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UID:10002813-1873065600-1873151999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Acts 1: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Dear Theophilus\,  \nIn my first book\, The Gospel according to Luke\, I wrote an account of all that Jesus did and taught from the time he started until the day he said goodbye and was taken up to heaven. Before he left\, he gathered the apostles\, who he had chosen through the Holy Spirit\, and spelled out his final instructions.  \nFor forty days after his suffering and death\, he repeatedly showed up and proved in many ways that he really was alive again. Face to face with the apostles\, he spoke with them about the culture of God. While he was still meeting and sharing meals with them\, he put them on notice that they were not to leave Jerusalem yet. “Instead\,” he said\, “you must wait here for the gift I told you about - the gift my Father promised. You remember how John baptised with water. Well\, you will be baptised with Holy Spirit in just a few days time.”  \nWhen they were all together for the last time\, the apostles had one burning question: “Lord\, is this the time? Will you regain our freedom now and give us our own king to reign over Israel?”  \nJesus replied\, “Only the Father can decide such things and the timing is none of your business. Just focus on this: the Holy Spirit will flood over you and drench you with power\, giving you the passion and courage to be my witnesses. Then you will be able to tell everyone about me\, in Jerusalem\, all over Judea and Samaria\, and even to the ends of the earth.”  \nThat was it - his last words. Right before their eyes\, he was carried up into the air where he soon disappeared into the clouds. They just stood there stunned\, staring into the sky. Suddenly two men appeared next to them\, dressed in white robes! They said\, “You Galileans! What are you standing here for\, staring into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven\, but don’t worry. He’ll be back\, just as surely - and just as mysteriously - as he left.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 47			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We applaud you\, LORD\, as everyone should;\nwe roar your name and sing for joy. \nYou are an awesome God;\nnumber one in the universe;\nthe great ruler of all the earth. \nYou have subdued those who attacked us;\nput hostile nations at our mercy. \nYou picked out the best land for us;\nyou favoured us with a prized inheritance. \nTake your place at the top of the dais\, LORD God\,\nas we sound trumpets and cheer in your honour. \nYou are our God\, and we’ll sing your praises;\nyou are our ruler\, and we’ll sing your praises. \nYou are the God who rules over all the earth;\nwe’ll sing your praises in all our songs. \nYou are the God who rules over the nations;\nthe throne where you sit is one of a kind. \nLeaders gather from every people on earth\nand\, like Abraham’s descendants\,\ngive their allegiance to you\, God.\nThey lay down their weapons\nand honour you as their ultimate superior. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 93 (alternative psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, you are the great ruler.\nMajesty enfolds you like a royal robe\nand strength radiates from you.  \nYou have fixed the world firmly in its place.\nYour throne is immovable\, LORD;\never was and ever shall be.  \nSurging floods have risen\, O LORD\,\nsurging up with a mighty roar;\nengulfing everything in thunderous sound.  \nYou are more impressive than the surging waters\,\nmore powerful than the crashing waves;\nyou are number one in all the universe\, LORD!  \nWhatever you say is set in stone.\nThe place you live\, O LORD\, is clearly sacred;\nits holiness will outlast time. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 1: 15-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Having heard of your deep trust in the Lord Jesus and your active love for his people\, I could hardly stop thanking God for you. And I’m praying for you too. I ask the glorious God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will fill you with wisdom and insight as you get to know God. That way you’ll get a clear picture of all that God wants you to see: \n\n\n\nthe promised goal of the mission to which you are called;\nthe extravagant generosity of God’s provision for us;\nand the immense capacity of the dynamic power which is put to work in us when we trust God.\n\n\n\nThis dynamic power is the same energy that God put to work in the Messiah when he raised him from death and enthroned him in heaven. Now the Messiah sits at God’s right hand\, reigning over the entire universe\, and there is not a single authority that can overrule him\, now or ever. Every religious hierarchy and military regime; every legal jurisdiction and people-power movement; every economic imperative and moral principle; God has put them all under the feet of the Messiah. God has decreed that all things will answer to him. The church\, then\, is central to what the Messiah is doing\, for it is his body\, already filled with the presence of the one who is filling each and every part of the entire universe. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 24: 44-53			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the last day that Jesus was on earth after his resurrection\, he said to his disciples\, “The things I have said while I was with you amount to this: everything written about me in the law of Moses\, the prophets\, and the psalms is to be fulfilled.” \nAs he spoke they began to see how to read the scriptures with open minds so as to understand what God was saying in them. Jesus said to them: \n“What was written will now be clear to you: that the Messiah is to suffer and then rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that the people of every nation must be told of the Messiah’s call to turn their lives around and receive forgiveness for their toxic ways. You can get started here in Jerusalem. You have witnessed these things first hand\, so you can tell everyone what you have seen and heard. And don’t miss this: I myself am sending you the gift that my Father promised\, so wait here in the city until you have been fitted out with God’s power.” \nJesus then led his disciples out as far as Bethany\, where he lifted up his hands and spoke a blessing over them. Even as he was blessing them\, he parted from them and was carried into heaven. Falling to their knees\, they worshipped him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy and\, after that\, they were always in the temple praising God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho you carried up into heaven\nand seated at your right hand\nso that he might be everywhere present\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise with shouts of joy\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As Jesus Christ instructed his followers\,\nthe forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name\nfrom the holy city to the ends of the earth. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world.\nand in your words and in your lives\nbear witness to the Christ who has ascended\nto be everywhere present. \nAnd as you come to know him\,\nmay God give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation\,\nmay Christ Jesus lift up his hands and bless you\,\nand may the Spirit open to you all the riches of Christ’s inheritance. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Ascension: Christ’s superabundant presenceA sermon on Acts 1. 6-14 & John 17:1-11 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nStretching those WingsA sermon for the Feast of the Ascension by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot Knowing Where to LookA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLook around you!A sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Ascension of the High PriestA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc38/2029-05-10/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/38.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290510T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290510T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20200827T044009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T003404Z
UID:10002834-1873065600-1873151999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Acts 1: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Dear Theophilus\,  \nIn my first book\, The Gospel according to Luke\, I wrote an account of all that Jesus did and taught from the time he started until the day he said goodbye and was taken up to heaven. Before he left\, he gathered the apostles\, who he had chosen through the Holy Spirit\, and spelled out his final instructions.  \nFor forty days after his suffering and death\, he repeatedly showed up and proved in many ways that he really was alive again. Face to face with the apostles\, he spoke with them about the culture of God. While he was still meeting and sharing meals with them\, he put them on notice that they were not to leave Jerusalem yet. “Instead\,” he said\, “you must wait here for the gift I told you about - the gift my Father promised. You remember how John baptised with water. Well\, you will be baptised with Holy Spirit in just a few days time.”  \nWhen they were all together for the last time\, the apostles had one burning question: “Lord\, is this the time? Will you regain our freedom now and give us our own king to reign over Israel?”  \nJesus replied\, “Only the Father can decide such things and the timing is none of your business. Just focus on this: the Holy Spirit will flood over you and drench you with power\, giving you the passion and courage to be my witnesses. Then you will be able to tell everyone about me\, in Jerusalem\, all over Judea and Samaria\, and even to the ends of the earth.”  \nThat was it - his last words. Right before their eyes\, he was carried up into the air where he soon disappeared into the clouds. They just stood there stunned\, staring into the sky. Suddenly two men appeared next to them\, dressed in white robes! They said\, “You Galileans! What are you standing here for\, staring into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven\, but don’t worry. He’ll be back\, just as surely - and just as mysteriously - as he left.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 47			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We applaud you\, LORD\, as everyone should;\nwe roar your name and sing for joy. \nYou are an awesome God;\nnumber one in the universe;\nthe great ruler of all the earth. \nYou have subdued those who attacked us;\nput hostile nations at our mercy. \nYou picked out the best land for us;\nyou favoured us with a prized inheritance. \nTake your place at the top of the dais\, LORD God\,\nas we sound trumpets and cheer in your honour. \nYou are our God\, and we’ll sing your praises;\nyou are our ruler\, and we’ll sing your praises. \nYou are the God who rules over all the earth;\nwe’ll sing your praises in all our songs. \nYou are the God who rules over the nations;\nthe throne where you sit is one of a kind. \nLeaders gather from every people on earth\nand\, like Abraham’s descendants\,\ngive their allegiance to you\, God.\nThey lay down their weapons\nand honour you as their ultimate superior. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 93 (alternative psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, you are the great ruler.\nMajesty enfolds you like a royal robe\nand strength radiates from you.  \nYou have fixed the world firmly in its place.\nYour throne is immovable\, LORD;\never was and ever shall be.  \nSurging floods have risen\, O LORD\,\nsurging up with a mighty roar;\nengulfing everything in thunderous sound.  \nYou are more impressive than the surging waters\,\nmore powerful than the crashing waves;\nyou are number one in all the universe\, LORD!  \nWhatever you say is set in stone.\nThe place you live\, O LORD\, is clearly sacred;\nits holiness will outlast time. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 1: 15-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Having heard of your deep trust in the Lord Jesus and your active love for his people\, I could hardly stop thanking God for you. And I’m praying for you too. I ask the glorious God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will fill you with wisdom and insight as you get to know God. That way you’ll get a clear picture of all that God wants you to see: \n\n\n\nthe promised goal of the mission to which you are called;\nthe extravagant generosity of God’s provision for us;\nand the immense capacity of the dynamic power which is put to work in us when we trust God.\n\n\n\nThis dynamic power is the same energy that God put to work in the Messiah when he raised him from death and enthroned him in heaven. Now the Messiah sits at God’s right hand\, reigning over the entire universe\, and there is not a single authority that can overrule him\, now or ever. Every religious hierarchy and military regime; every legal jurisdiction and people-power movement; every economic imperative and moral principle; God has put them all under the feet of the Messiah. God has decreed that all things will answer to him. The church\, then\, is central to what the Messiah is doing\, for it is his body\, already filled with the presence of the one who is filling each and every part of the entire universe. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 24: 44-53			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the last day that Jesus was on earth after his resurrection\, he said to his disciples\, “The things I have said while I was with you amount to this: everything written about me in the law of Moses\, the prophets\, and the psalms is to be fulfilled.” \nAs he spoke they began to see how to read the scriptures with open minds so as to understand what God was saying in them. Jesus said to them: \n“What was written will now be clear to you: that the Messiah is to suffer and then rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that the people of every nation must be told of the Messiah’s call to turn their lives around and receive forgiveness for their toxic ways. You can get started here in Jerusalem. You have witnessed these things first hand\, so you can tell everyone what you have seen and heard. And don’t miss this: I myself am sending you the gift that my Father promised\, so wait here in the city until you have been fitted out with God’s power.” \nJesus then led his disciples out as far as Bethany\, where he lifted up his hands and spoke a blessing over them. Even as he was blessing them\, he parted from them and was carried into heaven. Falling to their knees\, they worshipped him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy and\, after that\, they were always in the temple praising God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho you carried up into heaven\nand seated at your right hand\nso that he might be everywhere present\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise with shouts of joy\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As Jesus Christ instructed his followers\,\nthe forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name\nfrom the holy city to the ends of the earth. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world.\nand in your words and in your lives\nbear witness to the Christ who has ascended\nto be everywhere present. \nAnd as you come to know him\,\nmay God give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation\,\nmay Christ Jesus lift up his hands and bless you\,\nand may the Spirit open to you all the riches of Christ’s inheritance. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Ascension: Christ’s superabundant presenceA sermon on Acts 1. 6-14 & John 17:1-11 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nStretching those WingsA sermon for the Feast of the Ascension by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot Knowing Where to LookA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLook around you!A sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Ascension of the High PriestA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc38/2029-05-10/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/38.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290510T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290510T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20200827T044009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T003404Z
UID:10002819-1873065600-1873151999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Acts 1: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Dear Theophilus\,  \nIn my first book\, The Gospel according to Luke\, I wrote an account of all that Jesus did and taught from the time he started until the day he said goodbye and was taken up to heaven. Before he left\, he gathered the apostles\, who he had chosen through the Holy Spirit\, and spelled out his final instructions.  \nFor forty days after his suffering and death\, he repeatedly showed up and proved in many ways that he really was alive again. Face to face with the apostles\, he spoke with them about the culture of God. While he was still meeting and sharing meals with them\, he put them on notice that they were not to leave Jerusalem yet. “Instead\,” he said\, “you must wait here for the gift I told you about - the gift my Father promised. You remember how John baptised with water. Well\, you will be baptised with Holy Spirit in just a few days time.”  \nWhen they were all together for the last time\, the apostles had one burning question: “Lord\, is this the time? Will you regain our freedom now and give us our own king to reign over Israel?”  \nJesus replied\, “Only the Father can decide such things and the timing is none of your business. Just focus on this: the Holy Spirit will flood over you and drench you with power\, giving you the passion and courage to be my witnesses. Then you will be able to tell everyone about me\, in Jerusalem\, all over Judea and Samaria\, and even to the ends of the earth.”  \nThat was it - his last words. Right before their eyes\, he was carried up into the air where he soon disappeared into the clouds. They just stood there stunned\, staring into the sky. Suddenly two men appeared next to them\, dressed in white robes! They said\, “You Galileans! What are you standing here for\, staring into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven\, but don’t worry. He’ll be back\, just as surely - and just as mysteriously - as he left.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 47			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We applaud you\, LORD\, as everyone should;\nwe roar your name and sing for joy. \nYou are an awesome God;\nnumber one in the universe;\nthe great ruler of all the earth. \nYou have subdued those who attacked us;\nput hostile nations at our mercy. \nYou picked out the best land for us;\nyou favoured us with a prized inheritance. \nTake your place at the top of the dais\, LORD God\,\nas we sound trumpets and cheer in your honour. \nYou are our God\, and we’ll sing your praises;\nyou are our ruler\, and we’ll sing your praises. \nYou are the God who rules over all the earth;\nwe’ll sing your praises in all our songs. \nYou are the God who rules over the nations;\nthe throne where you sit is one of a kind. \nLeaders gather from every people on earth\nand\, like Abraham’s descendants\,\ngive their allegiance to you\, God.\nThey lay down their weapons\nand honour you as their ultimate superior. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 93 (alternative psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, you are the great ruler.\nMajesty enfolds you like a royal robe\nand strength radiates from you.  \nYou have fixed the world firmly in its place.\nYour throne is immovable\, LORD;\never was and ever shall be.  \nSurging floods have risen\, O LORD\,\nsurging up with a mighty roar;\nengulfing everything in thunderous sound.  \nYou are more impressive than the surging waters\,\nmore powerful than the crashing waves;\nyou are number one in all the universe\, LORD!  \nWhatever you say is set in stone.\nThe place you live\, O LORD\, is clearly sacred;\nits holiness will outlast time. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 1: 15-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Having heard of your deep trust in the Lord Jesus and your active love for his people\, I could hardly stop thanking God for you. And I’m praying for you too. I ask the glorious God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will fill you with wisdom and insight as you get to know God. That way you’ll get a clear picture of all that God wants you to see: \n\n\n\nthe promised goal of the mission to which you are called;\nthe extravagant generosity of God’s provision for us;\nand the immense capacity of the dynamic power which is put to work in us when we trust God.\n\n\n\nThis dynamic power is the same energy that God put to work in the Messiah when he raised him from death and enthroned him in heaven. Now the Messiah sits at God’s right hand\, reigning over the entire universe\, and there is not a single authority that can overrule him\, now or ever. Every religious hierarchy and military regime; every legal jurisdiction and people-power movement; every economic imperative and moral principle; God has put them all under the feet of the Messiah. God has decreed that all things will answer to him. The church\, then\, is central to what the Messiah is doing\, for it is his body\, already filled with the presence of the one who is filling each and every part of the entire universe. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 24: 44-53			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the last day that Jesus was on earth after his resurrection\, he said to his disciples\, “The things I have said while I was with you amount to this: everything written about me in the law of Moses\, the prophets\, and the psalms is to be fulfilled.” \nAs he spoke they began to see how to read the scriptures with open minds so as to understand what God was saying in them. Jesus said to them: \n“What was written will now be clear to you: that the Messiah is to suffer and then rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that the people of every nation must be told of the Messiah’s call to turn their lives around and receive forgiveness for their toxic ways. You can get started here in Jerusalem. You have witnessed these things first hand\, so you can tell everyone what you have seen and heard. And don’t miss this: I myself am sending you the gift that my Father promised\, so wait here in the city until you have been fitted out with God’s power.” \nJesus then led his disciples out as far as Bethany\, where he lifted up his hands and spoke a blessing over them. Even as he was blessing them\, he parted from them and was carried into heaven. Falling to their knees\, they worshipped him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy and\, after that\, they were always in the temple praising God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho you carried up into heaven\nand seated at your right hand\nso that he might be everywhere present\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise with shouts of joy\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As Jesus Christ instructed his followers\,\nthe forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name\nfrom the holy city to the ends of the earth. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world.\nand in your words and in your lives\nbear witness to the Christ who has ascended\nto be everywhere present. \nAnd as you come to know him\,\nmay God give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation\,\nmay Christ Jesus lift up his hands and bless you\,\nand may the Spirit open to you all the riches of Christ’s inheritance. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Ascension: Christ’s superabundant presenceA sermon on Acts 1. 6-14 & John 17:1-11 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nStretching those WingsA sermon for the Feast of the Ascension by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot Knowing Where to LookA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLook around you!A sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Ascension of the High PriestA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc38/2029-05-10/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/38.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290510T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290510T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20200827T044009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T003404Z
UID:10002824-1873065600-1873151999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Acts 1: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Dear Theophilus\,  \nIn my first book\, The Gospel according to Luke\, I wrote an account of all that Jesus did and taught from the time he started until the day he said goodbye and was taken up to heaven. Before he left\, he gathered the apostles\, who he had chosen through the Holy Spirit\, and spelled out his final instructions.  \nFor forty days after his suffering and death\, he repeatedly showed up and proved in many ways that he really was alive again. Face to face with the apostles\, he spoke with them about the culture of God. While he was still meeting and sharing meals with them\, he put them on notice that they were not to leave Jerusalem yet. “Instead\,” he said\, “you must wait here for the gift I told you about - the gift my Father promised. You remember how John baptised with water. Well\, you will be baptised with Holy Spirit in just a few days time.”  \nWhen they were all together for the last time\, the apostles had one burning question: “Lord\, is this the time? Will you regain our freedom now and give us our own king to reign over Israel?”  \nJesus replied\, “Only the Father can decide such things and the timing is none of your business. Just focus on this: the Holy Spirit will flood over you and drench you with power\, giving you the passion and courage to be my witnesses. Then you will be able to tell everyone about me\, in Jerusalem\, all over Judea and Samaria\, and even to the ends of the earth.”  \nThat was it - his last words. Right before their eyes\, he was carried up into the air where he soon disappeared into the clouds. They just stood there stunned\, staring into the sky. Suddenly two men appeared next to them\, dressed in white robes! They said\, “You Galileans! What are you standing here for\, staring into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven\, but don’t worry. He’ll be back\, just as surely - and just as mysteriously - as he left.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 47			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We applaud you\, LORD\, as everyone should;\nwe roar your name and sing for joy. \nYou are an awesome God;\nnumber one in the universe;\nthe great ruler of all the earth. \nYou have subdued those who attacked us;\nput hostile nations at our mercy. \nYou picked out the best land for us;\nyou favoured us with a prized inheritance. \nTake your place at the top of the dais\, LORD God\,\nas we sound trumpets and cheer in your honour. \nYou are our God\, and we’ll sing your praises;\nyou are our ruler\, and we’ll sing your praises. \nYou are the God who rules over all the earth;\nwe’ll sing your praises in all our songs. \nYou are the God who rules over the nations;\nthe throne where you sit is one of a kind. \nLeaders gather from every people on earth\nand\, like Abraham’s descendants\,\ngive their allegiance to you\, God.\nThey lay down their weapons\nand honour you as their ultimate superior. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 93 (alternative psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, you are the great ruler.\nMajesty enfolds you like a royal robe\nand strength radiates from you.  \nYou have fixed the world firmly in its place.\nYour throne is immovable\, LORD;\never was and ever shall be.  \nSurging floods have risen\, O LORD\,\nsurging up with a mighty roar;\nengulfing everything in thunderous sound.  \nYou are more impressive than the surging waters\,\nmore powerful than the crashing waves;\nyou are number one in all the universe\, LORD!  \nWhatever you say is set in stone.\nThe place you live\, O LORD\, is clearly sacred;\nits holiness will outlast time. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 1: 15-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Having heard of your deep trust in the Lord Jesus and your active love for his people\, I could hardly stop thanking God for you. And I’m praying for you too. I ask the glorious God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will fill you with wisdom and insight as you get to know God. That way you’ll get a clear picture of all that God wants you to see: \n\n\n\nthe promised goal of the mission to which you are called;\nthe extravagant generosity of God’s provision for us;\nand the immense capacity of the dynamic power which is put to work in us when we trust God.\n\n\n\nThis dynamic power is the same energy that God put to work in the Messiah when he raised him from death and enthroned him in heaven. Now the Messiah sits at God’s right hand\, reigning over the entire universe\, and there is not a single authority that can overrule him\, now or ever. Every religious hierarchy and military regime; every legal jurisdiction and people-power movement; every economic imperative and moral principle; God has put them all under the feet of the Messiah. God has decreed that all things will answer to him. The church\, then\, is central to what the Messiah is doing\, for it is his body\, already filled with the presence of the one who is filling each and every part of the entire universe. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 24: 44-53			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the last day that Jesus was on earth after his resurrection\, he said to his disciples\, “The things I have said while I was with you amount to this: everything written about me in the law of Moses\, the prophets\, and the psalms is to be fulfilled.” \nAs he spoke they began to see how to read the scriptures with open minds so as to understand what God was saying in them. Jesus said to them: \n“What was written will now be clear to you: that the Messiah is to suffer and then rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that the people of every nation must be told of the Messiah’s call to turn their lives around and receive forgiveness for their toxic ways. You can get started here in Jerusalem. You have witnessed these things first hand\, so you can tell everyone what you have seen and heard. And don’t miss this: I myself am sending you the gift that my Father promised\, so wait here in the city until you have been fitted out with God’s power.” \nJesus then led his disciples out as far as Bethany\, where he lifted up his hands and spoke a blessing over them. Even as he was blessing them\, he parted from them and was carried into heaven. Falling to their knees\, they worshipped him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy and\, after that\, they were always in the temple praising God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho you carried up into heaven\nand seated at your right hand\nso that he might be everywhere present\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise with shouts of joy\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As Jesus Christ instructed his followers\,\nthe forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name\nfrom the holy city to the ends of the earth. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world.\nand in your words and in your lives\nbear witness to the Christ who has ascended\nto be everywhere present. \nAnd as you come to know him\,\nmay God give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation\,\nmay Christ Jesus lift up his hands and bless you\,\nand may the Spirit open to you all the riches of Christ’s inheritance. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Ascension: Christ’s superabundant presenceA sermon on Acts 1. 6-14 & John 17:1-11 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nStretching those WingsA sermon for the Feast of the Ascension by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot Knowing Where to LookA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLook around you!A sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Ascension of the High PriestA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc38/2029-05-10/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/38.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290510T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290510T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20200827T044009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250622T044507Z
UID:10002043-1873065600-1873151999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Acts 1: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Dear Theophilus\,  \nIn my first book\, The Gospel according to Luke\, I wrote an account of all that Jesus did and taught from the time he started until the day he said goodbye and was taken up to heaven. Before he left\, he gathered the apostles\, who he had chosen through the Holy Spirit\, and spelled out his final instructions.  \nFor forty days after his suffering and death\, he repeatedly showed up and proved in many ways that he really was alive again. Face to face with the apostles\, he spoke with them about the culture of God. While he was still meeting and sharing meals with them\, he put them on notice that they were not to leave Jerusalem yet. “Instead\,” he said\, “you must wait here for the gift I told you about - the gift my Father promised. You remember how John baptised with water. Well\, you will be baptised with Holy Spirit in just a few days time.”  \nWhen they were all together for the last time\, the apostles had one burning question: “Lord\, is this the time? Will you regain our freedom now and give us our own king to reign over Israel?”  \nJesus replied\, “Only the Father can decide such things and the timing is none of your business. Just focus on this: the Holy Spirit will flood over you and drench you with power\, giving you the passion and courage to be my witnesses. Then you will be able to tell everyone about me\, in Jerusalem\, all over Judea and Samaria\, and even to the ends of the earth.”  \nThat was it - his last words. Right before their eyes\, he was carried up into the air where he soon disappeared into the clouds. They just stood there stunned\, staring into the sky. Suddenly two men appeared next to them\, dressed in white robes! They said\, “You Galileans! What are you standing here for\, staring into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven\, but don’t worry. He’ll be back\, just as surely - and just as mysteriously - as he left.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 47			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We applaud you\, LORD\, as everyone should;\nwe roar your name and sing for joy. \nYou are an awesome God;\nnumber one in the universe;\nthe great ruler of all the earth. \nYou have subdued those who attacked us;\nput hostile nations at our mercy. \nYou picked out the best land for us;\nyou favoured us with a prized inheritance. \nTake your place at the top of the dais\, LORD God\,\nas we sound trumpets and cheer in your honour. \nYou are our God\, and we’ll sing your praises;\nyou are our ruler\, and we’ll sing your praises. \nYou are the God who rules over all the earth;\nwe’ll sing your praises in all our songs. \nYou are the God who rules over the nations;\nthe throne where you sit is one of a kind. \nLeaders gather from every people on earth\nand\, like Abraham’s descendants\,\ngive their allegiance to you\, God.\nThey lay down their weapons\nand honour you as their ultimate superior. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 93 (alternative psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, you are the great ruler.\nMajesty enfolds you like a royal robe\nand strength radiates from you.  \nYou have fixed the world firmly in its place.\nYour throne is immovable\, LORD;\never was and ever shall be.  \nSurging floods have risen\, O LORD\,\nsurging up with a mighty roar;\nengulfing everything in thunderous sound.  \nYou are more impressive than the surging waters\,\nmore powerful than the crashing waves;\nyou are number one in all the universe\, LORD!  \nWhatever you say is set in stone.\nThe place you live\, O LORD\, is clearly sacred;\nits holiness will outlast time. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 1: 15-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Having heard of your deep trust in the Lord Jesus and your active love for his people\, I could hardly stop thanking God for you. And I’m praying for you too. I ask the glorious God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will fill you with wisdom and insight as you get to know God. That way you’ll get a clear picture of all that God wants you to see: \n\n\n\nthe promised goal of the mission to which you are called;\nthe extravagant generosity of God’s provision for us;\nand the immense capacity of the dynamic power which is put to work in us when we trust God.\n\n\n\nThis dynamic power is the same energy that God put to work in the Messiah when he raised him from death and enthroned him in heaven. Now the Messiah sits at God’s right hand\, reigning over the entire universe\, and there is not a single authority that can overrule him\, now or ever. Every religious hierarchy and military regime; every legal jurisdiction and people-power movement; every economic imperative and moral principle; God has put them all under the feet of the Messiah. God has decreed that all things will answer to him. The church\, then\, is central to what the Messiah is doing\, for it is his body\, already filled with the presence of the one who is filling each and every part of the entire universe. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 24: 44-53			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the last day that Jesus was on earth after his resurrection\, he said to his disciples\, “The things I have said while I was with you amount to this: everything written about me in the law of Moses\, the prophets\, and the psalms is to be fulfilled.” \nAs he spoke they began to see how to read the scriptures with open minds so as to understand what God was saying in them. Jesus said to them: \n“What was written will now be clear to you: that the Messiah is to suffer and then rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that the people of every nation must be told of the Messiah’s call to turn their lives around and receive forgiveness for their toxic ways. You can get started here in Jerusalem. You have witnessed these things first hand\, so you can tell everyone what you have seen and heard. And don’t miss this: I myself am sending you the gift that my Father promised\, so wait here in the city until you have been fitted out with God’s power.” \nJesus then led his disciples out as far as Bethany\, where he lifted up his hands and spoke a blessing over them. Even as he was blessing them\, he parted from them and was carried into heaven. Falling to their knees\, they worshipped him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy and\, after that\, they were always in the temple praising God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho you carried up into heaven\nand seated at your right hand\nso that he might be everywhere present\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise with shouts of joy\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As Jesus Christ instructed his followers\,\nthe forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name\nfrom the holy city to the ends of the earth. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world.\nand in your words and in your lives\nbear witness to the Christ who has ascended\nto be everywhere present. \nAnd as you come to know him\,\nmay God give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation\,\nmay Christ Jesus lift up his hands and bless you\,\nand may the Spirit open to you all the riches of Christ’s inheritance. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Ascension: Christ’s superabundant presenceA sermon on Acts 1. 6-14 & John 17:1-11 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nStretching those WingsA sermon for the Feast of the Ascension by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot Knowing Where to LookA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLook around you!A sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Ascension of the High PriestA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc38/2029-05-10/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/38.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290510T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290510T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20200827T044009Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T003404Z
