(To view the video Paul mentioned, scroll down to the sermon or view it here now (the part to which he refers is from 11.20 onwards)
ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY
A ‘Welcome to Country’ is not a new thing that just started following the 1988 Bi-Centenary. It is a practice that has taken place for thousands of years on this land now called Australia, in which an Elder from one Indigenous tribe welcomes people to their land through speech, ceremony or music.
Today, at the beginning of a new year, we acknowledge the Dharawal people who live on this land in which we now also live. We honour their elders past and present and pledge afresh or commitment to work together for reconciliation and in justice making.
CALL TO WORSHIP & OPENING PRAYER
As the new year begins, we come to worship God.
We bring with us our hopes and our fears, our longings and our dreams.
We are invited into the mystery of God’s presence.
We bring with us a sense of wonder and joy, of apprehension and excitement.
We come to encounter the Christ Child, the light in the darkness, the word made flesh.
We bring with us open minds and joyful hearts. Let us worship God together.
Let us Pray, Holy God of the journey, be with us as we travel the paths of our lives
as Magi did many years ago. Speak wisdom as we discern what lies ahead.
Lead us, guide us, comfort and call us and journey with us into this new year,
that we may know your presence and centre our lives in your love. Amen.
HYMN – TIS 303
Hark! the herald angels sing
Glory to the new-born King
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled.
Joyful, all you nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim
‘Christ is born in Bethlehem’.
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Christ, by highest heaven adored
Christ, the everlasting Lord
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of the virgin’s womb:
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased in human flesh to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings
Risen with healing in His wings:
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that we no more may die
Born to raise us from the earth
Born to give them second birth.
Hark the herald angels sing
Glory to the newborn King
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
A NEW YEAR POEM FROM ALFRED LORD TENNYSON ca1850
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, the flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night; ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
Ring out the old, ring in the new, ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go; ring out the false, ring in the true.
Ring out the grief that saps the mind for those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor, ring in redress to all mankind.
Ring out a slowly dying cause, and ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life, with sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care, the sin, the faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes but ring the fuller minstrel in.
Ring out false pride in place and blood, the civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right, ring in the common love of good.
Ring out old shapes of foul disease; ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old, ring in the thousand years of peace.
Ring in the valiant man and free, the larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land, ring in the Christ that is to be.
BIBLE READINGS Judy & Bruce Hanna
ISAIAH 60: 1 – 6 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
“Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip. Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Jesus of Nazareth, born of Mary, we have been captivated by your teachings but we have buried them so deeply within our minds no one else can hear your words at work in our lives. Jesus the Christ, God’s own Son, we have worshipped and adored you but we have buried your love so deeply in our hearts no one else can see whom we love. Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, we have too often done our own thing & not followed your ways; we have ignored your commandments to love & to forgive.
Jesus Christ, our High Priest, who intercedes for us without ceasing to the Father, we too often forget to bring all that is our life, of every moment, to you in thought and prayer. Jesus Christ, our Saviour, you gave your life that we might live, a costly gift we hear of so often yet too often taken for granted. Lord, forgive us and set us free to fully worship you this day. In Jesus name we pray. Amen
MATTHEW 2: 1 – 12 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. In this we hear God’s Good News of God Immanuel. Hallelujah!
HYMN ‘We three kings’
We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain moor and mountain
Following yonder star
O star of wonder star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever ceasing never
Over us all to reign
Chorus…
Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Prayer and praising all men raising
Worship Him God on high.
Myrrh is mine its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing sighing bleeding dying
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.
Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and sacrifice
Alleluia alleluia
Peals through the earth and skies.
MESSAGE What gifts will you bring to the Christ child?
Play from ~11.20 – 17.30 min mark
I was and still am after watching this movie clip now many times, drawn deeply to the adoration, wonder and determination of these Magi. Such devotion, such wonder. It puts me on my knees too.
I don’t think much else needs to be said by me after watching this video clip!
