Morning Service for Christ the King from St. John’s –
Before we start today’s service, there is a message we would like you to read and pray about:-
We are sorry to announce that there were no applicants from our latest advert.
There is to be a meeting on 13th December to discuss the best way forward.
Please continue to pray for this position.
Thank you.
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Hymn – Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
- Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.
- Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;
Thy justice, like mountains, high soaring above
Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
- To all, life Thou givest, to both great and small,
in all life Thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish, but naught changeth Thee.
- Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;
all praise we would render, O help us to see
’tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee!
- Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise. (by Walter C Smith – 1824 to 1908)
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you
All: And also with you
Loving Lord,
Fill us with your life-giving,
joy-giving peace-giving presence,
That we may praise you now with our lips,
and all the day long with our lives
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Cast your burden upon the Lord
All: And he will sustain you
Create in us clean hearts, O God
All: And renew a right spirit within us
Cast us not away from your Presence
All: And take not your Holy Spirit from us
Give us the joy of your saving help
All: And sustain us with your life-giving Spirit
Blessed be the Lord day by day
All: The God of our salvation, who bears our burdens.
We have a moment of quiet, to call to mind the things we
Have thought, said and done which we know grieve the God
who loves us
Come, let us return to the Lord and say:
All: Almighty God
Long-suffering and of great goodness
I confess to you.
I confess with my whole heart
My neglect and forgetfulness of your commandments
My wrong doing, thinking and speaking:
The hurts I have done to others,
And the good I have left undone.
O God, forgive me, for I have sinned against you;
And raise me to newness of life;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
May the God of love and power
Forgive us and free us from our sins,
Heal and strengthen us by his Spirit,
And raise us to new life in Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
We praise God for his love and forgiveness with:-
Hymn – All Creatures of Our God and King
(Based on hymn by Francis of Assisi – 1182 to 1226)
- All creatures of our God and King,
lift up your voices, let us sing:
Alleluia, alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beams,
thou silver moon that gently gleams,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
- Thou rushing wind that art so strong,
ye clouds that sail in heaven along,
O praise him, Alleluia!
Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice,
ye lights of evening, find a voice,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
- Thou flowing water, pure and clear,
make music for thy Lord to hear,
Alleluia, alleluia!
Thou fire so masterful and bright,
that givest man both warmth and light,
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
- And all ye men of tender heart,
forgiving others, take your part,
O sing ye Alleluia!
Ye who long pain and sorrow bear,
praise God and on him cast your care:
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!
- Let all things their Creator bless,
and worship him in humbleness,
O praise him, Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son,
and praise the Spirit, Three in One:
O praise him, O praise him,
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! ( by William Henry Draper (1855 – 1933)
Our First Reading is taken from – Colossians Chap: 1
11 May you be made strong with all the strength which comes from his glorious power, so that you may be able to endure everything with patience. And with joy give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to have your share of what God has reserved for his people in the kingdom of light.
13 He rescued us from the power of darkness and brought us safe into the kingdom of his dear Son,
14 by whom we are set free, that is, our sins are forgiven.
15 Christ is the visible likeness of the invisible God. He is the first-born Son, superior to all created things.
16 For through him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created the whole universe through him and for him.
17 Christ existed before all things, and in union with him all things have their proper place.
18 He is the head of his body, the church; he is the source of the body’s life. He is the first-born Son, who was raised from death, in order that he alone might have the first place in all things.
19 For it was by God’s own decision that the Son has in himself the full nature of God.
20 Through the Son, then, God decided to bring the whole universe back to himself. God made peace through his Son’s blood on the cross and so brought back to himself all things, both on earth and in heaven
This is the word of the Christ
All: Praise to you oh Christ
Our Second Reading is From – Luke Chap: 23
33 When they came to the place called “The Skull,” they crucified Jesus there, and the two criminals, one on his right and the other on his left.
34 Jesus said, “Forgive them, Father! They don’t know what they are doing.” They divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice.
35 The people stood there watching while the Jewish leaders made fun of him: “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah whom God has chosen!”
36 The soldiers also made fun of him: they came up to him and offered him cheap wine,
37 and said, “Save yourself if you are the king of the Jews!”
38 Above him were written these words: “This is the King of the Jews.
39 One of the criminals hanging there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 The other one, however, rebuked him, saying, “Don’t you fear God? You received the same sentence he did.
41 Ours, however, is only right, because we are getting what we deserve for what we did; but he has done no wrong.”
42 And he said to Jesus, “Remember me, Jesus, when you come as King!”
43 Jesus said to him, “I promise you that today you will be in Paradise with me.”
This is the word of the Christ
All: Praise to you oh Christ
Sermon – Christ the King –
Reading’s Colossians Chap: 1 Vers: 11 to 26 and Luke Chap:23 Vers: 33 to 43
In the beginning was the word of God.