UID:10002829-1873065600-1873151999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Acts 1: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Dear Theophilus\,  \nIn my first book\, The Gospel according to Luke\, I wrote an account of all that Jesus did and taught from the time he started until the day he said goodbye and was taken up to heaven. Before he left\, he gathered the apostles\, who he had chosen through the Holy Spirit\, and spelled out his final instructions.  \nFor forty days after his suffering and death\, he repeatedly showed up and proved in many ways that he really was alive again. Face to face with the apostles\, he spoke with them about the culture of God. While he was still meeting and sharing meals with them\, he put them on notice that they were not to leave Jerusalem yet. “Instead\,” he said\, “you must wait here for the gift I told you about - the gift my Father promised. You remember how John baptised with water. Well\, you will be baptised with Holy Spirit in just a few days time.”  \nWhen they were all together for the last time\, the apostles had one burning question: “Lord\, is this the time? Will you regain our freedom now and give us our own king to reign over Israel?”  \nJesus replied\, “Only the Father can decide such things and the timing is none of your business. Just focus on this: the Holy Spirit will flood over you and drench you with power\, giving you the passion and courage to be my witnesses. Then you will be able to tell everyone about me\, in Jerusalem\, all over Judea and Samaria\, and even to the ends of the earth.”  \nThat was it - his last words. Right before their eyes\, he was carried up into the air where he soon disappeared into the clouds. They just stood there stunned\, staring into the sky. Suddenly two men appeared next to them\, dressed in white robes! They said\, “You Galileans! What are you standing here for\, staring into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven\, but don’t worry. He’ll be back\, just as surely - and just as mysteriously - as he left.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 47			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We applaud you\, LORD\, as everyone should;\nwe roar your name and sing for joy. \nYou are an awesome God;\nnumber one in the universe;\nthe great ruler of all the earth. \nYou have subdued those who attacked us;\nput hostile nations at our mercy. \nYou picked out the best land for us;\nyou favoured us with a prized inheritance. \nTake your place at the top of the dais\, LORD God\,\nas we sound trumpets and cheer in your honour. \nYou are our God\, and we’ll sing your praises;\nyou are our ruler\, and we’ll sing your praises. \nYou are the God who rules over all the earth;\nwe’ll sing your praises in all our songs. \nYou are the God who rules over the nations;\nthe throne where you sit is one of a kind. \nLeaders gather from every people on earth\nand\, like Abraham’s descendants\,\ngive their allegiance to you\, God.\nThey lay down their weapons\nand honour you as their ultimate superior. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 93 (alternative psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, you are the great ruler.\nMajesty enfolds you like a royal robe\nand strength radiates from you.  \nYou have fixed the world firmly in its place.\nYour throne is immovable\, LORD;\never was and ever shall be.  \nSurging floods have risen\, O LORD\,\nsurging up with a mighty roar;\nengulfing everything in thunderous sound.  \nYou are more impressive than the surging waters\,\nmore powerful than the crashing waves;\nyou are number one in all the universe\, LORD!  \nWhatever you say is set in stone.\nThe place you live\, O LORD\, is clearly sacred;\nits holiness will outlast time. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ephesians 1: 15-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Having heard of your deep trust in the Lord Jesus and your active love for his people\, I could hardly stop thanking God for you. And I’m praying for you too. I ask the glorious God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will fill you with wisdom and insight as you get to know God. That way you’ll get a clear picture of all that God wants you to see: \n\n\n\nthe promised goal of the mission to which you are called;\nthe extravagant generosity of God’s provision for us;\nand the immense capacity of the dynamic power which is put to work in us when we trust God.\n\n\n\nThis dynamic power is the same energy that God put to work in the Messiah when he raised him from death and enthroned him in heaven. Now the Messiah sits at God’s right hand\, reigning over the entire universe\, and there is not a single authority that can overrule him\, now or ever. Every religious hierarchy and military regime; every legal jurisdiction and people-power movement; every economic imperative and moral principle; God has put them all under the feet of the Messiah. God has decreed that all things will answer to him. The church\, then\, is central to what the Messiah is doing\, for it is his body\, already filled with the presence of the one who is filling each and every part of the entire universe. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 24: 44-53			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the last day that Jesus was on earth after his resurrection\, he said to his disciples\, “The things I have said while I was with you amount to this: everything written about me in the law of Moses\, the prophets\, and the psalms is to be fulfilled.” \nAs he spoke they began to see how to read the scriptures with open minds so as to understand what God was saying in them. Jesus said to them: \n“What was written will now be clear to you: that the Messiah is to suffer and then rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that the people of every nation must be told of the Messiah’s call to turn their lives around and receive forgiveness for their toxic ways. You can get started here in Jerusalem. You have witnessed these things first hand\, so you can tell everyone what you have seen and heard. And don’t miss this: I myself am sending you the gift that my Father promised\, so wait here in the city until you have been fitted out with God’s power.” \nJesus then led his disciples out as far as Bethany\, where he lifted up his hands and spoke a blessing over them. Even as he was blessing them\, he parted from them and was carried into heaven. Falling to their knees\, they worshipped him. They returned to Jerusalem bursting with joy and\, after that\, they were always in the temple praising God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho you carried up into heaven\nand seated at your right hand\nso that he might be everywhere present\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise with shouts of joy\, O God\,\nfor you have called us to a rich hope\nand a glorious inheritance among the saints. \nYou fixed the world in place\nand rule over all from your sacred throne.\nYou formed a people for yourself\nand through Moses and the prophets you spoke to them\nof the Christ who fills all in all. \nAs it was written\, he suffered and was killed\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand he walked again with his chosen ones\,\nspeaking to them of your glorious kingdom.\nYou carried him into heaven on the clouds\nand made him head over all things for the church\,\nseating him at your right hand\nfar above all rule and authority\, power and dominion\,\nand above every name that is named\,\nnot only in this age but also in the age to come. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As Jesus Christ instructed his followers\,\nthe forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name\nfrom the holy city to the ends of the earth. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world.\nand in your words and in your lives\nbear witness to the Christ who has ascended\nto be everywhere present. \nAnd as you come to know him\,\nmay God give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation\,\nmay Christ Jesus lift up his hands and bless you\,\nand may the Spirit open to you all the riches of Christ’s inheritance. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Ascension: Christ’s superabundant presenceA sermon on Acts 1. 6-14 & John 17:1-11 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nStretching those WingsA sermon for the Feast of the Ascension by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot Knowing Where to LookA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLook around you!A sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Ascension of the High PriestA sermon on Acts 1: 1-11 & Luke 24: 44-53 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc38/2029-05-10/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/38.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290513T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290513T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230619T013041Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230619T013043Z
UID:10002047-1873324800-1873411199@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:7th Sunday of Pascha - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Acts 1: 6-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When they were all together for the last time\, the apostles had one burning question for Jesus: “Lord\, is this the time? Will you regain our freedom now and give us our own king to reign over Israel?”  \nJesus replied\, “Only the Father can decide such things and the timing is none of your business. Just focus on this: the Holy Spirit will flood over you and drench you with power\, giving you the passion and courage to be my witnesses. Then you will be able to tell everyone about me\, in Jerusalem\, all over Judea and Samaria\, and even to the ends of the earth.”  \nThat was it - his last words. Right before their eyes\, he was carried up into the air where he soon disappeared into the clouds. They just stood there stunned\, staring into the sky. Suddenly two men appeared next to them\, dressed in white robes! They said\, “You Galileans! What are you standing here for\, staring into the sky? Jesus has been taken into heaven\, but don’t worry. He’ll be back\, just as surely - and just as mysteriously - as he left.” \nThis happened at the Mount of Olives\, about a half an hour’s walk outside of Jerusalem. When they returned to the city\, they gathered again in the upstairs room that had become their regular meeting place. The remaining eleven apostles were all there: Peter\, John\, James\, Andrew\, Philip\, Thomas\, Bartholomew\, Matthew\, James the son of Alphaeus\, Simon the Zealot\, and Judas the son of James. Along with a wider group\, which included many of the women who had followed Jesus\, they committed themselves to a shared life of fervent prayer. This group included Mary\, the mother of Jesus\, and his brothers. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 68: 1-10\, 32-35			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Up and at it\, God;\nscatter your enemies\,\nsend those who hate you packing. \nBlow them away like smoke in the wind;\nmelt them like wax under a blowtorch.\nWipe out all corruption\, God. \nBut for those who do the right thing\, God\,\ngive them every reason to celebrate.\nSet them singing and dancing with joy! \nEvery mention of your name sets us singing your praises\, God.\nWe lift our song as you ride the clouds.\nWe name you as LORD\nand celebrate in your presence. \nTo the orphans\, you are a loving parent;\nto the needy and vulnerable\, you are a caring protector;\nfrom your sacred home you provide care to all. \nYou give a home to those with nowhere to go\, God;\nyou set the prisoners free and turn everything they touch to gold;\nbut the good times dry up for those who turn against you. \nO God\, you took the lead and showed the way\nwhen your people set out across the harsh desert.\nThe earth shuddered at your approach;\none look from you and the clouds let go of their rain.\nYou were with us\, God of the mountain;\nyou were with us\, God of Israel. \nYou showered us with life-giving rain\nrestoring fertility to your weary land.\nYou settled your people in good pasture\, God\,\nand provided generously to all in need. \nWith every nation on earth\, we sing to you\, God;\nyou are our Lord\, and we sing your praises. \nYou have been riding the heavens since ancient times\,\nand your voice booms out with the sound of thunder. \nAll power belongs to you\, God;\nyou reign over your people in splendour\,\nand your power is written in the skies. \nStepping into your presence\, we are struck with awe.\nYou are our God;\nour strength and energy are gifts from you. \nMay you be number one forever\, God! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Peter 4: 12-14; 5: 6-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	My dear friends\, I know that you are under the heat at the moment\, but there is nothing unusual about it\, so don’t let it throw you. It comes with the territory and it gives you the chance to prove yourselves. You can even count it an honour that in such suffering you are following in the footsteps of the Messiah. Once you have got through this\, you will enjoy it all the more when his true glory is out in the open for everyone to see. Nothing will ever wipe the smiles off your faces! If people treat you like scum because you are associated with Christ\, you are still on a winner\, because the Spirit of God will be with you and will cover you with glory. \nKeep yourselves down to earth. Hand the reins over to God and don’t think such dependence is beneath you. God will put your name up in lights when the time is right. God loves you and is always ready to take care of anything that is stressing you out\, so hand it over and let go of it. \nDiscipline yourselves\, and be ready for anything. The devil has set himself against you\, and he is always cruising around like a hungry croc\, ready to make a meal of anyone who is not on their guard. Hold him at bay and don’t concede an inch. Stand your ground and trust God to back you up. Remember that your brothers and sisters all around the world are feeling the heat just as much as you. None of you will have to suffer it for too long though. The God who\, in extravagant generosity\, has called you to be one with Christ and share in his glory forever\, will personally put you back on your feet and give you all the support\, strength and confidence you could ever need. To God be all power\, forever and ever. And so say all of us! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 17: 1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After the supper\, and after giving his final teaching to his followers\, Jesus gazed up towards the skies and began to pray: \n“Father\, the time has come;\ncover your Son in glory now\nso that he may give all the glory to you. \nYou have put the destiny of every person on earth\nin the hands of your Son\,\nso that he can give life without limit\nto all those you have entrusted to him.\nAnd what this boundless life is all about is this:\nintimacy with you\, the one and only true God\,\nand with Jesus the Messiah\,\nthe chosen one who you sent. \nI brought great credit to you\nby finishing the job you gave me.\nSo now\, Father\, let me bask in your glory again\,\nin the glory I enjoyed when I was with you\,\nback before the world began. \nFather\, you have given me some followers from this world\,\nand I have given them the full picture of what you are like.\nThey were yours to begin with\,\nbut you gave them to me\,\nand they have done what you asked of them.\nNow they know for sure that everything I have\nwas given to me directly by you.\nI gave my followers the same message you gave to me.\nThey took it on board and were convinced that I came from you. They believe that it was you who sent me.\nI pray for them. \nMy prayer is not for this hell-bent world\nbut for the followers you gave me\,\nfor they are rightfully yours.\nEverything that is mine is yours\,\nand everything that is yours is mine\,\nand my image lights up in them.  \nI will no longer be seen in the world\,\nbut they will continue on in the world\nwhile I come back to you.\nHoly Father\, protect them\nby writing your name on them\,\ngiving them the same identity you gave me\,\nso that they will be one with each other\,\njust as you and I are one in heart and mind.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you give strength to the weak\,\nfreedom to the prisoners\,\nand an eternal home to the homeless\, \nWith the Son and the Spirit you lived before the world existed\,\nand all things were created from your love.\nYou led your people through the desert\nfrom slavery to the promised land\nand nourished them through your law and prophets. \nYour Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nglorified you on earth by finishing your work\,\nand making you known to us\nas the only true God in whom we find eternal life.\nWhen he was crucified\, you raised him to new life\,\nand when he ascended into heaven\nhe promised to send the Holy Spirit\,\nwho fills us with your truth and power\,\nand protects us in the name of Christ\,\nso that we may be one\, as you are one. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nwho glorified you on earth by finishing your work\,\nand making you known to us\nas the only true God in whom we find eternal life. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you give strength to the weak\,\nfreedom to the prisoners\,\nand an eternal home to the homeless\, \nWith the Son and the Spirit you lived before the world existed\,\nand all things were created from your love.\nYou led your people through the desert\nfrom slavery to the promised land\nand nourished them through your law and prophets. \nYour Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nglorified you on earth by finishing your work\,\nand making you known to us\nas the only true God in whom we find eternal life.\nWhen he was crucified\, you raised him to new life\,\nand when he ascended into heaven\nhe promised to send the Holy Spirit\,\nwho fills us with your truth and power\,\nand protects us in the name of Christ\,\nso that we may be one\, as you are one. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You have humbled yourselves under the mighty hand of God\,\nand cast your anxieties on Christ who cares for you.\nKnow then that the God of all grace\nwho has called you to eternal glory in Christ\,\nwill restore\, support\, strengthen and establish you. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now\, steadfast in your faith.\nResist the evil one\,\ndevote yourselves to prayer\,\nand bear witness to Christ as he makes us one. \nAnd may the God of all grace restore and strengthen you;\nMay Christ Jesus make the divine love known to you;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit rest upon you\nand give you power until all is fulfilled. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nWhile you’re waiting…A sermon on Acts 1:6-14 & John 17:1-11 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Ascension: Christ’s superabundant presenceA sermon on Acts 1:6-14 & John 17:1-11 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nResurrecting CreationA sermon on John 17:1-5 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nOur witness to the Risen ChristA sermon on Acts 1:6-14 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nWhat were you thinking?A sermon on Acts 1: 6-14; 1 Peter 4: 12-14; 5: 6-11 & John 17: 1-11 by Phil Gale\n\n\n\nThe Liminal Zone of Spiritual UnknowingA sermon on Acts 1:6-14 by Anna Killigrew
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/a39/2029-05-13/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/39.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290520T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290520T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230821T021207Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240520T005921Z
UID:10002049-1873929600-1874015999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Day of Pentecost - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1st Reading: Acts 2: 1-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the Feast Day of Pentecost all the believers were together in one place. Suddenly\, as if out of nowhere\, there was a sound like a raging cyclone - and nothing could be heard above it anywhere in the house. And then the Holy Spirit burst in among them like a bushfire\, with sparks and fireballs leaping out to engulf every one there. With fire in their guts and the Holy Spirit unleashing their tongues\, they began to speak of God in languages they had never learned. \nNow in Jerusalem at that time\, there were faithful Jewish pilgrims from all over the world. The wild noise among the believers quickly drew a crowd. What they heard bewildered them because everyone\, no matter where they were from\, heard their native language being spoken by the believers. Almost unable to believe their ears\, they asked: \n“Don’t all these people come from Galilee? How come we can all hear them speaking our own native languages? Some of us are Parthians\, some Medes\, others Elamites. There are people visiting here from Mesopotamia\, Judea and Cappadocia\, Pontus and Asia\, Phrygia and Pamphylia\, Egypt and the Cyrenene occupied parts of Libya. There are immigrants from Rome\, both ethnic Jews and converts. Some here are even Cretans and Arabs! But these Galileans are speaking all our languages and telling us about the extraordinary things God has done.”  \nThey were all in a spin\, unable to make head nor tail of what was happening. They kept asking one another what was going on and what it could all mean. Others though\, just sneered and said\, “They’ve been on the turps. They’re just a bunch of drunks.”  \nPeter stood up with the other eleven and addressed the crowd as loudly and clearly as he could: \n“Men and women of Jerusalem\, locals and visitors\, listen up and I’ll let you in on what this is all about. If you think that these people are drunk\, you are wrong. Think about it - the pubs aren’t even open this early in the morning. No\, what is happening here was explained long ago in the words of the prophet Joel:  \n“This is what I will do\nwhen time reaches its climax\, God declares:  \nI will pour out my Spirit on everyone. \nYour sons and your daughters\nshall speak as prophets.\nThe young among you will see visions\,\nand the old will dream dreams.  \n  I even have men and women among those\nwhose rights no one cares about\,\nand in those days\nI will pour out my Spirit upon them too;\nand they shall proclaim my justice.  \n  I will perform miraculous signs in the sky above\nand awesome wonders on the earth below\,\nblood\, and fire\, and clouds of smoke.  \n  The sun will go black and the moon blood-red\nbefore the dawning\nof the awesome and glorious day of the Lord.  \n  And everyone who cries out to the Lord\nshall be saved.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR   Numbers 11: 24-30 (alternative 1st reading)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Acting on the LORD’s instructions\, Moses sent for seventy of Israel’s most respected and influential tribal elders and had them assemble in a circle around the Sacred Tent while he went inside. The LORD came down\, hidden in cloud\, and spoke with Moses. As they talked\, the LORD touched the seventy elders with the same spirit that was at work in Moses. During the short period of time that the spirit rested on them\, they were all shouting words of prophesy. \nTwo of the seventy elders who Moses had sent for were named Eldad and Medad. They had not made it to the Sacred Tent\, but the spirit touched them just like the others and they began shouting words of prophesy right where they were in the camp. A young man ran and reported this to Moses\, saying “Eldad and Medad are shouting like prophets in the camp!” \nJoshua son of Nun\, who served as right hand man to Moses\, said\, “You can’t let them do that\, Boss. Have them stopped.” \nBut Moses replied\, “Why? Are you worried about protecting my position? I only wish that the LORD would give the same spirit to all the people so that the whole lot of them would become prophets!” \nAfter that\, Moses and the tribal elders all returned to the camp. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 104: 24-34\, 35b			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	O LORD\, what a wildly fabulous world!\nWorking hand in hand with wisdom\nyou have made\nan earthful of wonderful creatures.  \nJust look at the deep wide sea\,\nswarming with life beyond our imagining\,\nfrom coral to crayfish\, from mussels to marlin. \nShips plough the waves\,\nwhile mythical monsters cavort in the depths. \nLike seagulls at a picnic\,\nevery creature looks to you for food. \nThey gather around in eager expectation\,\nand gorge themselves when you open your hand.  \nIf you turned your back\, they’d be panic stricken;\nif you withdrew your Spirit\nthey would have nothing to breathe\,\ntheir bodies would quickly crumble. \nBut when you breathe your spirit into them\,\nlife sprouts up fresh and fragrant again\nand the earth itself is revived. \nGlorious is all you do\, LORD\,\nmay you be honoured forever.\nMay everything created be a joy to the LORD. \nOne look from the LORD makes even the earth quiver;\none touch and even the mountains erupt. \nWith every breath I will sing to the LORD;\nas long as there is life in me\,\nI will give honour to my God in song. \nEven my unspoken thoughts I offer to the LORD\,\nfor the LORD is a delight to me.  \nMay wickedness be wiped from the earth\,\nmay enemies of life no longer be found. \nO bless the LORD\, everything within me.\nPraise the LORD!  \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 12: 3b-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If you hear people say\, “For better or for worse\, we’ll do what Jesus wants\,” you can take it as read that they couldn’t have said that if the Holy Spirit was not a force in their lives. \nWhen it comes to spiritual abilities\, there is a huge variety\, but you can trace them all to the same Spirit. There are all sorts of different ways of doing the Lord’s work\, but it’s the same Lord who is served in all of them. Some people get enthused and energised about one thing\, some about another\, but it is the same God who fires the passions in both. \nThe Spirit is at work in everyone\, and that work takes shape in each person in a way that will be of benefit to all. In one person you see it expressed in the ability to give wise advise; that ability has been given through the Spirit. In another person you see the ability to draw on a wealth of knowledge for the benefit of others; that too comes from the Spirit. Another person is able to keep trusting God when everyone else starts doubting\, and of course faith like that comes from the Spirit. Someone else has a gift that enables them to heal the sick\, and you guessed it\, the same Spirit again! Someone else can work miracles\, someone else can tell you what God wants you to hear. Another has the uncanny ability to discern what sort of spirit is behind whatever’s going on. Another is gifted with the ability to speak strange languages and still another with the ability to translate them. All these gifts\, and more still\, are triggered off in people by one and the same Spirit. The Spirit takes account of each person’s unique potential and decides accordingly how best to equip them. \nThe Church is a single body — the body of Christ. In some ways it is just like your own body; it is made up of many different parts\, each with their own jobs to do\, but it is still one body. When we were baptised\, we became part of Christ’s body. The Holy Spirit integrated us all into this one body and so now we are first and foremost identified with the body\, rather than with our individual characteristics. Whatever your nationality\, and whatever your occupation or background\, you all tap into the one Spirit for your life\, just as all the cells in the body are nourished in the same way through their relationship to the whole. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR   Acts 2: 1-21 (alternative 2nd reading)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	On the Feast Day of Pentecost all the believers were together in one place. Suddenly\, as if out of nowhere\, there was a sound like a raging cyclone - and nothing could be heard above it anywhere in the house. And then the Holy Spirit burst in among them like a bushfire\, with sparks and fireballs leaping out to engulf every one there. With fire in their guts and the Holy Spirit unleashing their tongues\, they began to speak of God in languages they had never learned. \nNow in Jerusalem at that time\, there were faithful Jewish pilgrims from all over the world. The wild noise among the believers quickly drew a crowd. What they heard bewildered them because everyone\, no matter where they were from\, heard their native language being spoken by the believers. Almost unable to believe their ears\, they asked: \n“Don’t all these people come from Galilee? How come we can all hear them speaking our own native languages? Some of us are Parthians\, some Medes\, others Elamites. There are people visiting here from Mesopotamia\, Judea and Cappadocia\, Pontus and Asia\, Phrygia and Pamphylia\, Egypt and the Cyrenene occupied parts of Libya. There are immigrants from Rome\, both ethnic Jews and converts. Some here are even Cretans and Arabs! But these Galileans are speaking all our languages and telling us about the extraordinary things God has done.”  \nThey were all in a spin\, unable to make head nor tail of what was happening. They kept asking one another what was going on and what it could all mean. Others though\, just sneered and said\, “They’ve been on the turps. They’re just a bunch of drunks.”  \nPeter stood up with the other eleven and addressed the crowd as loudly and clearly as he could: \n“Men and women of Jerusalem\, locals and visitors\, listen up and I’ll let you in on what this is all about. If you think that these people are drunk\, you are wrong. Think about it - the pubs aren’t even open this early in the morning. No\, what is happening here was explained long ago in the words of the prophet Joel:  \n“This is what I will do\nwhen time reaches its climax\, God declares:  \nI will pour out my Spirit on everyone. \nYour sons and your daughters\nshall speak as prophets.\nThe young among you will see visions\,\nand the old will dream dreams.  \n  I even have men and women among those\nwhose rights no one cares about\,\nand in those days\nI will pour out my Spirit upon them too;\nand they shall proclaim my justice.  \n  I will perform miraculous signs in the sky above\nand awesome wonders on the earth below\,\nblood\, and fire\, and clouds of smoke.  \n  The sun will go black and the moon blood-red\nbefore the dawning\nof the awesome and glorious day of the Lord.  \n  And everyone who cries out to the Lord\nshall be saved.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 20: 19-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	It was a Sunday – the first day of the week – when the tomb was found empty. That same evening\, the disciples met together. They locked all the doors of the house where they were meeting because they were afraid of being tracked down by the religious authorities. Suddenly\, Jesus appeared and stood among them saying\, “Good evening to you all!” \nHe proceeded to show them the deep scars in his hands and side. The disciples\, of course\, were over the moon at seeing the Lord again. Jesus spoke again\, saying\, “All the best to you. God sent me into the world\, and in the same way\, I’m sending you.” \nHaving said that\, he breathed a big breathe onto them and said\, “Receive the Holy Spirit; all of you. If you forgive anyone who has sinned\, then their sins are forgiven. If you withhold forgiveness for any sins\, they remain unforgiven.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR   John 7: 37-39 (alternative gospel reading)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus was speaking to the crowds in the Temple on the big final day of the sacred festival. Rising to his feet\, he cried out\, “If any of you have a raging thirst that will not go away\, come to me. Any of you who will trust me\, come and drink deep. The scriptures promised this\, saying\, ‘Rivers of life-giving water will well up from deep within you.’” \nJesus was referring to the Holy Spirit who was soon to be given to those who put their trust in him; but at this time no one had yet received the Spirit\, because the moment of glory for Jesus had not yet come. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have amazed us with your deeds of power. \nWith your own hands you shaped the creation\nand filled the earth with your wonders.\nYou breathed into us and we rose from the dust;\nthe face of the earth came alive.\nFrom the cloud you spoke to Moses\nand through your prophets you promised\nto pour out your Spirit on all flesh. \nIn these last days you sent your child\, Jesus the Christ\,\nto speak your words of mercy and peace.\nThough he was killed\, you raised him to new life\,\nand now he comes to all who are thirsty\,\npouring out the new wine of the Spirit\,\nintoxicating us with visions and dreams\,\nawakening within us your marvellous gifts\nof wisdom\, faith\, healing\, prophesy and discernment\,\nand firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your son\, Jesus Christ\,\nwho pours out the new wine of your Spirit\,\nintoxicating us with visions and dreams\,\nand awakening within us your marvellous gifts\nof wisdom\, faith\, healing\, prophesy and discernment. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have amazed us with your deeds of power. \nWith your own hands you shaped the creation\nand filled the earth with your wonders.\nYou breathed into us and we rose from the dust;\nthe face of the earth came alive.\nFrom the cloud you spoke to Moses\nand through your prophets you promised\nto pour out your Spirit on all flesh. \nIn these last days you sent your child\, Jesus the Christ\,\nto speak your words of mercy and peace.\nThough he was killed\, you raised him to new life\,\nand now he comes to all who are thirsty\,\npouring out the new wine of the Spirit\,\nintoxicating us with visions and dreams\,\nawakening within us your marvellous gifts\nof wisdom\, faith\, healing\, prophesy and discernment\,\nand firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Hear the words of Christ:\n“If you forgive the sins of anyone\, they are forgiven them.”\nTherefore know for sure\nthat everyone who calls on the name of the Lord\nwill be saved. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world\,\nsent as Christ Jesus was sent\,\ngifted and empowered for the common good.\nDream dreams\, pursue visions\nand speak of God’s goodness\nin the words of those who would hear. \nAnd may God give hope to your dreaming;\nMay Christ Jesus set rivers of life flowing within you\,\nand may the Holy Spirit unite you as one body and set you ablaze with joy. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nBreaking through old divisionsA sermon on Acts 2: 1-21\, John 14: 8-17\,25-27 & Genesis 11: 1-9 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Invitation of the Pentecost MiraclesA sermon on Acts 2:1-21 by Andrew Woff\n\n\n\nSpirit DrinkersA sermon on John 7: 37-39 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLanguages of ReconciliationA sermon on Acts 2:1-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPentecostA sermon on Acts 2: 1-21; 1 Corinthians 12: 3b-13 & John 20: 19-23 by Gilbert Joyce\n\n\n\nPentecost: Gifted and SentA sermon on Acts 2: 1-21 by Gilbert Joyce\n\n\n\nUnderstanding the Language of PentecostA Sermon for the Feast of Pentecost by Lina Toth (Andronoviene)\n\n\n\nFilled with the SpiritA sermon on Ephesians 5:18 by Joel Sierra\n\n\n\nMuch Needed Miracles of CommunicationA sermon on Acts 2: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/a40/2029-05-20/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/40.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290527T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290527T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230821T021454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250615T093539Z
UID:10002051-1874534400-1874620799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Trinity Sunday - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 1:1 - 2:4a			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	At the outset\, when God created the universe\,\nthe earth was lifeless and shapeless;\na deep ocean of chaos\, shrouded in darkness;\nbrooded over by the Spirit of God. \nThen God called for light\,\nand light appeared.\nGod saw that light was a good thing\,\nand separated it from the darkness.\nGod named the light Day\,\nand the darkness Night.\nEvening passed and morning came;\nthe first day was done. \nThen God called for a clear space\nto keep out the water on either side.\nGod made the clear space\nand the water was split in two\, above and below.\nThat is what happened\,\nand God named the space Sky.\nEvening passed and morning came;\nthe second day was done. \nThen God called for the waters under the sky\nto be pooled into one place\nand for dry land to appear elsewhere.\nThat is what happened\,\nand God named the dry land Earth\nand the pooled waters Sea.\nGod saw that this was a good thing. \nThen God called for the earth to produce vegetation:\nplants and trees\, rich with fertile fruits and seed\,\nand that is what happened.\nThe earth burst forth with vegetation of every kind;\ngrasses and vines\, shrubs and trees\,\nfertile with seeds and fruits of every kind.\nGod saw that this was a good thing.\nEvening passed and morning came;\nthe third day was done. \nThen God called for lights in the space called sky;\nlights to shine from above and light up the earth\,\nto separate day from night\,\nand to mark out the months\, seasons and years.\nThat is what happened;\nGod made stars to fill the sky\nand two big lights:\na bright one to dominate the day\,\nand a soft one to take over at night.\nGod set them all in the sky\nto light up the earth and determine day and night;\nto separate out the light from the darkness.\nGod saw that this was a good thing.\nEvening passed and morning came;\nthe fourth day was done. \nThen God called for the waters to fill with living creatures\,\nand for the skies to fill with birds flying over the earth.\nGod created all the creatures that live and move in the water\,\nthe enormous monsters of the sea and the teeming fish\,\nand every kind of bird that wings its way through the air.\nGod saw that this was a good thing\nand set them up for life\,\nencouraging the fish to multiply and fill the seas\nand the birds to multiply all over the earth.\nEvening passed and morning came;\nthe fifth day was done. \nThen God called for the earth to bring forth all sorts of living creatures:\ninsects\, reptiles\, mammals;\nanimals of every kind\, tame and wild.\nThat is what happened;\nGod made wild animals of every kind to fill the earth\,\nevery kind of herd and flock\,\nand every creature that runs or jumps or crawls on land.\nGod saw that this was a good thing. \nThen God said:\n“We will make people in our own image\,\nmodelling them on ourselves.\nWe will entrust to them the fish of the sea\,\nthe birds of the air\, the flocks and herds\,\nand all the wild animals and creepy-crawlies.” \nSo God created people as a reflection of God\,\ncreated them to be like God\,\ncreated them male and female. \nGod set them up for life\,\nand encouraged them to multiply and fill the earth.\nGod told them to exercise control over the earth\nand to manage the fish of the sea\,\nthe birds of the air and every living thing on earth. \nGod said to the people:\n“Look\, I have given you the grain crops\nthat grow and reproduce themselves all over the earth\,\nand all the trees that grow from seed and bear fruit;\nthey are all yours for food.\nI have also provided vegetation galore\nas food for the animals\, birds and creepy-crawlies\,\nfor everything that lives and breathes. \nSo it all happened\, just as God said.\nEverything God had made was there to be seen\nand God was delighted with it all.\nEvening passed and morning came;\nthe sixth day was done. \nWith that\, the universe was complete\,\nalong with everything that fills it.\nWith the work finished\,\nGod took the seventh day off. \nAfter all the work God had done\,\nthe seventh day was a well earned rest.\nSo God made the seventh day special\,\na sacred day\,\nbecause that day was God’s day off\nafter all the work of creating everything. \nSo that’s the family lineage of the universe;\nthe story of how everything came to be. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Our LORD and ruler\,\nall over the world\nthe mere mention of your name sets hearts pounding! \nYour glory fills the universe! \nThe gurgling of babies makes more sense\nthan the clever arguments of your enemies.\nThe innocent chatter of children\nsilences the venomous talk of your opponents. \nWhen I gaze at your handiwork in the night skies\n— the moon\, the stars\, the milky way —\nthe whole cosmos under your control;\nI can’t help but wonder why you bother with us.\nWhy do you care so much for mere human beings\nwhen we count for so little in the scheme of things? \nAnd yet\, for reasons known to you alone\,\nyou created us almost on a par with yourself\nand decorated us with the highest honours and glory. \nYou have even entrusted us with power over your precious creation;\nyou placed the future of all life in our hands:\nsheep and cattle;\nemu and kangaroo\ninsects\, reptiles\, birds\, and sea creatures;\nair\, land and water and the planet itself. \nOur LORD and ruler\,\nall over the world\nthe mere mention of your name sets hearts pounding! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Corinthians 13: 11-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Sisters and brothers\, I finish my letter by wishing you every joy and offering these last words: \n- get everything on track;\n- take courage from what I’ve said;\n- seek consensus;\n- live in peace. \nIf you do these things\, the presence of the God of love and peace will be known right there among you. Show warmth and tenderness when you greet one another as those dedicated to the Lord. All of God’s people send you their greetings. \nMay the extravagant generosity of the Lord and Messiah Jesus\,\nand the love of God\,\nand the tender solidarity of the Holy Spirit\nbe within and around you all. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 28: 16-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The eleven who were left of Jesus’s closest followers headed north to Galilee and made their way to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they found him there\, they fell to their knees worshipping him\, even though some of them were still in two minds about whether they could completely trust this experience of him. Jesus came to them and said\, “God has given me the job of bringing everything in heaven and earth into line. Your job then is to go to all people everywhere\, recruiting and training them to follow me. Baptise them\, identifying them as people of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Train them to live the life I have instructed you in. And hold on to the knowledge that I am with you every moment\, from now to the completion of the age.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nand to join with the whole world\nin declaring the greatness of your name. \nIn the beginning your Spirit brooded over the chaos\nand brought to birth all the beauty and abundance of creation.\nYou created humankind in the image\nof your own faithful love and desire\,\ndressing us in glorious splendour\nand entrusting the care of the earth into our hands. \nFrom our midst you brought forth your own child\,\nJesus the Christ\n— one with you\, and the embodiment of your Spirit —\nand through him you invited all people\nto be baptised into your triune dance of love.\nWhen he was killed\, you raised him to life\nand gave him all authority in heaven and on earth\,\nand in him\, through the Holy Spirit\,\nyou are with us always\, even to the end of the age. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for revealing to us in Jesus Christ\,\nthe faithful love and desire\nwhich unite you with him and the Holy Spirit\,\nand into which you invite all people to be baptised. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nand to join with the whole world\nin declaring the greatness of your name. \nIn the beginning your Spirit brooded over the chaos\nand brought to birth all the beauty and abundance of creation.\nYou created humankind in the image\nof your own faithful love and desire\,\ndressing us in glorious splendour\nand entrusting the care of the earth into our hands. \nFrom our midst you brought forth your own child\,\nJesus the Christ\n— one with you\, and the embodiment of your Spirit —\nand through him you invited all people\nto be baptised into your triune dance of love.\nWhen he was killed\, you raised him to life\nand gave him all authority in heaven and on earth\,\nand in him\, through the Holy Spirit\,\nyou are with us always\, even to the end of the age. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	All authority in heaven and on earth\nhas been given to Jesus Christ\,\nand it is on the authority of Jesus Christ\nthat the forgiveness of sins is declared to you and to all. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out into the world and live in peace.\nBear witness to the God of love and peace\,\nand make disciples of all nations\,\nteaching them to obey all that Christ has taught us. \nAnd may God look upon you and take delight in you;\nMay Christ Jesus be with you always\, to the end of the age;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit lead you into the dance of love\nthat is the life of the Trinity. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Trinity: A Christian DreamingA sermon on Proverbs 8. 1-4\, 22-31; Psalm 8 & John 16. 12-15 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nTrinity and CommunityA sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nContemplating the TrinityA sermon on the Icon of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nTrinity\, Creation and PrayerA sermon on Proverbs 8:1-4\, 22-31; Romans 5:1-5 & John 16:12-15 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nStumbling into the Love Dance of the TrinityA sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBaptism into the Life of GodA sermon on Matthew 28:16-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nA Love Triangle that WorksA sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDoes the Trinity add up?A sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThree makes sense\, but one?A sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDecolonising Genesis 1A sermon on Genesis 1:1-2:4a by Samara Pitt\n\n\n\nIt matters\, but you don’t have to explain it!A sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/a41/2029-05-27/
