‘Service at home’ for Sunday 18 July 2021
Prepared by Joan Gosling
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1: 2
Prayer
Lord of creation, to you be all praise!
Most mighty your working, most wondrous your ways!
Your glory and might are beyond us to tell,
And yet in the heart of the humble you dwell. V 1 699 H & P
Loving heavenly Father we praise and thank you for the beauty of the world around us, highlighting the wonder of your creative power. Your divine presence is all around displaying your majesty through the life of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.
Please forgive us Lord when we turn our eyes off you and look to self and worldly pleasures, reminding us that only in you do we find the true source of life through Christ alone. In Jesus name. Amen
The Lord’s Prayer.
H & P 333
For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies:
Chorus:
Gracious God, to thee we raise
This our sacrifice of praise.
For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light:
Chorus
For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight:
Chorus
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
Pleasures pure and undefiled:
Chorus
For each perfect gift of thine
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of heaven:
Chorus
Reading: John 15: 1 – 17
SoF 379
Majesty, worship His majesty.
Unto Jesus be glory, honour and praise.
Majesty, kingdom authority,
Flows from His throne unto own,
His anthem raise.
So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus,
Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus the King.
Majesty, worship His majesty,
Jesus who died, now glorified,
King of all Kings.
Reflection.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”
What pain it is to be cut off from the ones you love!!
God loves us all no matter, colour, race or creed and welcomes all into his kingdom, but unless we stay close to Jesus and follow in His ways and fulfil the mission He has placed on our lives, His word clearly says that we will be cut off. Painful though it is for God to lose anyone who does not obey His commands, His word will be fulfilled.
But, when we stay close to Jesus He prunes us into shape to use the gifts He has given us to deepen our relationship with Him and to further the work of His kingdom.
I have five comments jotted down around this passage in one of my Bibles that I have collected over time and would like to reflect upon.
1: It is not the mere branches that make the vine more fruitful, it is healthier branches.
2: If the tree is kept healthy life grows and produces.
I’m sure if we have any gardeners among us, you will know that unless our fruit bearing trees and bushes are pruned regularly they will slowly become less fruitful.
I have found with my blackcurrant bushes that they have gradually improved year by year as I have pruned out the old wood, thanks to some advice from a gardening friend, (how we need each other). This year I certainly have a much bigger crop.
3: Fruit is the outward expression of the inward nature.
As our love for Jesus grows within our hearts we will feel the transforming power of the Holy Spirit removing those sharp barbs of sin that not only infects and destroys our relationship with our Lord but of those around us. Our desire will be to grow in the fruit of God’s Spirit, growing in His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Fruit to delight every aspect of our lives, and to bear much fruit as we continue to seek our Lord’s pruning to keep us healthy for His praise and glory and to further the work of His kingdom.
4: Love is the Root, Obedience is the Fruit.
5: Jesus is the Fruit of the Tree of Life.
Oh if only Adam and Eve had been obedient to our Lord’s commands, the world would have been a better place.
But we can praise God that He never gave up on us, despite the disobedience down through the years, He gave His One and Only Son to be our Saviour, painfully dying on the cross, to remove our sins.
Such is the love at the Root of our Saviour. His obedience to reveal the true fruit of the Vine.
Fruit that is ripe to eat.
Taste and see that the Lord is good. Psalm 34: 8a.
Yes come and taste the rich pickings that Jesus has to offer. Fruit that will last.
Revelation 2:7
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
What a wonderful promise, may we daily seek the gardening skills of our loving heavenly Father so that we may produce the Fruit of His kingdom, loving God and one another as He has loved us. Amen.
SoF 1674
Your love, shining like the sun,
Pouring like the rain,
Raging like the storm,
Refreshing me again.
I receive your love.
Your grace frees me from the past,
It purges every sin,
It purifies my heart
And heals me from within.
I receive your grace.
Chorus:
Pour over me,
Pour over me,
Let your rain flood this thirsty soul,
Pour over me your waves of love,
Pour over me.
I come and lay my burden down
Gladly at your feet,
I’m opening up my heart;
Come make this joy complete.
I receive your peace,
Prayers of Intercession
Lord may your kingdom come, may your will be done that the Fruit of Jesus will feed the lives of those in need. Offering them hope and security in their troubled lives.
Would you bless and equip the wonderful Aid agencies that go the extra mile to bless and feed their deepest needs.
That our Government will see the plight of all with so little, to increase not diminish our support.
Lord in your mercy ……. hear our prayer.
Father God as we lift the Covid restrictions we pray the all will be mindful of the vulnerable and respect people’s space, acknowledging that that is still the need for caution. Lord please send your Holy Spirit to cleanse and purify our land.
Lord in your mercy …… hear our prayer.
Please give us wisdom, guidance and listening ears to hear what you are saying to our fellowships to lead us forward to introduce new and challenging ideas that will bring others into the knowledge and love of your saving grace.
Lord in your mercy …. hear our prayer.
Lord we thank you for the ministry, fellowship and friendship we have shared with our Minister Phil, Catherine and the girls as they have shared with us over the last five years. May your blessings go with them as they journey to pastures new, developing and discovering all that you have prepared for them.
Thank you Jesus that in every situation we can turn to you, to comfort, heal, restore all our brokenness, bless us we pray, in Jesus name. Amen.
H&P 277
This, this is the God we adore,
Our faithful, unchangeable friend,
Whose love is as great as His power,
And neither knows measure nor end:
‘Tis Jesus, the first and the last,
Whose Spirit shall guide us safe home;
We’ll praise Him for all that is past,
And trust Him for that’s to come.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, now and for evermore. Amen