Hymn – Awake, my soul, and with the sun
1 Awake, my soul, and with the sun
thy daily stage of duty run;
shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise
to pay thy morning sacrifice.
2 Redeem thy mis-spent time that’s past
and live this day as if thy last;
improve thy talent with due care;
for the great day thyself prepare.
3 Let all thy converse be sincere,
thy conscience as the noon-day clear;
think how all-seeing God thy ways
and all thy secret thoughts surveys.
4 Wake, and lift up thyself, my heart,
and with the angels bear thy part,
who all night long unwearied sing
high praise to the eternal King.
Doxology
Praise God, from whom
all blessings flow,
praise Him, all creatures here below,
praise Him above, angelic host,
praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. (by Thomas Ken (1637 -1711)
The Greeting
Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
All: And also with you
The Peace
We are the body of Christ.
In the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body
Let us then pursue all that makes for peace
and builds up our common life.
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
All: And also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
(Please turn to those around you, offering your hand, and say
‘The peace of the Lord be with you’)
Prayer of Preparation
All: Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Prayer of Penitence
Our Lord Jesus Christ said: The first commandment is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our Cod is the only Lord. You shall love the Lord your Cod with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
All: Amen. Lord, have mercy.
God so loved the world
that he gave his only Son Jesus Christ
to save us from our sins,
to be our advocate in heaven,
and to bring us to eternal life.
Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith,
firmly resolved to keep God’s commandments
and to live in love and peace with all.
All: Father eternal, giver of light and grace,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour,
in what we have thought,
in what we have said and done,
through ignorance, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault.
We have wounded your love
and marred your image in us.
We are sorry and ashamed
and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for us,
forgive us all that is past
and lead us out from darkness
to walk as children of light.
Amen.
Almighty God,
who forgives all who truly repent, have mercy upon you, pardon and deliver you from all your sins, confirm and strengthen you in all goodness, and keep you in life eternal; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Collect for the Second Sunday in Lent
Almighty God,
you show to those who are in error the light of your truth,
that they may return to the way of righteousness:
grant to all those who are admitted
into the fellowship of Christ’s religion,
that they may reject those things
that are contrary to their profession,
and follow all such things as are agreeable to the same;
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
All: Amen
Our First Reading is – Romans Chap: 4
13 When God promised Abraham and his descendants that the world would belong to him, he did so, not because Abraham obeyed the Law, but because he believed and was accepted as righteous by God.
14 For if what God promises is to be given to those who obey the Law, then faith means nothing and God’s promise is worthless.
15 The Law brings down God’s anger; but where there is no law, there is no disobeying of the law.
16 And so the promise was based on faith, in order that the promise should be guaranteed as God’s free gift to all of Abraham’s descendants – not just to those who obey the Law, but also to those who believe as Abraham did. For Abraham is the spiritual father of us all;
17 as the scripture says, “I have made you father of many nations.” So the promise is good in the sight of God, in whom Abraham believed – the God who brings the dead to life and whose command brings into being what did not exist.
18 Abraham believed and hoped, even when there was no reason for hoping, and so became “the father of many nations.” Just as the scripture says, “Your descendants will be as many as the stars.”
19 He was then almost one hundred years old; but his faith did not weaken when he thought of his body, which was already practically dead, or of the fact that Sarah could not have children.
20 His faith did not leave him, and he did not doubt God’s promise; his faith filled him with power, and he gave praise to God.
21 He was absolutely sure that God would be able to do what he had promised.
22 That is why Abraham, through faith, “was accepted as righteous by God.”
23 The words “he was accepted as righteous” were not written for him alone.
24 They were written also for us who are to be accepted as righteous, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from death.
25 Because of our sins he was given over to die, and he was raised to life in order to put us right with God.
This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.
Hymn – Take Up Your Cross
- ‘Take up your cross!’
the Saviour said,
‘if you would my disciple be;
deny yourself, the world forsake
and humbly follow after me.’