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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290531T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290531T000000
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CREATED:20200830T121453Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250818T030936Z
UID:10002133-1874880000-1874880000@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Samuel 2: 1-10			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After the birth of her son\, Samuel\, Hannah prayed the following prayer: \n“Thanks to you\, LORD\, I am full of joy;\nthanks to you\, I can stand strong and proud.\nI can return the insults that were hurled at me\,\nand kick up my heels\, because you have set me free. \nThere is no other god like you\, LORD\,\nno one who can hold a candle to you;\nnot even the ancient rock is as dependable as you. \nI can tell the proud to stop their boasting;\ntell the arrogant to put a sock in it.\nYou\, LORD\, know us inside and out;\nyou see whether or not we live up to our words. \nYou\, LORD\, disarm the powerful\,\nand redistribute their strength to the helpless.\nThose who consumed to excess are now queuing at soup kitchens\,\nbut those who were deprived now feast in splendour.\nInfertile couples are having children\, one after the other\,\nwhile those who flaunted their children\nfind their families falling apart. \nLife is yours to give or to take\, LORD;\nyou can send someone to the land of the dead\,\nand you can bring them back again. \nYou\, LORD\, can make us or break us;\nyou can put us on a pedestal or knock us off.\nYou lift up those who have been trodden into the dirt;\nyou put the poor and outcast back on their feet.\nYou give them a place among the guests of honour\,\na seat with the dignitaries and celebrities.\nYou can do all this because the earth is yours;\nyou set it up and you wrote the rules. \nTo those who are faithful\, you guarantee safe passage;\nthose who are corrupt soon lose sight of any light to steer by\,\nfor no matter how strong people are\,\nthey can’t make it alone. \nYou are the LORD!\nThose who try to obstruct you\nfind that it is like standing in the path of a train\nas you thunder towards your destination.\nYou\, LORD\, have the final word on all that is done on earth.\nYou will give strength and power to your chosen ruler.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 113			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You are the greatest\, LORD! \nWe\, your servants\, can’t stop singing your praises;\nthe mere mention of your name sets us singing! \nFrom now on and forever\,\nyour name will be held sacred\, LORD. \nFrom east to west\, from dawn to dusk\,\nyour name will inspire songs of praise. \nYou are ranked number one\, LORD\,\nway above even the greatest nations\,\noutshining even the sun and the stars. \nCan anyone compare with you\, LORD?\nIs there anyone else even close to your league?\nNot likely! You are seated so high\nthat you look down even to see the sky! \nYou lift up those who have been trodden into the dirt;\nyou put the poor and outcast back on their feet.\nYou give them a place among the guests of honour\,\na seat with the dignitaries and celebrities. \nYou give the infertile couple a family\nfilling their lives with the laughter of children. \nYou are the greatest\, LORD! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 12: 9-16b			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	See to it that your love is for real and without pretence. Avoid corruption like the plague. Dig your heels in and don’t be budged from the side of good. Love one another\, and not just in theory but with warmth and friendly affection. If you need something to compete over\, see who can score the most points for treating everyone else like royalty. Don’t let your enthusiasm get slack\, but keep yourselves on the boil and work hard for the Lord. Celebrate in anticipation of all that is to come. When you are being put through the wringer\, tough it out\, and pray all the harder. Do what you can to help out other Christians who are in need\, and work at making strangers feel welcome and at home among you. \nWhen others persecute you\, wish them all the best and pray that God will look after them. Seek the best for them; don’t wish disaster on them. When others are celebrating\, celebrate with them. When others are hurting\, share the pain with them. Stay in tune with one another\, living a shared life based on common commitments. Don’t be full of yourselves\, but hang out with those who the world writes off as nobodies. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 1:39-57			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When the angel told Mary that both she and her relative Elizabeth were going to have babies\, Mary took the first opportunity to make the trip to visit Elizabeth. Elizabeth lived with her husband Zechariah in a Judean town in the hills. Mary sang out as soon as she arrived at their house\, and when she heard the greeting\, Elizabeth felt the baby jump in her womb. The Holy Spirit welled up in Elizabeth and she cried out with joy\, saying: \n“You have been blessed like no other woman!\nAnd doubly blessed is the child in your womb!\nAnd what about me? Why am I so blessed\,\nthat my Lord’s own mother should knock at my door?\nThe moment your greeting reach my ears\,\nthe baby in my womb began bouncing with glee!\nClearly you are God’s favoured one\,\nbecause you believed what God said to you;\ntrusting God to follow through on every promise. \nMary too was bursting with joy. She said: \n“Let me turn the spotlight on God’s greatness!\nWith all that I am I dance with joy over God\, my saviour!\nGod has smiled upon me\, though I was no one special.\nNow I’ll be remembered forever as the favoured one.\nThe supreme God has done wonderful things for me.\nNo other name is in the same league as God’s. \nIn every generation\, those who treat God with respect\nare rewarded with showers of mercy.\nWith sleeves rolled up\, God has made a show of strength\,\nand sent packing those who were so full of themselves. \nGod has kicked the power mongers out of office\,\nand lifted the downtrodden back to their feet.\nGod has put on a feast for those who were hungry\,\nand slammed the door on the rich without giving them a bite. \nThe Lord’s servant Israel receives a helping hand.\nGod always remembers them with tender care.\nThis is exactly what God promised long ago\,\na vow made to Abraham and Sarah for every generation.” \nMary didn’t return home for about three months\, but stayed until Elizabeth’s baby was born. Elizabeth gave birth to a boy who was given the name John. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc45/2029-05-31/
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20290603
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CREATED:20210610T044326Z
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SUMMARY:Proper 4 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \nBible Readings (paraphrased)\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission.\n \n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 6:9-22; 7:24; 8:14-19			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	This is the story of Noah. Noah was a man who always did the right thing by everybody: the only person of real integrity on the earth in that generation. Noah and his wife had three sons named Shem\, Ham and Japheth. \nThe rest of the human race had become totally corrupt and violent\, and God was sick of the sight of it. Seeing how depraved everyone had become\, God spoke to Noah and said: \n“I have made up my mind to wipe the human race off the face of the earth\, because they have made the earth a violent and heartless place. So now I am going to destroy them and wipe the planet clean\, ready for a fresh start. Build yourself an enormous lifeboat according to these specifications. Use marine-quality timbers for the construction and apply a waterproof lining of tar\, inside and out. Build it with three deck levels and many cabins. The overall dimensions are to be as follows: a length of 150 metres; a width of 25 metres; and a height of 15 metres. Build a roof over the top with a half metre clearance between it and the top of the side walls. Build the lifeboat with a single entrance on the side. \n“What I am going to do is completely flood the earth with water to wipe out everything that lives and breathes on it. Every creature on earth will die. But I am going to form a new alliance with life on earth\, setting it up with you. You are to move into the lifeboat along with your wife\, your sons\, and their wives. You are also to take on board a male and a female of every kind of living creature to keep them alive with you. Every kind of bird\, every kind of animal\, and every kind of creepy-crawly on earth: take with you a breeding pair of each to keep them alive. You are also to store a full range of food on board the life-boat; enough to feed your family and all the animals.” \nSo Noah went ahead and followed God’s instructions to the letter. Sure enough\, the swollen waters flooded the earth for one hundred and fifty days. Even after that\, everyone had to stay on board for nearly three months more while the earth dried out. Eventually God said to Noah: \n“It is time for you and your whole family to leave the lifeboat. Unload all the living creatures that are with you; all the birds and animals and creepy-crawlies of every kind. Release them so that they can breed like rabbits and restock the earth.” \nSo Noah disembarked with his wife and their sons and their son’s wives. And out of the lifeboat with them came all the animals\, all the creepy-crawlies\, and all the birds – breeding pairs of every kind of creature that lives on the earth. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 46			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Our refuge\, our shelter\, our fortress\, our security;\nyou are all these things to us\, God.\nYou are always there for us when we need you. \nBecause of you\, we will not panic\neven if our world comes crashing down around our ears;\neven if the earth splits open beneath us;\neven if chaos pours in like a raging flood;\neven if life as we know it goes up in smoke. \nYou are the LORD of cosmic power — the God of our ancestors —\nour safety\, our refuge. \nA river flowing with life-giving water runs through your holy city\nbringing joy and peace to your sacred home.\nYou are the most high God\, and the city where you live\nwill rest secure and greet the new day with confidence. \nThe world may be in chaos\, nations tearing apart at the seams\,\nbut when you speak\, the earth sinks to its knees. \nYou are the LORD of cosmic power — the God of our ancestors —\nour safety\, our refuge. \nWhat you have done is a sight for sore eyes\, LORD;\nyou have left a trail of destruction across the earth:\nweapons of war crushed and burned;\nimplements of fear smashed to pieces;\nconflicts and wars closed down for good. \nYou call us to a peaceful calm\nand invite us to know you as God.\nYou stand supreme above the nations\,\nunmatched in all the earth. \nYou are the LORD of cosmic power — the God of our ancestors —\nour safety\, our refuge. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 1:16-17; 3:22b-28\, (29-31)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Being identified with God’s message does not make me cringe at all. I am honoured to be associated with something that God is working through so powerfully in order to bring everyone who believes home to the safety and wholeness for which they were created. It began among the Jewish people\, but now everyone is in on it. It reveals God’s unshakable commitment to doing the right thing by all who put their trust in God’s trustworthiness. The scriptures put it this way: “Anyone who gets things right with God through a relationship of trust\, will live.” \nThis is not applied differently to different groups of people. Everyone is in the same boat because we have all done wrong and fallen well short of the shining integrity God created us for. But God treats everybody with a generosity that is out of all proportion to anything we could deserve and\, as a gift\, puts us back in the good books. This happens as part of the work done by Jesus the Messiah in putting everything back the way it should be. He was sent by God to clean up the mess we had gotten ourselves into and bring us back into a relationship based on trust\, and he made the ultimate sacrifice and paid the price in his own blood to get the job done. This demonstrated God’s unshakable commitment to doing the right thing by everyone\, both in the past and in the present. In the past God’s commitment was expressed by putting up with people’s wrongdoing and not dishing out the punishments they deserved. In the present\, God is again proving that commitment by putting those who put their trust in Jesus into the good books. \nSo what is left of our boast that we Jews are the only ones in the good books with God? Clearly it is not backed up by the facts. Why? Did others do something to earn an equal place before God? Not at all\, but God put the relationship on a trust basis\, and that put everyone on an equal footing. What we are saying is that people get into the good books by trusting God\, regardless of whether or not they observe the customs prescribed by the traditional Jewish law. God is not only the God of the Jews\, but of everyone else as well. After all\, there is only one God! Those who have been brought up to be religious are put in to God’s good books on the basis of a relationship of trust\, and everyone else is put in through exactly the same relationship of trust. However\, if you think we are saying that this relationship of trust means that there is no value in the traditional law\, you have missed the point. What we are saying is quite the opposite. It is only within this relationship of trust that the customs set out in the law can prove their worth. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 7: 21-29			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Drawing to the end of his sermon on the mountain\, Jesus said\, “You can’t bluff your way into the culture of heaven by dropping my name and prattling on about what a high view of my authority you hold. It is those who walk the walk who will get in – those who actually live the way God wants them to live. When the day comes\, many people will appeal to me saying\, ‘Lord\, Lord\, look at all the great things we did in your name. We preached. We took on the forces of evil and won. We were real movers and shakers. We did all sorts of impressive things and we gave you the credit for it all. Doesn’t that count for anything?’ But I will tell them straight\, ‘I’ll have nothing to do with you. You are a bunch of frauds\, rotten to the core. Get out of my sight!’ \n“The people who take notice of what I teach and put it into practice are like experienced builders who always put down solid foundations before building a house. When violent storms come\, or even if cyclones and floods hit\, that house stands firm\, rock-solid on its foundations. But those who hear my teachings and don’t bother doing anything about them are like brainless do-it-yourselfers who knock up a house with nothing but sand for foundations. The first time it is hit by a decent storm\, the wind and rain rip into it and in no time at all there is a spectacular crash and down it comes!” \nWhen Jesus had finished speaking\, the crowd was stunned. His teaching was like nothing they had ever heard before. His words carried great weight and it was clear that he stood behind everything he said\, which was quite a contrast to the religious teachers they were used to! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Deuteronomy 11: 18-21\, 26-28			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Moses said to the people: \n“Take to heart these teachings I have passed on to you from the LORD your God. Do whatever you need to do to keep them fixed in your minds: write them on the back of your hands; wear them as a badge stuck on your forehead. Teach them to your children and talk about them morning\, noon and night\, at home or wherever you go. Hang them over your front doors\, put them up on a billboard at the entrance to your town so that you will be reminded of them as you come and go. That way you will be assured of a long and happy life in the land that the LORD promised to your ancestors. Your children will enjoy the same\, and their children too\, as long as the earth keeps turning. \n“Take note. Today I have taught you how the LORD your God wants you to live\, and now it is in your hands. Your life can be blessed or cursed; the choice is yours. Everything will work out well for you if you live the way the LORD your God has told you to live. But everything will fall apart for you if you turn your back on the way that the LORD your God has told you to live and take off after other ways and other objects of devotion.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 31: 1-5\, 19-24			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I look to you for refuge\, LORD;\ndon’t let me be dragged through the mud.\nYou promised justice – save me! \nGive me your ear – I’m crying for help;\nrescue me before it’s too late.\nBe a secure refuge for me\,\na bomb shelter where I can hide. \nYour solid walls protect me from danger;\nlead me and guide me so I’ll be a credit to you;\nkeep me clear of pitfalls and traps. \nYou are the only refuge I trust\, LORD;\nI put my life in your hands.\nYou are a faithful God\,\nand you have saved me. \nYour goodness is rich and free;\navailable to all who respect you and trust you.\nOut in the open\, for all to see\,\nyou stockpile blessings for those in your care. \nYou shelter them yourself\, LORD\,\nkeeping them safe from vindictive plots.\nYou give them a safe hiding place\,\nsheltered from malicious talk. \nYou are the greatest\, LORD;\nand you proved yourself when I needed you.\nWhen I was surrounded by a violent mob\,\nyour love protected me like a solid wall. \nAt first I panicked;\nI thought you had given up on me.\nBut you were there in a flash\nwhen I cried out for help. \nI call on all your people to give you their love\, LORD.\nYou keep the faithful safe\nand repay the arrogant as they deserve. \nI say to myself\, “Be strong\, tough it out\,”\nas I wait with my trust in you\, LORD. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	 \nPrayers\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor by grace you have justified and redeemed us\nand become our refuge and strength. \nIn the first of your works you created the universe\nand everything that moves on the earth.\nWhen you sent a flood to purge the earth of corruption\,\nyou made a covenant with your servant Noah\nand saved every family of living creatures. \nYou sent your child\, Jesus Christ\, among us\,\nto teach us with authority how to live by your words\nand be welcomed into your kingdom.\nWhen he was killed by those who were filled with violence\,\nyou raised him with power from the dead\nand called everyone to put their faith in him.\nTo all who hear your invitation and act on it\nyou give the gift of righteousness in your presence\nand redemption in and through Christ Jesus. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give thanks for your grace\nin which you have justified and redeemed us\nand become our refuge and strength\,\neven though we had becoe corrupt and fallen short of your glory. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor by grace you have justified and redeemed us\nand become our refuge and strength. \nIn the first of your works you created the universe\nand everything that moves on the earth.\nWhen you sent a flood to purge the earth of corruption\,\nyou made a covenant with your servant Noah\nand saved every family of living creatures. \nYou sent your child\, Jesus Christ\, among us\,\nto teach us with authority how to live by your words\nand be welcomed into your kingdom.\nWhen he was killed by those who were filled with violence\,\nyou raised him with power from the dead\nand called everyone to put their faith in him.\nTo all who hear your invitation and act on it\nyou give the gift of righteousness in your presence\nand redemption in and through Christ Jesus. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God\,\nbut through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus\,\nwe are forgiven and justified\nas a gift of his grace. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now and build your lives on the solid rock\nof Christ’s words\, heard and put into action.\nDo not be ashamed of the gospel\,\nbut live by faith\nand find your refuge and strength in God. \nAnd may God be known to you in the stillness;\nMay Christ Jesus be the solid foundation of your lives;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit give you courage\,\neven when the earth is shaken around you. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	 \nSermons\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\nGod’s change of heart\nA sermon on Genesis 6:5 – 9:17 by Nathan Nettleton\nThe Blessing of Homeland\nA sermon on Deuteronomy 11:8-12\, 18-21\, 27-28 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap04b/2029-06-03/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P04b.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290610T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290610T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230821T021804Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230821T021806Z
UID:10002053-1875744000-1875830399@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 5 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 12: 1-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The LORD spoke to Abram\, and said: \n“Get up and leave your country\, your relatives and the family of your parents\, and move to the land that I will show you. I will make things go well for you and see that your descendants become a great nation. I will see to it that you are remembered as one of the greats; as one whose life was a blessing to others. I will do good to those who do good to you\, and I will pull the rug out from under anyone who pulls the rug out from under you. Life will be better for everyone on earth because of you.” \nSo\, at the age of seventy five\, Abram got up and left Haran\, just as the LORD had told him to. He took with him his wife Sarai\, his nephew Lot\, and all their labourers. They packed up all the possessions they had accumulated over the years in Haran\, and set out for the land of Canaan. \nWhen they arrived in the land of Canaan\, Abram pushed on as far as Shechem\, to the sacred site known as the tree of Moreh. The Canaanite people were living in the land at the time\, but the LORD turned up and made a promise to Abram\, saying\, “I will give this land to your descendants.” \nAbram built a monument to the LORD there\, so that the place where the LORD had appeared to him might be a place for offering worship. After that\, he set out again and headed into the hill country to the east of Bethel. He set up camp between Bethel and Ai\, and there he built another monument to the LORD and called on the LORD in prayer. From there\, Abram pushed south towards the Negeb Desert\, making the journey one stage at a time. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 33: 1-12			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We celebrate all you are to us\, LORD.\nWe are your people\,\nand it feels right to sing your praises. \nWe make music in your honour\,\nwith guitars and fiddles and drums. \nWe write new songs dedicated to you\, LORD\,\nsinging and playing with all our skill and energy. \nEvery word you speak is honest and true\,\nand everything you do shows you to be trustworthy. \nYou have a passion for justice and integrity;\nyour love and loyalty flood the earth. \nThe universe was created on your say-so\, LORD;\neverything in it\, you breathed into life. \nFilling the oceans was like running a bath for you;\nfathomless depths poured out like a bottle. \nAll the earth is in awe of you\, LORD;\nall of us fall to our knees in your presence. \nWhen you spoke\, LORD\, the world appeared;\none word from you and it was fixed in place. \nAll our big ideas collapse when you speak\, LORD;\nour national strategies are reduced to rubbish. \nBut what you have to say\, LORD\, is rock-solid;\nyour thoughts and feelings are consistent through the centuries. \nWhat more could a country want than to have you as their God?\nTo be your cherished people\, LORD\, is the best thing in life. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 4: 13-25			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When God promised Abraham that he and his descendants would inherit the earth\, it was not because Abraham had earned it by following God’s instructions to the letter. Instead it was a gift given when God put things right for Abraham in response to the trust he had shown. If it were possible to earn the rights to the earth by rigid compliance with the law\, then basic values like trust and promise would be irrelevant. It would all become just another legal contract to be negotiated. Tie it all up in fine print and it will only end up serving as evidence against you; but where the relationship is conducted on the basis of trust\, no one goes on the lookout for very possible breach. \nSo instead of being a legal matter\, the fulfilment of the promise is conditional only on people’s willingness to put their trust in God. It is simply an expression of God’s generosity\, and that’s why it is guaranteed to always be available to everyone. Whether you were raised in a culture where observing the religious law was the norm\, or whether you have simply stepped out and put your trust in God like Abraham did\, the promise is open to you. After all\, both groups can rightly trace their line back to Abraham\, and the scriptures say that God promised to make him the father of many nations. \nWhen it looked like Abraham wouldn’t ever become the father of anyone\, he trusted his future into the hands of God\, believing that the God who can bring life out of death could create something out of nothing. He hung onto his hope even when it seemed utterly hopeless. He kept on believing that he would have many descendants because he was sure that God had promised him that. Even the cold hard biological facts didn’t cause him to throw in the towel. He knew that his hundred year old body was past it\, and that Sarah was an old woman who hadn’t even been fertile when she was young. Yet he didn’t allow even such obvious obstacles to break down his trust and make him cynical about God’s promise. Instead his faith actually grew stronger as he went right on crowing about the greatness of God. He remained dead-set certain that God was more than capable of making good on the promise. That is why God counted his trust as the equivalent of a perfect life. Now when the scriptures say “it was counted as the equivalent of a perfect life”\, it is not speaking of a special arrangement for Abraham alone. No\, it refers to all of us. We will all be accepted on that same basis if we too put our trust in the One who raised Jesus our Lord to new life from the dead. Jesus was put to death even though it was us who had done the wrong thing; but he was raised to new life so that we could be put right with God. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 9: 9-13\, 18-26			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus was heading down the street when he saw a man named Matthew sitting in his office\, where he worked collecting taxes for the Roman occupation forces. Jesus said to him\, “Come and join me\,” and Matthew got up and began following him. \nThat evening\, Jesus and his followers were out to dinner with a group that included many disreputable characters whose lifestyles were considered offensive by the more respectable members of society. Some members of the Pharisee party saw who he was with and confronted his closest followers over it\, saying\, “What does he think he’s doing\, sharing meals with people whose behaviour is beyond the pale?” \nWhen Jesus heard this\, he replied\, “Who needs the help of a doctor: the fit and healthy\, or the sick? Go and work out what the scripture means when it says\, ‘What I want is mercy\, not a blood-spilling quest for purity.’ I didn’t come to spend my time preaching to the converted\, but to call back those who are off the track.” \nA respected community leader came in and fell on his knees at Jesus’s feet\, saying\, “My precious daughter has just died\, but come and lay your hands on her and she will live.” \nSo Jesus and his followers got up and went with him. As he went\, a woman came up behind him and touched the edge of his coat. She had been suffering from prolonged bleeding\, and for the previous twelve years her condition had meant that everyone treated her as defiled and contagious. She was thinking to herself\, “Surely even touching this man’s clothes will be enough to make me well.” \nJesus looked around and saw her and said\, “Good on you\, daughter. You took a risk of faith and it has paid off for you. Welcome back to the world of the healthy!” \nSure enough\, at that moment she became completely healthy. \n  When Jesus arrived at the home of the community leader and saw all the chaos of mourners and funeral directors and people bearing condolences and casseroles\, he said\, “Everybody out! The girl is not dead. She’s only asleep.” \nBut they rubbished him. They knew she was dead. Unperturbed\, Jesus took charge of the situation and kicked them all outside. He went in and clasped the girl’s hand tenderly and up she got. The news of this spread through the district like wildfire. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Hosea 5:15 - 6:6			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I\, the LORD\, am going to pack up and go home.\nI will have nothing more to do with my people\nuntil they wake up to themselves and come clean\,\nuntil they are ready to turn to me again. \nAs soon as things fall apart for them\,\nthey will come running to me in tears\, saying: \n“Please take us back\, LORD.\nYou were right to knock us flat\, and tear us apart;\nbut come now and bind our wounds. \nTeach us a lesson by grounding us for a couple of days\,\nbut then give us a fresh start.\nOn the third day\, put us back on our feet\nso we can live in your presence. \nWe want to stick with you and learn your ways\, LORD.\nWe know we can rely on you\, as sure as day follows night.\nYou are like welcome rain to our parched spirits;\nsoaking in and bringing new life to flower.” \nWhat am I to do with you\, my people?\nWhat am I to do with you\, my chosen ones?\nYour love is as fickle as the morning mist;\nas lasting as a puddle in the blazing sun. \nThat is why I have unleashed my prophets against you\nand cut you down to size with my fierce words.\nThat is why I have turned the spotlight on you\nto make it clear what I think of you. \nIt is not gifts and offering that I want from you\,\nbut a love that lasts.\nIt is not dutiful religious behaviour that I’m looking for\,\nbut people who know and care what I am on about. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 50: 7-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We belong to you\, LORD\, and you call us to listen.\nYou set out the case against us\, your chosen people.\nYou are God; our God. \nIt is not our sacrifices you condemn;\nthe gifts we are constantly offering. \nBut when they mean nothing to us\, they mean nothing to you.\nYou don’t want any more thoughtless gifts. \nYou don’t depend on us for supplies.\nFrom farm to forest\, every creature is yours. \nThe birds of the air\, the fish of the sea\,\nevery beast in every paddock belongs to you. \nYou have no need of our help if you get hungry;\nthe best fruits of all the earth are yours for the picking. \nOnly a fool would think you eat our burnt beef!\nOr that you literally drink the blood of sheep! \nYou welcome our gifts if they are really offered in gratitude;\nif we back them up by keeping our promises. \nWhen trouble breaks out\, we only have to call you;\nYou’ll be there to bail us out\,\nand we’ll put you name up in lights!” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you give life to the dead\nand fill the world with love. \nThe heavens and earth came into existence when you spoke;\nall things appeared at your command.\nYou called a people to be your own\,\nmaking them strong in faith as they gave glory to you\,\nand blessing the whole earth through them. \nYou sent your child\, Jesus\,\nto teach us the ways of mercy\nand to call sinners to leave their past behind\nand follow you.\nWhen he was handed over to death\,\nyou raised him to new life and\,\ntaking us by the hand\, raised us with him.\nWhen we put our faith in you\,\nyou were true to your promise of grace\nand declared us to be in the right with you\,\nhealing us of all that would drain us of life. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho calls us to leave our past behind and follow you\,\ntaking us by the hand to raise us up\nand heal us of all that would drain us of life. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you give life to the dead\nand fill the world with love. \nThe heavens and earth came into existence when you spoke;\nall things appeared at your command.\nYou called a people to be your own\,\nmaking them strong in faith as they gave glory to you\,\nand blessing the whole earth through them. \nYou sent your child\, Jesus\,\nto teach us the ways of mercy\nand to call sinners to leave their past behind\nand follow you.\nWhen he was handed over to death\,\nyou raised him to new life and\,\ntaking us by the hand\, raised us with him.\nWhen we put our faith in you\,\nyou were true to your promise of grace\nand declared us to be in the right with you\,\nhealing us of all that would drain us of life. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus came to restore sinners to God.\nWhen he was handed over to death he took our sins\nand was raised so that we might be put right with God. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now\, at the call of God\nand follow wherever the Lord leads you.\nLove truth and justice\,\nand share the healing mercy of God with all. \nAnd may God bless you and make you a blessing to others;\nMay Christ Jesus take you by the hand and lift you to life;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit nourish you in hope\nso that you will grow strong in faith. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nFeeling Useless?A sermon on Genesis 12:1-9 & Matthew 9:9-13\, 18-26 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Blessing of FaithA sermon on Genesis 12:1-9 & Romans 4:13-25 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nYou’re Not That Dead!A sermon on Matthew 9\, Romans 4 & Genesis 12 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLeaving Quarantine with JesusA sermon on Matthew 9:9-13 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap05/2029-06-10/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P05.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290617T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290617T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230821T022329Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230821T022331Z
UID:10002055-1876348800-1876435199@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 6 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 18: 1-15\, (21: 1-7)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	One blazing hot summer afternoon\, Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent\, when the LORD appeared to him. Looking up\, Abraham saw three strangers approaching him. He immediately jumped up and hurried to welcome them as honoured guests. He said\, “Please allow me the honour of sharing the hospitality of my home with you. Come in. Take a bath. Put your feet up for a bit. Let me serve you up a meal so that you can leave refreshed and strengthened. I would count it a favour to have the opportunity to serve you in this way.” \nSo they said\, “Thank you\, we accept.” \nAbraham hurried into the tent and said\, “Sarah. Quick! Knock up a batch of scones while I organise the barbecue.” \nThen he ran out to his grazing herd and butchered a prime calf. He instructed one of his workers to prepare the best cuts for the barbecue. When it was all ready\, he served it up for his guests with a yoghurt dip and plenty to drink\, and waited on them while they ate. \nDuring the meal\, they said to him\, “Where is your wife\, Sarah?” \nAbraham replied\, “She’s inside; in the tent.” \nThen one of the three said\, “Mark my words! I’ll be back this way in about a year’s time\, and by then your wife Sarah will have a son.” \nSarah was in the tent behind them as they talked\, and she overheard this. Knowing well that she and Abraham were both elderly\, and that she had long since passed menopause\, she laughed to herself\, saying\, “Fat chance! Am I going to have such pleasure at my age; and with my husband past it too?” \nThe LORD said to Abraham\, “Why did Sarah laugh and question whether she can have a child at her age? Is there any good thing that the LORD is incapable of doing? I will be back this way in about a year’s time\, just as I said\, and Sarah will have a son.” \nSarah was shocked that she had been caught\, and blurted out\, “I didn’t mean to laugh.”“Yes\, but you did laugh\,” replied the LORD. \nThe LORD was good to Sarah and followed through on the promise made to her. Sarah fell pregnant to Abraham and gave birth to a baby son. This happened when they were both old and grey — Abraham was already one hundred years old when the child was born. Sarah gave birth to their son right at the time that God had spoken about. Abraham named his son Isaac\, and circumcised him when he was eight days old\, because that is what God had told him to do. Sarah said\, “Now God has given me something to laugh about! And everyone who hears the news will laugh with me! Once no one would have dared raise the topic of me having a baby with Abraham\, but now I have given birth to the old man’s son!” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 116: 1-2\, 12-19			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I love you\, LORD!\nHow could I not love you\nwhen you always respond to my cries? \nYou are always ready to listen to me\,\nso I will bring my needs to you as long as I live. \nHow can I ever repay you\, LORD?\nWhat gift could ever express my gratitude? \nI will raise my glass in your honour\,\nI will name you as the one who saved me. \nI will make good on all I promised you\, LORD\,\nand I’ll let everyone know its for you. \nWhenever one of your faithful people dies\nit affects you deeply. \nLORD\, you have released me from my chains.\nI will serve you forever\,\njust as my forebears have done. \nI will bring a gift to say thanks;\nI will pray to you\, and you alone. \nI will be true to the vows I’ve made;\nand I won’t keep it hidden.\nIn full view of all your people\,\nin the public place of worship\,\nI’ll do all I promised you\, LORD. \nAll the praise and all the credit are your\, LORD! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 5: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	It was our faith that put us back in the good books with God. We put our trust in Jesus Christ our Lord and we can rest assured that he has cleared up everything with God for us. Christ got us in on the extravagant generosity of God\, and that generosity has given us a safe place to plant our feet. We don’t just stand there\, though. We hold our heads up high and announce\, with pride\, that we confidently expect to be sharing the glory that is coming to God. Actually\, it’s not just what’s coming in the future that makes us feel so good. Even now\, when life seems to be giving us a raw deal\, we can stand proud. We know that going through suffering can make us tough enough to survive the worst of times. This ability to tough things through will in turn generate new depths of integrity and maturity within us. And that brings us full-circle because it is this integrity and maturity that gives us our confidence about the future. Our confidence is not in vain either. We are sure about that because of what we have already experienced: a flood of love surging into our hearts from the Holy Spirit who God has given to us. \nChrist got us on track at the cost of his own life. He did it right when we most needed it; when we were way off course and too weak to ever get ourselves back. It’s hard to believe\, but true. You rarely hear of people putting their lives on the line for others\, even for innocent children. Perhaps we might be able to imagine finding the courage to die for someone who we deeply admired and loved. But if you need proof of how much God loves us\, just look at what Christ did. While we were still showing no signs of ever offering God anything but contempt\, Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for us. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 9:35 - 10:8\, (9-23)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus hit the road and began teaching in the meeting halls of every city and town he came to. He broadcast the great news about the new culture\, and healed people of every kind of disease and sickness. He was meeting crowds of people everywhere he went\, and their predicament always left him feeling gutted. They were under so much stress and were so powerless to do anything about it. They were like children caught in a rip with not a lifesaver in sight. He said to his followers\, “The world is an orchard\, groaning under a bumper crop\, ripe and ready for picking; but there are hardly any workers ready to bring it in. So get in touch with the Lord of the crop\, and put in an urgent request for more workers to be sent out to do the picking.” \nJesus called his twelve closest followers together and commissioned them to deal with every toxic spirit they would encounter\, and to heal people of every kind of disease and sickness. These are the names of his twelve chosen ambassadors: first there was Simon\, who was also known as Peter\, and his brother Andrew; there were the brothers James and John\, the sons of Zebedee; there was Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew who had collaborated with the Roman occupation forces; James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the freedom fighter; and Judas Iscariot\, the one who later double-crossed Jesus. Jesus gave these twelve their marching orders as follows: \n“I am not giving you the job of going to foreign places or to groups that are hostile to our people. Instead I want you to go to the people of Israel who have gone off the rails. Everywhere you go\, broadcast the message that the culture of heaven is close at hand. Restore the sick to heath\, raise the dead to life\, integrate the outcasts back into society\, flush out the demons. You haven’t been asked for payment for what you have been given\, so you too are to do all this free of charge for others. Don’t take a wallet full of money just in case\, and don’t go carting luggage around. Live simply and depend on others. Those who work hard have earned their keep. \n“Whenever you arrive in a new town\, accept the hospitality of someone who is trustworthy and on-side. Stay put until it’s time to move on. No shopping around for a better place! When you arrive in someone’s home\, honour everyone as a friend. If they are good people they will benefit from your generous spirit; but if they prove unworthy of it\, you have lost nothing by offering it. If you arrive somewhere and they refuse to welcome you in or to listen to what you have to say\, just turn your backs and walk away. Scratch their name off your map and forget them. I kid you not; on judgment day the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah will get it easy compared to that town. \n“Keep your wits about you\, because on this job you will be like children swimming among the sharks. You will need to be as street-wise as a feral cat and as harmless as a budgie. Be on your guard against those who make wild allegations against you and turn you over to the authorities or incite mobs to beat you up in public. You will be dragged before the magistrates and political leaders because of your association with me. It will be your chance to speak out for the truth before an international audience. When they arrest you and put you on trial\, don’t worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say in the witness box. You will be given the right words to say when the time comes. It won’t really be you doing the talking\, but the Spirit of God speaking through you. People will end up betraying even those closest to them\, their own brothers and sisters\, and having them killed. Parents will dob in their own children\, and children will turn on their parents and send them to the gallows. People everywhere will despise you because of your association with me\, but those who tough it out to the end will be brought home safe and sound. When people begin to kick you around in one town\, clear out and make a fresh start in the next. You can take my word for it; you will not run out of options before the New Human arrives on the scene. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Exodus 19: 2-8a			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The Israelites left their camp near the Red Sea and travelled into the Sinai desert\, where they camped at the foot of the mountain. Moses went up the mountain to meet with God. The LORD spoke to him there and said: \n“Give this message to the people of Israel.\n‘You have all seen what I did to the people who kept you in slavery. And you have all seen how I swooped down like an eagle to rescue you from them and make you mine. So now this is the deal: if you live the way I tell you to live\, and continue to be true to the alliance I have made with you\, then you will belong to me and be my most cherished possession. Of course the whole earth belongs to me\, but you will be a nation set apart and dedicated to me\, serving as my priest in the world.’\nGo now\, Moses\, and tell the Israelites what I have said.” \nSo Moses went back down the mountain and called together the Israelite tribal elders. He told them everything that the LORD had told him to say. The people of Israel were unanimous in their reply: “We will do everything that the LORD is asking of us.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 100			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	With all the earth we join in thunderous celebration\, LORD;\nraising the roof as we come into your presence singing;\ncoming gladly to offer you our devotion. \nLORD\, we know that you are God.\nYou made us\, and we belong to you.\nWe are your people\, fed and cared for by you alone. \nYour gates are open to us; thank you!\nIn your presence\, we sing your praises!\nWe name you as deserving all the credit and thanks! \nYou are the best\, LORD!\nYour love is rock-solid\, and always will be.\nDown through the ages\, you keep your word and stick by us. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your love has been poured into our hearts\nthrough your Holy Spirit given to us. \nNothing is too wonderful for you\,\nand with a word you brought all creation to birth.\nYou revealed yourself to our forebears\, Abraham and Sarah\,\nsharing round the table with them\nand promising them the fruit of their withered dreams. \nThe fulfilment of all your promises came in your child\, Jesus\,\nwho revealed your compassion for the people\,\nproclaiming the good news of the Kingdom\nand healing the sick and the broken of all that afflicted them.\nIn the fullness of love he gave his life for us\,\nwhile we were yet lost in our sin\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand now through our faith in him\, you justify us\nand welcomed us to the table of grace. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your Son\, Jesus\,\nwho revealed the depths of your love\,\ngiving his life for us while we were yet lost in our sin\,\nand who now welcomes us to the table of grace\nand pours your love into our hearts\nthrough the Holy Spirit. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your love has been poured into our hearts\nthrough your Holy Spirit given to us. \nNothing is too wonderful for you\,\nand with a word you brought all creation to birth.\nYou revealed yourself to our forebears\, Abraham and Sarah\,\nand promised them the fruit of their withered dreams. \nThe fulfilment of all your promises came in your child\, Jesus\,\nwho revealed your compassion for the people\,\nproclaiming the good news of the Kingdom\nand healing the sick and the broken of all that afflicted them.\nIn the fullness of love he gave his life for us\,\nwhile we were yet lost in our sin\,\nbut you raised him from the dead\nand now through our faith in him\, you justify us\nand give us access to grace. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God’s love for us is proved in this:\nwhile we were still sinners\, Christ died for us\,\nfreeing us from death’s grip\,\nand giving us access to grace\nand peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The Lord seeks willing labourers for the harvest.\nTherefore go out into the world\,\nproclaim the good news of the nearness of God;\nand call all who will hear to wholeness\,\nto life\,\nto holiness. \nAnd may God pour love into your hearts;\nMay Christ Jesus open the way of grace to you;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit work through all things\nto build you up in endurance\, character and hope. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nGod’s HospitalityA sermon on Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7; Matthew 9:35-10:23 & Romans 5: 1-8 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGratitude and VowsA sermon on Psalm 116 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap06/2029-06-17/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290624T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290624T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230821T023049Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230821T023051Z
UID:10002057-1876953600-1877039999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 7 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 21: 8-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Sarah nursed her son Isaac until he was about three years old\, and on the day he was weaned\, his father Abraham threw a big party to celebrate. But Sarah saw Ishmael — the son of Abraham and his Egyptian servant\, Hagar — laughing with Isaac. She said to Abraham\, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. I don’t want my son Isaac having to share his inheritance with the son of a slave woman. Kick them out of here.” \nAbraham felt really cut up over this\, because both of the boys were his sons. But God said to him\, “Don’t stress over your servant and her son. Go along with whatever Sarah demands of you\, because it is Isaac’s descendants who will be known as your offspring. But I know that Ishmael is also your son\, so I will make sure his descendants become a great nation too.” \nSo\, early the next morning\, Abraham got up and packed some food and water into a backpack and put it on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent her and the child away. She left and wandered aimlessly in the desert wilderness known as Beer-sheba. The water Abraham had packed for them soon ran out and\, in despair\, Hagar abandoned the child under a bush. She herself went and sat down about a hundred metres away because she couldn’t bear to watch the child die there in the desert. As she sat there\, she cried loudly and bitterly. God heard the sounds of distress from the child and sent a messenger from heaven to speak to Hagar. The messenger said\, “What is the matter\, Hagar? You have got nothing to fear\, because God has heard the boy crying where you left him. Come on. Pick the child up and don’t let go of him again\, because I will make him the father of a great nation.” \nThen God opened her eyes and she spotted a small water hole. She refilled her water containers with clean water and gave the boy some to drink. \nGod was on-side with Ishmael\, and he grew up living in the wilderness where he became an expert bushman and hunter. He lived in the desert at Paran\, and his mother got a wife for him from her homeland\, Egypt. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 86: 1-10\, 16-17			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Tune in and answer my cries\, LORD\,\nbecause I have been left with nothing and no one. \nProtect me and save my life\,\nfor I am your devoted servant and I trust you. \nYou are my God.\nAll day long I cry out to you\, Lord\,\nbegging you to give me a break. \nGive me something to smile about\, Lord\,\nfor I am your servant and I being up front with you. \nAfter all\, Lord\, you are good and forgiving;\nfull of unfailing love for those who look to you for help. \nTune in to my prayer\, LORD\,\nand give your attention to my plea for help. \nThis is the worst day of my life\,\nbut I’m confident you will answer my cry. \nNone of the things people worship compare to you\, Lord;\nyour actions are in a league of their own. \nYou made every nation\, Lord\,\nand they will all come and honour you\,\nbowing down and naming you as the greatest. \nSo they should\, given all the great and amazing things you do\,\nfor you are the one and only God. \nI am your servant\, Lord\,\nand my mother was your servant too.\nTake note of me\, and treat me with compassion;\nsave me and give me strength. \nGive me a sign that you are on my side;\nsomething that will be seen by those who hate me\nand send them off with their tails between their legs. \nYou\, LORD\, have come to my help;\nyou have given me comfort. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 6: 1b-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Do you think we should continue to sin in order to provide opportunities to showcase God’s generous forgiveness? No way! We have put to death our relationship with sin\, so how could we possibly share another living moment with it? Surely you know that all of us who have been baptised into union with Christ were\, in that baptism\, dying with Christ. You will understand then\, that having died in baptism\, we have been buried with him; and so now\, in the same way that Christ was raised from the dead by the awesome power of God\, we too can re-enter life in a whole new way. \nYou see\, if we have been united with him in sharing the same kind of death\, you can rest assured we will be united with him further in sharing the same kind of resurrection. We are no longer the people we used to be. Our former selves were put to death with him on the cross in order to eradicate the sin that had taken over our lives\, and to thus allow us to live free of it. Everyone knows that death is the only escape from a sin-infested life — once you are dead\, you are free of it. For us\, though\, that’s no dead-end solution. If we have died with Christ\, we are convinced that we will live with him too. This much we know for sure: Christ has been raised from the dead and will never have to die again. Death has lost any further power over him. When he died\, he took sin out with him\, once and for all. The life he now lives\, then\, is lived in union with God. So you should now think of yourselves in the same way — your former lives\, ended; your new lives\, begun. Your old relationship with sin\, dead; your new relationship with God\, alive and flourishing in Christ Jesus. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 10: 24-39			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	While briefing his followers about their mission\, Jesus said: \n“New recruits do not get more credit than their coach\, and the workers do not get more credit than their boss. But when everyone is doing their job – recruits and coach\, workers and boss – they are all lumped in together and judged as a team. So if people have been accusing the team leader of being the Prince of Evil\, you can imagine what they are going to be saying about the rest of the team! \n“So don’t be intimidated by them. The time is coming when the truth will be exposed and all that has been done behind closed doors will be on the public record. So don’t bother keeping the lid on things in the meantime. Broadcast to the world anything I tell you in private. Release to the daily news anything I whisper in your ear. Don’t be silenced by fear of those whose ability to hurt you is only physical. The one to be afraid of is the one who would destroy your humanity entirely and suck you\, body and soul\, into the fires of hell. \n“Think about it. What does a pet budgie cost? A couple of bucks? And yet if a budgie falls off its perch\, God is there like a concerned parent. God’s care extends to every last hair on your head\, so don’t let anyone put the wind up you. You are worth far more than a tree-full of budgies to God. \n“If you stick up for me in the face of public opinion\, then I will have no hesitation sticking up for you when my Father in heaven asks the hard questions. But if you pull your head in and go all quiet when people mouth off against me\, why should I speak up in your defence? \n“Don’t make the mistake of thinking I’m here to make everything peaceful and nice on earth. I am not here to paper over the cracks\, but to drive a wedge into them\, opening them up for all to see. \nI am here to drive a wedge into the cracks\nbetween father and son;\nbetween mother and daughter;\nand between daughter-in-law and mother-in-law.\nWhen it is flushed out into the open\,\nthe most dangerous hostility often turns up within families. \n“If you are more committed to your parents than you are to me\, you don’t deserve my commitment to you. If you are more committed to your children than you are to me\, you don’t deserve my commitment to you. Unless you are ready to risk defying the death squads to follow me\, then you don’t deserve my loyalty to you. Those who are focussed on getting a life for themselves will lose whatever life they had; while those who give up their life\, for me\, will find that they have really got it made!” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Jeremiah 20: 7-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You played me for a sucker\, LORD\,\nand I fell for it\, hook\, line and sinker.\nYou took advantage of your superior strength\nto force me into doing what you wanted.\nThanks to you\, I am the laughingstock of the city;\nthe butt of everyone’s jokes. \nYou give me the job of broadcasting your messages\,\nbut they are all bad news – chaos\, carnage and doom.\nNo wonder everyone hates the sight of me.\nSpeaking your word has ruined my life\, LORD. \nBut what else can I do?\nI try to quit\, and keep silent about you\,\nbut your word begins to burn its way out.\nI feel like I am going to explode.\nI use up all my strength trying to hold it in\nbut it defeats me every time. \nEveryone is out to get me.\nI hear them talking behind my back.\nThey say I am causing a public panic\nand that they should dob me in\nand have me dealt with.\nEven my closest friends are giving up on me.\nIf I put a foot wrong\, they’ll turn me in.\nSome of them are already trying to set me up;\nbaiting the trap and lying in wait;\nthinking to themselves\, “Revenge is sweet!” \nBut you are like an armed bodyguard at my side\, LORD.\nThose who are out to get me haven’t got a hope.\nThey will end up with egg all over their faces;\nhumiliated by their own failure.\nThey will never be able to hold their heads up in public again.\nThe smell of disgrace will follow them round forever. \nO LORD who rules over everything\,\nyou have got everyone worked out.\nYou read our innermost thoughts and desires.\nLet me have a front row seat\nwhen you give my enemies their just deserts.\nI have put my case in your hands. \nI’ll sing your praises\, LORD!\nI’m giving you all the credit!\nYou are the one who rescues the downtrodden\nwhen the corrupt would grind them into the dirt. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 69: 7-10\, (11-15)\, 16-18			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Because of my association with you\, I am the target of slander;\nI am ashamed to show my face in public. \nMy own relatives don’t want anything to do with me;\nby brothers and sisters pretend they don’t know me. \nMy passion for your cause has become all-consuming and costly;\nthose with a beef against you stick the boots into me. \nWhen I abstained from food to discipline my soul\,\nI was rewarded with insults and contempt. \nWhen I gave up my comforts and slept out in the cold\,\nI became the butt of everyone’s jokes. \nAt the top end of town they swap rumours about me;\nin back alleys\, they send me up in drunken songs. \nBut come what may\,\nI will go on praying to you\, LORD. \nIn your own good time\, God\, answer me\,\nfor I know you are full of love\, rock-solid love.\nYou can be depended on to send help;\nI’m up to my neck in the stinking mire\, rescue me!\nRescue me from those who hate me;\ndon’t give them the chance to watch me drown. \nDon’t let the raging waters flood over me;\ndon’t let the murky depths swallow me up;\ndon’t let the jaws of death close around me. \nAnswer me\, LORD;\nthere is nothing better than your rock-solid love;\nyou are full of compassion\,\nso turn to me and help. \nI am your servant;\ndon’t turn your back on me.\nI am in deep trouble;\nanswer me now before it’s too late. \nCome close and put me back where I belong;\nbreak me free from the grip of my enemies. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you alone are God\,\nand great is your loyalty to all who call on you. \nYou created the earth and its inhabitants\,\nand your care for your creatures is so complete\nthat even the hairs on our heads are counted.\nYou made a covenant with your servant Abraham\,\nand when his family tore itself apart\,\nyour compassion for the outcast was shown\nas you led the thirsty to springs of living water. \nYour child\, Jesus\, came among us\ncalling us to turn our backs on all other allegiances\nand to take up the cross and follow him.\nWhen he was killed\, he gathered us to himself\,\nputting to death our enslavement to sin\nin the waters of baptism\,\nso that we might find our lives\nunited to his in resurrection\nand walk in newness of life. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We thank you for uniting us with Christ in the waters of baptism\nand putting to death our enslavement to sin\,\nso that we might find our lives\nunited to his in resurrection\nand walk in newness of life. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you alone are God\,\nand great is your loyalty to all who call on you. \nYou created the earth and its inhabitants\,\nand your care for your creatures is so complete\nthat even the hairs on our heads are counted.\nYou made a covenant with your servant Abraham\,\nand when his family tore itself apart\,\nyour compassion for the outcast was shown\nas you led the thirsty to springs of living water. \nYour child\, Jesus\, came among us\ncalling us to turn our backs on all other allegiances\nand to take up the cross and follow him.\nWhen he was killed\, he gathered us to himself\,\nputting to death our enslavement to sin\nin the waters of baptism\,\nso that we might find our lives\nunited to his in resurrection\nand walk in newness of life. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God is good and forgiving\,\nloyal to all who cry out for mercy.\nThrough our union with Christ\nwe are now dead to sin\,\nand alive to God in Christ Jesus. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now and walk in newness of life\nfor Christ was raised from the dead.\nTherefore do not be afraid.\nWhat God speaks to you in the dark\, proclaim boldly in the light.\nTake up your cross and follow the Christ. \nAnd may God watch over you and provide for you;\nMay Christ Jesus openly declare you to be his own;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit bring you help and comfort always. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nStories that DivideA sermon on Genesis 21.8-21 & Matthew 10.24-39 by Keith Dyer\n\n\n\nContinue in Sin?A sermon on Romans 6:1b-11 & Matthew 10:24-39 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSharing the InheritanceA sermon on Genesis 21.8-21 & Matthew 10.24-39 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nTo Fear or Not to FearA sermon on Matthew 10.24-39 & Genesis 21.8-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPrince of Peace\, or Enemy of the Peace?A sermon on Matthew 10.24-39 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap07/2029-06-24/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P07.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290701T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290701T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230821T023727Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230821T023729Z
UID:10002059-1877558400-1877644799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 8 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 22: 1-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	This is the story of how God put Abraham to the test to find out whether he really had what it takes. \nGod called to him\, saying\, “Abraham!” \n“At your service\,” Abraham replied. \nGod said\, “Go and get Isaac\, your son\, your only son whom you love. Take him to the mountain that I will point out to you in the land of Moriah. There you are to sacrifice him to me on an altar as a burnt offering.” \nSo Abraham got up early the next morning and chopped wood for the fire on the altar. He saddled his donkey and set out for the place that God had told him to go with Isaac and two of his hired hands. After three day’s journey\, Abraham could finally see their destination in the distance. He said to the two hired hands\, “Wait here with the donkey while the boy and I go on up there to worship. We will then return and meet you back here.” \nAbraham got Isaac to carry the wood for the burnt offering\, and he himself carried the knife and the coals for starting the fire. As the two of them walked on together\, Isaac spoke to Abraham saying\, “Father!” \n“At your service\, son\,” Abraham replied. \n“Haven’t we forgotten something?” Isaac asked. “We’ve got everything we need to get the fire going\, but we haven’t brought a lamb to sacrifice as a burnt offering.” \nAbraham said\, “God will personally provide the lamb for the sacrifice\, my son.” \nSo the two of them walked on together. When they arrived at the spot that God had shown him\, Abraham built an altar and stacked the wood on it ready for the fire. Then he tied up his son Isaac\, and laid him on top of the wood on the altar. He took the knife in hand and was about to kill his son\, when the messenger of the LORD called to him from heaven\, saying\, “Abraham\, Abraham!” \n“At your service\,” he replied. \nThe messenger said\, “Put down your knife and don’t hurt the boy in any way\, for now I know what I needed to know. Since you have not even drawn the line at giving up your only son for me\, I know that you trust God\, no matter what.”\nAs he looked up\, Abraham saw a ram with its horns entangled in the scrub. So he went and got it\, and offered up the ram on the altar as a burnt offering in place of his son. \nFrom then on\, Abraham called that place “The LORD will provide\,” and a saying was coined that you still hear today: “On the LORD’s mountain all will be provided.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	How long will this go on\, LORD?\nHave you written me off permanently?\nHow long are you going to keep turning your back on me? \nHow long do I have to put up with feeling sick in the guts\,\nand with my heart breaking from the pain of it all?\nHow long will my enemies get to kick me around?\nCome on\, LORD. You are my God. Give me an answer! \nLet me see some light at the end of the tunnel;\nsomething to keep me from losing the will to live.\nDon’t let my enemies think they’ve won;\ndon’t give them the pleasure of my downfall. \nI have put my trust in your rock-solid love;\nmy heart will burst with joy when you save your people. \nI will sing your praises\, LORD\,\nbecause you have treated me with great generosity. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 6: 12-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Do not let sin get hold of your reins and force you to respond to every selfish desire that pops up within you. Don’t give it access to any part of your body\, or you will find that part of yourself being put to work in spreading corruption. Instead\, as people whose lives have been saved from death\, hand yourselves over wholly and solely to God\, and give God unlimited rights to put every part of your body to work in promoting what is right. Sin won’t hold the reins if you don’t let it\, because your agenda is no longer set by a complicated list of rules\, but by the generous love and mercy of God. \nSo what does that mean? Should we consider ourselves free to indulge our selfish desires because our agenda is no longer set by rules\, but by God’s love and mercy? Of course not! Surely you realise that the lifestyle you hand yourself over to will become an addiction\, and that addiction will then determine the course of your life. You can get yourselves hooked on sin\, which will destroy your life; or you can get yourselves hooked on doing what God wants you to do\, which will put your life on the right track. Fortunately\, though you were once addicted to sin\, thanks to God you have cleaned out your system and allowed your desires and actions to come under the influence of the teaching of Christ instead. Thanks to God you have been set free from the deadly grip of sin\, and are now hooked on doing what is right. I am speaking about it in these down-to-earth terms\, because I want to make sure that it is not only the highly educated among you who get the picture. I hope it is clear then\, that in the same way that you used to deliberately expose parts of yourself to the addictive power of corruption and deepening dishonesty\, you should now do all that you can to get yourselves hooked on honesty and integrity so that you will grow into the wholeness that God intended for you. \nWhat sort of freedom did you have when you were addicts of sin? You were free to opt out of relating rightly to anyone or anything\, but what good did that do you? Looking back on it now\, you feel nothing but shame. The things you were doing were draining you of life. But now that sin’s grip on you has been broken\, and you are hooked on doing what God wants\, the benefits are enormous: the scars are healing and you are growing into whole people. There will be no end to the richness of the life that will result from that. The kicks that people get out of sin are kicking them to death\, but God will give you the ultimate high\, free of charge: life without limit in union with the Messiah\, Jesus our Lord. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 10: 40-42			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	While briefing his followers about their mission\, Jesus said: \n“You are my representatives in this\, so anyone who gets on side with you is getting on side with me. And anyone who gets on side with me is getting on side with the one who sent me. Those who make God’s message known and those who welcome and support them will be rewarded by God as equal partners in the work. Those who stand firm for what is right and those who support them in their stand will be rewarded by God as equal partners in the work. No matter how insignificant someone’s contribution may seem – even if they just provide a cold drink to the most ordinary of my workers because they are doing my work – I kid you not\, God will give them full credit for it.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Jeremiah 28: 5-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	In front of the priests and all the people who were gathered in the LORD’s Temple\, the prophet Jeremiah stood up and responded to the preaching of the prophet Hananiah\, saying: \n“Amen! May what you say prove to be true! I hope and pray that the LORD will indeed do what you have said\, and bring back home all our people who were marched off into exile and everything that the Babylonian invaders took from this Temple. But take note of what I have got to say\, and let everyone here witness that I said it to your face. There have been many prophets before you and me\, and ever since ancient times they have preached against the evil done by many countries and nations\, and warned of disastrous wars\, famines and plagues. So any prophet who stands up and says that things are fine and peace is on the way\, is not on the same wavelength as the prophets we have heard before. Therefore we must be cautious about such a prophet. Only if what the prophet preaches comes true will we be able to conclude that such a prophet was really sent by the LORD.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 89: 1-4\, 15-18			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, we will never stop singing about your rock-solid love;\nwe will transmit the story of your faithfulness\non down to every generation to come. \nYour love and loyalty were built to last for eternity;\nwe’ll go public with that message.\nYour faithfulness is beyond measure;\nas infinite as the sky above us. \nYou said\,\n“I have formed an alliance with my chosen leader;\nI have given my word to David\, my servant.\nI have guaranteed a firm foundation for his family forever;\nthere will always be one of his descendants on the throne.” \nWe are on cloud nine\nwhen we are celebrating in your presence\, LORD.\nWe all know what to do and say\,\nand we bask in the light of your favour.\nEvery mention of your name has us bursting with enthusiasm\nfrom dawn till dusk\,\nand we tell the stories over and over\nof how you have done the right thing by everyone. \nWhatever glory and strength we have comes from you.\nBecause you have been good to us\, our power has grown great.\nOur safety and security are in your hands\, LORD;\nyou are our one and only\, the ruler of Israel. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\n— trusting and rejoicing in your love —\nfor you save us with a free gift of eternal life\nin Jesus Christ our Lord. \nYou created all things\nand everything we have belongs to you.\nYou commended your servant Abraham\nfor his willingness to offer you his beloved son\,\nand from his family you called a people to follow your ways. \nIn Jesus the Christ\, you have offered to us your own beloved Son.\nWhoever welcomes him welcomes you\,\nand whoever welcomes the teaching he entrusted to us\nfinds the way that leads to righteousness and life.\nWhen he was killed\nyou brought him back from death to life\,\nand through his grace\,\nyou have freed us from slavery to sin\nand bound us to Christ\,\nso that we might be sanctified\nand follow him in pathways of life. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your free gift of eternal life\nin Jesus Christ our Lord\,\ngiven to all who welcome him\nand are set free from slavery to sin\,\nbeing bound to Christ and brought from death to life. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\ntrusting and rejoicing in your love\,\nfor you save us with a free gift of eternal life\nin Jesus Christ our Lord. \nYou created all things\nand everything we have belongs to you.\nYou commended your servant Abraham\nfor his willingness to offer you his beloved son\,\nand from his family you called a people to follow your ways. \nIn Jesus the Christ\, you have offered to us your own beloved Son.\nWhoever welcomes him welcomes you\,\nand whoever welcomes the teaching he entrusted to us\nfinds the way that leads to righteousness and life.\nWhen he was killed\nyou brought him back from death to life\,\nand through his grace\,\nyou have freed us from slavery to sin\nand bound us to Christ\,\nso that we might be sanctified\nand follow him in pathways of life. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Trust in the love of God\, for God saves us.\nThough once you were slaves of sin\,\nyou have been set free and now live in God’s grace\nwhere sin can have no dominion over you. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now as those who have been brought from death to life\,\nand welcome the Christ in all whom you meet.\nPresent yourselves to God\nto be put to work in the service of righteousness. \nAnd may God provide for you in mercy;\nMay Christ Jesus greet you as you welcome the stranger;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit lead you in the ways\nof sanctification and eternal life. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nWhat kind of God is this?A sermon on Genesis 22:1-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSacrificing EverythingA sermon on Genesis 22:1-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSacrificing Children to the godsA sermon on Genesis 22:1-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nExchanging God for a Lawless LifeA sermon on Romans 6:12-23 & Genesis 22:1-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nAlt*red state: A text of terror brings good newsA sermon on Genesis 22:1-14 by Alison Sampson
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap08/2029-07-01/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P08.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290708T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290708T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230821T024425Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230821T024427Z
UID:10002061-1878163200-1878249599@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 9 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 24: 34-38\, 42-49\, 58-67			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Abraham’s trusted servant addressed Rebekah’s family\, saying: \n“I work for Abraham and he has sent me here. The LORD has set my boss up very nicely. He has become a very wealthy man\, with huge holdings of livestock\, investments in silver and gold\, a large workforce\, and convoys of transport animals. My boss and his wife Sarah became the parents of a son in their old age\, and they have signed over their entire fortune to him. My boss has given me the job of finding a suitable wife for his son\, but he made me promise that I would not let him marry one of the local Canaanite girls. Instead he has sent me to find a wife for his son from here among his own relatives. \n“So\, when I pulled up at the waterhole here today\, I prayed that the God of my boss would put me on the right track. I said\, ‘O LORD\, I have arrived here at this waterhole where the young women come to collect water. I will ask the first one who comes for a drink\, and she will offer me a drink and offer to draw water for my camels as well. LORD\, let her be the one you have chosen to be the bride of my boss’s son.’ \n“Even before I finished my prayer\, Rebekah came out to fill her water container. After she had gone down to the waterhole and collected her water\, I asked her for a drink. Without hesitation she offered me a drink from her water container and then offered to draw more water for my camels. So I accepted the drink and she watered my camels. Then I asked her whose daughter she was\, and she told me that her father was Bethuel\, the son of Nahor and Milcah. I knew then that she came from among my boss’s relatives\, so I put on her the ring and the jewellery he had sent. Then I bowed my head and gave thanks to the LORD\, the God who my boss Abraham worships. The LORD had put me on the right track so that I could find a suitable wife for my boss’s son from among his own people. \nNow then\, let me know whether you will do the right thing by my boss. Or if not\, tell me straight\, so that I will know which way to turn.” \nSo the family called Rebekah and asked her\, “Are you willing to go with this man?” \n“I am\,” she said. \nSo they farewelled their sister Rebekah\, and sent her off with Abraham’s servant and his drivers. They also sent with her the family servant who had been her childhood nanny. They gave Rebekah their blessing\, saying to her\, \n“Sister\, may you become the mother of millions;\nmay your descendants triumph in everything they do.” \nWith that\, Rebekah and the servant girls who were going with her got up and were seated on the camels. They set off\, following Abraham’s servant as he headed for home; mission accomplished. \nNow Isaac was living in the southern part of Canaan\, near a waterhole called ‘the Eye of God’. One evening as he was out walking to unwind at the end of the day\, he looked up and saw the convoy of camels approaching. Rebekah saw him in the distance\, and quickly slipped off her camel and asked the servant\, “Who is that man coming towards us?” \nThe servant replied\, “That’s him\, Master Isaac.” \nSo she made herself ready\, with her veil over her face. The servant told Isaac all about the success of his mission. Then Isaac met Rebekah and took her home and she became his wife. As the new leading woman of the tribe\, she was given the home that had belonged to Isaac’s late mother\, Sarah. Isaac loved Rebekah greatly\, and she was a comfort to him as he grieved the death of his mother. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 45: 10-17 (alt)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	O chosen daughter\, bride of the king\, listen to my advice:\nleave your father’s home and don’t look back\nfor the king is wild with desire for you.\nWhat more could you want? Abandon yourself to him!\nWedding gifts will arrive from every nation\,\nthe wealthy outdo each other with their presents. \nThe inner beauty of your bride\, O king\,\noutshines even her wedding gown\,\nwoven with gold and sparkling with jewels.\nIn dazzling beauty she is brought to you\nwith her chosen bridesmaids at hand.\nJoy and laughter process in with her\,\nand the whole palace erupts with elation. \nSoon you will have children\, continuing your family line\,\nand the thrones of the earth will be theirs.\nNo one will ever forget you\,\nyour fame will inspire generation after generation\,\nand songs will be sung in praise of you forever and ever. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Song of Solomon 2: 8-13 (alt)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I await the voice of my lover!\nI see him coming\, running through the alpine bush\,\nleaping rocks and logs\,\nas surefooted as a wallaby\,\nmuscles rippling like a mountain thoroughbred. \nLook\, now he arrives\, there by the garden wall\,\nhis eyes scanning the windows\,\nsearching the balcony\,\neager to catch a sight of me. \nMy lover calls out for me alone\, saying: \n“Come now\, my darling\, my lovely one\,\ncome away with me. \nThe outdoors will welcome us\,\nfor the cold wet winter has released its grip.\nWildflowers explode with colour\nand the air is filled with song;\nBellbird calls ring through the bush\nlike the summons to a wedding.\nBerries and grapes ripen with promise\nand every flower adds it fragrance\nto the wafting breeze. \nSo come\, my darling\, my lovely one\,\ncome away with me.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 7: 15-25a			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Sometimes I can’t make head nor tail of my own behaviour. I want to do what is right\, but instead I find myself doing things I absolutely despise. Even as I do them\, I am telling myself I don’t want to. Clearly then I know they are wrong\, so I am not trying to excuse myself by arguing that the law is stupid. The fact is that I don’t have what it takes to control everything I do. Somewhere inside me\, sin has corrupted the system. When I look inside myself and see the selfish desires that live there\, I know they are all rotten to the core. While I have no trouble making up my mind to do what is right\, I still can’t do it. I fail to follow through on my good intentions\, and instead find myself doing something crooked — the exact thing I wanted so much to avoid. Now if what I actually do is not what I am intending to do\, then clearly I have lost control of what I am doing. Something inside me — namely sin — is sabotaging the system and wreaking havoc. \nSo\, in my experience it seems to be an inescapable fact of life that when I intend to do what is good\, corruption is lying in wait\, ready to sneak under my guard. God’s instructions on how we should live appeal to me greatly. I love them with all my heart and mind. So the various parts of me are receiving the right instructions from my mind\, but I experience another set of instructions trying to override them. I can see that my body is being controlled by a crippling addiction to sin. How completely and utterly screwed up I am! Is there anybody who can set me free from the addiction that has such a deadly grip on my body? Thank God there is! Jesus the Messiah\, our Lord\, can set us free! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 11: 16-19\, 25-30			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus said to the crowd\, “What is it with people these days? They are like a bunch of kids pointing the finger at each other in the school yard\, chanting: \n‘We were ready to laugh and play with you\,\nbut you told us to get serious.\nWe asked you over to do homework together\,\nbut you told us to lighten up.’ \n“When John the Baptiser was around\, he was a teetotaller\, and would often go without food; and people accused him of being a fanatic and a wowser. Then the New Human came\, always ready to share a meal and a drink\, and what do they say about him? They say he’s a pisspot\, a slave to his stomach\, and that he’s too close to people whose lifestyles are beyond the pale! But at the end of the day\, wisdom will have proved herself in practice.” \nThen and there\, Jesus broke into prayer\, saying\, “Father\, Lord of earth and sky\, thank you for keeping the religious experts and the sophisticated intellectuals in the dark about these matters\, while at the same time making them as plain as day to the average toddler. But of course\, Father\, such reckless generosity is typical of the way you like to do things!” \nThen\, turning to the crowd again\, Jesus said\,“My Father has put the whole show in my hands\, and it all hangs on the strength of our relationship. No one really knows what makes the Son tick except the Father\, and no one really knows what makes the Father tick except the Son. Anyone else can only know if the Son chooses to let them in on it. \n“If you are worn out and overloaded\, come to me\, and I will let you put your feet up. Come and work for me\, and take a leaf out of my book. I am gentle on people\, and down-to-earth. With me your whole being will be able to relax. The job I will give you is piece of cake. The load I will ask you to bear is a feather-weight.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Zechariah 9: 9-12			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	It is time to celebrate\, people of Jerusalem.\nSing and dance and party\, O Holy City!\nLook\, here comes your king;\nthe one who has won the great victory!\nHe doesn’t big-note himself\,\nbut comes riding on a simple donkey\,\nand a baby one at that! \nHe will rid the land of heavy armaments\,\nand clear Jerusalem of military vehicles.\nHe will confiscate weapons and destroy them\,\nand forge a lasting peace between nations.\nHe will rule from one end of the earth to the other\,\nand the whole world will take orders from him. \nHear what I\, the LORD\, have to say to you:\nmy alliance with you has been sealed in blood\,\nso I will rescue those who have been detained\nand set them free from the dry and dusty hell-holes. \nTake heart\, you prisoners. Your prayers are answered.\nYou are free to find refuge and shelter within our walls.\nI\, the LORD\, promise you today\nthat I will compensate you double for all that you lost. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 145: 8-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, you are generous and compassionate\,\nslow to anger\, and rich in love and loyalty. \nYou are good to everyone\, LORD\,\nand you care deeply about all you have created. \nEveryone and everything will thank you\, their creator\,\nand all who are loyal to you will sing your praises. \nAs your people\, we will promote the glory of your reign\,\nand broadcast the news of your power for good. \nWe will tell everyone about the great things you have done\nand about the magnificent splendour of your reign. \nYou will reign forever and ever\, LORD\,\nyour rule is in place for all generations to come. \nEverything you say can be relied on\, LORD\,\nand everything you do is generous and loving. \nWhen people fall\, you put them back on their feet;\nwhen people are crushed\, you stand them tall again. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor with the passion of a lover\nyou have delivered us from slavery to sin and death. \nYou are the Creator and Lord of heaven and earth\,\nand it is your Word that brings life into bloom.\nYou called your servant Rebekah to leave family and country\,\nand\, from the offspring of her loving union with Isaac\,\nyou brought forth a people to delight in your ways. \nYou sent among us your child\, Jesus the Christ\,\nand in him you revealed yourself to us.\nThough we were burdened and wearied by sin\nand unable to dance to your song\,\nin gentleness and humility\nhe lifted our burdens\nand showed us the way of wisdom.\nWhen he was killed\,\nyou raised him to life\,\nrescuing us from our bodies of death\nand giving us rest for our souls. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks that though we were burdened and wearied by sin\,\nand unable to dance to your song\,\nin gentleness and humility\nyour Son Jesus has lifted our burdens\nand showed us the way of wisdom. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor with the passion of a lover\nyou have delivered us from slavery to sin and death. \nYou are the Creator and Lord of heaven and earth\,\nand it is your Word that brings life into bloom.\nYou called your servant Rebekah to leave family and country\,\nand\, from the offspring of her loving union with Isaac\,\nyou brought forth a people to delight in your ways. \nYou sent among us your child\, Jesus the Christ\,\nand in him you revealed yourself to us.\nThough we were burdened and wearied by sin\nand unable to dance to your song\,\nin gentleness and humility\nhe lifted our burdens\nand showed us the way of wisdom.\nWhen he was killed\,\nyou raised him to life\,\nrescuing us from our bodies of death\nand giving us rest for our souls. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Who will deliver us from this body of death\,\nand from the law of sin at work within us?\nThanks be to God\, through Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lifts the heavy burden of sin we are carrying\nand gives rest to our souls. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now at the call of Christ.\nTake his yoke upon you and learn from him;\nDance when he sings and mourn when he cries.\nBe generous in your hospitality to all. \nAnd may God greatly bless you;\nMay Christ Jesus reveal the fullness of God to you;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit lift your burdens and give you rest. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nUnmasking SinA sermon on Romans 7:15-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPaul speaks to the Consumer CultureA sermon on Matthew 11: 16-19\, 25-30 & Romans 7:15-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nStressed Out? Come To MeA sermon on Matthew 11: 16-19\, 25-30 & Romans 7:15-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nCome To Me\, All You Who Are Beating Yourselves UpA sermon on Matthew 11: 16-19\, 25-30 & Romans 7:15-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nFrom Heavy Heart to a Sense of HopeA sermon on Matthew 11: 16-19\, 25-30 & Romans 7:15-25 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThey Started It!A sermon on Matthew 11: 16-19\, 25-30  by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nHow did I end up at South Yarra Baptist? OR How knitting became my hobby?A sermon on Matthew 11: 16-19\, 25-30 by Liesl Filippi\n\n\n\nRest for Restless SoulsA sermon on Matthew 11: 16-19\, 25-30 & Romans 7:15-25 by Curtis W. Freeman