He gave instructions to Moses with the 10 Commandments, but it was only a voice and like the hymn we sang at the beginning Immortal invisible God only wise and he was wise.
He knew from the beginning he would send his Son to live among his people, and would be God in human form.
The people knew at some point God would send the Messiah the chosen on people to free them.
But he did not come as a warrior King but as a carpenter.
A child born to ordinary people, who from his birth in a stable, like many homeless people then and today. Then have to flee for their safety as many are still doing today.
This boy grew up listening and questioning the priest in the temple and preaching. If we think of the time it would be unheard of for a carpenter’s son to be doing this.
Jesus knew he had a mission to complete given him by God. He preached and travelled about the country gathering crowds were ever he went.
He was a popular figure and this worried the priests.
He was also preaching different things to their ways and performing miracles which they did not understand.
His popularity worried the Roman rulers for was he the King sent to free his people from their rule.
It was not the warrior king but the servant that brought him to trial and execution on the cross.
There was two thieves sentenced to die with that day, both deceiving their punishment. A crown of thorns was placed on Jesus head saying he was a king also a notice on the top of the cross proclaiming him King of the Jews.
They taunted saying if you are the King of the Jews save yourself and even one of the thieves said save yourself and us.
But the other thief said he has done nothing wrong but we have. What made that thief say that what did he see or feel something from Jesus, for him to say remember me when you come into your kingdom.
Jesus replied truly I tell you today you will be with me in Paradise. Was this thief the first forgiven for his sins and to enter eternal life with Christ?
Jesus said Father forgives them they know not what they do, but foe the Christian church to exist he had to die so that he could conquer death and rise again.
So the Son return to the Father and Gods will is complete and we have the Head and the Body of the church Jesus Christ.
Both King and Servant.
We cannot have one without the other for they are the same. So we follow the son the church of Christ the King for he is the foundation of the church and without him it would not exist.
Amen
Hymn – ‘The Church’s One Foundation’
- The church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord;
She is his new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven he came and sought her
To be his holy bride;
With his own blood he bought her,
And for her life he died.
- Elect from every nation,
Yet one o’er all the earth;
Her charter of salvation,
One Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.
- Though with a scornful wonder
We see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping;
Their cry goes up, “How long?”
Shall be the morn of song.
- Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great church victorious
Shall be the church at rest.
With God the Three in One,
With those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
Like them, the meek and lowly,
On high may dwell with thee. (by Samuel John Stone (1839 – 1900)
Let us declare our faith in God.
All: We believe in God the Father,
From whom every family
In heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son
Who lives in our hearts through faith,
And fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit
Who strengthens us
With power from on high.
We believe in one God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Prayers and Intercessions
We pray for God to fill us with his Spirit.
Generous God,
we thank you for the power of your Holy Spirit.
We ask that we may be strengthened to serve you better.
Lord, come to bless us
All: and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the wisdom of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to make us wise to understand your will.
Lord, come to bless us
All: and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the peace of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to keep us confident of your love wherever you call us.
Lord, come to bless us
All: and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the healing of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to bring reconciliation and wholeness
where there is division, sickness and sorrow.
Lord, come to bless us
All: and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the gifts of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to equip us for the work which you have given us.
Lord, come to bless us
All: and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the fruit of your Holy Spirit.
We ask you to reveal in our lives the love of Jesus.
Lord, come to bless us
All: and fill us with your Spirit.
We thank you for the breath of your Holy Spirit,
given us by the risen Lord.
We ask you to keep the whole Church, living and departed,
in the joy of eternal life.
Lord, come to bless us
All: and fill us with your Spirit.
All: Generous God,
hear our prayer,
and make us one in heart and mind
to serve you with joy for ever.
Amen.
We gather our thoughts and prayers in the words our Saviour gave us
All: Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed by your name,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, ‘
Now and for ever.
Amen.
Hymn – The King of Love My Shepherd is
- The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine for ever.
- Where streams of living water flow,
my ransomed soul he leadeth,
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.
- Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
but yet in love He sought me,
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.
- In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.
- Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and O what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!
- And so through all the length of days
thy goodness faileth never:
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house for ever. (by W. Baker – 1821 to 1877)
Closing Prayer
The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
Forgive us our sins
As we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, ‘
Now and for ever.
All: Amen.
Hymn – O Worship the King
- O worship the King all-glorious above,
O gratefully sing his power and his love:
our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.
- O tell of his might and sing of his grace,
whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.
- Your bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.
- Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
in you do we trust, nor find you to fail.
Your mercies, how tender, how firm to the end,
our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!
- O measureless Might, unchangeable Love,
whom angels delight to worship above!
Your ransomed creation, with glory ablaze,
in true adoration shall sing to your praise! (by Robert Grant (1779 to 1838)
The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil
And keep us in eternal life.
All: Amen
© 702211.