- Take up your cross – let not its weight
fill your weak spirit with alarm:
His strength shall bear your spirit up,
and brace your heart, and nerve your arm.
- Take up your cross, nor heed the shame,
nor let your foolish pride rebel:
your Lord for you the cross endured
to save your soul from death and hell.
- Take up your cross,
then, in His strength,
and calmly every danger brave;
’twill guide you to a better home,
and lead to victory o’er the grave.
- Take up your cross, and follow Christ,
nor think ’til death to lay it down;
for only he who bears the cross
may hope to wear the glorious crown.
- To You, great Lord, the One-in-three,
all praise for evermore ascend:
O grant us in our home to see
the heavenly life that knows no end (by CW Everest (1814-77)
Here the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ According to Mark Chap: 8
31 Then Jesus began to teach his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law. He will be put to death, but three days later he will rise to life.”
32 He made this very clear to them. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33 But Jesus turned around, looked at his disciples, and rebuked Peter. “Get away from me, Satan,” he said. “Your thoughts don’t come from God but from human nature!”
34 Then Jesus called the crowd and his disciples to him. “If any of you want to come with me,” he told them, “you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow me.
35 For if you want to save your own life, you will lose it; but if you lose your life for me and for the gospel, you will save it.
36 Do you gain anything if you win the whole world but lose your life? Of course not!
37 There is nothing you can give to regain your life.
38 If you are ashamed of me and of my teaching in this godless and wicked day, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
All: Praise to you, O Christ.
Sermon Notes by Steve
- This is the point at which God confirmed his repeated promise to Abraham
- relationship between God and Abraham develops over the course of Genesis
- Chap:12 God calls Abraham to leave Ur and makes general promises to him –
- Chap: 15 God promise develops with reference to son to be born to Sarai.
- Chap: 17 God confirms those promises & expands them, it’s a relationship based upon promise,
- Abraham simply had to believe.
- series of staggering promises God made to Abraham.
- The promise of a so
- Abraham aged 99 years old Sarah 90
- Yet God told Abraham he would be a father and his wife would have a son.
- If it were anyone other than God making the promise it would seem cruel and a joke in bad taste.
- Even Abraham saw the apparent absurdity in Ver: 17
- The promise of nations of descendants
- Abraham was in a marriage without children yet God went further.
- He would not just have a son.
- He would be the father of many nations
- Imagine making such a promise to this childless a couple.
- like fantasy land.
- confirm this promise God changes
- Abram’s name.
- Abram (father) becomes Abraham (father of many).
- The promise of kingly descendants
- God promised he would be the father of kings.
- Abraham’s wife Sarai was renamed Sarah (princess).
- The promise of God’s personal commitment
- Abraham lived a life of movement and uncertainty. Yet God said he would be his
God and would be the God of his descendants after him.
- another staggering promise. The God of the world and the nations was interested in Abraham.
- These were four great promises:
- Why should Abraham believe this?
- It is because it was not just anyone making these promises.
- Some Jews had seemed to think that they were considered to be righteous before God on the basis of obeying the Law of Moses.
- We cannot be sure that they all thought this, but certainly some did.
- This is likely since human beings tend to seek to justify themselves.
- It might appear that is what Peter was doing when he took Jesus to one side.
- “Look Jesus, stop with this death talk. You’re getting everyone down.” 9°spel
interpretation according to Steve
- And to believe that’s what Jesus is saying when he talks to the crowd.
- stop trying to save yourselves, you can’t do it
- the law is guidance but you need that faith of Abraham
- Abraham preceded the giving of the Law to Moses by hundreds of years and it was clearly his faith that pleased God, not what he did as such.
- God’s promise was simply based on Abraham’s faith.
- God’s promise, based on his grace, operates by means of human faith
- So Abraham’s descendants cannot only be those who possess the Law (the Jews) but everyone who is able to exercise faith
- Those who deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Jesus
Amen
We say together
The Creed
Let us declare our faith in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit
All: I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
During the intercession this response is used:
Lord, in your mercy
All: Hear our prayer.
