|
Western Road URC's Advent Candle Readings Daniel: Today on the fourth Sunday of Advent, we light an Advent candle.
Erin: The brightness of the candle reminds us of God’s glory that shone around the shepherds when they heard the angels’ first Christmas greetings: ‘Do not be afraid.’ We pray that God’s glory will reign on earth as it does in the highest heaven. Daniel: We Light the candle for Peace Erin: We read From ‘Luke 1.78-79’: By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ Carol: Prayer of Peace: Lord Jesus, Quiet the worries and fears in our hearts. Give us your peace, Let there be peace among the nations, Peace in our homes, and peace in our hearts Thank you for the life you share with us thank you for enabling us to share your life with others. Come Lord Jesus. Amen
0 Comments
The following was written and read by Linda at Trinity URC on 13th December 2020 At the start of Advent or even earlier in the shops now days, we begin to hear carols that are very familiar to us. In some instances, so familiar that we sometimes forget to listen to the message they contain. So to end our festival of carols and readings today, we are going to focus on the message of one such carol that has been sung for over 300 years “Joy to the World”. As my colleague Anna says when we need an answer to anything we don’t know – google it, so google has assisted me here and I would like credit the following authors of articles I have read to help me prepare this message. Ray Fowler Jonathan Powers Matt Boswell Keith Getty The High Calling Joy to the World was written by Isaac Watts in the 1700. When Isaac was a young man he was frustrated with the music in church. He felt that the hymns had old fashioned language and were full melodies that failed to inspire. Isaac shared his frustration with his father, who was a church pastor. His father who challenged him to write different hymns for the church, so Isaac took up this challenge and started a lifelong practice of composing more than 600 hymns. Isaac was inspired to write Joy to the World, by Psalm 98 particularly verse 4 “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth burst into jubilant song with music”. Incidentally Isaac didn’t write the song as a Christmas Carol but as a hymn to be sung all year around and it was not originally sung to the music we have come to know and love. So why is “Joy to the World” such a popular Christmas Carol and what is the message that Isaac Watts is conveying to us in this hymn? The first verse of Joy to the World is based on verses 4 to 6 of psalm 98, and for those of you who are unable to see the screen the words are: Joy to the World – Rejoice and Sing No 135 Joy to the World! The Lord is come Let earth receive her King Let every heart prepare him room And heaven and nature sing Psalm 98 NRSV 4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises. 5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD The first verse of Joy to the World announces the birth of Christ and is one of the reasons this song has been come a popular Christmas Carol. The line “let every heart prepare him room” is believed to be a reference to Luke chapter 2 verse 7 “ And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” The second verse corresponds to verses 7 and 8 of psalm 98 Joy to the World – Rejoice and Sing No 135 Joy to the world! The Savior reigns Let men their songs employ While fields and floods Rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy Psalm 98 NRSV Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it. 8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy This second verse of “Joy to the World” reminds us that we should always sing God’s praise. In verse one Isaac refers to Christ as Lord and King, however here in the second verse he refers to Christ as Saviour, which ties in with the Christmas theme, through the angel’s announcement in Luke chapter 2 verse 11 “to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” Another reference in hymn to make this a popular Christmas Carol is the line “Let all their songs employ” which remind us of the 4 specific songs in Luke’s gospel that delight and proclaim the birth of Jesus.
The original lyrics of the 3rd verse of may not be that familiar as the words have been changed in some hymn books including the URC Rejoice and Sing. I was unable to establish why the words were changed, however the original words that Isaac wrote were No more let sins and sorrows grow Nor thorns infest the ground He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found Whereas today we sing about pain and death instead of a curse. Joy to the World – Rejoice and Sing No 135 No more let thorns infest the ground Or sins and sorrow grow Whereever pain and death are found He makes his blessing grow Psalm 98 NRSV O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. 2 The LORD has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations. The sins and curses being referred to in this verse is when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden by eating fruit from the forbidden tree and God put a curse on all creation, the verse goes on to say that when Christ comes a second time, the curse will be eliminated. Moving on the last verse of Joy to the World, which correspondences to verses 3 and 9 in psalm 98 Joy to the World – Rejoice and Sing No 135 He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove The glories of his righteousness And wonders of his love Psalm 98 NRSV 3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. 9 at the presence of the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity In this final verse of “Joy to the World”, we are telling those around us that God judges the world in truth and fairness and yet he also gives us grace through Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for sin at the cross. So when we sing "Joy to the World" we are not only look backing to the first coming of Christ and celebrating his birth. At the same time, the words encourage us to look forward to the day when the impact of sin will be erased, and all nations will prove the glories of God's righteousness and the wonders of his love. As we look forward to celebrations of the birth of Jesus Christ and to a new year - 2021, I would ask you today to look back at 2020 and think of the joys of this very different and in some cases a difficult year, for me a few of these are
 Image Source: GodTube Western Road URC's Advent Candle Readings Katya: On the third Sunday of Advent, we light a candle. Our hope grows stronger, and our joy grows brighter as we prepare to celebrate Christ’s coming. We remember also in this time of shadows those whose tears still water the ground with sadness, and we pray that God will bring all people home with shouts of joy.
We Light the candle for Joy Katya: “We read from 1 Chronicles 16v32-34 “Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the fields be jubilant and everything in them! Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”” Josia: Prayer of Joy: Jesus we want your coming to make a difference in how we live and love. Open our hearts to hear you telling us how we can bring peace and joy to others. Help us appreciate more the amazing natural world around us, Help us appreciate the joy experienced by the Wise Men following the star to baby Jesus. Help us follow the right path Come Lord Jesus Amen. Western Road URC's Advent Candle Readings Liam: On the second Sunday of Advent, we light a candle to show that the church joyfully awaits the coming of its Saviour.
