Everyone, from coast to coast, listen up!
All you people, far and near, don’t miss a word.

Before I was born, the LORD had chosen me.
While I was still in my mother’s womb
I was given a name and a job.

I was created to be a surgeon’s knife,
razor sharp in the hand of the LORD;
ready and waiting to slice through any defence
and cut to the core with a word.

The LORD said to me, “Israel, you are my servant,
the one who will put my name up in lights.”

But I said, “Then how come every thing I do comes to nothing?
I’ve worked my guts out but there is nothing to show for it.
But I gave it my best shot for you LORD,
so you decide whether I’m worth my pay.”

And now the LORD has more to say to me;
this God who chose me as a servant before I was born;
who gave me the job of bringing home the people of Israel
for a great reunion with God.
It is a privilege and an honour to do this for the LORD,
and God has given me the strength to see it through.

But now the LORD says to me,
“Getting the people of Israel back on their feet is great,
but it’s a piece of cake for my number one worker.
Now I’ve got a real challenge for you!
I want you to help the whole world to see the light!
I want you to give my saving love a global reach!”

I, the LORD, the one and only, who puts things right for Israel,
have this to say:
“You have been treated like dirt.
kicked around by the nations,
and forced to work in chains for their rulers;
but let me tell you how it is going to be:
Kings will stand up when you walk in;
Governors will snap to attention at your approach.
You have my word on this and I can be trusted;
I am the LORD, your one and only, and I have chosen you.”

©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

I hung in there waiting for you, LORD,
and at last you bent down and heard my cry.

I was in deep trouble,
bogged up to my ears and sinking fast,
but you pulled me out.
You put me back on solid ground;
gave me a safe place to stand.

You gave me something to sing about, God;
I’m singing your praises like I’ve never sung before.

Everyone will be amazed at the change;
they’ll say, “Only God could have done that!”

Those who put all their eggs in your basket
have got it made, LORD;
those who do not devote themselves to anything less,
no matter how popular or persuasive it is.

You are in a league of your own, LORD God;
nothing and no one comes within a bull’s roar of you!
I can’t keep track of all the amazing things you’ve done
or all the generous plans you’ve made for us.
I could talk about them till the cows came home
and still have barely scratched the surface.

You are not looking for gifts from us, LORD;
nothing we own is any use to you;
Your generosity and mercy are not for sale;
but you have given us ears and asked us to listen.

So I am giving you my “Yes!”
I’ll make your book my own and live by it.
Doing what pleases you will be my greatest delight,
for you are my God and I’m taking your ways to heart.

When all your people gathered,
I spoke up about how you had bailed me out.
I gave them the full story; I left nothing out;
you know this is true, LORD.

I have made no secret of the help you gave me;
I have put it all out in the open.
I have told everyone how you saved my life
and how we can trust you completely.
I have put it all on the public record
and kept nothing to myself
about your rock-solid love or dependability.

Be my mother forever, LORD;
never running out of tenderness or compassion;
your loyalty fierce and your love unshakable;
protecting me and keeping me safe.

©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

I, Paul, was chosen by God and called to be a special ambassador of the Messiah Jesus, and one of my partners here in this work is Sosthenes.

We write to you who gather as God’s church in the city of Corinth — you who are being made whole in union with the Messiah Jesus. You have responded to the call to be God’s own people, together with everyone everywhere who actively identifies themselves with Jesus the Messiah; our Lord; their Lord; your Lord.

We greet you as God’s own children and wish you all the best – God’s love and peace, given through the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

I am forever thanking my God for you, especially when I think about what God’s extravagant generosity has brought about in you since you entered into the life of Jesus the Messiah. Since you linked up with him your lives have become so much richer in every way; but most notable is the richness of your knowledge and of the things you have to say. Indeed, the truth about the Messiah has become more and more strongly a part of who you are, and of all you have to offer. Now, it seems, you are not short of anything. All the spiritual gifts are in action among you as you live in eager expectation of the grand finale when our Lord Jesus the Messiah takes centre stage. God is with you and will make you tough enough to hold the line until the end, so that you can stand with your heads held high on the great day when our Lord Jesus brings everything to completion. Jesus is the Messiah, our Lord, and God’s Son; and it was into his shared life that you were called by God, who is worthy of all our trust, and who will never let you down.