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap09/2029-07-08/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290715T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290715T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230821T025049Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230821T025051Z
UID:10002063-1878768000-1878854399@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 10 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 25: 19-34			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	This is the story of the children of Isaac. Isaac was the son of Abraham\, and he was forty years old when he married Rebekah. Rebekah was the daughter of Bethuel and the sister of Laban – Arameans from northern Syria. Despite many years of trying\, Isaac and Rebekah were unable to get pregnant\, so Isaac prayed to the LORD for help. The LORD granted his request\, and Rebekah fell pregnant. Her pregnancy was so difficult that it seemed as though there was a war going on in her womb and she felt like she would be better off dead. In desperation she went to ask the LORD what was going on\, and the LORD said to her: \n“You are going to have twins who will grow into two nations;\ntwo peoples who will always be at each other’s throats.\nThe firstborn will have brute strength on his side\,\nbut he will end up serving the younger one.” \nSure enough\, when the time came for her to give birth\, she delivered twins. The first one was such a hairy baby that he looked like he was wrapped in a red rug. They named him Esau. His brother followed him out of the womb with his hand holding tightly on to Esau’s heel. They named him Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when his sons were born. \nAs the boys grew up\, Esau proved to be the rugged outdoors type; a skilled bushman and hunter. Wild game-meat was Isaac’s favourite food\, so Esau’s hunting skills made him the favourite with his father. Jacob\, on the other hand\, was the quiet type who spent most of his time around the home\, and he became his mother’s favourite. \nOne time when Esau came in from the bush\, he was famished\, and he found Jacob cooking up a pot of lentil stew. “Give me a plate of that red stuff\,” Esau said to Jacob. “I’m starving to death!” (That’s how he got his nickname\, “Edom” or “Red”.) \nJacob said\, “You are not getting any of this until you sign over to me your privileges and inheritance as the firstborn.” \nEsau said\, “What good is my inheritance to me when I’m about to starve to death?” \nJacob said\, “Sign on the line first.” \nSo Esau put pen to paper and signed over to Jacob the privileges and inheritance that were his as the firstborn. Then Jacob served him up a meal of bread and lentil stew. Esau ate and drank\, and then got up and went about his business as though his birthright had meant absolutely nothing to him. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 119: 105-112			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	What you say\, LORD\, lights up the track in front of me\nso I can see where to put my feet. \nI am committed to doing what you say is right;\nI’ve given my word and signed on the line. \nI have been put through the wringer here\, LORD;\nput me back on my feet\, just as you promised. \nI am giving you the credit for everything\, LORD;\naccept my gift and teach me how to do things your way. \nEven though my grip on life is shaky\,\nI never forget what you have taught me. \nRuthless thugs are always trying to derail me\,\nbut you have shown me the right track and I’m sticking to it. \nYour guidance is a rich heritage for my future;\nit has put a smile on my face forever. \nMy mind is fixed on following your directions\,\ncome what may\, forever. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 8:1-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	For those who are now united to Jesus the Messiah\, all records of wrongdoing and any outstanding punishments have been cancelled. When life is lived in union with Jesus the Messiah\, a new power is unleashed within us - the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s power replaces and sets us free from the old system of rules and regulations that kept us locked into a deadly cycle of guilt and punishment. The old system\, which was handed down from Moses\, was incapable of freeing us from the cycle of guilt\, because it could not compete with the drive of our selfish impulses. But God has done what the old system could never do. God’s own Son was sent to sort out the whole tragic mess. Becoming just like us\, with the same body and so prone to the same desires and impulses\, he quashed the power that sin held over us. That means that it is now possible for us to live the kind of lives that the old legal code was wanting to produce\, because instead of being driven by our own selfish impulses\, our actions are now inspired by the Spirit. Those whose lives are driven by their own selfish impulses are so preoccupied with their own gratification that they can’t appreciate anything beyond themselves. But those who allow the Spirit to shape their lives are opened up to a whole new world of the Spirit’s concerns and activity. Preoccupation with gratifying your own selfish impulses is a downward spiral into living death. But a mind open to the Spirit is an open door to the fullness of life and peace. Clearly then\, a mind that is fixated on self-gratification is hostile to God. Such a mind will not\, and can not\, respond positively to anything God asks of it\, and so those who are locked into their own selfish impulses are incapable of getting the thumbs-up from God. \nBut you are not locked into such impulses. You are now living in union with God’s Spirit\, and the Spirit has moved in and become the life-force within you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of the Messiah at work within them does not\, in fact\, belong to him at all. But if the Messiah has taken up residence within you\, then\, even though your bodies will die from the after-effects of sin\, the Spirit has put you on the right track and you will have life. If the Spirit who lives in you is the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead\, then you can rest assured that this same Spirit will raise your bodies out of death and into a life that is lived to the full in union with the Spirit of the Messiah. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 13: 1-9\, 18-23			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After telling everybody that he regarded only those who do things God’s way as his true family\, Jesus left the house and went and sat on the beach. He was soon crowded out by people wanting to hear more of what he had to say\, so using a boat as his platform\, he taught the crowd gathered on the beach. One of the many stories he used to illustrate his points went like this: \n“Listen up! When it was time to plant the crops\, a farmer spread the seeds widely across the farm. Some of the seeds fell on the tracks\, and the birds made a meal of them in no time. Other seeds fell on ground where the topsoil was shallow and there was nothing but rock underneath. They sprouted quickly enough\, but because they were unable to put down roots\, they didn’t survive when the heat of the sun hit them. Other seeds fell where the weeds were out of control\, and being unable to compete with the weeds\, they were soon strangled to death. But there were other seeds that fell on good soil and went on to produce an bumper harvest: some reproducing themselves a hundred times over\, and others at least sixty or thirty times over. Don’t miss what I’m saying. If you’ve got ears\, use them!” \nSpeaking to his closest followers later\, Jesus said: \n“Don’t miss the point of my story about the farmer sowing seed. When people hear the message of the new culture and it means nothing to them\, the evil one swallows up what was sown in their hearts before they can give it a second thought. It is just like the seeds sown on the tracks. What about the seeds sown in the shallow topsoil with rock below? This is like the people who hear the message and latch on to it with great enthusiasm. But they are too shallow to put down any decent roots\, so they don’t last long. As soon as the message they have accepted attracts any heat\, their enthusiasm wilts and they are gone. And what about the seeds which were sown among the weeds? This is just like the people who get the message but it can’t compete with all the other agendas that have taken over their lives. Their real priorities – being noticed and getting ahead – quickly strangle the message and nothing comes from it. But what about the seeds which were sown on good soil? Now we are talking about the people who hear the message and really take it to heart. It bears fruit in their lives and the harvest of good is multiplied\, a hundred times over in some people; and at least sixty or thirty times over in others.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Isaiah 55: 10-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	This is what the LORD says: \nEverything I say has a powerful purpose;\nno empty words ever pass my lips.\nMy words are like drops of rain in the cycle of nature:\nwherever they fall they give life;\nthey replenish\, renew and nourish life\,\nand then the earth gives them back and they start again.\nMy words always achieve their purpose;\nthey flourish where I plant them\,\nthey nourish all who feed on them. \nMy Word will bring peace\nand you will come home with great celebration.\nThe trees will line the road\, clapping and singing;\nthe mountains will rain down ticker tape as you pass. \nWhere the saltbush struggled\,\na redgum will take root and grow;\nwhere noxious weeds ruled\,\nnative orchids and daisies will bloom again.\nThe wilderness in all its glory will stand like a monument\,\nlike a permanent sign of the LORD’s rich goodness. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 65: (1-8)\, 9-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You deserve all the credit we can give you\, O God.\nWe will gather on your holy mountain\nand make good on all we have promised you. \nYou are the one who answers prayers\nand everyone on earth will turn to you.\nWhen we are weighed down by our guilt\,\nyou wipe away the record of our wrongs. \nWhat a privilege it is to be among your chosen ones;\nto be invited to live in your presence.\nEverything we could want is provided\nhere in your sacred temple. \nYou take action in awesome ways\, O God;\nyou step in and rescue us when we call.\nYou are the answer to the hopes of people everywhere\,\nin every land and across the seas. \nYou rolled up your sleeves\nand lifted the mountains into place.\nYou tamed the angry seas\,\nsilencing both roaring waves\nand frenzied crowds. \nFrom one end of the earth to the other\,\neveryone is mind-boggled by what you do.\nDawn and sunset join their voices\nas all the earth shouts for joy. \nYou tend the earth like a garden\,\nenriching the soil and keeping it watered.\nYour rivers never run dry\, God\,\nand the fields you have plowed\nyield a bumper harvest to feed your people. \nYou level the uneven ground\nand nourish the soil;\nyou water it with softening showers\nand set the seeds growing and flourishing. \nThe year is crowned with a bumper harvest\nand everything you touch is bursting with life. \nWilderness fields erupt in flower\,\nmountains and hills pour forth joy;\npaddocks are clothed with healthy flocks\,\nbarren land is ablaze with golden grain. \nAll of them shout for joy;\nall the earth breaks into song. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your Word is our heritage\nand your ways are the joy of our hearts forever. \nYou created the earth and planted it freely\,\nbringing forth an abundant harvest of life.\nThrough Moses and the prophets\,\nyou gave us our Word\nto be the birthright of all your children. \nYou sent your child\, Jesus the Christ\, among us\nin the likeness of sinful flesh\,\nto teach us to walk according to your Spirit\nand to deal with the sin\nthat constantly struggles to come to birth and rule over us\,\ndividing us and robbing us of the joy of living.\nWhen he was killed by those who are hostile to you\,\nyou raised him from the dead\nand sent your Spirit to us\,\ngiving us life and sowing within us\nan abundant harvest of peace and righteousness. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nwho came among us in the likeness of sinful flesh\,\nto deal with the sin that divides us\,\nand to sow within us\nan abundant harvest of peace and righteousness. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your Word is our heritage\nand your ways are the joy of our hearts forever. \nYou created the earth and planted it freely\,\nbringing forth an abundant harvest of life.\nThrough Moses and the prophets\,\nyou gave us our Word\nto be the birthright of all your children. \nYou sent your child\, Jesus the Christ\, among us\nin the likeness of sinful flesh\,\nto teach us to walk according to your Spirit\nand to deal with the sin\nthat constantly struggles to come to birth and rule over us\,\ndividing us and robbing us of the joy of living.\nWhen he was killed by those who are hostile to you\,\nyou raised him from the dead\nand sent your Spirit to us\,\ngiving us life and sowing within us\nan abundant harvest of peace and righteousness. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus\nhas set us free from the law of sin and death.\nTherefore there is now no condemnation\nfor you who are in Christ Jesus. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now into the world in the light of Christ.\nDo not let the fear of troubles\nor the lures of comfort and honour\nprevent God’s word taking root deep in your heart and mind.\nWalk according to the ways of the Spirit\nfor the ways of the Spirit are life and peace. \nAnd may God sow in you the seeds of an abundant harvest;\nMay Christ the Word be a lamp for your steps;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit give life to you - body and soul. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nFlesh on the MindA sermon on Romans 8: 1-11 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Mysteries of the KingdomA sermon on Matthew 13.1-23 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nThe Parable of the SeedsA sermon on Matthew 13.1-9\, 18-23 by Roslyn Wright\n\n\n\nSeasons and SeedsA very short reflection on Matthew 13.1-9\, 18-23 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nComing back for a second servingA testimony and reflection on Matthew 13.1-9\, 18-23 by Steven Wong\n\n\n\nJesus Fails Business SchoolA sermon on Matthew 13.1-9\, 18-23 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nConcentrate on the sowing – regardless!A sermon on Matthew 13.1-9\, 18-23 by John Fowler\n\n\n\nA Sower went out to SowA sermon on Matthew 13.1-9\, 18-23 by John Sampson
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap10/2029-07-15/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P10.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290722T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290722T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230828T002533Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230828T002535Z
UID:10002065-1879372800-1879459199@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 11 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 28: 10-19a			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jacob was travelling from Beer-sheba to Haran\, and was camping out each night on the way. One night he set up camp in a suitable place\, and bedded himself down using a rock that he found there for a headrest. In a dream he saw a ramp spanning the gap between earth and heaven\, and God’s messengers were using the ramp to go up and down between the two. As he looked at it\, the LORD came and stood beside him and said: \n“I am the LORD\, the God of your fathers\, Abraham and Isaac. I will give to you and your descendants the land on which you are now camped. Your descendants will multiply like a cloud of dust\, spreading out in all directions and settling all over the world. Life will be better for all the peoples of the world because of you and your descendants. And you can know for sure that I am with you. I will look after you wherever you go and I will get you safely back to this land. I will stick with you and make good on all my promises to you.” \nJacob woke up suddenly and said\, “No bull\, the LORD is right here in this place\, and I didn’t realise it!” And he was shaking in his boots at the thought of it. “This place makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck\,” he said. “This must fair dinkum be the house of God – the front gate of heaven itself!” \nSo when Jacob got up early the next morning\, he took the stone he had used for a headrest and set it up as a monument. He poured oil on top of it to dedicate it to the LORD. He named the place ‘Bethel’\, which means ‘House of God’. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 139: 1-12\, 23-24			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You have taken a good hard look at me\, LORD\,\nand you know exactly what makes me tick. \nYou know when I’ve got my feet up and when I’m on the job;\nyou can read my mind like an open book. \nYou see where I am going and where I stop\,\nand you know all about what I do and why. \nYou know exactly what I am going to say\, LORD\,\neven before I open my mouth. \nYou are in front of me\, behind me\, beside me;\nyour hand on my shoulder at every turn. \nAll this is more than I can get my head around;\nI pinch myself\, and struggle to take it in. \nCould I hide from your spirit if I wanted to?\nIs there anywhere I could go to escape you? \nIf I sped into outer space\, you’d be there;\nif I curled up in the bowels of the earth\, you’d be there. \nIf I took to the skies and pursued the dawn;\ncrossed the globe and never came back;\nI’d be no further from your reach;\nyou’d hold me tight and guide me just as easily. \nIf I hide in the shadows\nand plead with the darkness to cover me\,\nyou can still see me as clear as day\,\nfor light and dark are all the same to you. \nTake a good hard look at me\, God;\ncheck me out and read my thoughts.\nDig out anything corrupt in me\,\nand set my feet on the tracks that have proven true. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 8: 12-25			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The truth is\, brothers and sisters\, that we owe nothing to the preoccupations of our former life. We need no longer have our lives dictated by the mindless pursuit of fashionable dreams and selfish desires. After all\, the attraction was fatal. But thanks to God’s Spirit\, we can now be rid of all that — give it a decent burial and get on with our new lives. All those who dance to the Spirit’s tune are God’s beloved children. We were not sold into slavery where we would grovel timidly in the dust\, afraid to put a foot wrong. Rather we were adopted into a family full of love and joy. Like eager children crying\, “Daddy! Mummy!” we come running to God\, and with loving arms\, God’s Spirit gathers us up\, demonstrating clearly to whom we belong. And since we are children of God\, we are actually on the same footing as Christ. With him we will inherit all that has been kept in trust for God’s children. But we have to take the good with the bad\, and we know the price he paid. We need to be willing to cop it on the chin with him now if we want to share the glory with him later. \nIn my opinion\, the worst that our current situation can dish up pales into insignificance next to the glory that is about to be brought out from under wraps. The whole creation is hanging out for this\, for the day when the names are read out and the children of God come into their own. Until then\, the whole creation is stuck in a rut\, unable to make any progress. The creation didn’t bring this on itself\, but rather it is being held in check so that\, rather than hurtling headlong to destruction\, the entire creation can be set free from its devastating addictions and be delivered into the glorious freedom that belongs to the children of God. \nThe time of deliverance is near. After a long pregnancy\, the whole creation is now groaning and shuddering in the final stages of labour. And we are not just witnesses to this birth. We ourselves\, having been impregnated by the Spirit\, are labouring to bring the new life within us to fruition. For then\, with our bodies set free\, our longing to be God’s children will be fulfilled. This joyous expectancy ensures that our deliverance will come. If there was never to be anything more than our present reality\, these longings within us would be in vain. But we are eager to see a promised new reality\, and this hope sustains us. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 13: 24-30\, 36-43			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus used another story to teach the crowd\, saying\, “Here is a good illustration of the culture of heaven. A farmer planted his fields with good quality seed. But that night\, while all the workers were asleep\, some mongrel came and dumped a load of weed seeds on the field\, and then cleared off before anybody saw what had happened. So when the crop came up and the grain began to form\, there were weeds coming up everywhere among it. The farmer’s workers came to him and said\, ‘That was clean seed you sowed\, wasn’t it\, Boss? How come we’ve now got weeds all through the crop?’ \nThe farmer replied\, ‘Some mongrel has tried to sabotage it!’ \nThe workers asked\, ‘Do you want us to get stuck in and pull the weeds out?’ \nBut the farmer replied\, ‘No\, it’s not worth the risk. You’ll uproot half the wheat crop trying to get them out. Just let them both grow together until harvest time\, and then I’ll tell the harvesters to pull the weeds out first and bundle them up for burning. The good wheat can then be harvested and stored in my silo.’” \nWhen Jesus had finished teaching the crowd\, he went into the house with his closest followers. They asked him to explain the story about the weeds to them. He said\, “The farmer who planted the good seeds in the story represents the New Human. The field is the world\, and the good quality seeds are the people who are part of the new culture. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one\, and the mongrel who sowed them is the devil. The harvest time is the end of the age – the grand finale – and the harvesters are God’s angels. The scene where the weeds are gathered up and thrown on the fire is just like what will happen at the end of the age. The New Human will send his angels to weed out of his culture all that cause corruption and participate in evil\, and throw them into the incinerator. They’ll be cursing and kicking themselves then! After that\, those who stayed on the right track will be seen in all their glory\, shining like the sun in the new culture of their Father. Don’t miss what I’m saying: if you’ve got ears\, use them!” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Wisdom of Solomon 12: 13\, 16-19 (alt)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Lord\, everything and everybody is under your care.\nThere is no other god to whom you have to answer\nor prove that you have been fair to everyone. \nIt is your strength that results in things being put right.\nIt is because you are in charge of everything\nthat you are free to show mercy to all. \nWhen people question whether you are up to the job\,\nyou blow away their doubts with a show of strength.\nIf anyone has the gall to challenge your power\,\nyou put them back in their place quick smart. \nAlthough your power and authority are supreme\,\nyou are gentle and compassionate in judging us.\nYou are more than capable of wiping us out if you wished\,\nbut you show great tolerance in your rule over us. \nIn these things you have set an example for us\,\nshowing us that those who are passionate for what is right\nmust also be gentle on others.\nYou have given your children every reason for hope\,\nbecause you give us the chance to turn our backs on corruption\nand get our lives back on track with you. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Isaiah 44: 6-8 (alt)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I am the LORD\, the commander of everything;\nyour ruler who puts things right for you.\nI am the whole story\, from beginning to end;\nthe one and only God. \nCan anyone match me? Let’s hear from them!\nLet them take the stand and set out their case.\nIn all the years since I set up the nation\,\ndid they ever predict what was about to happen?\nWhat’s going to happen next then?\nLet’s hear from them. \nMy people\, don’t worry. You’ve got nothing to fear.\nHaven’t I always kept you informed?\nYou are my witnesses!\nIs there any other god besides me?\nIs there any other rock you can depend on?\nNo way! Not even one.\nAnd I ought to know! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 86: 11-17			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Teach me how to stick to your track\, LORD\,\nso I won’t stray from your path of truth.\nKeep my heart focussed on adoring you alone. \nO Lord my God\, I thank you with all my heart;\nI will always name you as the to whom all the glory is due. \nYour love for me is the best\, and absolutely rock-solid;\nyou saved me when my whole being was plunging into the abyss. \nA crass and arrogant mob are out to get me\, God;\na bunch of thugs are trying to bump me off\,\nand they couldn’t care less about you. \nBut I know that you\, Lord\,\nare a compassionate and generous God\,\nslow to anger\, and rich in love and loyalty. \nI am your servant\, Lord\,\nand my mother was your servant too.\nTake note of me\, and treat me with compassion;\nsave me and give me strength. \nGive me a sign that you are on my side;\nsomething that will be seen by those who hate me\nand send them off with their tails between their legs. \nYou\, LORD\, have come to my help;\nyou have given me comfort. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have formed in us the first fruits of your Spirit\,\na harvest that will prevail when evil is uprooted. \nIt was your labour that brought forth creation\,\nand your love that formed the families of the earth.\nYou revealed yourself to Jacob\,\npromising that for all who are led by your Spirit\,\nevery place would be filled with your presence. \nIn Jesus Christ you have thrown open the gate of heaven\nand adopted us as your beloved children.\nThough all creation yet groans in pain\,\nChrist suffers with us\,\nenduring death on the cross\,\nso that we might be glorified with him.\nHis Spirit groans within us as we await the end of the age\nwhen your children will be revealed and\,\nwith our bodies redeemed\,\nwe will shine like the sun in your Kingdom. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We thank you for adopting us as your beloved children\nwho at the end of the age when evil is uprooted\,\nwill be revealed with our bodies redeemed\,\nshining like the sun in your Kingdom. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have formed in us the first fruits of your Spirit\,\na harvest that will prevail when evil is uprooted. \nIt was your labour that brought forth creation\,\nand your love that formed the families of the earth.\nYou revealed yourself to Jacob\,\npromising that for all who are led by your Spirit\,\nevery place would be filled with your presence. \nIn Jesus Christ you have thrown open the gate of heaven\nand adopted us as your beloved children.\nThough all creation yet groans in pain\,\nChrist suffers with us\,\nenduring death on the cross\,\nso that we might be glorified with him.\nHis Spirit groans within us as we await the end of the age\nwhen your children will be revealed and\,\nwith our bodies redeemed\,\nwe will shine like the sun in your Kingdom. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God has searched our hearts\, testing and judging our thoughts\,\nbut through our hope in Christ we are saved.\nWe have been adopted as children of God\nand given freedom and glory.\nOur redemption has begun. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now with your hope set on Christ.\nAs children of God\, let the Spirit of God lead you\nand let your righteousness shine like the sun\nuntil darkness and light are one. \nAnd wherever you go\,\nwhether you scale the heavens or plunge to the depths\,\nmay God’s presence be inescapably with you;\nMay Christ Jesus welcome you into his inheritance;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit assure you that you are God’s children. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe labour pains of adoption!?A sermon on Romans 8:12-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nEven the darkness in not dark to youA sermon on Genesis 28: 10-19a; Psalm 139:1-12; 23-4; Romans 8: 12-25 & Matthew 13: 24-30; 36-43 by Jill Manton\n\n\n\nThe Temptation to WeedA sermon on Matthew 13: 24-30; 36-43 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nA Certain PlaceA sermon on Genesis 28:10-22 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nJacob the Trickster vs the nice ChristiansA sermon on Genesis 28:1-19a and Matthew 13:24-30\, 36-43 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nStairway to Heaven or Highway to Hell?A sermon on Genesis 28:10-22 by Orestes Roca
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap11/2029-07-22/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P11.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290729T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290729T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230905T133019Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230905T133020Z
UID:10002067-1879977600-1880063999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 12 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 29: 15-28			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	To fulfil a promise to his father\, Jacob travelled to his grandfather’s homeland to find a wife from among his own tribal group. He boarded there with his uncle\, Laban\, and when he had been there for a month\, Laban said to him\, “You shouldn’t have to work for me for nothing\, just because you are related to me. Tell me what you think would be a fair wage.” \nNow Laban had two grown daughters named Leah and Rachel. Leah was the older of the two and had a nice personality\, but Rachel had a gorgeous face and a shapely body\, and Jacob fell head-over-heels in love with her. So when Laban asked him about wages\, he said\, “I want to marry your younger daughter\, Rachel\, and I will work for you for seven years as the dowry payment.” \nLaban replied\, “You’ve got a deal. I’d much rather give her to you than have her marry some stranger.” \nSo Jacob put in seven years’ hard work in order to gain Rachel as his wife\, but it seemed a small price to pay for one he loved so much\, and the time flew. Then one day\, Jacob said to Laban\, “I’ve fulfilled my side of the deal. It is time for you to give me my wife in marriage so that I can make love with her.” \nSo Laban gathered together all the locals for a huge wedding feast\, and they ate and drank long into the night. But the veiled woman who Laban gave away and who Jacob took to his bed and made love with\, was Leah. When the morning sun came through the window\, he discovered he was lying next to the wrong woman! He stormed off to Laban to demand an explanation. “What’s going on here? We made a deal that I was working for you in return for Rachel\, so why have you conned me?” \nLaban calmly replied\, “It is not the done thing in this neck of the woods to marry off a younger daughter while her older sister is still unmarried. Do the right thing by Leah\, and take her on her honeymoon\, and as soon as you get back\, I’ll let you marry Rachel as well. Then you can work for me for another seven years to pay off the second dowry. So Jacob copped it sweet and fulfilled his obligations to Leah. When their honeymoon was over\, there was another wedding and Laban gave his daughter Rachel to Jacob to be his wife. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 105: 1-11\, 45c (alt)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We shout your name and give you thanks\, LORD;\nwe will tell everyone what you have done for us.\nWe sing your praises in your presence\,\nand publicise your wonderful achievements. \nWe put your name up in lights\, your name alone;\nour hearts burst with joy when we approach you.\nIt is you we want most of all\, you and your strength;\nwe try to keep near to you all the time. \nLike all the descendants of Abraham and Jacob\,\nand all your chosen children\,\nwe remember all the astonishing things you have done\nand the breath-taking wisdom of your decisions. \nYou are the LORD our God;\nwhat you say\, goes\, everywhere on earth.\nYou never forget the alliance you have made with us;\nyou’ve been true to your word for a thousand generations. \nYou made the alliance with Abraham;\nyou promised Isaac you would stick to it;\nyou confirmed it in writing to Jacob\,\npromising Israel that the alliance was in place forever.\nYou gave them the land of Canaan as a family property\,\nto be passed on down from one generation to the next. \nYou are the greatest\, LORD! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 128 (alt)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, how good life is for all who respect you\,\nfor all who stick to your tracks. \nThey work hard and enjoy the benefits;\nsmiles and laughter are never far away\,\nand things always seem to work out for them. \nThey enjoy a rich and satisfying love-life;\nthey look forward to going home each day.\nTheir children spring up like wildflowers\,\nand there is always laughter around the table. \nSuch health\, fertility and prosperity are your gifts\, LORD;\ngiven to those who honour and respect you. \nYou rain down blessings from your holy mountain.\nMay we see only good times in our city\, LORD\,\nfor as long as we live. \nMay we live long enough to enjoy our grandchildren\,\nand may there always be peace in our land! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 8: 26-39			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	There will be times when our strength fails us and we will feel like just accommodating ourselves to the way things presently are\, but the Spirit will always be there for us. Even when our prayer dries up and words fail us\, the Spirit is there within us\, keeping the communication lines open by turning our deepest achings and yearnings into prayers that pass wordlessly from heart to heart. And God\, being of one mind with the Spirit\, is able to hear the cries of our hearts because the Spirit offers them – along with the prayers of all God’s people – in language that connects with the cries of God’s heart. Because the Spirit is always on the job\, we know that everything that happens will contribute something to bringing about the best for those who love God and have responded to the call to cooperate with what God is on about.  \nYou see\, being able to tell who they would be\, God booked them all in ahead for a full reconstructive make-over. They will come out being just like God’s Son\, all related to him and to one another\, but he’ll still be the stand-out original. Having set this up for people\, God contacted them individually and challenged them to get in on it. Those who were contacted were put in the good books with God\, and once in the good books\, they were lifted up and covered in glory. \nSo what are we to make of all this? If God is personally backing us\, who can stand against us? Having spared nothing for us so far\, and having continued to give freely to us all\, even when it meant losing his own Son\, God is clearly set on going the whole way and giving us the lot. So who would dare mouth off against one of God’s chosen ones? It is God who says who is in the good books. Who would dare condemn us when the one who is going to plead our case to God is the Messiah\, Jesus\, who died and was raised and is now God’s right hand man. Is there anyone or anything that can put us beyond the reach of the Messiah’s love? Can tough times do it? Or Grief? Can victimising us\, or denying us food and shelter\, or subjecting us to torture and violence do it? The scriptures suggest not: \n“The violence we cop for God never seems to stop;\nwe are marched off like animals to be butchered.” \nNo\, even when we are copping all these things\, the One who already went through them and continued to love us sets us up as the ultimate winners. So I am dead-set sure that there is absolutely nothing – nothing living or dead\, nothing wielding power in heaven or on earth\, nothing in the past or in the future\, nothing of authority or influence\, nothing above or below or any place else in the entire universe – that will ever be able to come between us and the love of God that we have found in the Messiah\, Jesus our Lord. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 13: 31-33\, 44-52			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus used some more stories to teach those around him\, saying\, “Here is a good illustration of the culture of heaven. Someone takes a blackberry seed and plants it in the garden. One little seed; you wouldn’t even know it was there. But it grows into a huge bush\, and then just keeps on going and no one can stop it. Eventually it is so big that a whole colony of rabbits can build a home under its branches! \n“The culture of heaven is like some vodka that a woman secretly added to a huge vat of fruit punch at a party. No one realised it was there until it had the whole crowd under its influence! \n“Here is another good illustration of the culture of heaven. A person took a shortcut through someone else’s property and stumbled across a reef of gold. Jumping for joy\, he covered it over and ran off to sell everything he had so that he could buy the property. \n“Here’s another illustration. A diamond trader is out to buy some fine diamonds. He comes across one of a quality far beyond anything he has ever seen before\, so he goes and cashes in everything else he owns in order to buy it. \n“Here is one more illustration of the culture of heaven for you. A couple of fishing boats pull a drag net through the sea\, catching everything in its path. When it is full\, they pull it ashore\, and the crews sit down to sort out the catch. The good fish are put on ice ready for the market\, and the rubbish is thrown away. The same sort of thing will happen at the end of the age. The angels will come and pick out those who are corrupt from among those who stick to the right track\, and throw them into the incinerator. They’ll be cursing and kicking themselves then!” \nJesus asked his followers\, “Are you beginning to cotton on to what I’m saying here?” \n“Yes\,” they answered. \nSo he went on to say to them\, “You see then\, when those who really know the scriptures are trained in the ways of the culture of heaven\, they become like a good wine merchant who can\, at a moment’s notice\, bring out from the cellar just the right bottle; something new or something old as the occasion demands.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Kings 3: 5-12			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	One night\, while Solomon was staying in Gibeon\, the LORD God appeared to him in a dream. God said to him\, “Solomon\, what would you most like me to give you?” \nSolomon answered God\, saying: \nYou always loved my father\, your servant David. Your love was solid and unshakable\, because he was good and honest and did what was right by you. As a sign of your love and loyalty to him\, you gave him a son to inherit his kingdom. So here I am\, LORD God. I am your servant\, and you have made me king in place of my father\, even though I’m little more than a boy and have no idea how to conduct myself properly. I am your servant and you have given me the job of ruling your chosen people\, even though they are a great nation and there are more of them than anyone can count. So then\, what I would most like you to give me is a sharp mind to rule justly and to be able to pick the difference between right and wrong every time. Without such a gift\, no one could ever hope to rule your people. \nThe Lord was most impressed with Solomon’s request\, and said to him:  \nYou could have selfishly asked me to give you a long life\, or to make you the richest man on earth\, or to wipe out your enemies. But instead you have asked me for the wisdom to make the right decisions for my people. You have chosen well and I will give you exactly what you have asked for. You will have more wisdom and insight than anyone else who has ever lived or ever will. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 119: 129-136			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The instructions you have given\, LORD\, are the best;\nthey find a ready welcome within me. \nAs your words become clear\, they light up the world\,\nand even the simplest minds begin to understand. \nIn my thirst for more of your teachings\,\nI’m like a dog panting for water. \nLook my way and give me the inside running\,\nas is your usual practice to those who love you. \nKeep me safely on track as you promised you would\,\nand don’t let corruption get the better of me. \nRescue me from those who would stand over me;\nkeep me free to do what you want me to do. \nI am your trusty worker;\nsmile on me and teach me your ways. \nIt tears my heart out\nto see how so many defy you. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are faithful to the covenant you have made\nwith a thousand generations. \nYou are the creator and judge of all the earth\nand in all things you work for good for your chosen ones.\nYour servant Jacob laboured seven years\nfor the love of Rachel;\nand for love of us\,\nyour child Jesus has laboured all the way to death. \nHe came among us\, sowing your Word\,\nand from that tiny seed your kingdom has grown\,\na pearl of great price\,\na treasure for which we would give everything\,\na home of welcome and grace for all people.\nThough rulers and powers turned against him\nand he was killed\,\nyou raised him to new life\nand now there is nothing in all creation\nthat can separate us from the love given us in Christ. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your child Jesus\nwho came among us\, sowing your Word\,\na tiny seed from which your kingdom has grown\,\nand now there is nothing in all creation\nthat can separate us from the love given us in Christ. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are faithful to the covenant you have made\nwith a thousand generations. \nYou are the creator and judge of all the earth\nand in all things you work for good for your chosen ones.\nYour servant Jacob laboured seven years\nfor the love of Rachel;\nand for love of us\,\nyour child Jesus has laboured all the way to death. \nHe came among us\, sowing your Word\,\nand from that tiny seed your kingdom has grown\,\na pearl of great price\,\na treasure for which we would give everything\,\na home of welcome and grace for all people.\nThough rulers and powers turned against him\nand he was killed\,\nyou raised him to new life\nand now there is nothing in all creation\nthat can separate us from the love given us in Christ. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The Spirit helps us in our weakness\,\nand Christ Jesus is at the right hand of God interceding for us.\nWe have been chosen\, called and put in the right\nand nothing can separate us from the love of God. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now secure in the love of God\nfrom which nothing can separate you.\nDelight in seeking the Lord -\nlook always for the power and the presence of God\,\nand let love\, like yeast in dough\, permeate all you do. \nAnd may God work for good in all things for you;\nMay Christ Jesus conform you in the image of his love;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit help you in your weakness\,\ninterceding for you\, and in you\, according to the will of God. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nWhen God Backs a ScamA sermon on Genesis 29:15-28 & Matthew 13:31-33 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Kingdom and the Way Things Have Always BeenA sermon on Genesis 29:15-28 & Matthew 13:31-33 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDisreputable Parables in Violent WorldA sermon on Matthew 13:31-33 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Gifts of DarknessA sermon on Matthew 13:31-33 by Francesca Nuzzolese