Pat: A Saviour who enlightens our hearts and scatters the shadows of fear and doubt. We pray that God will bless us so that we may reflect the splendour of Christ who loves us. We Light the candle for Love Pat: We Read from 1 John 1.7 “If we walk in the light as God is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin.” From 1 Corinthians 13 v4 we remember “Love is patient, love is kind”. Pat: Prayer for Love: Come Lord Jesus. Warm our hearts with your love. Help us share your everlasting love Help us remember love is patient, Love is kind, Help us remember to love thy neighbour as thyself Help us to prepare for your coming. Help us to see the good things we can do Help us to see the good things others can do Come Lord Jesus. Amen Western Road URC's Advent Candle Readings Diegu: On the first Sunday of Advent, we light a candle, a sign of hope in a world full of shadows.
Andrew: When the candle is burning brightly, we will know that it is time to begin the Christmas festival of lights. We want to be ready to welcome the Light of the World into our lives. At this time help us to think of a more positive future. Diegu: We Light the candle for Hope Andrew: From Jeremiah 29 v11 we read” … the Lord plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. Let this light shine so that we may remember to bring the light of Jesus’ presence to all people. Let Advent Begin: Help us to become beacons of hope, patience, good deeds, justice, love, and peace. Ann: Prayer of Hope: We believe in you, Lord We know that you can help us to love and respect each other more. You are our light, The light that overcomes darkness, so we become children of light, May the light of your love shine through us. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen Saints Day 25th November: Catherine of Alexandria – patron saint of young girls and nurses11/25/2020 Catherine is thought to have been a noble girl who lived in the 4th century. She was persecuted for her Christianity, and despised marriage with the Emperor because she was a ‘bride of Christ’. According to the legend, Catherine was no push-over intellectually, either: she disputed successfully with 50 philosophers who were called in to convince her of the errors of Christianity. Catherine protested against the persecution of Christians by Maxentius, and then she herself was tortured: broken on a wheel (later called Catherine wheel), but the machine then broke down itself, injuring bystanders. Catherine was then beheaded. This legend strongly appealed to the Middle Age imagination. Catherine became the patron of young girls, students, philosophers, nurses and craftsmen such as wheelwrights, spinners and millers. In England 62 churches were dedicated to her, and 170 medieval bells still bear her name. ‘Lives’, poems, miracle plays, stained-glass windows, panels and paintings have all been done in Catherine’s honour.  Article originally posted in The Heath, November 2020
‘War simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has always been lived on the edge of a precipice.’ (CS Lewis on World War II). Coronavirus powerfully illustrates this, and Psalm 90 demonstrates a right response to the crisis: ‘Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.’ (12). The Shortness of Life We live as though life will go on forever, but in reality our time on earth is short: ‘A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by’ (4). By contrast God, who inhabits eternity, sees the whole of history in a single moment. How can we see our lives in the light of God, who is ‘from everlasting to everlasting’ (2). True wisdom is making sure that we don’t waste the time we are given in this life! The Fragility of Life Living to 80 years old is definitely an achievement! We know how we wear out in life until we are dust again: ‘You turn people back to dust, saying, ‘Return to dust, you mortals.’(3). This is the result of turning from God to sin: ‘You have set our iniquities before you’ (8). True wisdom warns us not to trust in our own abilities or seek satisfaction in the things of this world. The Love of God During the pandemic, many have lost loved ones, yet if we allow God’s love to take hold of our lives, even death can bring us closer to God: ‘Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.’ (14). True wisdom is able to ask: ‘May the favour of the Lord our God rest on us’ (17). Source: The Heath, October 2020, Chadwell Heath URC  Image Source: Pinterest You are beautiful Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honour him, for he is your lord. Psalm 45:11 You are unique For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:3 You are loved I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness Jeremiah 31:3 You are special For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 You are created for a purpose For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 You are cared for And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19 You are important But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 You are forgiven as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:12 You are protected He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber Psalm 121:3 You are empowered I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 You are family Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household Ephesians 2:19 YOU ARE MINE But now, this is what the Lord says-- he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine." Isaiah 43:1  Chapter One: Receiving
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:11-12) Chapter Two: Obedience His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5) Chapter Three: Believing For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) Chapter Four: Worshipping God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24) Chapter Five: Healing Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. (John 5:24) Chapter Six: Eating I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:51) Chapter Seven: Drinking On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink." (John 7:37) Chapter Eight: Walking in the light When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) Chapter Nine: Testifying As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. (John 9:4) Chapter Ten: Safety I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11) Chapter Eleven: Resurrection Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) Chapter Twelve: Salvation for all And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. (John 12:32) Chapter Thirteen: Teaching A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:34-35) Chapter Fourteen: Peace and comfort Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) Chapter Fifteen: Joy I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5) Chapter Sixteen: Power I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33) Chapter Seventeen: Separation My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. (John 17:15) Chapter Eighteen: In control When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. (John 18:6) Chapter Nineteen: Death When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30) Chapter Twenty: Purpose Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31) Chapter Twenty-One: Ascension This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:24-25) Paul's defence before Agrippa. “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defence against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently. 4 “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. 6 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. 7 This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead? 9 “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities. 12 “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic,[a] ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 19 “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. 21 That is why some Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me. 22 But God has helped me to this very day; so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 23 that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would bring the message of light to his own people and to the Gentiles.” 24 At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defence. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.” 25 “I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26 The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner. 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.” 28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?” 29 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.” (Acts 26:2-29 NIV)  Image Source: Peter De Haan |
RSS Feed