They brought gifts that would define Jesus’ purpose and mission, the very reason for his birth:
Gold for the One who is Lord;
Frankincense for the One who intercedes 24/7 for us as High Priest, and
Myrrh for the One who is our Saviour.
You and I may not have a star to celebrate our births but each one of us were born and in that birth given a life to live, love to give and love to receive. Each one of us, because we as Christians, also believe that all people are made in God’s image and so are gifted a life of purpose and meaning; a life to be lived pointing towards the One whom shepherds, wise men and others worshipped and adored.
In our own way our lives too point to the Star of Bethlehem, point to the One we worship & adore.
So what gifts will we bring to the Christ Child? They must not be gifts that cost us little, whose giving makes no difference to how we live life. We are invited to bring Gifts that will reflect the Christ life we are called to live and share. Gifts entrusted into Christ’s safe keeping, gifts that will set us free to be who we are. These are the Gifts you and I bring today, they will vary from person to person.
But perhaps the most uncomfortable aspect of today’s story is that the Magi bowed down and worshipped Yeshua as LORD. Having a Master, was a very common part of ancient / medieval daily life.
Master was also a title Jesus was often called. Our 21st C has rightly done away with such feudal images but the idea of Lordship, of having One we serve, is perhaps one we need to re-embrace.
For it involves accountability & discipline, purpose & work to be done. If our response today to Christ’s birth is a life lived, to quote the old hymn ‘lost in wonder, love and praise’ then it is but a small step to a life of service in His name where Christ Jesus is Lord! Amen
HYMN – TIS 246
Christ is the world’s Light He and none other
Born in our darkness He became our Brother
If we have seen Him we have seen the Father:
Glory to God on high.
Christ is the world’s Peace He and none other
No one can serve Him and despise another
Who else unites us one in God the Father?
Glory to God on high.
Christ is the world’s Life He and none other
Sold once for silver murdered here our Brother
He who redeems us reigns with God the Father:
Glory to God on high.
Give God the glory, God and none other
Give God the glory, Spirit, Son and Father
Give God the glory, God in man my brother:
Glory to God on high.
OFFERING PRAYER
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Bruce Hanna
HOLY COMMUNION
The Lord be with you
And also with you
Lift up your hearts
We lift them to the Lord
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Gracious, covenantal God, you have called us to be the Church in this place, to give voice to every creature under heaven. To Adam and Eve, children of dust, you gave the world and its wonders, but we misused your gift of freedom: we reached out with rebel hands to be like you.
We bless you for your mercy, for you never cease to call our restless hearts until they find their rest in you. Again and again you raised up men and women to speak your word, to guide, to challenge and convert. At last Lord, you sent your Son Jesus Christ, child of your love, God with us.
Born as one of us, he lived our life and died our death, offering us, both now and forever, eternal life with you. Through him, in him and because of him we share in the prayer he gave us:
A CONTEMPORARY LORD’S PRAYER
With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us.
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign in the glory of the power that is love now & forever. Amen
Holy Communion is served
HYMN
Lord, the light of Your love is shining
In the midst of the darkness, shining
Jesus, Light of the world, shine upon us
Set us free by the truth You now bring us
Shine on me, shine on me.
Shine Jesus shine, Fill this land
With the Father’s glory, blaze Spirit blaze
Set our hearts on fire
Flow river flow, flood the nations
With grace and mercy
Send forth Your word Lord, and let there be light.
Lord, I come to Your awesome presence
From the shadows into Your radiance
By the blood I may enter Your brightness
Search me, try me, consume all my darkness
Shine on me, shine on me.
As we gaze on Your kingly brightness
So our faces display Your likeness
Ever changing from glory to glory
Mirrored here, may our lives tell Your story
Shine on me, shine on me.
A SUNG BLESSING & BENEDICTION (repeat twice)
Father, bless us as we go Jesus, walk beside us Holy Spirit, guide us.
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