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap12/2029-07-29/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290805T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290805T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230911T034251Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230918T012845Z
UID:10002069-1880582400-1880668799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 13 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 32: 22-31			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As he returned from his self-imposed exile\, Jacob set up camp for a night at the place where the road crossed the Jabbok Creek. During the night\, he got up and decided that it would be safer to shift everyone across to the other side of the creek. So he sent his two wives\, his two maids\, his eleven children\, and all their belongings across the creek while he stayed on alone at the original campsite. There in the darkness\, he suddenly found himself wrestling with a stranger. The fight continued until the first light of dawn. Unable to subdue Jacob\, the stranger swung a low blow that caught Jacob off-guard and dislocated his hip. Still Jacob would not give up\, and the stranger said\, “Call it quits! The sun is coming up and you’ve got a big day ahead of you\, so let me go.” \nBut Jacob replied\, “I will not release my grip until you give me a blessing.” \nSo the stranger said\, “What is your name?” \n“Jacob\,” he replied. \n“Not any more\,” the stranger said. “From now on you will be known as Israel\, because you have struggled against God and against people and you have held your own.” \nThen Jacob said to the stranger\, “Please tell me your name.” \n“Do you really need to ask who I am?” the stranger replied\, and then gave Jacob a blessing. \nAs the stranger departed\, Jacob said to himself\, “I have come face to face with God and survived to tell the tale!” So he named that place ‘Peniel’ which means ‘face of God’. The sun was fully risen as he left Peniel\, walking with a painful limp because of his dislocated hip. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 17: 1-7\, 15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Give me a fair hearing\, LORD;\npay attention to my plea.\nListen to what I have to say\,\nfor I speak without a word of a lie. \nI want you to be the one who declares me innocent\,\nfor you always see things as they really are. \nPut me under the microscope and see what I’m made of;\nmake a snap inspection anytime\, day or night.\nCross examine me as thoroughly as you wish;\nthere are no skeletons in my closet;\nI’ve got nothing to hide\nand no tracks to cover. \nI don’t just conform to what others do\, LORD;\nI take my cues from what you’ve said.\nI have avoided straying down the path of violence\,\nand kept my feet firmly on the tracks you’ve shown. \nI am calling to you\, God\,\nbecause I know you will help.\nTune in to what I have to say\nand hear me out. \nPut your rock-solid love on display for all to see.\nYou are the one who rescues and shelters\nthose who seek asylum from violent persecution. \nI know I will be proved innocent;\nI will be able to hold my head up and look you in the eye.\nI will rise to a new day\, filled with your presence. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 9: 1-5			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I feel all torn up inside and it won’t go away — it is like a constant stabbing pain\, deep in my guts. I’m fair dinkum about this\, without a word of a lie. My conscience is clear\, and the Messiah and the Holy Spirit can back me up. What’s eating at me is where the Israelites are at. They are my own people\, my own flesh and blood\, and I would do anything — even have myself put under a curse and cut off from Christ forever — if it would bring them into the fullness of life God intended for them. The Israelites have had everything going for them. They have been God’s special adopted children. They have witnessed God’s glory again and again. They have enjoyed the privileges of special alliances with God\, of receiving God’s teaching directly\, of the wonderful traditions of worship\, and of all the promises God has made to them. The great founders of the faith are their own ancestors\, and from among them\, sharing their own flesh and blood\, came the Messiah\, who is number one in all the universe\, the God who deserves our worship forever. And so say all of us! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 14: 13-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	When Jesus heard that John the baptiser had been killed\, he cleared off in a boat by himself\, intending to lie low for a while. But the people from all the surrounding towns got wind of which direction he was heading\, and followed him around the lake on foot. When he pulled ashore\, there was already a large crowd waiting for him. Jesus felt for them deeply\, and cured the sick among them. \nWhen evening came\, Jesus’s closest followers came to him and said\, “We’re in the middle of nowhere out here. It is time to send the crowds on their way so that they can make it to the shops in the nearby towns to get something to eat before it’s too late.” \nJesus said to them\, “There’s no need for the people to leave. You lot give them something to eat.” \nThey replied\, “But we’ve got almost nothing ourselves; just five bread rolls and a couple of fish.” \nJesus said\, “Bring them here.” \nAs the food was brought\, he told the crowd to sit down on the grass. Taking the five bread rolls and the two fish\, he lifted his eyes and gave thanks and praise to God. Then he broke the bread and gave the pieces to his followers to pass around among the people. Everybody ate their fill\, and when the leftovers were gathered up\, there was enough to fill twelve bags. This was no small crowd that had been fed; there were about five thousand men and goodness knows how many women and children. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Isaiah 55: 1-5			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	This is what the LORD says: \nHey you! Are you thirsty?\nCome\, then. Drink from these fresh waters!\nAre you too penniless even to eat?\nNever mind! Come! Help yourselves; eat your fill!\nCome and stock up with food\, wine and milk.\nWhat will it cost you? Not a red cent! \nWhy sink all your money into things that leave you hungry?\nWhy bust a gut working for things that can never satisfy?\nListen carefully to what I have to say\nand you will feast at a rich banquet of fine foods. \nStick with me and tune in to what I’m saying\,\nfor without my words\, life is bland and tasteless.\nI will surround your lives with love and loyalty\,\nmaking a permanent alliance\, just as I did with David.\nI gave him influence and authority over the nations\,\nand he was my witness among them. \nYou will be the same – a light to which others flock;\neven those who don’t know you will come running;\nthey’ll be drawn to my glory\, seen in you\,\nthe glory of the LORD\, the one and only God of Israel. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 145: 8-9\, 14-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You are generous and compassionate\, LORD;\nslow to anger\, and rich in love and loyalty. \nYou are good to everyone\, LORD\,\nand you care deeply about all you have created. \nWhen people fall\, you put them back on their feet;\nwhen people are crushed\, you stand them tall again. \nEveryone looks to you for what they need\,\nand you meet their needs when the time is right. \nYou open your hands\nand satisfy the desires of every living thing. \nJustice marks everything you do\, LORD\,\nand generous love colours your every deed. \nWhen honest hearts cry out to you\, LORD\,\nyou are right there alongside them. \nYou satisfy the desires of those who respect you;\nyou hear their cries and rescue them from death. \nYou watch out for those who love you\, LORD\,\nand wipe out corruption when it threatens. \nYour praises will be always on our lips\, LORD\,\nand with all who live\,\nwe will single out your name for the highest honour\nforever and ever. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you offer us the banquet that feeds us abundantly\nand fills us with your presence. \nYou strove against the darkness and chaos\,\nand you prevailed\,\nbringing forth creation in all its miraculous abundance.\nYou challenged your servant\, Jacob\, face to face\,\nand gave him your blessing and promise.\nFrom his family you formed your covenant people\,\nin whom your glory\, your law\, and your worship\nwere revealed to the world. \nBut now\, in these last days\,\nyour Messiah\, Jesus\, has emerged from among them\,\nbringing your compassion and healing to all.\nThough he was cursed and cut off for the sake of his people\,\nyou raised him from death.\nNow in him you offer food for our deepest hunger\,\nand it is in holding tight to him\nthat we see your face and receive your blessing. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your Messiah\, Jesus\,\nwho was cursed and cut off for the sake of his people\,\nbut has been raised to bring your compassion and healing to all\nand to offer us the banquet that feeds us abundantly\nand fills us with your presence. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you offer us the banquet that feeds us abundantly\nand fills us with your presence. \nYou strove against the darkness and chaos\,\nand you prevailed\,\nbringing forth creation in all its miraculous abundance.\nYou challenged your servant\, Jacob\, face to face\,\nand gave him your blessing and promise.\nFrom his family you formed your covenant people\,\nin whom your glory\, your law\, and your worship\nwere revealed to the world. \nBut now\, in these last days\,\nyour Messiah\, Jesus\, has emerged from among them\,\nbringing your compassion and healing to all.\nThough he was cursed and cut off for the sake of his people\,\nyou raised him from death.\nNow in him you offer food for our deepest hunger\,\nand it is in holding tight to him\nthat we see your face and receive your blessing. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God has probed our hearts and tried us by fire\,\nbut Christ has compassion for us and has justified us.\nTherefore\, God now finds nothing wrong in us. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now into the world\, strengthened by the gifts\nwith which Christ has fed you.\nBe generous to others\, for Christ has given extravagantly.\nLive by God’s word\, avoiding lies and violence.\nWalk in God’s paths and never stray. \nAnd may God’s wonderful love be with you everywhere;\nMay Christ Jesus feed you with his body and word;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit confirm the truth in you\nand fill you with God’s presence always. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nWounded and BlessedA sermon on Genesis 32: 22- 31 & Matthew 14: 13-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nReconciliation and WrestlingA sermon on Genesis 32:24-33:4 by Colin Hunter\n\n\n\nAbundanceA sermon on Matthew 14: 13-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWrestling with FaithA sermon on Genesis 32: 22-31 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nFollow the TigerA sermon on Matthew 14: 13-21 by Richard Fabian
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap13/2029-08-05/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P13.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290812T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290812T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230918T013446Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230918T013448Z
UID:10002071-1881187200-1881273599@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 14 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 37: 1-4\, 12-28			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	This is the story of the family of Jacob\, who made his home in the land of Canaan where his father had settled as a migrant. \nJacob and his four wives had many children\, but his favourite was Joseph who had been born to him when he was already an old man. When Joseph was seventeen years old\, he was working with four of his brothers herding sheep\, and he dobbed them in to their father over some things they did wrong. Joseph was already offside with his brothers because of the favouritism their father showed him. They were especially galled that Jacob had singled out Joseph with a gift of a very classy coat. Things got to the stage where his brothers hated him and couldn’t say a civil word to him. \nOn one occasion\, Joseph had stayed at home while the rest of his brothers went droving towards Shechem in search of good pasture for the sheep. Jacob called Joseph and said\, “I’ve got a job for you.” \n“No worries. I’m free\,” said Joseph. \n“Your brothers are droving the sheep out near Shechem\,” said Jacob. “Go and track them down and see if all is well with them and the sheep\, and then come back and let me know.” \nSo Joseph headed off from the Hebron Valley and began his search. While he was hunting high and low around Shechem\, a man asked him what he was looking for\, and he replied\, “I am looking for my brothers who are droving sheep out this way. Can you tell me where they might be?” \nThe man replied\, “They were here\, but they are gone. They said they were going out Dothan way.” \nSo Joseph headed off on the trail of his brothers and found them out at Dothan. They saw him coming from a distance\, and before he arrived\, they put their heads together and plotted murder. They said to one another\, “Here he comes; the one who dreams of lording it over us. Let’s knock him off and dump his body down a mine shaft. We can report that a wild animal dragged him off. Let’s see what comes of his dreams then!” \nBut when Reuben heard what they were up to\, he stepped in to spare Joseph\, saying\, “Let’s not kill him. We don’t want his blood on our conscience. Why don’t we just put him down a mine shaft out here in the desert and leave him there?” \nReuben was actually thinking that he could make a hero of himself by coming back later and taking Joseph home to his father\, but the suggestion seemed good to his brothers. So when Joseph pulled up alongside them\, they tore off his coat – the classy coat that he like to strut around in – and dropped him down an empty mine shaft. There was no water in the mine shaft\, but there was no way out either. \nA short time later\, as they were sitting down eating lunch\, they saw a convoy of Ishmaelite traders coming from Gilead. Their camels were loaded up with raw materials bound for processing in Egypt. Seeing them\, Judah said to his brothers\, “Hey\, we could do better for ourselves than killing our brother and having to dispose of his body. We could make a nice profit on him if we sold him to the Ishmaelite traders. Then we wouldn’t have to live with the thought of having killed one of our own flesh and blood.” \nThe rest of the brothers were all in favour of this idea\, so they flagged down the traders and struck a deal with them. They pulled Joseph out of the mine shaft and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. The Ishmaelite traders took Joseph to Egypt where they sold him in the slave markets. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 105: 1-6\, 16-22\, 45c			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We shout your name and give you thanks\, LORD;\nwe will tell everyone what you have done for us.\nWe sing your praises in your presence\,\nand publicise your wonderful achievements. \nWe put your name up in lights\, your name alone;\nour hearts burst with joy when we approach you.\nIt is you we want most of all\, you and your strength;\nwe try to keep near to you all the time. \nLike all the descendants of Abraham and Jacob\,\nand all your chosen children\,\nwe remember all the astonishing things you have done\nand the breath-taking wisdom of your decisions. \nWhen you sent a famine on the land\,\ndestroying the crops and breaking the food cycle\,\nyou had already sent a man ahead to provide help:\nJoseph\, who had been sold as a slave. \nHe had been dragged off in leg irons\,\nand chained by the neck.\nYou spoke to him\, challenging him to tough it out\,\nuntil eventually his own words came true. \nSure enough\, the Pharaoh ordered his release;\nthe most powerful man on earth set him free.\nPharaoh put him in charge of the palace\,\nand made him the manager of all his possessions.\nHe gave him authority over all other officials\,\nto tell them what to do and how to do it. \nYou are the greatest\, LORD! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 10: 5-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Moses said that to put yourself in the right by obeying the law\, you would have to resolutely obey every bit of it. But if you are put right by trusting God\, it is quite a different matter. Those who trust God don’t need to devise arduous schemes to save themselves by scaling the heights of heaven to collect Christ\, or storming the gates of hell to bring him up to us from the dead. Rather they experience what the scriptures promised: \n“The Word that saves is with you;\nit is on the tip of your tongue;\nit is beating in your heart.” \nThis is the message we’ve been preaching and it’s all about trust. If you put that trust into words\, declaring that Jesus is the one you answer to; and embrace that trust in your heart\, believing that Jesus lives because God raised him from the dead\, then you will be put back on the right track with God. That’s what salvation is! When anyone allows that trust in God to rewrite the basic beliefs they live by\, their heart is put right with God; and when those rewritten beliefs are expressed openly in what they say and do\, then you know they are safely in God’s care. The scriptures back this up\, saying\, “No one who trusts God will ever be let down.” Your ethnic or religious background makes no difference in this: there is only one God\, and that one God has the last word on everyone. God is equally generous to all those who call out in trust for help. As the saying goes\, “Anyone who wants help from God only has to ask.” \nBut think about it for a moment. How is anyone going to ask for help if they don’t know who to ask? And how are they going to know who to ask if they haven’t even heard of the One who can be trusted? And how are they going to hear unless someone comes to tell them? And how is anyone going to come and tell them if no one is sent to tell them? As the scriptures say: \n“What a sight for sore eyes is the arrival of those\nwho come to tell us the good news about God!” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 14: 22-33			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus loaded all his closest followers into the same boat and pushed them off\, telling them to go on across the sea while he dismissed the crowds of people he had just fed. After sending the crowds on their way\, he climbed up the mountain by himself so that he could be alone to pray. As the night closed in\, he was still there by himself\, but the boat was now a long way out from land\, battling a head wind and getting badly bashed up by the waves. Just a few hours before sunrise\, Jesus came striding towards them\, trampling over the raging sea. But when his followers saw him walking on the sea\, they thought he was a ghost\, and panicked\, screaming in terror. Jesus spoke up straight away\, and said\, “Get a grip on yourselves. Can’t you see who I am?! You’ve got nothing to worry about.” \nPeter called back\, “Lord\, if it is you\, give the order for me to come out to you on the water.” \nJesus said\, “Come on then.” \nSo Peter jumped ship\, and began walking on the raging water by himself. He managed a few steps\, but faced with the violent wind and the angry waves\, he lost his nerve. As he began to go under\, he cried out\, “Lord\, save me!” \nJesus immediately reached out his hand and grabbed hold of him\, saying\, “Your faith is gutless! Why did you get cold feet?!” \nAs soon as they were all back in the same boat\, the storm dropped. Those in the boat fell to their knees before Jesus\, saying\, “You are fair dinkum the Son of God.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Kings 19: 9-18			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After walking forty days to reach Mount Sinai\, Elijah spent the night in a cave. The next morning\, the LORD spoke to him\, saying\, “Elijah\, what are you doing here?” \nElijah answered\, “I’ve given my all for you\, LORD God\, ruler of everything. The people of Israel have turned their backs on their alliance with you. They have demolished the places of worship and massacred your prophets. I am the only one left and now they are hunting me down to kill me too.” \nThe LORD said\, “Go outside and stand to attention on the mountain\, because I am about to pass in front of you.” \nAs Elijah stood there\, a cyclone hit the mountain\, shattering the rocks and splintering the trees; but the LORD was not in the cyclone. After the cyclone\, the mountain was shaken by an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake\, there was a raging bushfire; but the LORD was not in the bushfire. Then\, after all that\, there came a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it\, he pulled his coat over his face and stood stock still outside the entrance of the cave. Then\, from the silence\, came a voice\, saying\, “Elijah\, what are you doing here?” \nElijah answered\, “I’ve given my all for you\, LORD God\, ruler of everything. The people of Israel have turned their backs on their alliance with you. They have demolished the places of worship and massacred your prophets. I am the only one left and now they are hunting me down to kill me too.” \nThen the LORD said to him\, “Off you go. Head back down to the desert near Damascus. When you get there\, you are to crown Hazael as the new king of Syria. Then you are to crown Jehu\, the son of Nimshi\, as the new king of Israel. Finally\, you are to appoint Elisha\, the son of Shaphat\, to be your successor as my prophet. Hazael will begin wiping out all those who worship Baal. Any who escape him will fall to Jehu\, and Elisha will finish off any who escape Jehu. But there are seven thousand people in Israel who have not bent their knees to Baal or kissed his statues\, and they will survive the purge.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 85: 8-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We are eager to hear all you have to say\, LORD God\,\nfor your words bring peace and wellbeing\nto those who stick with you\nand leave behind their foolish ways. \nSurely for all who respect you\,\nthe life you saved us for is within reach.\nOur land will be ablaze with your presence. \nWhat a life it will be!\nLove and loyalty will link arms;\njustice and peace will become lovers. \nFaithfulness will sprout and reach for the sky;\nintegrity will beam down on the earth. \nYou will give us every good thing\, LORD\,\nand the land will give bumper crops. \nJustice and integrity will spring up as you approach\,\nlining the road to welcome you among us. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are Lord of all\, without distinction\nand you are generous to all who call on you. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders\nyou calmed the chaos and created a planet full of life.\nYou chose a people to carry your good news to the world\,\nand worked even through their acts of hatred and betrayal\nto bring about your salvation. \nSo too when your child\, Jesus\,\nwas rejected and cast into the pit of death\,\nyou raised him from the dead\nand now save all who call on his name in faith.\nComing to us amidst the storms of destruction\,\nhe pulls us up from the despair that would swallow us\nand with a word\, brings his terrifying peace\,\nbringing us to our knees in worship\, saying\,\n“Truly you are the Son of God!” \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your child\, Jesus\,\nwho comes to us amidst the storms of destruction\,\npulling us up from the despair that would swallow us\nand with a word\, brings his terrifying peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you are Lord of all\, without distinction\nand you are generous to all who call on you. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders\nyou calmed the chaos and created a planet full of life.\nYou chose a people to carry your good news to the world\,\nand worked even through their acts of hatred and betrayal\nto bring about your salvation. \nSo too when your child\, Jesus\,\nwas rejected and cast into the pit of death\,\nyou raised him from the dead\nand now save all who call on his name in faith.\nComing to us amidst the storms of destruction\,\nhe pulls us up from the despair that would swallow us\nand with a word\, brings his terrifying peace\,\nbringing us to our knees in worship\, saying\,\n“Truly you are the Son of God!” \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God has promised that all who call on the name of Christ\,\nconfessing him to be Lord and trusting in his resurrection\,\nwill be saved.\nThrough your faith\, God has declared you to be righteous. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now and live in the righteousness that comes from faith.\nDelight in seeking the Lord.\nRecount what God has done\nand proclaim the good news of Christ\nso that all may hear and believe and be saved. \nAnd may the power of the presence of God be with you.\nMay Christ’s word be near you\,\non your lips and in your heart.\nAnd may the Holy Spirit give you courage\nand calm all your fears. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nDon’t Be AfraidA sermon on Matthew 14.22-23 & Genesis 37: 1-4\, 12-28 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nAll in the Same BoatA sermon on Matthew 14.22-23 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWalking Through StormsA sermon on Matthew 14.22-23 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nOut On The WaterA sermon on Matthew 14.22-23 by Debie Thomas
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap14/2029-08-12/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/P14.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290819T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290819T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20230924T112258Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230924T112300Z
UID:10002073-1881792000-1881878399@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 15 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Genesis 45: 1-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As his brothers spoke\, Joseph was getting very emotional\, and he didn’t want his servants to see him crying so he ordered them all out of the room. Once he was alone with his brothers\, he blurted out the truth about his identity. “I am Joseph\, your brother\,” he said\, and promptly burst into tears. His sobbing was so loud that his Egyptian servants heard it from outside and sent a message about it to the Pharaoh’s palace. \nAmidst his tears\, Joseph asked his brothers whether his father was still alive\, but they were in such a state of shock and panic that they couldn’t even answer him. Joseph called them to gather close around him and\, when they did\, he said: \n“I am your brother\, Joseph: the one you sold to the Egyptian slave traders. But don’t panic! Despite what you did\, it has worked out for the best. Your actions played into God’s hands\, because God was bringing me here so that I could save many lives. The land has been in the grip of drought and famine for two years already\, and it’s only going to get worse. It will be another five years before crops can be sown and harvested again. You and your families would have all perished if God hadn’t brought me here ahead of you\, but now you will be among the survivors. So\, don’t kick yourselves: it was not you\, but God\, who brought me here. Because of what God has done\, even Pharaoh looks up to me now. I run all his business for him\, both in the palace and in the whole land of Egypt.” \nJoseph then told his brothers that he wanted them to get home as quickly as possible and deliver a message to his father. This is what it said: \n“Dear Dad\, I am your son\, Joseph\, and I am alive! God has put me in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Move down here at once. I will set aside land for you in the region of Goshen so that you can live near me. There will be plenty of room for you\, and for your children\, your grandchildren\, all your livestock\, and all your possessions. The drought will last for another five years\, but I will provide for you and all your family and livestock so that you will be protected from starvation.” \nJoseph said to his brothers\, “Now all of you\, and especially my brother Benjamin\, can see from what I’ve said that I really am Joseph. So don’t waste any time. Get back to my father and tell him what a big man I’ve become here in Egypt and bring him down here as soon as possible.” \nThen Joseph threw his arms around Benjamin and wept openly. Benjamin\, too\, was crying as he hugged his brother. With tears flowing freely\, Joseph hugged and kissed all his brothers\, and they finally loosened up and were able to talk with him. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 133			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	What a great thing it is\, LORD\,\nwhen people can get along with one another\,\nand live together in unity and mutual respect. \nIt is even more satisfying than holding the cup aloft\nand dancing in the rain of champagne\non Grand Final day. \nIt is even more desirable than sitting by an open fire\nsharing chocolates and fine wine with a loved one. \nIt is even more beautiful than the monsoon rains\nturning the desert into a sea of wildflowers. \nFor you LORD created us to be one people\,\ncommitted to one another\, honouring one another\,\nsharing the land and its blessings forever. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 11: 1-2a\, 29-32			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	God’s chosen people\, the people of Israel\, have refused to let God put them on the right track through Christ. So the obvious question is\, has God given up on them and written them off? The answer is No. No way! Look at me: I’m one of them; a descendant of Abraham\, an Israelite born of the tribe of Benjamin. God went into this with eyes wide open and is not about to give up on these people now. When God has chosen a course of action\, and commissioned and equipped the people involved\, there is no going back. It is guaranteed and God will follow through on it\, no matter what. In the past\, it was you who were at odds with God\, but when the people of Israel went off the rails\, God reached out even wider in mercy\, and so you were gathered in. But the widened reach of God’s mercy which gathered you in now ensures that there is a way for them to be gathered back in. It was God’s desire to show mercy to those who had gone off the rails\, but the only way to do that without creating two classes of people was to ensure that everybody was implicated in the human race’s rebellion. Now we are all in the same boat and God can show mercy to us all. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 15: (10-20)\, 21-28			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Speaking to the crowd who had heard him arguing with the investigators from the devoutly religious Pharisee party\, Jesus said\, “Listen up and get this into your heads: it is not the foods that people put into their mouths that defile them. What really turns God’s stomach is the muck that comes out of their mouths.” \nSome of his closest followers tapped him on the shoulder at this point and said\, “Do you realise that the Pharisees have got their noses out of joint over what they are hearing you say?” \nJesus replied\, “Don’t worry about them. All sorts of plants spring up in the garden\, but anything that wasn’t planted by the One who planted me\, is going to be ripped out by the roots. Leave them to stew. They are blind guides; as blind as the people they are trying to lead. And the blind leading the blind is a disaster waiting to happen.” \nPeter said to him\, “Explain what you were getting at with your illustration of what defiles people.” \n“Haven’t even you got this sorted out in your head yet?” Jesus replied. “Can’t you see that even if a person eats something really disgusting\, it just goes through their gut and ends up down the toilet? It doesn’t affect who they are. But the things that come out of people’s mouths reveal what they are really made of\, and so it is these things that can defile them. It is in the depths of the human heart that you will find the roots of things like crooked dealings\, murder\, sexual conduct that betrays or trivialises others\, theft\, perjury and vilification. These are the things that God finds repulsive\, not every little failure to religiously observe the social norms about personal hygiene and table etiquette. \nAfter that\, Jesus hit the road and headed across the border into the region of Tyre and Sidon. Soon after arriving\, a local Canaanite woman began following him around\, calling out\, “Lord\, you are the new King David! Have pity and help me out! My daughter is in the grip of some demon.” \nBut Jesus just ignored her and kept walking. After a while\, his followers who were with him started urging him to get rid of her\, because her shouting was driving them nuts. Jesus spoke up and said\, “I have only been sent to work with those who have gone off the rails among the Israelite people.” \nBut the woman fell to her knees at his feet and said\, “Lord\, please help me.” \nHe answered\, “It is just not right to take food out of the mouths of the children and throw it to little dogs.” \n“Fair enough\, Lord\,” she replied\, “but even dogs are not denied the scraps that fall off the family’s table.” \n“Point taken\,” Jesus replied. “Woman\, your faith has got real guts! What you have asked for is now done.” \nAnd sure enough\, at that very moment\, her daughter was healed completely. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Isaiah 56: 1\, 6-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	This is what the LORD has to say: \n“I am about to put things right.\nAny day now\, I will be there to save the world.\nSo do the right thing.\nSee that justice is done. \nWhat will happen to the foreigners\, you might ask.\nWhat of those who were not among the chosen few\,\nbut who nevertheless looked to me\, the LORD\, for refuge? \nLook\, they have devoted themselves to me.\nThey love me and honour my name.\nThey are happy to do whatever I ask of them. \nThey observe the Sabbath faithfully.\nThey don’t make a mockery of it.\nThey keep all the terms of the alliance with me. \nAnd so I will give them free access to my sacred places.\nI will see that they enjoy the celebrations in my house of prayer.\nThey can worship me just like anyone else.\nI will welcome their gifts every bit as much as yours.\nMy house of worship will become known\nas the house of prayer for all the peoples of the world. \nI\, the Lord GOD\, give you my word on this.\nJust as I welcomed home those who had been lost from Israel\,\nso too I will welcome others from outside\,\nand gather them together as one with you. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 67			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Lord God\, bless us generously;\nsmile on us kindly;\nshow yourself to everyone\, everywhere\nas the one who saves us with power. \nEveryone has reasons to praise you\, O God\,\nabsolutely everyone should be singing your praises. \nThe whole world should celebrate you with joyful song\,\nfor you are even-handed with all people\nand your guidance is there for every nation. \nEveryone has reasons to praise you\, O God\,\nabsolutely everyone should be singing your praises. \nThe land has produced a bumper harvest;\na clear sign of your goodness to us\, God. \nKeep it up\, God\, keep it coming;\nthe whole planet will honour you for it. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your gifts and calling are irrevocable\nand you bless us with life forever. \nYou created the earth and everything in it\,\nand formed it’s peoples to live as one.\nIn ancient times you worked through your servant\, Joseph\,\nsending him ahead of your people to preserve life\nand open up a way of salvation. \nAnd now\, though never rejecting those you first chose\,\nyou have thrown open the gates of mercy to all.\nYou sent your own child\, Jesus\, among us\,\nand when his eyes were opened\nby the pleas of a gentile woman\,\nyou made it known that no one\nwould have to scrape for crumbs of mercy\nbeneath your table.\nWhen he was killed\, you raised him to life\,\nand with him raised us all\nand seated us in honour at your banqueting table. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks that you do not make us scrape\nfor crumbs of mercy beneath your table\,\nbut that you sent your servant\, Jesus\,\nbefore us to preserve life\nand open up a way of salvation. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your gifts and calling are irrevocable\nand you bless us with life forever. \nYou created the earth and everything in it\,\nand formed it’s peoples to live as one.\nIn ancient times you worked through your servant\, Joseph\,\nsending him ahead of your people to preserve life\nand open up a way of salvation. \nAnd now\, though never rejecting those you first chose\,\nyou have thrown open the gates of mercy to all.\nYou sent your own child\, Jesus\, among us\,\nand when his eyes were opened\nby the pleas of a gentile woman\,\nyou made it known that no one\nwould have to scrape for crumbs of mercy\nbeneath your table.\nWhen he was killed\, you raised him to life\,\nand with him raised us all\nand seated us in honour at your banqueting table. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Do not be distressed\, or angry with yourselves\,\nfor though we have sinned\,\nChrist has gone before us to create new life\,\nshowing God’s mercy to all\nand bringing us out of the prison of disobedience. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now as creators and preservers of life\,\nand live together as one.\nDo not follow blind guides\,\nbut always be prepared to hear the Word of God anew\,\neven challenging you from unexpected sources. \nAnd may God bless you with life forever;\nMay Christ Jesus heal you of all that would harm you;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit cleanse your hearts of all that would defile you. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nBe open – welcoming the ‘other’A sermon on Matthew 15:21-28 & Genesis 45: 1-15 by Meewon Yang\n\n\n\nDid Jesus mean to call her that\, or was he just having a bad day?A sermon on Matthew 15:10-28 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhat Comes Out Of His MouthA sermon on Matthew 15:10-28 by Samara Pitt\n\n\n\nRecognising Patterns of ChangeA sermon on Matthew 15:10-28 by Josh Dowton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap15/2029-08-19/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290826T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290826T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20231002T040504Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231002T040506Z
