You can watch the bible readings and sermon here, or scroll down to read the rest of the Sunday prayers and content, and watch this video at the point it occurs during worship.
LIGHTING THE CANDLE
Be still for the presence of the Lord the holy One is here, Come bow before God now with reverence and fear, In God no sin is found, we stand on holy ground. Be still for the presence of the Lord, the Holy One is here
Be still, for the power of the Lord is moving in this place; God comes to cleanse and heal, to minister God’s grace. No work too hard for them, in faith receive from them, Be still for the power of the Lord is moving in this place.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY John McKinnon
Reflecting on the John brought us the story of the protest song “Treaty” by Yothu Yindi, and we watched the original version in a time of reflection and prayer.
WELCOME
At Engadine Uniting we believe all people are created lovingly and wonderfully, and we welcome everyone regardless of race, age, ability, sexuality and gender.
As a community we believe that God reaches out to us in love and acceptance and that our relationships with each other should express love and respect.
Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, wherever you’ve come from, wherever you’re going, whatever is in your heart – you are welcome here.
PRAYER OF APPROACH
God has been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were raised up, before the universe was even formed, God has been there for us.
So let us live in God, rooted and established in the faith of Christ, and abounding in thanksgiving.
Love God, love your neighbour. All the laws of Moses and all the teaching of the prophets hang on these two commandments.
May the love of God be on us, establishing whatever is loving in the work of our hands. Yes, let God establish all that is loving in the work of our hands.
PRAYER OF APPROACH
Great Lover of the world, in many separate ways and through many different people, you have conveyed your love to each of us. We bless you for finding us, embracing us, encouraging us, and releasing in our hearts a love for you. By your Spirit, please foster our love, that our fledgling faith may soar high above dutiful worship into the realm of free delight. Through Christ Jesus our Lord
HYMN: Love Divine
Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown:
Jesus, You are all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart.
Come, almighty to deliver, let us all your life receive;
suddenly return, and never, never more your temples leave:
You we would be always blessing, serve you as your hosts above,
pray, and praise your without ceasing, glory in thy perfect love.
Finish then your new creation, pure and spotless let us be;
let us see your great salvation, perfectly restored in you:
changed from glory into glory, till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before you, lost in wonder, love, and praise.
PRAYERS of CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE
Let us pray Relentless God of love, you have given us Jesus to be the power of love always in our midst
We confess our failure to fully entertain and trust his love.
We have not loved you, God, with his joyous enthusiasm.
We have not loved others with his burning compassion.
We have not even loved ourselves sufficiently to fully nurture
our own lives in the love and liberty of Christ Jesus.
God of mercy and love, please overthrow those feelings and thoughts which have become barriers against the flowing in of your truth and love. Please enter the stubborn or fearful corners of our being with your light and your forgiveness. Restore us to the joy of your salvation and renew a right spirit with us. Through Christ Jesus our Saviour. Amen!
FORGIVENESS
Friends, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be revived and healed!
God’s mercy is not rationed out in qualified amounts, but overflows the banks of history with absolute generosity. You are a forgiven family.
Thanks be to God!
The peace and love of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!
And also, with you!
Hymn
This is my will, my one command, that love should dwell among you all.
This is my will, that you should love as I have shown that I love you.
No greater love a man can have to choose to die to save one’s friends.
You are my friends if you obey what I command that you should do.
I call you now no longer slaves; no slave knows all his master does.
I call you friends, for all I hear my Father say you hear from me.
You chose not me, but I chose you, that you should go and bear much fruit.
I chose you out that you in me should bear much fruit that will abide.
All that you ask my Father dear for my name’s sake you shall receive.
This is my will, my one command, that love should dwell in each, in all.
BIBLE READING Ian
Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18
The Lord told Moses to say to the community of Israel:
I am the Lord your God. I am holy, and you must be holy too!
15 Be fair, no matter who is on trial-don’t favour either the poor or the rich. Don’t be a gossip, but never hesitate to speak up in court, especially if your testimony can save someone’s life.
17 Don’t hold grudges. On the other hand, it’s wrong not to correct someone who needs correcting. 18 Don’t be angry or try to take revenge. I am the Lord, and I command you to love others as much as you love yourself.
Matthew 22:34 – 40
34 After Jesus had made the Sadducees look foolish, the Pharisees heard about it and got together. 35 One of them was an expert in the Jewish Law. So, he tried to test Jesus by asking, 36 “Teacher, what is the most important commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. 38 This is the first and most important commandment. 39 The second most important commandment is like this one. And it is, “Love others as much as you love yourself.” 40 All the Law of Moses and the Books of the Prophetsare based on these two commandments.
Mark 12:28 – 34
28 One of the teachers of the Law of Moses came up while Jesus and the Sadducees were arguing. When he heard Jesus give a good answer, he asked him, “What is the most important commandment?”
29 Jesus answered, “The most important one says: ‘People of Israel, you have only one Lord and God. 30 You must love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.’ 31 The second most important commandment says: ‘Love others as much as you love yourself.’ No other commandment is more important than these.”
32 The man replied, “Teacher, you are certainly right to say there is only one God. 33 It is also true that we must love God with all our heart, mind, and strength, and that we must love others as much as we love ourselves. These commandments are more important than all the sacrifices and offerings that we could possibly make.”
34 When Jesus saw that the man had given a sensible answer, he told him, “You are not far from God’s kingdom.” After this, no one dared ask Jesus any more questions.
Sermon: John McKinnon (note: the recording missed the first few minutes of the sermon)
Announcements and Giving Prayer
Lord, we bring before you our money our contributions in so many different ways to be used for your people not only in Engadine but in our community and the wider work of your church. Bless our gifts we pray and the people who generously give of their talents, time and money Amen
Prayers of the People: Bruce
Hymn
The great love of God is revealed in the Son
Who came to this earth to redeem every one.
That love, like a stream flowing clear to the sea.
makes clean every heart that from sin would be free.
It binds the whole world, every barrier it breaks,
the hills it lays low, and the mountains it shakes.
It’s yours, it is ours O have lavishly given?
The pearl of great price, and the treasure of heav’n.
Benediction
We have been given this new week in which to honour the God who is easy to love by loving the neighbours who are sometimes difficult to love.
Not in our own strength are we so commanded but in the power of the Holy Spirit and in the love of Jesus through whom all things are possible.
Go on your way rejoicing, and the blessing and the love of God our friend will always be yours.
Thanks be to God, Amen!
A new commandment I give unto you,
that you love one another as I have loved you,
that you love one another as I have loved you.
By this shall all know that you are my disciples,
if you have love one for another;
by this shall all know that you are my disciples:
if you have love one for another.
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