In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, you promised through your Son Jesus Christ to hear us when we pray in faith
Strengthen Christopher our bishop and all your Church in the service of Christ, that those who confess your name may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world.
Bless and guide Charles our King; give wisdom to all in authority; and direct this and every nation in the ways of justice and of peace; that we may honour one another, and seek the common good.
Give grace to us, our families and friends, and to all our neighbours, that we may serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us.
Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles and bring them the joy of your salvation.
Hear us as we remember those who have died in the faith of
Christ……; according to your promises,
grant us with them a share in your eternal kingdom.
Rejoicing in the fellowship of St. Laurence, St. John, St. Wilfred, St. Michel and all your saints, we commend ourselves and the whole creation to your unfailing love.
Merciful Father,
All: Accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Heavenly Father,
you have promised through your Son Jesus Christ, that when we meet in his name, and pray according to his mind, he will be among us and hear our prayer: m your love and mercy fulfil our desires, and give us your greatest gift, which is to know you, the only true God, and your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
The Eucharistic Prayer
The Lord is here.
All: His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts,
All: We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give thanks and praise.
It is indeed right,
it is our duty and our joy,
at all times and in all places
to give you thanks and praise,
holy Father, heavenly King,
almighty and eternal God,
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.
For he is your living Word;
through him you have created all things from the beginning, and formed us in your own image.
All: To you be glory and praise for ever.
Through him you have freed us from the slavery of sin, giving him to be born of a woman and to die upon the cross;
You raised him from the dead and exalted him to your right hand on high.
All: To you be glory and praise for ever.
Through him you nave sent upon us your holy and life-giving Spirit, and made us a people for your own possession.
All: To you be glory and praise for ever.
Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven, we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and saying:
All: Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Accept our praises, heavenly Father,
through your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ,
and as we follow his example and obey his command,
grant that by the power of your Holy Spirit
these gifts of bread and wine
may be to us his body and his blood;
who, in the same night that he was betrayed,
took bread and gave you thanks;
he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way, after supper he took the cup and gave you thanks; he gave it to them, saying: Drink this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
All: To you be glory and praise for ever.
Therefore, heavenly Father, we remember his offering of himself made once for all upon the cross; we proclaim his mighty resurrection and glorious ascension; we look for the coming of your kingdom, and with this bread and this cup
we make the memorial of Christ your Son our Lord.
All: Christ has died: Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Accept through him, our great high priest, this our sacrifice of thanks and praise, and as we eat and drink these holy gifts in the presence of your divine majesty, renew us by your Spirit, inspire us with your love and unite us in the body of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
All: To you be glory and praise for ever.
Through him, and with him, and in him, m the unity of the Holy Spirit,
with all who stand before you in earth and heaven, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of everlasting praise;
All: Blessing and honour and glory and power be yours for ever and ever.
Amen.
Let us pray with confidence as our Saviour has taught us
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name;
Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Breaking of the Bread
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
All: Though we are many, we are one body, because we all share in one bread.
All: Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world.
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
Grant us peace.
Giving of Communion
Draw near with faith
Receive the body of our Lord Jesus Christ
which he gave for you,
and his blood which he shed for you-
Eat and drink
in remembrance that he died for you,
and feed on him in your hearts
by faith with thanksgiving.
Amen
We say together the –
Post Communion
All: Almighty God,
you see that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves:
keep us both outwardly in our bodies,
and inwardly in our souls;
that we may be defended from all adversities
which may happen to the body,
and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Blessing
May God himself, the God of peace,
make you perfect and holy,
and keep you safe and blameless, in spirit, soul and body,
for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
All: Amen.
Hymn is – Jesus is Lord! Creation’s Voice Proclaims It
Final Prayers and the Dismissal
Go in faith to love the Lord.
All: In the Name of Christ
Amen
© 702211