UID:10002075-1882396800-1882483199@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 16 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Exodus 1:8 - 2:10			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	A new king came to power in Egypt\, and he knew nothing of Joseph’s place in the history of his nation or why the Israelite people had been welcomed to live there. In his speeches to his people\, he appealed to nationalist sentiments and stirred up racial hostility\, saying: \n“Look at what is going on. There are too many of these Jews in our country and they are getting to powerful. We need to exercise sound management to ensure that the situation does not get out of hand. Otherwise these people will overrun us\, and in the event of war they will side with our enemies\, fight against us\, and escape\, leaving our economy in ruins.” \nSo the Egyptian authorities brought in a policy of oppression\, forcing the Israelites into slave labour gangs with harsh taskmasters cracking the whip. These labour gangs were used in the king’s huge infrastructure program\, and among other things\, they built the massive royal storage facilities in the cities of Pithom and Rameses. However\, the more they were oppressed\, the more they multiplied and the more land they occupied\, and that in turn fuelled the fear and hostility towards them. The taskmasters became increasingly ruthless in the way they worked the labour gangs\, and life for the workers became a bitter misery as they were worked to the bone on the building sites and in every kind of heavy outdoors work. The productivity targets were outrageous and the treatment of the workers was utterly inhumane. \nThe policies of oppression became increasingly genocidal. The two Hebrew midwives\, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah\, were given orders from the king that when they assisted Hebrew women giving birth\, they were to kill all the male babies born and allow only the female babies to live. But the midwives cared more about about what God thought than what the king said\, so they did not obey the order and continued to let the all the babies live. When he realised that his order had not been carried out\, the king called in the midwives and demanded an explanation: “Why have you allowed these baby boys to live?” \nThe midwives answered\, “The Hebrew women seem to have more oomph than the Egyptian women. They pop their babies out so quickly that by the time we arrive\, it’s all over.” \nAnd so because the midwives had done the right thing by God\, God did the right thing by them and enabled them to have families of their own. The Hebrew people continued to multiply and become a more powerful presence within the country. Eventually the king issued a new order to everyone in his nation: “You are to throw every Hebrew boy that is born into the Nile River. Only the girls are allowed to live.” \nA man and a woman from the tribe of Levi got married and fell pregnant. When the child was born\, it was a strong and healthy baby boy\, and his mother kept him hidden for three months. When he became too boisterous to keep him hidden\, she made a little lifeboat for him by plastering a cane basket with tar. She placed him in the little lifeboat and floated it among the reeds near the bank of the river. The baby’s older sister kept watch from a distance to see what would happen to him. \nBefore long\, the daughter of the king came down and took a dip in the river while her bodyguards walked along the bank. She spotted the little lifeboat among the reeds and sent one of her servant girls to get it. When the king’s daughter opened the lid and saw the baby crying inside\, she began to feel all clucky. “This must be one of the slave children\,” she said. \nThen the baby’s sister spoke up and asked the king’s daughter\, “Would you like me to go and find a slave woman to nurse the baby for you?” \n“Yes\,” said the king’s daughter. “Go and get one right away.” \nSo the girl went off and came back with the baby’s mother. The king’s daughter said to her\, “Take this baby and nurse it for me. I will pay you to be his nanny.” \nSo the mother took the baby home and raised him. When he had grown up enough\, she delivered him back to the king’s daughter\, who adopted him as her own. She named him Moses\, because it sounded a bit like the word meaning to pull someone out of the water. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 124			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If you had not sided with us\, LORD\,\nwe all know where we’d have ended up. \nIf we had not had you on our side\nwhen people turned against us\,\nattacking with the fury of a wounded shark\,\nthey would have made mince meat out of us. \nTheir frenzied rage would have dragged us under\,\ntheir lust for blood would have torn us apart.\nThe thrashing waters would have closed over us\,\nhiding the violence\,\nconcealing our fate. \nAll the credit and all the honours go to you\, LORD;\nit was you who saved our flesh\nfrom the teeth of our enemies. \nThanks to you\, we have shaken off their grip\,\nand soared to safety\, as free as a bird.\nTheir savage attack was repelled\,\nand we have escaped unharmed. \nIt is you\, LORD\, the creator of heaven and earth\,\nwho guarantees our safety. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 12: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Sisters and brothers\, in light of all the generous breaks God has given you\, I urge you to offer in return the only thing you have that comes within cooee being enough: your whole selves\, bodies and all. Hand them over to God as the ultimate offering; the living gift of all you are and all you do. Dedicate your lives wholly and solely to God\, for this is the nature of true worship and is the only sacrifice God is looking for. \nDo not model your life on the usual aspirations of the world around you. Instead\, allow God to completely remodel your life. This will start with changing the way you think\, so that you will be able to tune in to what God wants\, which of course is always what is good and worthwhile and for the best. \nAs one who knows what it means to be treated far better than I deserve\, I would warn you not to go getting over-inflated opinions of yourselves. Take a good hard look at yourselves\, and be realistic about what you can and can’t do with the gifts and faith God has given you. You are all different\, and there is no point in measuring yourselves against each other. It would be like expecting all the different parts of your body to be able to do each other’s jobs. How ever many of us there are\, together we are all one body in Christ. As different parts of the body\, we belong to one another and need one another\, but we are not the same as one another. In the generosity of God\, we have been given to one another\, each with our own job to do and the unique gift needed to do it. And so just as a human body works best when each part is doing what it was designed to do\, so too the body we all belong to works best when everybody faithfully exercises the gift they have been given: the prophets proclaim the message they trust; the ministers perform their ministries; the teachers do the teaching; the encouragers spur others on; the resource people share what they have with uncomplicated generosity; the advocates are spirited in their defence of the community; and the aid-workers carry out their acts of mercy with warmth and good cheer. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 16: 13-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus and his followers were in the Roman district of Caesarea Philippi when he asked them\, “What’s the word on the streets about the New Human? Who do they reckon I am?” \nHis followers replied\, “Most of the betting is on one or another of the prophets. Some have you picked as John the Baptiser. Others say Elijah\, and still others are going for Jeremiah.” \n“So what about you lot?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” \nSimon Peter answered\, “You are the Messiah who everyone has been waiting for; the Son of the living God.” \nJesus replied\, “Good on you\, Simon son of Jonah! You could never have worked that out for yourself – no mere mortal could. Only my Father in heaven could have let you in on this. And let me tell you who you are. You are the Rock\, and on this rock I will build my church – the new people of God – and not even the deadly powers of the grave will ever drag it down. I will give you the keys that will unlock the truth of the culture of heaven here on earth. You will be the one who teaches people how to live this truth – what may and may not be done – and heaven will back you up.” \nThen he gave his followers strict instructions not to breathe a word to anyone about him being the Messiah. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Isaiah 51: 1-6			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If you want to sort out your relationship with me\,\nand to start living out what is right\,\nthen listen to what I\, the LORD\, have to say. \nLook at your own family history.\nYou are a chip off the old block.\nLook back to your ancestor Abraham\,\nand to Sarah who gave birth to your family line.\nThey were just one couple when I called them\,\nbut I set them up for life and from them came a huge family. \nAlthough the city is in ruins now and only a few of you are left\,\nI will put the smile back on your faces\, my people.\nThe land lies waste\, but I will make it like Eden once more.\nThe scorched earth will again be like my own garden.\nThe land will ring to the sounds of laughter and singing.\nHappiness and thankfulness will overflow. \nListen to me\, my people.\nLet the whole nation tune in to what I have to say.\nI am going to teach you what you need to know.\nI will teach you justice that will light up the world. \nI am coming on the double to set you free.\nMy rescue mission has been launched\,\nand I will personally take charge.\nFrom coast to coast they are hanging out for my arrival;\neager to see me take charge and put things right. \nTake a good look at the skies.\nTake a good look at the earth beneath your feet.\nThey are both on their way out.\nThe sky will disappear like a puff of smoke.\nThe earth will wear out like an old shirt.\nThose who live on it will drop like flies. \nBut the life I am saving you for will last forever.\nWhen I put things right\, they will stay right for good. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 138			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Thank you\, LORD\, thank you!\nThank you\, from the bottom of my heart!\nI will stand and sing your praises\nin the face of every would-be god! \nWherever I am\, I turn towards your holy Temple\nand fall to my knees in gratitude\,\nthanking you for your rock-solid love and loyalty;\nWith everything you say and everything you do\nyour reputation continues to go through the roof.\nThe minute I called\, you were there for me\,\nyou put steel in my spine\,\ngave me the guts to go on. \nWhen the things you have been saying sink in\, LORD\,\nall the earth’s powerful rulers will give credit to you.\nThey’ll join the party\, singing and dancing in your honour\,\ncelebrating the wonderful things you do. \nAs great as you are\,\nyou never think of ordinary people as beneath you\,\nbut you don’t waste your time\non those who are pretentious and stuck-up. \nAlthough I must often walk into dangerous situations\,\nyou protect me from hatred and hostility;\nyour invisible hand is always there\, keeping me safe. \nYou\, LORD\, have made plans for me\nand you will see them through to completion.\nYour love is as timeless and dependable as the rock;\nyou have made us what we are\nand you never give up on us. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\noffering ourselves as a living sacrifice\,\nfor you have never allowed the gates of Hell\nto prevail against us. \nYou are the creator of the earth and sky;\nthe author of all that is good\, acceptable and perfect.\nWhen your people were bitterly oppressed\,\nyou acted to save them\, raising Moses from the waters\nto grow and lead your people to freedom. \nIn your child\, Jesus\, you have again been with us\nto save us from the snares of the enemy.\nIn him people saw the courage of John the Baptiser\,\nthe fiery passion of Elijah\, the faithfulness of Jeremiah.\nThough he was killed\, you raised him to life\nand revealed him to us as your chosen Messiah\,\nthe one in whom we are reconciled as one body\,\ngifted and called to unlock your Kingdom on earth. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your child\, Jesus\,\nwho you revealed to us as your chosen Messiah\,\nthe one in whom we are reconciled as one body\,\ngifted and called to unlock your Kingdom on earth. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\noffering ourselves as a living sacrifice\,\nfor you have never allowed the gates of Hell\nto prevail against us. \nYou are the creator of the earth and sky;\nthe author of all that is good\, acceptable and perfect.\nWhen your people were bitterly oppressed\,\nyou acted to save them\, raising Moses from the waters\nto grow and lead your people to freedom. \nIn your child\, Jesus\, you have again been with us\nto save us from the snares of the enemy.\nIn him people saw the courage of John the Baptiser\,\nthe fiery passion of Elijah\, the faithfulness of Jeremiah.\nThough he was killed\, you raised him to life\nand revealed him to us as your chosen Messiah\,\nthe one in whom we are reconciled as one body\,\ngifted and called to unlock your Kingdom on earth. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If the Lord was not for us\nwe would be forever ensnared in our sins.\nBut in Christ we have been cut free from our sins on earth\,\nand all who are freed on earth will be freed in heaven. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now\, strong in the mercies of God.\nDo not be conformed to this world\,\nbut be transformed by the renewing of your minds\,\nso that knowing the will of God\nyour whole lives may become a sacrifice of praise\,\nholy and acceptable to God. \nAnd may God\, the Creator of earth and sky\, be your help;\nMay the Son of the Living God ground you on solid rock;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit equip you with all the gifts and graces of Christ. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nOffering Sacrifice in Christian WorshipA sermon on Romans 12: 1-8 & Matthew 16:13-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSqueezed into the mould or re-mould from within?A reflection on Romans 12:2 by Sylvia Sandeman\n\n\n\nSalvation takes the work of manyA sermon on Exodus 1:8 – 2:10 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nSorting Out The SacrificesA sermon on Romans 12: 1-8 & Matthew 16:13-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWho do YOU say I am?A sermon on Matthew 16:13-20 by Karen Quah
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap16/2029-08-26/
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290902T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290902T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20200825T112415Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T003405Z
UID:10002841-1883001600-1883087999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 17 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Exodus 3: 1-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Moses married the daughter of a Midianite priest named Jethro\, and worked for him droving his sheep. One day he drove the sheep out back of beyond\, and he ended up grazing them on the slopes of Mount Sinai\, the mountain of God. While he was there\, he saw a bush burst into flames and the messenger of the LORD appeared in the fire. As Moses watched the fire\, he was amazed to see that although the fire was intense\, the bush was not being burned up and reduced to ash\, so he decided to go closer to see if he could work out what was going on. Having got Moses’ attention\, God called to him out of the bush\, “Moses! Moses!” \n“At your service\,” Moses replied. \n“Don’t come any closer!” God said. “And take your boots off\, because you are standing on a sacred site. I am the God of your ancestors; the God of Abraham\, the God of Isaac\, and the God of Jacob.” \nAt that\, Moses pulled his coat over his face because he was afraid to stand face to face with God. Then the LORD said: \n“I have seen how my people have been chewed up and spat out in Egypt. I have heard their desperate cries for help as the slave-drivers work them into the ground. The truth is\, I know what their suffering is like\, and I have come down to break them free\, and to bring them up out of the land of slavery. I will bring them into good land of wide open spaces\, a land rich with milk and honey. It is presently occupied by the Canaanites\, the Hittites\, the Amorites\, the Perizzites\, the Hivites\, and the Jebusites\, but I will give it to my people. The cries of the Israelites have gotten through to me\, and I have seen how the tyrants are grinding them into the dirt. So come on Moses\, up and at it. I will send you to the king of Egypt to bring my people\, the Israelites\, out of slavery in his country.” \nBut Moses said to God\, “Hang on a minute! Why me? I must be about the least qualified person on the face of the earth for the job of negotiating with the king of Egypt for the release of his Israelite slaves!” \nBut God replied\, “I will be with you! And this is how you will know that I have been with you: when you have got the people out of Egypt\, you will worship me right here on this mountain.” \nBut Moses continued to protest\, saying\, “If I go to the Israelites and try to tell them that the God of their ancestors has sent me to them\, they’ll never believe me. They will say\, ‘And what name does this God go by?’ What am I to tell them then?” \nGod replied\, “I AM who I AM. So you go and tell the Israelites that the one named I AM the LORD has sent you to them. And you can further tell them that the LORD\, the God of their ancestors; the God of Abraham\, the God of Isaac\, and the God of Jacob\, has sent you to them. This is my name forever; this is how I am to be addressed from now on.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 105: 1-6\, 23-26\, 45c			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We shout your name and give you thanks\, LORD;\nwe will tell everyone what you have done for us.\nWe sing your praises in your presence\,\nand publicise your wonderful achievements. \nWe put your name up in lights\, your name alone;\nour hearts burst with joy when we approach you.\nIt is you we want most of all\, you and your strength;\nwe try to keep near to you all the time. \nLike all the descendants of Abraham and Jacob\,\nand all your chosen children\,\nwe remember all the astonishing things you have done\nand the breath-taking wisdom of your decisions. \nYour people turned up in Egypt;\nyes\, Jacob migrated to Africa.\nYou let them breed there like rabbits\, LORD\,\nand they grew stronger than the native population.\nThe Egyptians grew fearful and bitter\nand plotted to force your people into slavery. \nYou sent your trusty worker\, Moses\,\nand his chosen right hand man\, Aaron. \nYou are the greatest\, LORD! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 12: 9-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	See to it that your love is for real and without pretence. Avoid corruption like the plague. Dig your heels in and don’t be budged from the side of good. Love one another\, and not just in theory but with warmth and friendly affection. If you need something to compete over\, see who can score the most points for treating everyone else like royalty. Don’t let your enthusiasm get slack\, but keep yourselves on the boil and work hard for the Lord. Celebrate in anticipation of all that is to come. When you are being put through the wringer\, tough it out\, and pray all the harder. Do what you can to help out other Christians who are in need\, and work at making strangers feel welcome and at home among you. \nWhen others persecute you\, wish them all the best and pray that God will look after them. Seek the best for them; don’t wish disaster on them. When others are celebrating\, celebrate with them. When others are hurting\, share the pain with them. Stay in tune with one another\, living a shared life based on common commitments. Don’t be full of yourselves\, but hang out with those who the world writes off as nobodies. Don’t go getting over-inflated opinions about how smart you all are. \nIf anyone does the wrong thing by you\, don’t go trying to pay them back in kind. Instead\, take a deep breath and find a way to respond that anyone else would think of as going above and beyond the call of common decency. Do all that can be done at your end to live at peace with everyone else in the society around you. My dear friends\, never take the law into your own hands to get revenge. Leave it up to God to sort the offenders out. As the scripture says\, “Vengeance is my job\, says the Lord\, and I will give them what is coming to them.” So\, follow the proverb instead: “If those who hate you are hungry\, give them a feed; if they are thirsty\, pour them a beer; because that’s the way to spark a meltdown in their heads.” Do not let what is evil get the upper hand over you\, but get the upper hand over what is evil by doing what is good. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 16: 21-28			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Once his followers had identified him as the Messiah\, Jesus began to make it clear to them that he would have to go to Jerusalem where he would be put through the wringer by the politicians\, the priests and the religious lawyers. He told them that he would be executed there\, but that three days later he would be raised to life. But Peter would have none of it. He pulled Jesus aside and gave him a piece of his mind\, saying\, “God forbid! Lord\, this can’t be allowed to happen to you!” \nBut Jesus turned on Peter\, saying\, “Get out of my face\, you satan! You’re like a roadblock in my path because you have got no idea what God is on about. You’re just pursuing the same things as everyone else.” \nThen he spelt it out to his followers\, saying: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to hand over the keys\, sign their own death warrant\, and then do as I do. If you try to hold on to control of your life\, you’ll end up losing the lot. But if you let go\, even if you pay the ultimate price for your commitment to me\, you’ll discover real life. What’s the point of getting control of the whole world if getting it kills you. There’s no trade-in on a burned out soul. The New Human is going to arrive on the scene\, full of the glory of God and surrounded by the angels\, and he will see that everyone is paid what they deserve for what they have done. I kid you not\, there are some people around now who will live to see the New Human arrive and take charge.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Jeremiah 15: 15-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jeremiah poured out his complaint to the LORD\, saying: \nCome on\, LORD. You know what is going on here.\nDon’t forget it is for you that I am copping this abuse.\nDon’t keep giving my enemies second chances.\nDish out a harsh dose of justice before they finish me off. \nWhen I first came across your words\,\nI consumed them with great gusto.\nThey were the best thing I had ever tasted.\nThey were a feast for my whole being!\nBeing named as one who belongs to you\nfilled me with pride\, O LORD\, ruler of everything. \nBut now I don’t get invited to parties any more\,\nand I’ve got nothing to smile about.\nDoing what you asked of me cost me all my friends\nbecause you made me so serious and angry. \nWhy must I live with this constant pain?\nWhy does my wound fester and refuse to heal?\nThe fact is\, you are like a mirage in the desert\, God\,\nall promise but no action. \nThis is what the LORD said in response to Jeremiah’s complaint: \nIf you wake up to yourself and get back on track\,\nI will accept you and put you back on your feet.\nIf you choose your words well and quit your whingeing\,\nthen you can continue to speak on my behalf.\nThen the people will come seeking you\,\ninstead of you always crawling to them. \nI will give you a thick skin\, like a steel plated wall\,\nto protect you from these people.\nThey can attack you all they like\,\nbut they won’t be able to bring you down\nbecause I am on your side\nto keep you safe and see you through.\nI am the LORD\, and I give you my word. \nI will break the grip of these evil people and set you free;\nI will rescue you from their ruthless hands\nand bring you back to where you belong. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 26: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Clear my name\, LORD.\nI’ve been true to my word;\nI’ve staked everything on you and stood my ground. \nCheck me out thoroughly\, LORD;\nweigh up my every thought and desire. \nI keep myself focussed on your rock-solid love\,\nand I stay in step with you all the time. \nI don’t hang around with worthless scum;\nand I keep clear of those who talk the talk\nbut never walk the walk.\nI can’t stand corrupt company\,\nand I keep my distance from liars and cheats. \nThere’s no blood to wash off my hands;\nI can dance round your altar with a clear conscience\nsinging a song of thanks to you\, O LORD\,\nand telling the stories of the great things you’ve done. \nO LORD\, I love the temple you call your own\,\nthe place where we can bask in your presence. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you meet us in our suffering\nand the fire of your love and compassion burns forever. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders\nyou created the earth and made it holy.\nYou heard the cries of your oppressed people\nand from the blazing power of your presence\nyou sent Moses and Aaron to lead them to freedom. \nOnce again\, in your child\, Jesus\,\nyou have come down to deliver us.\nHe suffered at the hands of the authorities in Jerusalem\,\nand was killed\,\nbut you overcome evil with good\nand raised him to new life on the third day.\nAnd now you have called us to follow him\,\ntaking up the cross and relinquishing our lives\,\nso that united with him we may enter your life -\nthe life which is worth more than the world itself. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for the fire of your love which burns forever\,\nmaking all places holy with the power of your presence\nand leading us into your life\nwhich is worth more than the world itself. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you meet us in our suffering\nand the fire of your love and compassion burns forever. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders\nyou created the earth and made it holy.\nYou heard the cries of your oppressed people\nand from the blazing power of your presence\nyou sent Moses and Aaron to lead them to freedom. \nOnce again\, in your child\, Jesus\,\nyou have come down to deliver us.\nHe suffered at the hands of the authorities in Jerusalem\,\nand was killed\,\nbut you overcome evil with good\nand raised him to new life on the third day.\nAnd now you have called us to follow him\,\ntaking up the cross and relinquishing our lives\,\nso that united with him we may enter your life -\nthe life which is worth more than the world itself. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The blazing fire of God’s presence refines us\,\nbut in mercy it does not destroy us.\nGod does not repay evil for evil\,\nbut comes to deliver us and restore us to life. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now and follow Jesus in the way of the cross.\nRejoice in hope\,\nhold fast to what is good\,\npersevere in prayer.\nDo not be overcome by evil\,\nbut overcome evil with good.\nAs far as is possible\, live peaceably with all. \nAnd may God hear your cries and deliver you;\nMay Christ Jesus repay you with fullness of life;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit be with you always\nnourishing you in love and hope. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nHow to pass yourself off as a ChristianA sermon on Romans 12:9-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPeter – from rooster to feather duster!A sermon on Matthew 16:21-28 by Alan Marr\n\n\n\n“Called” or “uncalled” that is the question?A sermon on Exodus 3: 1-15 by Sylvia Sandeman\n\n\n\nFight or flight or … ?A sermon on Matthew 16:21-28 & Romans 12:9-21 by Nathan Nettleton \n\n\n\nAudrey’s First Letter to the Apostle PaulA sermon on Romans 12: 9-21 by Audrey Kateena\n\n\n\nBurning Identity QuestionsA sermon on Exodus 3: 1-15 & Matthew 16:21-28 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nRecognisably Christian?A sermon on Romans 12:9-21 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap17/2029-09-02/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P17.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290902T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290902T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20200825T112415Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231009T004538Z
UID:10002076-1883001600-1883087999@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 17 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Exodus 3: 1-15			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Moses married the daughter of a Midianite priest named Jethro\, and worked for him droving his sheep. One day he drove the sheep out back of beyond\, and he ended up grazing them on the slopes of Mount Sinai\, the mountain of God. While he was there\, he saw a bush burst into flames and the messenger of the LORD appeared in the fire. As Moses watched the fire\, he was amazed to see that although the fire was intense\, the bush was not being burned up and reduced to ash\, so he decided to go closer to see if he could work out what was going on. Having got Moses’ attention\, God called to him out of the bush\, “Moses! Moses!” \n“At your service\,” Moses replied. \n“Don’t come any closer!” God said. “And take your boots off\, because you are standing on a sacred site. I am the God of your ancestors; the God of Abraham\, the God of Isaac\, and the God of Jacob.” \nAt that\, Moses pulled his coat over his face because he was afraid to stand face to face with God. Then the LORD said: \n“I have seen how my people have been chewed up and spat out in Egypt. I have heard their desperate cries for help as the slave-drivers work them into the ground. The truth is\, I know what their suffering is like\, and I have come down to break them free\, and to bring them up out of the land of slavery. I will bring them into good land of wide open spaces\, a land rich with milk and honey. It is presently occupied by the Canaanites\, the Hittites\, the Amorites\, the Perizzites\, the Hivites\, and the Jebusites\, but I will give it to my people. The cries of the Israelites have gotten through to me\, and I have seen how the tyrants are grinding them into the dirt. So come on Moses\, up and at it. I will send you to the king of Egypt to bring my people\, the Israelites\, out of slavery in his country.” \nBut Moses said to God\, “Hang on a minute! Why me? I must be about the least qualified person on the face of the earth for the job of negotiating with the king of Egypt for the release of his Israelite slaves!” \nBut God replied\, “I will be with you! And this is how you will know that I have been with you: when you have got the people out of Egypt\, you will worship me right here on this mountain.” \nBut Moses continued to protest\, saying\, “If I go to the Israelites and try to tell them that the God of their ancestors has sent me to them\, they’ll never believe me. They will say\, ‘And what name does this God go by?’ What am I to tell them then?” \nGod replied\, “I AM who I AM. So you go and tell the Israelites that the one named I AM the LORD has sent you to them. And you can further tell them that the LORD\, the God of their ancestors; the God of Abraham\, the God of Isaac\, and the God of Jacob\, has sent you to them. This is my name forever; this is how I am to be addressed from now on.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 105: 1-6\, 23-26\, 45c			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We shout your name and give you thanks\, LORD;\nwe will tell everyone what you have done for us.\nWe sing your praises in your presence\,\nand publicise your wonderful achievements. \nWe put your name up in lights\, your name alone;\nour hearts burst with joy when we approach you.\nIt is you we want most of all\, you and your strength;\nwe try to keep near to you all the time. \nLike all the descendants of Abraham and Jacob\,\nand all your chosen children\,\nwe remember all the astonishing things you have done\nand the breath-taking wisdom of your decisions. \nYour people turned up in Egypt;\nyes\, Jacob migrated to Africa.\nYou let them breed there like rabbits\, LORD\,\nand they grew stronger than the native population.\nThe Egyptians grew fearful and bitter\nand plotted to force your people into slavery. \nYou sent your trusty worker\, Moses\,\nand his chosen right hand man\, Aaron. \nYou are the greatest\, LORD! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 12: 9-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	See to it that your love is for real and without pretence. Avoid corruption like the plague. Dig your heels in and don’t be budged from the side of good. Love one another\, and not just in theory but with warmth and friendly affection. If you need something to compete over\, see who can score the most points for treating everyone else like royalty. Don’t let your enthusiasm get slack\, but keep yourselves on the boil and work hard for the Lord. Celebrate in anticipation of all that is to come. When you are being put through the wringer\, tough it out\, and pray all the harder. Do what you can to help out other Christians who are in need\, and work at making strangers feel welcome and at home among you. \nWhen others persecute you\, wish them all the best and pray that God will look after them. Seek the best for them; don’t wish disaster on them. When others are celebrating\, celebrate with them. When others are hurting\, share the pain with them. Stay in tune with one another\, living a shared life based on common commitments. Don’t be full of yourselves\, but hang out with those who the world writes off as nobodies. Don’t go getting over-inflated opinions about how smart you all are. \nIf anyone does the wrong thing by you\, don’t go trying to pay them back in kind. Instead\, take a deep breath and find a way to respond that anyone else would think of as going above and beyond the call of common decency. Do all that can be done at your end to live at peace with everyone else in the society around you. My dear friends\, never take the law into your own hands to get revenge. Leave it up to God to sort the offenders out. As the scripture says\, “Vengeance is my job\, says the Lord\, and I will give them what is coming to them.” So\, follow the proverb instead: “If those who hate you are hungry\, give them a feed; if they are thirsty\, pour them a beer; because that’s the way to spark a meltdown in their heads.” Do not let what is evil get the upper hand over you\, but get the upper hand over what is evil by doing what is good. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 16: 21-28			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Once his followers had identified him as the Messiah\, Jesus began to make it clear to them that he would have to go to Jerusalem where he would be put through the wringer by the politicians\, the priests and the religious lawyers. He told them that he would be executed there\, but that three days later he would be raised to life. But Peter would have none of it. He pulled Jesus aside and gave him a piece of his mind\, saying\, “God forbid! Lord\, this can’t be allowed to happen to you!” \nBut Jesus turned on Peter\, saying\, “Get out of my face\, you satan! You’re like a roadblock in my path because you have got no idea what God is on about. You’re just pursuing the same things as everyone else.” \nThen he spelt it out to his followers\, saying: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to hand over the keys\, sign their own death warrant\, and then do as I do. If you try to hold on to control of your life\, you’ll end up losing the lot. But if you let go\, even if you pay the ultimate price for your commitment to me\, you’ll discover real life. What’s the point of getting control of the whole world if getting it kills you. There’s no trade-in on a burned out soul. The New Human is going to arrive on the scene\, full of the glory of God and surrounded by the angels\, and he will see that everyone is paid what they deserve for what they have done. I kid you not\, there are some people around now who will live to see the New Human arrive and take charge.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Jeremiah 15: 15-21			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jeremiah poured out his complaint to the LORD\, saying: \nCome on\, LORD. You know what is going on here.\nDon’t forget it is for you that I am copping this abuse.\nDon’t keep giving my enemies second chances.\nDish out a harsh dose of justice before they finish me off. \nWhen I first came across your words\,\nI consumed them with great gusto.\nThey were the best thing I had ever tasted.\nThey were a feast for my whole being!\nBeing named as one who belongs to you\nfilled me with pride\, O LORD\, ruler of everything. \nBut now I don’t get invited to parties any more\,\nand I’ve got nothing to smile about.\nDoing what you asked of me cost me all my friends\nbecause you made me so serious and angry. \nWhy must I live with this constant pain?\nWhy does my wound fester and refuse to heal?\nThe fact is\, you are like a mirage in the desert\, God\,\nall promise but no action. \nThis is what the LORD said in response to Jeremiah’s complaint: \nIf you wake up to yourself and get back on track\,\nI will accept you and put you back on your feet.\nIf you choose your words well and quit your whingeing\,\nthen you can continue to speak on my behalf.\nThen the people will come seeking you\,\ninstead of you always crawling to them. \nI will give you a thick skin\, like a steel plated wall\,\nto protect you from these people.\nThey can attack you all they like\,\nbut they won’t be able to bring you down\nbecause I am on your side\nto keep you safe and see you through.\nI am the LORD\, and I give you my word. \nI will break the grip of these evil people and set you free;\nI will rescue you from their ruthless hands\nand bring you back to where you belong. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 26: 1-8			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Clear my name\, LORD.\nI’ve been true to my word;\nI’ve staked everything on you and stood my ground. \nCheck me out thoroughly\, LORD;\nweigh up my every thought and desire. \nI keep myself focussed on your rock-solid love\,\nand I stay in step with you all the time. \nI don’t hang around with worthless scum;\nand I keep clear of those who talk the talk\nbut never walk the walk.\nI can’t stand corrupt company\,\nand I keep my distance from liars and cheats. \nThere’s no blood to wash off my hands;\nI can dance round your altar with a clear conscience\nsinging a song of thanks to you\, O LORD\,\nand telling the stories of the great things you’ve done. \nO LORD\, I love the temple you call your own\,\nthe place where we can bask in your presence. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you meet us in our suffering\nand the fire of your love and compassion burns forever. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders\nyou created the earth and made it holy.\nYou heard the cries of your oppressed people\nand from the blazing power of your presence\nyou sent Moses and Aaron to lead them to freedom. \nOnce again\, in your child\, Jesus\,\nyou have come down to deliver us.\nHe suffered at the hands of the authorities in Jerusalem\,\nand was killed\,\nbut you overcome evil with good\nand raised him to new life on the third day.\nAnd now you have called us to follow him\,\ntaking up the cross and relinquishing our lives\,\nso that united with him we may enter your life -\nthe life which is worth more than the world itself. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for the fire of your love which burns forever\,\nmaking all places holy with the power of your presence\nand leading us into your life\nwhich is worth more than the world itself. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you meet us in our suffering\nand the fire of your love and compassion burns forever. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders\nyou created the earth and made it holy.\nYou heard the cries of your oppressed people\nand from the blazing power of your presence\nyou sent Moses and Aaron to lead them to freedom. \nOnce again\, in your child\, Jesus\,\nyou have come down to deliver us.\nHe suffered at the hands of the authorities in Jerusalem\,\nand was killed\,\nbut you overcome evil with good\nand raised him to new life on the third day.\nAnd now you have called us to follow him\,\ntaking up the cross and relinquishing our lives\,\nso that united with him we may enter your life -\nthe life which is worth more than the world itself. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The blazing fire of God’s presence refines us\,\nbut in mercy it does not destroy us.\nGod does not repay evil for evil\,\nbut comes to deliver us and restore us to life. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now and follow Jesus in the way of the cross.\nRejoice in hope\,\nhold fast to what is good\,\npersevere in prayer.\nDo not be overcome by evil\,\nbut overcome evil with good.\nAs far as is possible\, live peaceably with all. \nAnd may God hear your cries and deliver you;\nMay Christ Jesus repay you with fullness of life;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit be with you always\nnourishing you in love and hope. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nHow to pass yourself off as a ChristianA sermon on Romans 12:9-21 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPeter – from rooster to feather duster!A sermon on Matthew 16:21-28 by Alan Marr\n\n\n\n“Called” or “uncalled” that is the question?A sermon on Exodus 3: 1-15 by Sylvia Sandeman\n\n\n\nFight or flight or … ?A sermon on Matthew 16:21-28 & Romans 12:9-21 by Nathan Nettleton \n\n\n\nAudrey’s First Letter to the Apostle PaulA sermon on Romans 12: 9-21 by Audrey Kateena\n\n\n\nBurning Identity QuestionsA sermon on Exodus 3: 1-15 & Matthew 16:21-28 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nRecognisably Christian?A sermon on Romans 12:9-21 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap17/2029-09-02/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P17.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290909T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290909T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20200824T045634Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T003405Z