©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

One day, while John was preaching and baptising, he saw Jesus coming towards him. Pointing him out to the people, he cried out:

“Here he is; God’s own sacrificial lamb who takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I was talking about when I said that after me would come one who is way out of my league because he was ‘number one’ before I was even on the scene. I didn’t know him personally; but I did know that the whole point of my job – baptising people in water – was to get the people of Israel ready for his arrival on centre stage.

“With my own eyes I saw the Spirit swoop down from the sky like a kookaburra, settling on him and sticking with him. I would not have known him myself, but the One who sent me out here to baptise with water told me that when I saw the Spirit swoop down and stick with someone, that would be the one who baptises with Holy Spirit. That’s what I heard; that’s what I saw; and so that’s what I’ve told you, under oath: this is the One, the Son of God.”

The next day, John was back on the job with two of his followers. Seeing Jesus walk past, he spoke up again, saying, “Look! There he is; God’s own sacrificial lamb!”

Hearing this, his two followers got up and took off after Jesus. When Jesus realised that he was being followed, he turned around and asked them, “What are you looking for?”

They responded, “Where do you live, Rabbi?” (‘Rabbi’ is the Hebrew word for ‘Teacher’).

Jesus replied, “Come and see for yourselves.”

So they went with him and saw where he was staying. Since it was already about four in the afternoon, they spent the rest of the day with him. One of the two who had followed him after hearing what John said about him, was a man named Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. The first thing he did after spending this time with Jesus was to go and find his brother. He said to Simon, “We have found the Messiah!” (The Hebrew word ‘Messiah’ means ‘the anointed one’ – the same as the Greek word ‘Christ’).

He took Simon to meet Jesus. Jesus took one look at him and said, “So you are Simon, the Son of John. Well, from now on you will become known as Peter, which means ‘solid rock’.”

©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Let us lift up our 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.

It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you alone are the Holy One,
the great redeemer of your people.

From the womb of chaos you pulled a newborn earth.
Even before they were born you called your people by name
to be a light to the nations,
surrounding them with your maternal love
and hiding them from danger.

You have revealed to us your chosen servant
— the one in whom you are glorified —
your child and our Lord, Jesus the Messiah.
When he was killed, you raised him to new life,
and through him you have taken away the sin of the world.
By your grace, all who call on his name
are baptised with your Holy Spirit
and enriched with every spiritual gift
as we await the day when his glory
will be revealed as the light of salvation to all nations.

Therefore with .....

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

We thank you for your Son, Jesus the Messiah,
through whom you have taken away the sin of the world.
By your grace, all who call on his name
are baptised with your Holy Spirit
and enriched with every spiritual gift
as we await the day when his glory
will be revealed as the light of salvation to all nations.

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you alone are the Holy One,
the great redeemer of your people.

From the womb of chaos you pulled a newborn earth.
Even before they were born you called your people by name
to be a light to the nations,
surrounding them with your maternal love
and hiding them from danger.

You have revealed to us your chosen servant
— the one in whom you are glorified —
your child and our Lord, Jesus the Messiah.
When he was killed, you raised him to new life,
and through him you have taken away the sin of the world.
By your grace, all who call on his name
are baptised with your Holy Spirit
and enriched with every spiritual gift
as we await the day when his glory
will be revealed as the light of salvation to all nations.

Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

©2005 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Jesus Christ is the lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world.
His grace will strengthen us to the end
so that we may be blameless
on the day of his glory.

Sisters and Brothers,
  your sins are forgiven;
    be at peace.

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Go now and celebrate God’s justice.
Take the Lord’s teachings to heart
and commit yourselves to pleasing God.
Boldly declare God’s truth and care
and let others know that you have found the Messiah.

And may God’s maternal love surround you;
May Christ Jesus move you to trust in the Lord;
And may the Holy Spirit enrich you with all spiritual gifts
    and strengthen you to the end.

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
   In the name of Christ. Amen.

©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net