God said to Noah and his family:

“I, myself, am forging an alliance with you, and with all your descendants to come, and with every living creature; all the birds, domestic animals, and wild animals of the earth who came out of the lifeboat with you. In the terms of this alliance which I am forging with you, I am giving you my word that never again will all life be wiped out by a flood. There will never be another flood that will totally destroy the earth. I am making this alliance between me and you and all the living creatures that are with you, and I am signing it in the clouds. The rainbow that I have put in the clouds for you all to see is my signature on the alliance between me and the earth. Whenever I make the clouds gather and my rainbow signature becomes visible there, I will remember the alliance that governs my relationship with you and with every living creature on earth. I will remember, and the waters will never again become a flood that wipes out all life on earth. I will see the rainbow which I have signed in the clouds and remember that I am party to a permanent binding alliance with every living creature of every kind on the earth. I assure you, Noah, that with this signature that you see in the clouds, I have sealed the alliance between me, God, and the entire community of living creatures on the earth.”

©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

I gladly offer you everything I am, LORD .

I have put my trust in you, God;
please don’t let me down;
don’t give my enemies grounds to gloat.

Be there for those who hang in there for you, no matter what:
don’t leave them with egg on their faces.
Save that for the two-faced scabs who deserve it. 

Let me in on your way of doing things, LORD;
teach me how to follow your tracks.

Steer me along your ways of truth, and teach me all about them.
Only you can save me from disaster, God,
so I’ll wait for you before setting out.

Your love and mercy have been as timeless and dependable as the rock;
please don’t change your mind about them now!

Don’t keep a record of everything I’ve done wrong in the past.
Let your unshakable love colour your view of me,
and keep your reputation for generosity intact!

You always do what is good and right, LORD,
and so you patiently retrain those who do wrong.

You pilot a safe course for those who are not too full of themselves;
you give lessons on your ways to the humble folk.

Every path you tread, LORD, is marked by solid love and loyalty
for the benefit of all who keep our end of the bargain with you.

©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

The Messiah copped the consequences of human corruption
and suffered them all in one hit.
He who had done only what is right
suffered for those who had done wrong
in order to bring you home to God.
He was killed by human hands
but made alive by the Spirit.

In the spirit, he went and preached freedom to those who refused God’s way in past generations and whose spirits have remained in prison ever since. In their own day, God had given them every chance. While Noah was building his boat, for example, there was plenty of time for people to realise why and change their ways, but in the end a mere eight people were saved from the waters by getting into that lifeboat. Their experience was a bit of a preview of the way baptism saves you. It is not just a bath to clean up your appearance. Rather, you are pulled from the water to a new life so that you can stand before God with a clear conscience. You are raised from death to life with Jesus the Messiah, who has since taken his place in heaven as God’s right hand man, and he has the last word on everything and everyone. There is no authority or power, human or angel, that can overrule him.

©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

During those days, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. The moment he came up from the water, he saw the sky open up and the Spirit coming down like a diving kookaburra and taking hold of him. And a voice filled the air, saying, “You are my Son; the love of my life. You fill me with pride.”

Straight after that, the Spirit drove him out into a remote wilderness area. He had to prove himself for forty days in the bush, while the devil tried every trick in the book to lure him off-track. Jesus was in tough country, surrounded by wild animals, and God’s angels took care of everything he needed.

After John the baptiser was arrested, Jesus headed up to Galilee and began spreading the good news of God. This was the guts of his message:

“The time has come!
The culture of God is close at hand.
Turn your lives around and accept the good news.”

©2003 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 in tenderness and faithful love
you forgive our sins and guide us when we stray.

When the ancient flood destroyed the world you had created,
you saved Noah and his family from the waters,
and established a covenant with them
and with every living creature for all time.

In later times your Son, Jesus,
came forth from the waters of baptism,
and after proving himself in the wilderness
where waves of temptation threatened to engulf him,
he began proclaiming the good news of your kingdom,
calling people to repent and believe in the gospel.
He was cast down to the land of the dead
where he preached even to those lost in the flood,
but you raised him to new life
and seated him at your side
to reign over every authority and power for ever.

Therefore with .....

©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

We give thanks for your Son, Jesus,
who proved himself stronger than the devil’s temptations,
and who in death preached even to those lost in the flood,
and in resurrection reigns over every authority and power for ever.

©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for in tenderness and faithful love
you forgive our sins and guide us when we stray.

When the ancient flood destroyed the world you had created,
you saved Noah and his family from the waters,
and established a covenant with them
and with every living creature for all time.

In later times your Son, Jesus,
came forth from the waters of baptism,
and after proving himself in the wilderness
where waves of temptation threatened to engulf him,
he began proclaiming the good news of your kingdom,
calling people to repent and believe in the gospel.
He was cast down to the land of the dead
where he preached even to those lost in the flood,
but you raised him to new life
and seated him at your side
to reign over every authority and power for ever.

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.

©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Christ suffered for sins, once for all,
the righteous for the unrighteous,
in order to bring you to God.
Through the mercy of Christ, God remembers you
but not your faults or your sins.

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

©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Go now, and live in the spirit of your baptism,
even when you are led into wild and hard places.
With repentance and trust, give yourselves to God,
and with fasting and prayer,
strengthen yourselves against the ways of the tempter.

And may God enfold you in tender and lasting love.
May Christ be beside you in times of struggle.
And may the Spirit guide you back to the path
whenever you stray, that you may keep the covenant.

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

©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net