealth.
As we look upon the pain and suffering in the world,
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