UID:10002845-1883606400-1883692799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 18 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Exodus 12: 1-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After the King of Egypt had refused to listen to all the warnings\, the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron again\, saying: \n“Rewrite your calendars — from now on\, this month is to be the beginning of the new year. Put the word out among all the Israelite people that on the tenth day of the month\, each household is to obtain a lamb or a young goat to be eaten. Small households can combine with their neighbours to share one\, dividing it up so that there is enough for everyone to have some. The lamb must be a healthy male yearling with no deformities — not a runt. Having obtained the lamb\, the household is to keep it at home for four days. Just after sunset on the fourteenth\, all the Israelites are to slaughter the lambs ready for cooking. Take some of the blood and paint it on the frame of the front door of the house where you are eating the lamb. Cook and eat it that night. Don’t serve it raw or boiled. Don’t even cut it up or gut it. Spit-roast it whole over the fire and serve it with unleavened flat-breads and bitter herbs. Eat it all that night. If there is any left over in the morning you are to burn it. When you eat it\, you are to eat as though you were in a hurry and about to leave on a journey. You should be dressed and packed\, with your walking boots on and your stick at hand. In this way you are to keep the feast of Passover in honour of me\, the LORD. \nThat night\, I will pass through Egypt\, killing the firstborn sons of every family and the firstborn male animals. I am the LORD\, and I will carry out the sentence I have passed on the gods of Egypt this night. The lamb’s blood painted on your door frames will be the sign that your households are to be exempted. I will pass over every house that I see marked with the blood\, and you will not be touched by the plague that will strike down the Egyptians. \nRemember this day and\, in every generation to come\, celebrate it as an annual festival to honour me\, the LORD.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 149			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You are the greatest\, LORD! \nWe sing your praises like we’ve never sung before\, LORD\,\nalong with all your faithful people everywhere. \nOur greatest joy is knowing\nthat you made us as your people.\nWith all the children of your holy city\,\nwe celebrate you as our King! \nEvery mention of your name sets us singing and dancing;\nwe strike up the band in your honour. \nFor you\, LORD\, delight in your people;\nyou share the spoils of victory with ordinary folk. \nYour faithful ones revel in your glory\,\nand bask in the sheer joy of praising you. \nPut your words in their mouths\nand your sword in their hands\, God\,\nso that they can bring the nations to justice\nand execute your sentence on every population.\nDeliver every despot and dictator into their hands\nto be tried and sentenced\nand put behind bars where they belong. \nMay all your faithful ones share in this glory\, LORD\,\nfor you are the greatest! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 13: 8-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Keep yourselves out of debt. Let the only thing you owe anyone be love. If you are loving others you are measuring up to the standard that God’s law has always been seeking. The law contains lots of detailed commandments such as don’t betray your marriage partner\, don’t kill anybody\, don’t pinch other people’s stuff\, and don’t get preoccupied with the desire to possess things you don’t have. All such commandments can be summarised into the one simple instruction: “Love your neighbour as attentively as you love yourself.” Love never does the wrong thing by anybody\, so if you really love\, you will measure up to the whole law without even thinking about it. \nYou will realise how important these things are\, because you understand the significance of the times we are living in. It is time to wipe the sleep out of your eyes; to be on your feet\, fully alert. Salvation is at hand. It has been approaching ever since we first put our trust in God\, and it is now drawing near. The night is almost gone; the new day is about to dawn. So let’s make sure that we get rid of any old ways of living that belong to the darkness of our past. Let us live our lives in such a way that we’ll be able to hold our heads high when the broad light of day shows up everything for what it really is. Avoid the desperate pursuit of pleasure with its common pitfalls of substance abuse\, sexual sleaze\, hostile belligerence\, and crippling jealousy. Instead\, take on the persona of our Lord Jesus the Messiah and don’t give any encouragement to the selfish desires that clamour for your attention and seek to hijack your life. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 18: 15-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	While teaching his followers\, Jesus said\, “If another one of the brothers or sisters in the congregation does the wrong thing by you in some serious way\, go and try to sort it out between the two of you. If the offender takes on board what you have to say\, then you have rebuilt the relationship. If your approach is rejected\, have another try\, but this time take one or two others with you\, so that there will be witnesses to all that is said and done between you. If the offending brother or sister still refuses to accept responsibility for the problem\, then bring the issue to the congregation. If even the congregation’s decision is rejected\, then it is time for them to sever ties and to relate to the offender as they would to anyone else whose behaviour is beyond the pale and who is yet to respond to the call to turn around and become part of the people of God. I kid you not\, when you make decisions together about what may and may not be done as you live your life in the congregation\, heaven will back you up. And again I’m not kidding when I say that if two of you make a joint commitment to something in prayer\, then my Father in heaven will support you in it. For whenever two or three people gather together\, identifying themselves with me\, I will be right there with them in the gathering.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ezekiel 33: 7-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The LORD God said to me: \n“Ezekiel\, I have given you the job of standing guard over my people. You are to pass on to them\, word for word\, every warning you hear from me. If I give you a message for those who have gone off the rails\, saying\, ‘You people are corrupt and it is going to destroy your lives and kill you\,’ you are to give it to them in no uncertain terms. If you fail to warn them of the need to turn their lives around\, then they will continue on their fast track to an early grave\, and I will hold you culpable for their deaths. But if you give them fair warning to mend their ways\, and they take no notice\, then they will still end up dead\, but you won’t have their blood on your hands. \n“Now\, young man; can you hear what my people are saying? They are saying that their past has caught up with them\, and that the mistakes that they once made will go on ruining their lives from now on. They think they are stuck with no way out\, and no life to look forward to. This is what I want you to tell them\, Ezekiel: ‘I am the LORD your God who lives forever\, and I can assure you that I take no pleasure in seeing those who have done wrong pay for it with their lives. I would so much rather see them mend their ways and rebuild their lives. So you people who think your past is killing you\, turn around and get your lives back on track. Come\, my people\, why should you let these things kill you when there is a way out?” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 119: 33-40			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, teach me the way of life you have set for us\nand I will stick to it for keeps. \nHelp me to get my head around what you want\nand I will throw myself wholeheartedly into doing it. \nGuide me down the track you’ve mapped out for us\,\nfor nothing pleases me more than being where you want me. \nKeep me focussed on the values you’ve spelt out;\ndon’t let me get sucked into grabbing everything for myself. \nPut the blinkers on me so I see only your life-giving ways\nand am not distracted by fashionable froth and bubble. \nReassure me that I am in on what you promised to all\nwho respect you and work for you. \nProtect me with your good teachings\nso that I won’t disgrace myself as I fear I could. \nSee how much I long to do things your way;\nplease do the right thing by me and give me real life. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your delight is in your people\,\nand the day of our salvation is near. \nYou are our King and our maker\,\nfor all things came into being at your command.\nYou came to save your people from slavery\,\nstriking the land of their oppressors\,\nand setting free all who identified themselves\nwith the blood of your lamb. \nIn your child\, Jesus\, you have again come to save us.\nIn his love we have seen the fulfilment of your law\nand the revelation of your desire to reconcile all people –\nto yourself and to one another.\nWhen he was killed you raised him to life\,\nand marked us for salvation with his blood.\nNow wherever two or three gather\,\nclothed in his love\,\nyou are present in the midst of us\nand we rejoice in you forever. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your child\, Jesus\,\nin whose love we have seen the fulfilment of your law\nand whose presence in our midst\nwe know and celebrate whenever we gather in your name. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your delight is in your people\,\nand the day of our salvation is near. \nYou are our King and our maker\,\nfor all things came into being at your command.\nYou came to save your people from slavery\,\nstriking the land of their oppressors\,\nand setting free all who identified themselves\nwith the blood of your lamb. \nIn your child\, Jesus\, you have again come to save us.\nIn his love we have seen the fulfilment of your law\nand the revelation of your desire to reconcile all people –\nto yourself and to one another.\nWhen he was killed you raised him to life\,\nand marked us for salvation with his blood.\nNow wherever two or three gather\,\nclothed in his love\,\nyou are present in the midst of us\nand we rejoice in you forever. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus Christ has called us to lay aside the works of darkness\nand to confess our sins and be reconciled to God.\nYou have confessed your sin in the company of God’s people.\nYour forgiveness\, declared on earth\, is sealed in heaven. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out in love\, reconciled to one another in Christ.\nLay aside the works of darkness\nand put on the armour of light.\nLive honourably\,\nfulfilling the law through love for all. \nAnd may God mark you out for salvation;\nMay Christ Jesus be present among you always\,\nAnd may the Holy Spirit reconcile you to one another\nand fulfil the law of love among you. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Rituals of FaithA sermon on Matthew 18:15-20; Romans 13:8-14 & Exodus 12:1-14 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nOur Egyptian Identity?A sermon on Exodus 12:1-14 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nLove – reaching for the impossibleA sermon on Matthew 18:15-20 & Romans 13:8-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLove\, Desire and LawA sermon on Matthew 18:15-20; Romans 13:8-14 & Exodus 12:1-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nOwe Only LoveA sermon on Romans 13:8-14 by Will Small
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap18/2029-09-09/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P18.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290909T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290909T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20200824T045634Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231016T005056Z
UID:10002077-1883606400-1883692799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 18 - Year A
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Exodus 12: 1-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	After the King of Egypt had refused to listen to all the warnings\, the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron again\, saying: \n“Rewrite your calendars — from now on\, this month is to be the beginning of the new year. Put the word out among all the Israelite people that on the tenth day of the month\, each household is to obtain a lamb or a young goat to be eaten. Small households can combine with their neighbours to share one\, dividing it up so that there is enough for everyone to have some. The lamb must be a healthy male yearling with no deformities — not a runt. Having obtained the lamb\, the household is to keep it at home for four days. Just after sunset on the fourteenth\, all the Israelites are to slaughter the lambs ready for cooking. Take some of the blood and paint it on the frame of the front door of the house where you are eating the lamb. Cook and eat it that night. Don’t serve it raw or boiled. Don’t even cut it up or gut it. Spit-roast it whole over the fire and serve it with unleavened flat-breads and bitter herbs. Eat it all that night. If there is any left over in the morning you are to burn it. When you eat it\, you are to eat as though you were in a hurry and about to leave on a journey. You should be dressed and packed\, with your walking boots on and your stick at hand. In this way you are to keep the feast of Passover in honour of me\, the LORD. \nThat night\, I will pass through Egypt\, killing the firstborn sons of every family and the firstborn male animals. I am the LORD\, and I will carry out the sentence I have passed on the gods of Egypt this night. The lamb’s blood painted on your door frames will be the sign that your households are to be exempted. I will pass over every house that I see marked with the blood\, and you will not be touched by the plague that will strike down the Egyptians. \nRemember this day and\, in every generation to come\, celebrate it as an annual festival to honour me\, the LORD.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 149			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	You are the greatest\, LORD! \nWe sing your praises like we’ve never sung before\, LORD\,\nalong with all your faithful people everywhere. \nOur greatest joy is knowing\nthat you made us as your people.\nWith all the children of your holy city\,\nwe celebrate you as our King! \nEvery mention of your name sets us singing and dancing;\nwe strike up the band in your honour. \nFor you\, LORD\, delight in your people;\nyou share the spoils of victory with ordinary folk. \nYour faithful ones revel in your glory\,\nand bask in the sheer joy of praising you. \nPut your words in their mouths\nand your sword in their hands\, God\,\nso that they can bring the nations to justice\nand execute your sentence on every population.\nDeliver every despot and dictator into their hands\nto be tried and sentenced\nand put behind bars where they belong. \nMay all your faithful ones share in this glory\, LORD\,\nfor you are the greatest! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Romans 13: 8-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Keep yourselves out of debt. Let the only thing you owe anyone be love. If you are loving others you are measuring up to the standard that God’s law has always been seeking. The law contains lots of detailed commandments such as don’t betray your marriage partner\, don’t kill anybody\, don’t pinch other people’s stuff\, and don’t get preoccupied with the desire to possess things you don’t have. All such commandments can be summarised into the one simple instruction: “Love your neighbour as attentively as you love yourself.” Love never does the wrong thing by anybody\, so if you really love\, you will measure up to the whole law without even thinking about it. \nYou will realise how important these things are\, because you understand the significance of the times we are living in. It is time to wipe the sleep out of your eyes; to be on your feet\, fully alert. Salvation is at hand. It has been approaching ever since we first put our trust in God\, and it is now drawing near. The night is almost gone; the new day is about to dawn. So let’s make sure that we get rid of any old ways of living that belong to the darkness of our past. Let us live our lives in such a way that we’ll be able to hold our heads high when the broad light of day shows up everything for what it really is. Avoid the desperate pursuit of pleasure with its common pitfalls of substance abuse\, sexual sleaze\, hostile belligerence\, and crippling jealousy. Instead\, take on the persona of our Lord Jesus the Messiah and don’t give any encouragement to the selfish desires that clamour for your attention and seek to hijack your life. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 18: 15-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	While teaching his followers\, Jesus said\, “If another one of the brothers or sisters in the congregation does the wrong thing by you in some serious way\, go and try to sort it out between the two of you. If the offender takes on board what you have to say\, then you have rebuilt the relationship. If your approach is rejected\, have another try\, but this time take one or two others with you\, so that there will be witnesses to all that is said and done between you. If the offending brother or sister still refuses to accept responsibility for the problem\, then bring the issue to the congregation. If even the congregation’s decision is rejected\, then it is time for them to sever ties and to relate to the offender as they would to anyone else whose behaviour is beyond the pale and who is yet to respond to the call to turn around and become part of the people of God. I kid you not\, when you make decisions together about what may and may not be done as you live your life in the congregation\, heaven will back you up. And again I’m not kidding when I say that if two of you make a joint commitment to something in prayer\, then my Father in heaven will support you in it. For whenever two or three people gather together\, identifying themselves with me\, I will be right there with them in the gathering.” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Ezekiel 33: 7-11			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The LORD God said to me: \n“Ezekiel\, I have given you the job of standing guard over my people. You are to pass on to them\, word for word\, every warning you hear from me. If I give you a message for those who have gone off the rails\, saying\, ‘You people are corrupt and it is going to destroy your lives and kill you\,’ you are to give it to them in no uncertain terms. If you fail to warn them of the need to turn their lives around\, then they will continue on their fast track to an early grave\, and I will hold you culpable for their deaths. But if you give them fair warning to mend their ways\, and they take no notice\, then they will still end up dead\, but you won’t have their blood on your hands. \n“Now\, young man; can you hear what my people are saying? They are saying that their past has caught up with them\, and that the mistakes that they once made will go on ruining their lives from now on. They think they are stuck with no way out\, and no life to look forward to. This is what I want you to tell them\, Ezekiel: ‘I am the LORD your God who lives forever\, and I can assure you that I take no pleasure in seeing those who have done wrong pay for it with their lives. I would so much rather see them mend their ways and rebuild their lives. So you people who think your past is killing you\, turn around and get your lives back on track. Come\, my people\, why should you let these things kill you when there is a way out?” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 119: 33-40			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	LORD\, teach me the way of life you have set for us\nand I will stick to it for keeps. \nHelp me to get my head around what you want\nand I will throw myself wholeheartedly into doing it. \nGuide me down the track you’ve mapped out for us\,\nfor nothing pleases me more than being where you want me. \nKeep me focussed on the values you’ve spelt out;\ndon’t let me get sucked into grabbing everything for myself. \nPut the blinkers on me so I see only your life-giving ways\nand am not distracted by fashionable froth and bubble. \nReassure me that I am in on what you promised to all\nwho respect you and work for you. \nProtect me with your good teachings\nso that I won’t disgrace myself as I fear I could. \nSee how much I long to do things your way;\nplease do the right thing by me and give me real life. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your delight is in your people\,\nand the day of our salvation is near. \nYou are our King and our maker\,\nfor all things came into being at your command.\nYou came to save your people from slavery\,\nstriking the land of their oppressors\,\nand setting free all who identified themselves\nwith the blood of your lamb. \nIn your child\, Jesus\, you have again come to save us.\nIn his love we have seen the fulfilment of your law\nand the revelation of your desire to reconcile all people –\nto yourself and to one another.\nWhen he was killed you raised him to life\,\nand marked us for salvation with his blood.\nNow wherever two or three gather\,\nclothed in his love\,\nyou are present in the midst of us\nand we rejoice in you forever. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We give you thanks for your child\, Jesus\,\nin whose love we have seen the fulfilment of your law\nand whose presence in our midst\nwe know and celebrate whenever we gather in your name. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your delight is in your people\,\nand the day of our salvation is near. \nYou are our King and our maker\,\nfor all things came into being at your command.\nYou came to save your people from slavery\,\nstriking the land of their oppressors\,\nand setting free all who identified themselves\nwith the blood of your lamb. \nIn your child\, Jesus\, you have again come to save us.\nIn his love we have seen the fulfilment of your law\nand the revelation of your desire to reconcile all people –\nto yourself and to one another.\nWhen he was killed you raised him to life\,\nand marked us for salvation with his blood.\nNow wherever two or three gather\,\nclothed in his love\,\nyou are present in the midst of us\nand we rejoice in you forever. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus Christ has called us to lay aside the works of darkness\nand to confess our sins and be reconciled to God.\nYou have confessed your sin in the company of God’s people.\nYour forgiveness\, declared on earth\, is sealed in heaven. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go out in love\, reconciled to one another in Christ.\nLay aside the works of darkness\nand put on the armour of light.\nLive honourably\,\nfulfilling the law through love for all. \nAnd may God mark you out for salvation;\nMay Christ Jesus be present among you always\,\nAnd may the Holy Spirit reconcile you to one another\nand fulfil the law of love among you. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nThe Rituals of FaithA sermon on Matthew 18:15-20; Romans 13:8-14 & Exodus 12:1-14 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nOur Egyptian Identity?A sermon on Exodus 12:1-14 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nLove – reaching for the impossibleA sermon on Matthew 18:15-20 & Romans 13:8-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLove\, Desire and LawA sermon on Matthew 18:15-20; Romans 13:8-14 & Exodus 12:1-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nOwe Only LoveA sermon on Romans 13:8-14 by Will Small
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap18/2029-09-09/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P18.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20290914T000000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20290914T235900
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20220829T022014Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251005T044939Z
UID:10002150-1884038400-1884124740@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Holy Cross
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Numbers 21: 4b-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As they travelled\, the people began losing the plot and mouthing off against God and Moses. They were whinging\, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt if we are just going to die out here in the desert? There is no food. There is no water. And we can’t stand this lousy stuff we’ve got to eat.” \nAt that\, the LORD let loose some dangerous snakes among the people. The snakes had a fiery venom and many people were bitten and died. The people came to Moses and pleaded with him\, saying\, “We were wrong to mouth off against the LORD and against you. Please ask the LORD to get rid of the poisonous snakes that are plaguing us.” \nSo Moses prayed for the the people\, and the LORD spoke to him\, saying\, “Make a statue of a poisonous snake\, and set it up on a pole where the people can see it. Whenever anyone is bitten\, they are to look at the statue of the snake\, and they will survive.” \nSo Moses made a snake out of bronze\, and set it up on a pole. Whenever anyone was bitten by one of the snakes with the fiery venom\, they would fix their gaze on the bronze snake\, and they would live. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 98: 1-5			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We sing like we’ve never sung before\, LORD\,\nbecause you have done fantastic things.\nWith your sleeves rolled up you got stuck in\nand came out on top. \nYour victory has made the headlines\, LORD\,\nnow the whole world can see that you were right all along. \nYou have never defaulted on your rock-solid love\,\nor your loyalty to your chosen people.\nFrom one end of the earth to the other\,\neveryone has seen your victory. \nWith all the world\, LORD\, we raise a noisy celebration\,\nsinging our lungs out and shouting your praise. \nThe bands strike up in your honour\, LORD\,\nfilling the air with festive music. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 78: 1-2\, 34-38 (Alternative Psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We are keen to learn of you\, LORD;\nyour people are eager to hear what you have to say. \nWe listen to those who pass on the old stories;\nthe dark mysteries of ancient wisdom. \nWhen your anger cut down our ancestors\, they sought your mercy;\nthey pleaded with you and promised to mend their ways. \nThey remembered that you are as solid as rock;\nthat you are the greatest; the one who puts things right. \nBut they were all words and no action\,\ntrying to pull the wool over your eyes with sweet talk. \nThey were fickle and two-faced;\nthey did not stick to the terms of their alliance with you. \nAnd yet you remained compassionate;\nyou continued to let them off the hook\nand refrained from wiping them out.\nOver and over you swallowed your anger\nand chose not to let your fury have its day. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Corinthians 1: 18-24			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The message about the cross sounds like a lot of mindless cock-and-bull to those who have thrown their lot in with this present world order and are going down with the ship. But to those of us who are being saved from that\, it is nothing less than the power of God! God spoke about this in the Scriptures: \n“I will expose the brilliant insights of your experts\nand the wise counsel of your gurus;\nI will expose them for what they really are\,\na load of codswallop!” \nSo where are the intellectuals now? Where are the religious experts? Where are those who have an answer for everything? What have they got to show for all their cleverness now that God has turned all the conventional wisdom on its head and made it look foolish? Seeing that no amount of human cleverness had ever woken anybody up to God’s ways\, God made the wise decision to use something that seemed utterly foolish to everyone — our preaching! — to rescue those who would trust the message. Most people want something more than this. Those with a religious world view demand to see miraculous signs to prove that it is from God. Those with a modern rational world view insist that it should have to prove its intellectual credibility. But what we are preaching is a Messiah who was strung up and killed. The religious people find this unthinkable\, and the intellectuals regard it as primitive nonsense; but to those who have heard the call of God\, whatever their background\, it is the ultimate good news of God’s chosen one — as miraculous and profound as one could ever wish for! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 3: 13-17			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus said: \n“No one has ever gone up and stood face to face with God. The only one who has done that is the New Human\, the one who came from God in the first place. You know the old story from the desert: the one about Moses lifting up the hand-made snake so that the people could look at something that would help them to focus their trust in God. Well\, the New Human is going to be lifted up for much the same reason. Everyone who looks up to him in trust and hope will receive life without limit. \n“God’s love for the world is so overwhelming that even giving up his own son was not too great a cost to ensure that no one need succumb to death. All those who put their trust in him can have boundless life instead. \n“God didn’t put his son’s life on the line merely to bring down the hammer and pass sentence on us. Rather\, God saw the world in desperate trouble and sent the Son on a cosmic rescue mission.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nEating from the Tree of LifeA sermon for the Feast of Holy Cross by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc46/2029-09-14/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/46.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20290914T000000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20290914T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20220829T022014Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000526Z
UID:10002721-1884038400-1884124799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Holy Cross
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Numbers 21: 4b-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As they travelled\, the people began losing the plot and mouthing off against God and Moses. They were whinging\, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt if we are just going to die out here in the desert? There is no food. There is no water. And we can’t stand this lousy stuff we’ve got to eat.” \nAt that\, the LORD let loose some dangerous snakes among the people. The snakes had a fiery venom and many people were bitten and died. The people came to Moses and pleaded with him\, saying\, “We were wrong to mouth off against the LORD and against you. Please ask the LORD to get rid of the poisonous snakes that are plaguing us.” \nSo Moses prayed for the the people\, and the LORD spoke to him\, saying\, “Make a statue of a poisonous snake\, and set it up on a pole where the people can see it. Whenever anyone is bitten\, they are to look at the statue of the snake\, and they will survive.” \nSo Moses made a snake out of bronze\, and set it up on a pole. Whenever anyone was bitten by one of the snakes with the fiery venom\, they would fix their gaze on the bronze snake\, and they would live. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 98: 1-5			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We sing like we’ve never sung before\, LORD\,\nbecause you have done fantastic things.\nWith your sleeves rolled up you got stuck in\nand came out on top. \nYour victory has made the headlines\, LORD\,\nnow the whole world can see that you were right all along. \nYou have never defaulted on your rock-solid love\,\nor your loyalty to your chosen people.\nFrom one end of the earth to the other\,\neveryone has seen your victory. \nWith all the world\, LORD\, we raise a noisy celebration\,\nsinging our lungs out and shouting your praise. \nThe bands strike up in your honour\, LORD\,\nfilling the air with festive music. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 78: 1-2\, 34-38 (Alternative Psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We are keen to learn of you\, LORD;\nyour people are eager to hear what you have to say. \nWe listen to those who pass on the old stories;\nthe dark mysteries of ancient wisdom. \nWhen your anger cut down our ancestors\, they sought your mercy;\nthey pleaded with you and promised to mend their ways. \nThey remembered that you are as solid as rock;\nthat you are the greatest; the one who puts things right. \nBut they were all words and no action\,\ntrying to pull the wool over your eyes with sweet talk. \nThey were fickle and two-faced;\nthey did not stick to the terms of their alliance with you. \nAnd yet you remained compassionate;\nyou continued to let them off the hook\nand refrained from wiping them out.\nOver and over you swallowed your anger\nand chose not to let your fury have its day. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Corinthians 1: 18-24			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The message about the cross sounds like a lot of mindless cock-and-bull to those who have thrown their lot in with this present world order and are going down with the ship. But to those of us who are being saved from that\, it is nothing less than the power of God! God spoke about this in the Scriptures: \n“I will expose the brilliant insights of your experts\nand the wise counsel of your gurus;\nI will expose them for what they really are\,\na load of codswallop!” \nSo where are the intellectuals now? Where are the religious experts? Where are those who have an answer for everything? What have they got to show for all their cleverness now that God has turned all the conventional wisdom on its head and made it look foolish? Seeing that no amount of human cleverness had ever woken anybody up to God’s ways\, God made the wise decision to use something that seemed utterly foolish to everyone — our preaching! — to rescue those who would trust the message. Most people want something more than this. Those with a religious world view demand to see miraculous signs to prove that it is from God. Those with a modern rational world view insist that it should have to prove its intellectual credibility. But what we are preaching is a Messiah who was strung up and killed. The religious people find this unthinkable\, and the intellectuals regard it as primitive nonsense; but to those who have heard the call of God\, whatever their background\, it is the ultimate good news of God’s chosen one — as miraculous and profound as one could ever wish for! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 3: 13-17			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus said: \n“No one has ever gone up and stood face to face with God. The only one who has done that is the New Human\, the one who came from God in the first place. You know the old story from the desert: the one about Moses lifting up the hand-made snake so that the people could look at something that would help them to focus their trust in God. Well\, the New Human is going to be lifted up for much the same reason. Everyone who looks up to him in trust and hope will receive life without limit. \n“God’s love for the world is so overwhelming that even giving up his own son was not too great a cost to ensure that no one need succumb to death. All those who put their trust in him can have boundless life instead. \n“God didn’t put his son’s life on the line merely to bring down the hammer and pass sentence on us. Rather\, God saw the world in desperate trouble and sent the Son on a cosmic rescue mission.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nEating from the Tree of LifeA sermon for the Feast of Holy Cross by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc46/2029-09-14/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/46.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20290914T000000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20290914T235959
DTSTAMP:20260404T054152
CREATED:20220829T022014Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220829T022014Z
UID:10002706-1884038400-1884124799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:The Feast of the Holy Cross
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Numbers 21: 4b-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	As they travelled\, the people began losing the plot and mouthing off against God and Moses. They were whinging\, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt if we are just going to die out here in the desert? There is no food. There is no water. And we can’t stand this lousy stuff we’ve got to eat.” \nAt that\, the LORD let loose some dangerous snakes among the people. The snakes had a fiery venom and many people were bitten and died. The people came to Moses and pleaded with him\, saying\, “We were wrong to mouth off against the LORD and against you. Please ask the LORD to get rid of the poisonous snakes that are plaguing us.” \nSo Moses prayed for the the people\, and the LORD spoke to him\, saying\, “Make a statue of a poisonous snake\, and set it up on a pole where the people can see it. Whenever anyone is bitten\, they are to look at the statue of the snake\, and they will survive.” \nSo Moses made a snake out of bronze\, and set it up on a pole. Whenever anyone was bitten by one of the snakes with the fiery venom\, they would fix their gaze on the bronze snake\, and they would live. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 98: 1-5			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We sing like we’ve never sung before\, LORD\,\nbecause you have done fantastic things.\nWith your sleeves rolled up you got stuck in\nand came out on top. \nYour victory has made the headlines\, LORD\,\nnow the whole world can see that you were right all along. \nYou have never defaulted on your rock-solid love\,\nor your loyalty to your chosen people.\nFrom one end of the earth to the other\,\neveryone has seen your victory. \nWith all the world\, LORD\, we raise a noisy celebration\,\nsinging our lungs out and shouting your praise. \nThe bands strike up in your honour\, LORD\,\nfilling the air with festive music. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  OR  Psalm 78: 1-2\, 34-38 (Alternative Psalm)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We are keen to learn of you\, LORD;\nyour people are eager to hear what you have to say. \nWe listen to those who pass on the old stories;\nthe dark mysteries of ancient wisdom. \nWhen your anger cut down our ancestors\, they sought your mercy;\nthey pleaded with you and promised to mend their ways. \nThey remembered that you are as solid as rock;\nthat you are the greatest; the one who puts things right. \nBut they were all words and no action\,\ntrying to pull the wool over your eyes with sweet talk. \nThey were fickle and two-faced;\nthey did not stick to the terms of their alliance with you. \nAnd yet you remained compassionate;\nyou continued to let them off the hook\nand refrained from wiping them out.\nOver and over you swallowed your anger\nand chose not to let your fury have its day. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  1 Corinthians 1: 18-24			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The message about the cross sounds like a lot of mindless cock-and-bull to those who have thrown their lot in with this present world order and are going down with the ship. But to those of us who are being saved from that\, it is nothing less than the power of God! God spoke about this in the Scriptures: \n“I will expose the brilliant insights of your experts\nand the wise counsel of your gurus;\nI will expose them for what they really are\,\na load of codswallop!” \nSo where are the intellectuals now? Where are the religious experts? Where are those who have an answer for everything? What have they got to show for all their cleverness now that God has turned all the conventional wisdom on its head and made it look foolish? Seeing that no amount of human cleverness had ever woken anybody up to God’s ways\, God made the wise decision to use something that seemed utterly foolish to everyone — our preaching! — to rescue those who would trust the message. Most people want something more than this. Those with a religious world view demand to see miraculous signs to prove that it is from God. Those with a modern rational world view insist that it should have to prove its intellectual credibility. But what we are preaching is a Messiah who was strung up and killed. The religious people find this unthinkable\, and the intellectuals regard it as primitive nonsense; but to those who have heard the call of God\, whatever their background\, it is the ultimate good news of God’s chosen one — as miraculous and profound as one could ever wish for! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  John 3: 13-17			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Jesus said: \n“No one has ever gone up and stood face to face with God. The only one who has done that is the New Human\, the one who came from God in the first place. You know the old story from the desert: the one about Moses lifting up the hand-made snake so that the people could look at something that would help them to focus their trust in God. Well\, the New Human is going to be lifted up for much the same reason. Everyone who looks up to him in trust and hope will receive life without limit. \n“God’s love for the world is so overwhelming that even giving up his own son was not too great a cost to ensure that no one need succumb to death. All those who put their trust in him can have boundless life instead. \n“God didn’t put his son’s life on the line merely to bring down the hammer and pass sentence on us. Rather\, God saw the world in desperate trouble and sent the Son on a cosmic rescue mission.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nEating from the Tree of LifeA sermon for the Feast of Holy Cross by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc46/2029-09-14/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/46.png
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR