BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//LaughingBird - ECPv6.15.18//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:LaughingBird X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://laughingbird.net X-WR-CALDESC:Events for LaughingBird REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:UTC BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:UTC DTSTART:20260101T000000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Melbourne BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20260404T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20261003T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20270403T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20271002T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20280401T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20280930T160000 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20270914T000000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20270914T235900 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20220829T022014Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251005T044939Z UID:10001889-1820880000-1820966340@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/abc46/2027-09-14/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/46.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20270914T000000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20270914T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20220829T022014Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000526Z UID:10002710-1820880000-1820966399@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/abc46/2027-09-14/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/46.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20270914T000000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20270914T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20220829T022014Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000526Z UID:10002719-1820880000-1820966399@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/abc46/2027-09-14/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/46.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20270914T000000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20270914T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20220829T022014Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000526Z UID:10002722-1820880000-1820966399@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/abc46/2027-09-14/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/46.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20270914T000000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20270914T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20220829T022014Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000526Z UID:10002715-1820880000-1820966399@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/abc46/2027-09-14/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/46.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20270919T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20270919T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20200910T034115Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241020T095534Z UID:10001660-1821312000-1821398399@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 20 - Year B 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 Proverbs 31: 10-31 \n \n\n \n \n \n How fortunate is the man who marries a gifted woman;\nHer love is as precious as life itself. \nHe entrusts himself to her\nand she doesn’t let him down. \nGenerous of spirit and never vindictive\,\nshe will be good to him all her life. \nShe is creative and diligent;\nnot afraid to get her hands dirty. \nWith the taste of a seasoned traveller\,\nshe shares her love of varied cuisine. \nShe is up early each morning\,\nseeing that everyone in her household\ngets their day off to a good start. \nShe conducts her business with confidence;\nbuying and selling\, and overseeing production. \nShe dresses appropriately for her work\,\nready to roll up her sleeves and get stuck in. \nShe knows what her labour is worth\,\nand will work late to get the job done. \nShe puts her shoulder to the wheel\nand makes the most of her many skills. \nThe goods she produces are widely sought;\nthey fetch top dollar in the shops. \nShe’s quick to help anyone facing hard times;\na generous friend to those in need. \nShe doesn’t panic when storms hit;\nall her household are well prepared. \nShe doesn’t waste money on appearances\,\nbut presents herself with colour and flair. \nHer strength and dignity are what people notice first\,\nand she approaches the future with joy and enthusiasm. \nShe and her husband are respected about town\,\nand admired for their leadership in the community. \nPeople seek out her opinions and value her wisdom;\nher advice is caring and considerate. \nShe keeps an eye on the interests of all her household\,\nand doesn’t indulge in laziness. \nHer children have nothing but good to say about her\,\nand her husband is always singing her praise:\n“There are some wonderful women in the world\,” he says\,\n“but you are the cream of the crop!” \nCharm can mask the truth\,\nand beauty may be only skin deep.\nThe woman who is worthy of admiration and acclaim\nis the one who knows who she is before God. \nShe deserves full credit for all she has achieved;\nher accomplishments speak for themselves. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 1 \n \n\n \n \n \n LORD\, how good it will be for those\nwho turn a deaf ear to the advocates of greed;\nwho steer clear of corrupt short-cuts;\nand avoid those who sneer at goodness. \nInstead they relish your word\, LORD.\nCalming their minds\,\nthey savour the scriptures day and night. \nYou make them strong and healthy\,\nlike a Redgum tree with its roots deep in a river bank\,\nflowering abundantly every season\,\nand always laden with healthy leaves.\nAll that they do is vibrant with life. \nBut what a different story it is for the wicked;\nthey are about as secure as dry leaves in a cyclone. \nThey will have no defence\nwhen they are brought to justice\,\nand no friends among people of integrity. \nLORD\, you keep a protective eye\non all who walk a straight path of peace and justice\,\nbut nothing will save those who leave that road. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n James 3:13 - 4:3\, 7-8a \n \n\n \n \n \n Do any of you rate yourselves highly for wisdom and understanding? Well\, let’s see you live it then. It is the quality of your life that will prove that your actions are the offspring of a wise and gentle spirit. If the things you do reveal that inside you’re always comparing yourself to others and scheming to get one up on them\, then the more you boast about your wisdom\, the more apparent it will be that you are deluded. Any wisdom you might have would clearly not be from God. It would be nothing more than rat-cunning\, deviousness. The devil himself specialises in that sort of wisdom. Whenever people are set on being number one without regard for anyone else\, mayhem and inhuman behaviour follow\, as sure as night follows day. The wisdom that God gives is a very different matter. For starters it is not contaminated by any ulterior motives. It cultivates peace among people\, being gentle and willing to let others get their way. It is so full of the fruits of generosity\, forgiveness and love that it could never find room for even a shred of prejudice or hypocrisy. Those who invest in peace — not just hoping for it but really working for it — will reap rich dividends in a life of wholehearted integrity. \nWhy do you think these vicious conflicts keep erupting among you? Can’t you see that they are detonated by the greedy desires simmering within your hearts. You want something you don’t have and you fuel the hunger until you’re ready to kill for it. You covet something that you know can never be yours\, but you let your craving blaze out of control\, igniting spot fires all over the place. If you really want something\, ask God for it. But you could never do that could you\, because there’d be no way to word the request without exposing the naked selfishness that’s driving you. \nWhat can you do? Let God’s desires have their way with you. Dig in against the devil\, and he’ll be sent packing. Get alongside God\, and God will get alongside you. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 9: 30-37 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus and his group moved on and travelled through Galilee. He was keeping their location secret because the things he was teaching his closest followers were for their ears only. “Soon the New Human will be betrayed\,” he told them\, “and handed over to a hostile mob. They will kill him\, but three days after his murder\, he will rise up\, alive again.” \nHis followers\, however\, could not get their heads around any of this\, but they couldn’t bring themselves to ask him to go over it again. \nThey arrived home in Capernaum and after settling back into the house\, Jesus hit them with a question: “You blokes sounded like you were having a bit of a barney back there on the road. What was it all about?” \nThe silence was deafening! None of them were willing to own up\, because they had been arguing over status – which of them was number one. Jesus sat down and called the twelve to gather round. He said to them\, “Whoever wants to be number one must take a place at the bottom as the servant of everyone else.” \nHe called over a small child\, and right there in the midst of them\, gathered the little one up into his arms and said\, “Anyone who welcomes little tackers like this as though they were gold-medalists is welcoming me. And those who welcome me are not just welcoming me – they are welcoming the One who sent me.” \n©2000 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 Solomom 1:16 - 2:1\, 12-22 \n \n\n \n \n \n Those who shun God are getting in to bed with death.\nYou can see it in everything they say and do.\nThey yearn for death like an absent lover.\nThey have signed up to a partnership with death\nbecause they seemed to be made for one another. \nListen to their thinking\, and see how screwed up it is.\nThey say\,\n“Life’s a bitch and then you die.\nHere today and gone tomorrow\, and there is no cure for death.\nDown you go\, and no one ever comes back. \nAnd then they say\,\n“These holier-than-thou do-gooders are such a pain.\nLet’s knock off the next one we see.\nThey are always in our way\,\nstopping us from getting what we want\,\ncalling us sinners and law-breakers\,\nand lecturing us about being a disgrace to our upbringing. \n“They claim to know God\nand they make themselves out to be the Lord’s children. \n“They make everything we think look bad.\nWe’re sick to death of the sight of them\nbecause they are so different from everyone else\nand their way of life gets up our nose. \n“They look down on us\nand avoid our ways like the plague.\nThey reckon that do-gooders will die happy\nand that God will call them his children. \n“Let’s grab the next one we see\nand make an example of him.\nLet’s see if his puffed up words about dying happy\nhold up when put to the test. \n“If this do-gooder is such a child of God\,\nhe can expect God to help him\, can’t he?\nLet’s see if God can rescue him\nwhen we get our hands on him. \n“Let’s see what happens to his patience and gentleness\nwhen we humiliate him\, torture him\,\nand make him fear for his life. \n“Let’s kill him slowly and humiliate him as he dies.\nThen we’ll see whether his ‘divine protection’\nis half as good as he says it is. \nSo that’s how corrupt people think.\nYou can see how how screwed up it is.\nThe lures of evil have sucked them in\,\nand blinded them to everything else. \nThey have never know what God is on about.\nThey have never tasted the fruits of living right.\nThey have never glimpsed the prize in store\nfor those with a clean record. \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n OR Jeremiah 11: 18-20 \n \n\n \n \n \n The first I knew of the plot against me\nwas when the LORD tipped me off about it. \nUntil then I was like a lamb trotting to its fate\,\nknowing neither shearer nor slaughterer.\nIn my blissful ignorance I never guessed\nthat they were plotting my downfall\, saying\, \n“Let’s cut him down in his prime\nand make sure he never breeds.\nLet’s rid the world of him\nand erase all memory that he ever lived!” \nBut you are the LORD who rules over everything.\nYour investigations uncover our motives\nand your judgements get it right every time.\nI have put my case in your hands.\nHit them with everything they deserve! \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 54 \n \n\n \n \n \n Pull rank to save me\, God;\nuse your influence to clear my name.\nHear my prayer\, God;\nlend an ear to what I have to say. \nArrogant mongrels have got me in their sights;\nthey spit in the face of everything decent\nand now they are plotting to kill me. \nLook at them! They couldn’t care less about you\, God! \nBut you are there for me\, God; for sure you are.\nYou\, Lord\, are my bodyguard.\nWhen enemies come\, you’ll turn their evil back on them.\nI know you can be relied on. Finish them off! \nI will offer you my worship and bring my gifts to say thank you.\nI will put your name up in lights\, LORD\, for you are the best.\nYou have bailed me out of every crisis\nand with my own eyes I’ve seen my enemies fail. \n©2012 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 wisdom and humility\nare the source of true greatness\nand you draw near to all who draw near to you. \nLike a woman planting a garden\,\nyou set out and tended the newborn earth\,\nand like one who sets food before her family\,\nyou nourished us with the fruits of the earth\nand the wise teachings of your Word. \nIn every age you have revealed your wisdom\nto the humble and insignificant ones\nand hidden it from the arrogant and violent.\nIn your Son\, Jesus\, you showed us\nthat true greatness is known in servanthood\,\nand that the way of wisdom is found in childlike simplicity.\nBetrayed into hostile hands and killed\,\nhe rose again and called us to follow him\,\nputting aside selfish ambitions\nand walking in the ways of peace\, mercy and humility. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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\,\nthrough whom you showed us\nthat true greatness is known in servanthood\,\nand that the way of wisdom is found in childlike simplicity\,\nputting aside selfish ambitions\nand walking in the ways of peace\, mercy and humility. \n©2003 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 wisdom and humility\nare the source of true greatness\nand you draw near to all who draw near to you. \nLike a woman planting a garden\,\nyou set out and tended the newborn earth\,\nand like one who sets food before her family\,\nyou nourished us with the fruits of the earth\nand the wise teachings of your Word. \nIn every age you have revealed your wisdom\nto the humble and insignificant ones\nand hidden it from the arrogant and violent.\nIn your Son\, Jesus\, you showed us\nthat true greatness is known in servanthood\,\nand that the way of wisdom is found in childlike simplicity.\nBetrayed into hostile hands and killed\,\nhe rose again and called us to follow him\,\nputting aside selfish ambitions\nand walking in the ways of peace\, mercy and humility. \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©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n Resist the devil\, and he will flee from you.\nDraw near to God\nand submit yourselves to God’s ways\nand God will draw near to you in mercy. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go out\, clothed in strength and dignity.\nSubmit yourselves to God and resist the devil.\nDelight in the Lord’s teaching\,\nopen your hands to the poor\,\nand let your actions arise from the wisdom of God. \nAnd may God draw near to you and strengthen you;\nMay Christ Jesus teach you the ways of simplicity;\nand may the Holy Spirit fill you with wisdom\n    and make your fruitful in peace and righteousness. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 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\nGetting Put in your PlaceA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWinning\, Losing and Child’s PlayA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Kingdom as Kids’ StuffA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSnapshots of WisdomA sermon on Psalm 1; Mark 9:30-37; James 3:13 – 4:3\, 4:7-8a; & Proverbs 31:10-31 by Léon van Ommen\n\n\n\nMissing the PointA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp20/2027-09-19/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P20.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20270919T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20270919T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20200910T034115Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000534Z UID:10002781-1821312000-1821398399@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 20 - Year B 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 Proverbs 31: 10-31 \n \n\n \n \n \n How fortunate is the man who marries a gifted woman;\nHer love is as precious as life itself. \nHe entrusts himself to her\nand she doesn’t let him down. \nGenerous of spirit and never vindictive\,\nshe will be good to him all her life. \nShe is creative and diligent;\nnot afraid to get her hands dirty. \nWith the taste of a seasoned traveller\,\nshe shares her love of varied cuisine. \nShe is up early each morning\,\nseeing that everyone in her household\ngets their day off to a good start. \nShe conducts her business with confidence;\nbuying and selling\, and overseeing production. \nShe dresses appropriately for her work\,\nready to roll up her sleeves and get stuck in. \nShe knows what her labour is worth\,\nand will work late to get the job done. \nShe puts her shoulder to the wheel\nand makes the most of her many skills. \nThe goods she produces are widely sought;\nthey fetch top dollar in the shops. \nShe’s quick to help anyone facing hard times;\na generous friend to those in need. \nShe doesn’t panic when storms hit;\nall her household are well prepared. \nShe doesn’t waste money on appearances\,\nbut presents herself with colour and flair. \nHer strength and dignity are what people notice first\,\nand she approaches the future with joy and enthusiasm. \nShe and her husband are respected about town\,\nand admired for their leadership in the community. \nPeople seek out her opinions and value her wisdom;\nher advice is caring and considerate. \nShe keeps an eye on the interests of all her household\,\nand doesn’t indulge in laziness. \nHer children have nothing but good to say about her\,\nand her husband is always singing her praise:\n“There are some wonderful women in the world\,” he says\,\n“but you are the cream of the crop!” \nCharm can mask the truth\,\nand beauty may be only skin deep.\nThe woman who is worthy of admiration and acclaim\nis the one who knows who she is before God. \nShe deserves full credit for all she has achieved;\nher accomplishments speak for themselves. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 1 \n \n\n \n \n \n LORD\, how good it will be for those\nwho turn a deaf ear to the advocates of greed;\nwho steer clear of corrupt short-cuts;\nand avoid those who sneer at goodness. \nInstead they relish your word\, LORD.\nCalming their minds\,\nthey savour the scriptures day and night. \nYou make them strong and healthy\,\nlike a Redgum tree with its roots deep in a river bank\,\nflowering abundantly every season\,\nand always laden with healthy leaves.\nAll that they do is vibrant with life. \nBut what a different story it is for the wicked;\nthey are about as secure as dry leaves in a cyclone. \nThey will have no defence\nwhen they are brought to justice\,\nand no friends among people of integrity. \nLORD\, you keep a protective eye\non all who walk a straight path of peace and justice\,\nbut nothing will save those who leave that road. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n James 3:13 - 4:3\, 7-8a \n \n\n \n \n \n Do any of you rate yourselves highly for wisdom and understanding? Well\, let’s see you live it then. It is the quality of your life that will prove that your actions are the offspring of a wise and gentle spirit. If the things you do reveal that inside you’re always comparing yourself to others and scheming to get one up on them\, then the more you boast about your wisdom\, the more apparent it will be that you are deluded. Any wisdom you might have would clearly not be from God. It would be nothing more than rat-cunning\, deviousness. The devil himself specialises in that sort of wisdom. Whenever people are set on being number one without regard for anyone else\, mayhem and inhuman behaviour follow\, as sure as night follows day. The wisdom that God gives is a very different matter. For starters it is not contaminated by any ulterior motives. It cultivates peace among people\, being gentle and willing to let others get their way. It is so full of the fruits of generosity\, forgiveness and love that it could never find room for even a shred of prejudice or hypocrisy. Those who invest in peace — not just hoping for it but really working for it — will reap rich dividends in a life of wholehearted integrity. \nWhy do you think these vicious conflicts keep erupting among you? Can’t you see that they are detonated by the greedy desires simmering within your hearts. You want something you don’t have and you fuel the hunger until you’re ready to kill for it. You covet something that you know can never be yours\, but you let your craving blaze out of control\, igniting spot fires all over the place. If you really want something\, ask God for it. But you could never do that could you\, because there’d be no way to word the request without exposing the naked selfishness that’s driving you. \nWhat can you do? Let God’s desires have their way with you. Dig in against the devil\, and he’ll be sent packing. Get alongside God\, and God will get alongside you. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 9: 30-37 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus and his group moved on and travelled through Galilee. He was keeping their location secret because the things he was teaching his closest followers were for their ears only. “Soon the New Human will be betrayed\,” he told them\, “and handed over to a hostile mob. They will kill him\, but three days after his murder\, he will rise up\, alive again.” \nHis followers\, however\, could not get their heads around any of this\, but they couldn’t bring themselves to ask him to go over it again. \nThey arrived home in Capernaum and after settling back into the house\, Jesus hit them with a question: “You blokes sounded like you were having a bit of a barney back there on the road. What was it all about?” \nThe silence was deafening! None of them were willing to own up\, because they had been arguing over status – which of them was number one. Jesus sat down and called the twelve to gather round. He said to them\, “Whoever wants to be number one must take a place at the bottom as the servant of everyone else.” \nHe called over a small child\, and right there in the midst of them\, gathered the little one up into his arms and said\, “Anyone who welcomes little tackers like this as though they were gold-medalists is welcoming me. And those who welcome me are not just welcoming me – they are welcoming the One who sent me.” \n©2000 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 Solomom 1:16 - 2:1\, 12-22 \n \n\n \n \n \n Those who shun God are getting in to bed with death.\nYou can see it in everything they say and do.\nThey yearn for death like an absent lover.\nThey have signed up to a partnership with death\nbecause they seemed to be made for one another. \nListen to their thinking\, and see how screwed up it is.\nThey say\,\n“Life’s a bitch and then you die.\nHere today and gone tomorrow\, and there is no cure for death.\nDown you go\, and no one ever comes back. \nAnd then they say\,\n“These holier-than-thou do-gooders are such a pain.\nLet’s knock off the next one we see.\nThey are always in our way\,\nstopping us from getting what we want\,\ncalling us sinners and law-breakers\,\nand lecturing us about being a disgrace to our upbringing. \n“They claim to know God\nand they make themselves out to be the Lord’s children. \n“They make everything we think look bad.\nWe’re sick to death of the sight of them\nbecause they are so different from everyone else\nand their way of life gets up our nose. \n“They look down on us\nand avoid our ways like the plague.\nThey reckon that do-gooders will die happy\nand that God will call them his children. \n“Let’s grab the next one we see\nand make an example of him.\nLet’s see if his puffed up words about dying happy\nhold up when put to the test. \n“If this do-gooder is such a child of God\,\nhe can expect God to help him\, can’t he?\nLet’s see if God can rescue him\nwhen we get our hands on him. \n“Let’s see what happens to his patience and gentleness\nwhen we humiliate him\, torture him\,\nand make him fear for his life. \n“Let’s kill him slowly and humiliate him as he dies.\nThen we’ll see whether his ‘divine protection’\nis half as good as he says it is. \nSo that’s how corrupt people think.\nYou can see how how screwed up it is.\nThe lures of evil have sucked them in\,\nand blinded them to everything else. \nThey have never know what God is on about.\nThey have never tasted the fruits of living right.\nThey have never glimpsed the prize in store\nfor those with a clean record. \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n OR Jeremiah 11: 18-20 \n \n\n \n \n \n The first I knew of the plot against me\nwas when the LORD tipped me off about it. \nUntil then I was like a lamb trotting to its fate\,\nknowing neither shearer nor slaughterer.\nIn my blissful ignorance I never guessed\nthat they were plotting my downfall\, saying\, \n“Let’s cut him down in his prime\nand make sure he never breeds.\nLet’s rid the world of him\nand erase all memory that he ever lived!” \nBut you are the LORD who rules over everything.\nYour investigations uncover our motives\nand your judgements get it right every time.\nI have put my case in your hands.\nHit them with everything they deserve! \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 54 \n \n\n \n \n \n Pull rank to save me\, God;\nuse your influence to clear my name.\nHear my prayer\, God;\nlend an ear to what I have to say. \nArrogant mongrels have got me in their sights;\nthey spit in the face of everything decent\nand now they are plotting to kill me. \nLook at them! They couldn’t care less about you\, God! \nBut you are there for me\, God; for sure you are.\nYou\, Lord\, are my bodyguard.\nWhen enemies come\, you’ll turn their evil back on them.\nI know you can be relied on. Finish them off! \nI will offer you my worship and bring my gifts to say thank you.\nI will put your name up in lights\, LORD\, for you are the best.\nYou have bailed me out of every crisis\nand with my own eyes I’ve seen my enemies fail. \n©2012 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 wisdom and humility\nare the source of true greatness\nand you draw near to all who draw near to you. \nLike a woman planting a garden\,\nyou set out and tended the newborn earth\,\nand like one who sets food before her family\,\nyou nourished us with the fruits of the earth\nand the wise teachings of your Word. \nIn every age you have revealed your wisdom\nto the humble and insignificant ones\nand hidden it from the arrogant and violent.\nIn your Son\, Jesus\, you showed us\nthat true greatness is known in servanthood\,\nand that the way of wisdom is found in childlike simplicity.\nBetrayed into hostile hands and killed\,\nhe rose again and called us to follow him\,\nputting aside selfish ambitions\nand walking in the ways of peace\, mercy and humility. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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\,\nthrough whom you showed us\nthat true greatness is known in servanthood\,\nand that the way of wisdom is found in childlike simplicity\,\nputting aside selfish ambitions\nand walking in the ways of peace\, mercy and humility. \n©2003 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 wisdom and humility\nare the source of true greatness\nand you draw near to all who draw near to you. \nLike a woman planting a garden\,\nyou set out and tended the newborn earth\,\nand like one who sets food before her family\,\nyou nourished us with the fruits of the earth\nand the wise teachings of your Word. \nIn every age you have revealed your wisdom\nto the humble and insignificant ones\nand hidden it from the arrogant and violent.\nIn your Son\, Jesus\, you showed us\nthat true greatness is known in servanthood\,\nand that the way of wisdom is found in childlike simplicity.\nBetrayed into hostile hands and killed\,\nhe rose again and called us to follow him\,\nputting aside selfish ambitions\nand walking in the ways of peace\, mercy and humility. \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©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n Resist the devil\, and he will flee from you.\nDraw near to God\nand submit yourselves to God’s ways\nand God will draw near to you in mercy. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go out\, clothed in strength and dignity.\nSubmit yourselves to God and resist the devil.\nDelight in the Lord’s teaching\,\nopen your hands to the poor\,\nand let your actions arise from the wisdom of God. \nAnd may God draw near to you and strengthen you;\nMay Christ Jesus teach you the ways of simplicity;\nand may the Holy Spirit fill you with wisdom\n    and make your fruitful in peace and righteousness. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2003 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\nGetting Put in your PlaceA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWinning\, Losing and Child’s PlayA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Kingdom as Kids’ StuffA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSnapshots of WisdomA sermon on Psalm 1; Mark 9:30-37; James 3:13 – 4:3\, 4:7-8a; & Proverbs 31:10-31 by Léon van Ommen\n\n\n\nMissing the PointA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp20/2027-09-19/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P20.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20270926T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20270926T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20200928T112724Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241027T094424Z UID:10001662-1821916800-1822003199@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 21 - Year B 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 Esther 7: 1-6\, 9-10; 9: 20-22 \n \n\n \n \n \n (When Xerxes was King of Persia\, his prime minister\, Haman\, conspired to exterminate the entire Jewish population in a single day. The King’s wife\, Esther\, was Jewish\, and she and her cousin Mordecai set out to thwart Haman’s genocidal plan.) \nQueen Esther put on a special dinner and invited the King and Haman to join her. As they were enjoying the fine wine at the end of the meal\, the King said to Esther\, “You had something you wanted to ask me\, Esther my queen. What is it? I’d be happy to give you whatever you want\, even half my Kingdom if it would make you happy.” \nQueen Esther answered\, “Your Majesty\, if you really love me and you want to do something for me\, you can save my life and the lives of my people. That’s all I ask. A price has been put on our heads\, mine and all my people. The order has been given to wipe us out\, to eradicate us like vermin. We are to be marched off to our deaths\, exterminated. I would have kept my protest to myself if we were only to be sold as slaves – I couldn’t expect a king to be concerned over so small a matter\, but we are about to be massacred!” \nThe King nearly exploded. “Who is responsible for this outrage?” he demanded. “Name names.” \nEsther replied\, “The treacherous enemy is right here\, your Majesty. This murdering mongrel\, Haman!” \nHaman didn’t know where to look. He just froze on the spot between the king and queen\, like a scared rabbit. Then one of the King’s personal servants\, a eunuch named Harbona\, spoke up. “Your Majesty\, if you look out your window you will spot the biggest gallows you have ever seen right outside Haman’s house. He built them to hang Mordecai the Jew – the very same Mordecai who warned you of the plot to assassinate you.” \n“Right\,” said the King. “String Haman up on his own gallows!” \nSo the guards dragged Haman out and hanged him on the gallows he had built to get rid of Mordecai. That satisfied the King’s anger. \nMordecai kept written records of all that had occurred. He sent letters to all the Jewish communities in the empire with the following instructions: \nIn the sixth month of each year\, declare a long weekend on the 14th and 15th. Hold celebrations to remember that these were the days on which we Jews were saved from our persecutors. This month began in fear and grief but it has become a time of joy and celebration. So make these days a festival – throw parties\, eat and drink\, sing and dance\, give presents to one another\, and see that you include the poor in your giving. \n©2000 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 James 5: 13-20 \n \n\n \n \n \n Are some of you doing it tough? — well then\, pray. Are some of you on top of the world? — then sing! Sing songs of praise. Are some of you sick? Well\, call up the church leaders and ask them to come and anoint you with oil and pray for you. Take your medication\, but put your trust in the Lord. Faith-filled prayer can make all the difference. The Lord will put you back on your feet\, healed and whole. \nThose who are sick with guilt can do the same and their sins will be forgiven. Get into the practice of confessing your sins honestly to one another and praying for one another. This sort of prayerful openness and honesty will enable you to receive God’s healing. \nWhen people have got their lives in order\, their prayer is a potent force. Take Elijah for example. He was just as human as the next bloke\, but when he prayed hard\, asking God to send a drought\, there was not a drop of rain anywhere for the next three and a half years. Then he prayed again\, asking for rain\, and sure enough\, the clouds opened and the crops began to grow again. \nSisters and brothers\, if one of your number wanders off track and falls away from the truth\, don’t give up on them. No one is beyond hope\, so do your best to bring them back. No matter what sins they might have fallen into\, if you get someone back on track you will have rescued a precious life from disaster. Any number of sins will be forgiven as a result of your loving persistence. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 9: 38-50 \n \n\n \n \n \n John\, one of the twelve\, reported to Jesus\, saying\, “Teacher\, we came across a man who was exposing and expelling demonic forces and claiming to be doing it on your behalf. We tried to stop him because he was not a member of our group.” \nJesus wasn’t impressed. “Don’t stop him\,” he said. “If someone acts powerfully for good and gives me the credit\, they’re not going to then turn around and stab me in the back\, are they? Those who are not opposing us are our allies. I’m not kidding when I say that even if all a person does to support us is offer you a drink of water because you are associated with me\, they’ll get the thumbs up from God just like you. \n“On the other hand\, if someone – however insignificant they might seem – is believing in me\, and you put up a road block and turn them back\, you’ll be made to pay for it. You’d have been better off being dumped in the middle of the bay wearing concrete boots. \n“Don’t be hard on others and soft on yourselves. Take the axe to the roots of division within yourselves. If it was just your hand that kept causing trouble\, you could just hack it off! Disabled but embracing life is a whole lot better than having your perfect body sent to hell. If it was just your foot that kept tripping you up\, you could amputate it! Better hobbling into heaven than prancing into the fires of hell! And if hostility was caused by your eye playing tricks on you\, you could just gouge it out. Living the life of God with an eye patch is a whole lot better than having two eyes to feed to the worms in your grave. Eyes aren’t much use when they’re filled with smoke\, and in hell the fires never go out! \n“Don’t flee the refining fire though. It comes to everyone and\, as painful as it is\, it can burn away whatever is contaminating your heart. If you had a cup of salt that was so contaminated that it didn’t even taste salty any more\, what could you do with it? It would be useless. Keep your saltiness at full strength and the peace among you fully flavoured.” \n©2000 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 Numbers 11: 4-6\, 10-16\, 24-29 \n \n\n \n \n \n As the people travelled through the wilderness\, a group of rabble rousers among them began to stir up trouble over the lack of meat to eat. Before long all the Israelites were craving meat and whingeing about it endlessly: \n“What wouldn’t we give for some decent food?! Remember how good the food was back in Egypt: mouth-watering fish\, and a wonderful selection of fresh fruit and vegetables. We ate like kings! But now we are wasting away out here with nothing to eat but manna for breakfast\, lunch and tea.” \nEverywhere he went in the camp\, Moses heard the people standing around their tents whingeing and moaning about it. He was angry and embarrassed that the people under his leadership were causing such offence to God\, so he went and spoke to the LORD saying: \n“Why have you got it in for me? What did I do to deserve being made responsible for these people? They weren’t conceived or born because of anything I did\, so how come you have made it my job to nurse them like babies and carry them on my shoulders like toddlers. It was you\, not me\, who sealed the deal with their ancestors\, promising to give them this land\, so why is it my job to get them there? Where am I supposed to get meat to feed them all and stop them from whingeing to me all day about how hungry they are? The responsibility for these people is more than I can handle. I’m not up to the job. If you can’t treat me any better than this\, just kill me now! Do me a favour and put me out of my misery.” \nSo the LORD said to Moses\, “Gather together seventy of Israel’s most respected and influential tribal elders\, and get them to assemble with you at my Sacred Tent.” \nSo Moses went out and told to the people what the LORD had said. He sent for seventy key 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!” \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 19: 7-14 \n \n\n \n \n \n Your revealed will is right on the mark\, LORD;\nit gives our souls their second wind.\nWhat you says goes\,\nand any fool can wise up by taking note. \nYour instructions are spot on\, LORD;\nanyone who follows them will be glad they did.\nWhat you direct us to do is easy to see\,\nand once seen\, everything become clear. \nRespect for you keeps us true\, LORD\,\nnothing can corrupt it\, now or ever.\nWhat you decide is always accurate;\na fair ruling\, beyond dispute. \nYour Word is worth far more\nthan even diamond encrusted gold!\nIt is sweeter by far\nthan any mouth watering delicacy\,\neven chocolate dipped strawberries with cream! \nBut that’s not all!\nYour Word\, O LORD\, keeps me out of danger\,\nand following it pays off richly. \nCan anyone put their finger on all their own faults?\nLORD\, eradicate the bugs I haven’t even identified yet. \nRemind me not to entertain sour contemptuous thoughts\,\nand don’t let them start pulling my strings.\nWithout them\, I can stay on course\,\nand keep my record clean. \nThat’s what I want\, O LORD.\nI want all the things I say\,\nand all the things I mull over in my heart\,\nto be things I’d be proud to offer to you\,\nfor you are the bedrock of my life;\nthe one who puts me back where I belong. \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 in love and mercy you have rescued us\nfrom all that would harm us or lead us to destruction. \nThe earth and sky were created by your hand\,\nand the land brings forth its harvest when you say.\nYou committed yourself in love to your people\,\nand saved them from the teeth of their enemies. \nWhen we wandered into the pathways of death\,\nyou heard our plea for life\nand came to save us in your son\, Jesus Christ.\nConfronting demonic forces\nand offering your healing and forgiveness to all\,\nhe honoured as allies all who took the side of life.\nHe was killed by those who block the paths of the humble\,\nbut you raised him back to life\nand sent your Spirit to fill us with love\, mercy\nand an uncompromising passion for righteousness. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2000 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 Christ.\nwho offered your healing and forgiveness to all\nand honoured as allies all who took the side of life.\nThough him you sent your Spirit to fill us with love\, mercy\nand an uncompromising passion for righteousness. \n©2003 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 in love and mercy you have rescued us\nfrom all that would harm us or lead us to destruction. \nThe earth and sky were created by your hand\,\nand the land brings forth its harvest when you say.\nYou committed yourself in love to your people\,\nand saved them from the teeth of their enemies. \nWhen we wandered into the pathways of death\,\nyou heard our plea for life\nand came to save us in your son\, Jesus Christ.\nConfronting demonic forces\nand offering your healing and forgiveness to all\,\nhe honoured as allies all who took the side of life.\nHe was killed by those who block the paths of the humble\,\nbut you raised him back to life\nand sent your Spirit to fill us with love\, mercy\nand an uncompromising passion for 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©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n Our confession of sins before one another\nopens us to receive the healing that God offers.\nGod has promised that those who pray in faith\nwill be raised up to new life\nand forgiven for all their sins. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now and celebrate wherever God’s name is honoured.\nWhen suffering comes\, pray in faith.\nIn times of joy\, sing songs of praise.\nPersevere in prayer and action\nto bring the fallen back to the truth. \nAnd may God save you from all that would harm you;\nMay Christ Jesus heal you and raise you up;\nand may the Holy Spirit anoint you\nand give you peace with one another. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nChopping It OffA sermon on Mark 9:38-50 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSolidarity in Sickness and SufferingA sermon on James 5: 13-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nHealing and SinA sermon on James 5: 13-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGetting it Hellishly WrongA sermon on Mark 9:38-50 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nHellfire\, Border Protection\, and Self-MutilationA sermon on Mark 9:38-50 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nFrom Deadly Deliverance to Making PeaceA sermon on Esther 7.1-6\,9\,10; 9.20-22; Psalm 124; James 5.13-20 & Mark 9.38-50 by Harvey Howlett\n\n\n\nDid you hear the one about the Sex-goddess who fought Anti-Semitism?A sermon on the book of Esther & Mark 9:38-50 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp21/2027-09-26/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P21.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271003T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271003T215959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20200929T033835Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241103T043127Z UID:10001664-1822521600-1822600799@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 22 - Year B 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 Job 1:1; 2: 1-10 \n \n\n \n \n \n Once long ago\, in the land of Uz\, there was a man named Job who had a deep respect for God. He had a clean record\, always doing the right thing by everybody and having nothing to do with evil. \nOne day in Heaven\, all the beings who watch over the earth gathered to report to the LORD. The Accuser came with them to make his report. The LORD asked the Accuser\, “Where have you been?” \nThe Accuser replied\, “I have been wandering around on the earth\, going wherever I please.” \nThe LORD said to the Accuser\, “Have you checked out the form of my servant Job? No one else can hold a candle to him. His record is spotless. He honours me\, he does the right thing by everyone\, and he stays out of anything corrupt. Even after he was wiped out – his property trashed and his family killed – for no other reason than that you slandered him and persuaded me to allow him to be put to the test\, even then he didn’t miss a beat. He proved himself to be a man of integrity and he continues to trust me.” \nBut the Accuser spoke back to the LORD\, saying\, “Ha! Everyone has their price. You can get anyone to sell out if their life is on the line. Just try it – a direct hit. When his own body is wracked with pain\, he’ll curse you to your face.” \nThe LORD replied\, “Okay\, we’ll see. You can make him suffer as much as you want\, but you’re not allowed to kill him.” \nSo the Accuser headed off immediately and got stuck into Job. Horrific sores and lesions appeared all over Job’s body\, from the top of his head to the tip of his toes\, and the pain was excruciating. Sitting outside on the scrap heap\, he scratched\, and tried every lotion he could get his hands on\, but nothing helped. He was in agony. His wife said to him\, “Are you just going to cop this and let God get away with it? You’re a goner anyway – just curse God and die and get it over with.” \nBut Job said to her\, “You’re talking through your hat\, woman. If we are going to welcome all the good things that God gives us\, we’ve got to take the bad with the good. We can’t spit the dummy the moment trouble arrives.” \nDespite everything that had happened to him\, Job didn’t speak a word against God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 26 \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. \nDon’t wipe out the good with the bad;\n........make sure I’m not on the list to be chopped\nwith those who ruthlessly trample over others\,\nwith the callous\, the corrupt\, the con-merchants\,\nthose who think their money puts them above the law. \nI’m not like that — I play a straight bat.\nBe good to me\, LORD. Put me back where I belong. \nYou know I’m on the level;\nI align myself with your people\,\nand sing your praises in their company. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 1: 1-4; 2: 5-12 \n \n\n \n \n \n Down through the years\, God has spoken to our ancestors through the prophets in all sorts of different ways. Lately though\, at long last\, God has sent a Son to speak to us directly. It was through this Son that God created the world in the first place\, and it will all belong to him in the end. You can see all the glory of God mirrored in this Son. God’s essential nature is imprinted on him perfectly. Everything in the universe holds together at his say so. The Son took action to bring about the forgiveness of sins\, and having done that he was given the most honoured seat in heaven as God’s right hand man. He had proven himself to be in a league above the angels\, and the title he was granted made this clear. \nNow on the subject of the coming new age\, God has not put the angels in charge of it. Somewhere in the scriptures someone said: \n“What are human beings that you take any notice of them?\nHere today and gone tomorrow —\nwhy would you give them a second thought?\nYet you have put them on a pedestal;\nstarting them off just a step below the angels.\nYou have honoured them highly — hung medals round their necks —\nand handed them control of the earth.” \nNothing is exempt from this — God has given human beings authority over absolutely everything. It may not look that way yet\, but take a look at Jesus. He too was\, for a while\, a step down from the angels\, but now\, having made it through the suffering of death\, we see him promoted to number one and receiving all the honour and glory that come with that position. In the extraordinary generosity of God\, everyone else can claim exemption from death on the grounds that Jesus has gone through it for them. \nEverything exists for God and because of God\, and God set out to gather everyone into one family on the road to glory. It was only right that the one who God chose as the trail blazer to lead people out of danger should first earn a perfect 10 in the same arena of suffering as them. You see\, the one who sets the pattern for holy living and the ones who are patterned by it are all children of the one God\, born through the same labour pains. That explains why Jesus has no hesitation in calling them his sisters and brothers. He says to God\, \n“I will tell these\, my sisters and brothers\, all I know of you.\nWhenever they gather\, I’ll be there\, trumpeting your virtues.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 10: 2-16 \n \n\n \n \n \n Some members of the devoutly religious Pharisee party approached Jesus intending to give him a hard time. They asked\, “Is it legal for a man to kick out his wife?” \nJesus turned the question back: “What instructions did Moses give about it in the law?” \nThey replied\, “Moses said a man is allowed to fill out the divorce paperwork and send his wife on her way.” \nJesus wasn’t finished though. “Moses only said that because it was about the best he could hope for from a callous and cruel mob like you. But God created things to be different. You know the scriptures. First it says\, ‘God created them male and female.’ Then it says\, ‘Because of this\, a man leaves his parents and joins up with his wife\, and they will be a single union.’ In marriage\, then\, they are no longer just two individuals. They become one – something new and whole and greater than the two of them. Don’t anyone go tearing apart this union that God has created.” \nBack home\, later on\, his followers picked up the subject again. Jesus spelt it out to them: “Anyone who abandons his wife in order to take up with someone else has betrayed her. It’s still adultery – whether you’ve filled out the paperwork or not. The same goes for any woman who walks out on her husband for someone else.” \nAt another time\, some people approached Jesus with their children hoping that he might take the little ones in his arms and give them a blessing. His followers told them to clear off\, but when Jesus saw this\, he tore strips off them. “Little children can come to me any time they like\, and don’t you dare try to stop them. The culture of God can be found in the hands of children such as these. The fact of the matter is that little children and the culture of God welcome one another naturally. Anyone who won’t join in on that welcoming will miss the lot.” \nAnd with that\, he gathered up the children into his arms\, laid his hands on each one in turn\, and blessed them all. \n©2000 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 Genesis 2: 18-24 \n \n\n \n \n \n After creating the man\, the LORD God said\, “It is a bit tough for the man to be all alone. I will make a partner for him\, to share the load.” \nSo getting to work\, the LORD God formed from the ground all the land animals and the birds of the air. The LORD brought them to the man to see what he would make of them. The man gave each living creature its first name\, and the names stuck. He named them all: the wild animals\, the farm animals\, and the birds of the air. But none of them made the grade as a suitable partner for the man. So the LORD God put the man into a deep sleep\, out for the count. While the man was under\, the LORD removed one of his ribs and sealed up the flesh where it had come from. And then\, using the rib from the man’s side\, the LORD God fashioned a woman\, and brought her to the man. This time the man said\, \n“Yes! At last! One of my own kind!\nMy own flesh and blood!\nThis one will be called Woman\,\nbecause there is a part of me in her from the start.”\nThat is why men and women leave their parents and tie the knot with one another. They become an item — one flesh. \n©2003 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\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 is always before us\nand you honour all who turn from evil and honour you. \nThrough your Son\, you formed the earth\nand created men and women in your image\nto be one\, as you are one.\nThrough your prophets you spoke to our forebears\,\nbut now you have spoken to us through your Son\, Jesus. \nThough he is the perfect imprint of your being\,\nhe was made for a little while lower than the angels\,\nand walked with us the road of our suffering.\nTasting death in his own body\,\nhe has pioneered the path to resurrection life\,\nand is now at your side\, crowned with glory and honour.\nHe has become our perfect priest\,\nmaking purification for sins\nand bringing us into your kingdom as joyous children —\nhis beloved sisters and brothers. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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\,\nthe perfect imprint of your being\,\nwho tasted death in his own body\,\nand pioneered the path to resurrection life\,\nbecoming our perfect priest\nand bringing us into your kingdom as joyous children —\nhis beloved sisters and brothers. \n©2003 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 is always before us\nand you honour all who turn from evil and honour you. \nThrough your Son\, you formed the earth\nand created men and women in your image\nto be one\, as you are one.\nThrough your prophets you spoke to our forebears\,\nbut now you have spoken to us through your Son\, Jesus. \nThough he is the perfect imprint of your being\,\nhe was made for a little while lower than the angels\,\nand walked with us the road of our suffering.\nTasting death in his own body\,\nhe has pioneered the path to resurrection life\,\nand is now at your side\, crowned with glory and honour.\nHe has become our perfect priest\,\nmaking purification for sins\nand bringing us into your kingdom as joyous children —\nhis beloved sisters and brothers. \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©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n By the grace of God\, Jesus Christ has tasted death for all.\nWalking the path of suffering before us\,\nhe leads the way to salvation\nand brings about the forgiveness of sins. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now and welcome the signs of God’s kingdom\nwith the joyous simplicity of children.\nWalk boldly in God’s strength\,\nand do not sit with liars and hypocrites. \nAnd may God rescue you and be gracious to you.\nMay Christ Jesus welcome you as his brothers and sisters.\nand may the Holy Spirit give you courage in time of suffering\nand strengthen you in integrity. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nMarriage\, Divorce & AdulteryA sermon on Mark 10: 2-16 by Craig Thompson\n\n\n\nBecoming as ChildrenA sermon on Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 & Mark 10: 2-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGetting a Good Look at GodA sermon on Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nA Hug or a Contract NegotiationA sermon on Mark 10: 2-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDivorce\, War\, and Hugging ChildrenA sermon on Mark 10: 2-16 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp22/2027-10-03/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P22.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271010T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271010T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20200930T042053Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241110T091030Z UID:10001666-1823126400-1823212799@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 23 - Year B 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 Job 23: 1-9\, 16-17 \n \n\n \n \n \n After hearing the attempts of his friends to explain his suffering\, Job said: \n“I continue to complain bitterly;\nGod is still kicking me while I’m down. \nIf only I knew where I could find God\,\nI’d pound on the door and demand a hearing.\nGod would have to listen to me state my case\nand argue my innocence.\nLet’s see what God would have to say to that!\nThen I could get God’s answer clear in my head. \nWould God simply pull rank and rule me out of order?\nI don’t think so. Surely God would listen.\nSurely if an honest bloke like me gets a fair hearing\,\nGod would judge in my favour\nand clear my name once and for all. \nBut I can’t find God anywhere.\nI look up\, down\, forwards\, backwards – nothing.\nI think I catch a glimpse to the left\, but no;\nI rush to the right\, but God vanishes like a mirage. \nMy hope and courage are almost gone;\nGod has left me a frightened wreck.\nGod has let a dark cloud close around me\,\nbut my protest will not be silenced!" \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 22: 1-15 \n \n\n \n \n \n God\, my God\, why the hell have you turned your back on me?\nHow come in my most desperate hour\,\nyou are nowhere to be found? \nI called you all day\, God\, over and over;\nI tossed and turned all night\,\nbut I still didn’t hear back from you. \nAren’t you supposed to be our one and only?\nAren’t you the one we’ve always voted for?\nOur ancestors put their trust in you\nand you never let them down.\nThey cried out for help and you stepped in;\nyou saved them from disaster and shame. \nSo what about me?\nShouldn’t I still be treated as a human being\,\neven if I feel like a worm –\nlooked down on\, loathed\, stomped on? \nEveryone who sees me sticks the boots in;\nthey turn up their noses and dismiss me with a sneering joke;\n“Why don’t you see if God’s on your side?\nSurely if you’re a mate of God’s then God will help you out!” \nWhat’s the story God?\nYour hands eased me from my mother’s womb;\nYou kept me from harm as I suckled at her breast.\nAs a baby\, I rested trustingly in your arms;\nYou’ve been my God since the day I was born. \nDon’t quit on me now.\nAll hell is about to break loose\nand there is no one else I can turn to. \nI’m surrounded by enemies\nlike a mob of wild bulls.\nAngry\, snorting\, stampeding beasts;\nthey charge at me\, all horns and pounding hoofs. \nI’m chucked out like a bucket of dirty water\,\nand I’m so smashed up I can barely move a muscle.\nMy heart has gone to jelly\,\na quivering useless blob.\nMy throat is as dry as a salt pan\,\nand my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.\nAnd you? You have left me for dead\ncovered in dust and flies. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 4: 12-16 \n \n\n \n \n \n The word of God is no dead letter — it is full of life and constantly at work. It is as sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel\, and anyone who pushes against it will be cut to the bone. With great precision it opens us up\, layer by layer\, uncovering what really makes us tick and diagnosing the state of our hearts. You can’t hide your true self from God’s word any more than you hide your body from a surgeon while lying naked and unconscious on the table. No matter who you are\, your life is an open book to God. \nAs exposed as this makes us feel\, it is all the more reason to stand firm in the faith we’ve already put our hands up to. After all\, the one who will present us to God and speak on our behalf — our great high priest — is Jesus\, and as God’s own Son we can be sure he has God’s ear. We can also be sure that he can relate to the realities we have to live with\, because he has already been through everything we have to go through — weakness\, doubts and torments — and all without selling out to sin. What more could we want in a high priest?! So let’s not be timid. Whenever we’re in need of help\, let’s walk right up to the throne of God and ask\, for our God is extravagantly welcoming and generous — only too happy to wipe our debts and help us out. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 10: 17-31 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus was just about to hit the road when a man ran up with his hat in his hand and asked\, “Good Teacher\, what do I have to do to receive the limitless life that God gives?” \nJesus said to him\, “What are you calling me good for? Only God is really good\, not any of us. What must you do? You know the commandments: ‘Don’t murder. Be faithful in marriage. Don’t steal. Don’t tell lies about anyone. Don’t cheat anyone. Treat your parents with respect.’” \nThe man replied\, “Teacher\, I’ve kept all these rules ever since I was a youngster.” \nJesus looked him straight in the eye and\, filled with love for him\, said\, “You still haven’t found what you’re looking for though\, have you? Come and follow me and you’ll find it. First though\, go and flog off everything you own\, give the proceeds to charity\, and then\, with all your investments in heaven\, you’ll be free to find what you are looking for.” \nYou could have knocked the bloke over with a feather. The colour drained out of his face and he turned and walked off feeling sick at the very thought of giving up all the trappings of his success. \nJesus looked around at his followers and said\, “Some people seem to have everything\, but for them it is nearly impossible to get into the culture of God.” \nHis followers thought they must have been hearing wrong\, but Jesus pressed the point: “Embracing the culture of God is not the easiest thing in the world anyway\, but for the rich\, it is about the most difficult thing you can imagine. You’d have more chance of getting a container ship through the eye of a needle than getting a person who’s loaded into the culture of God.” \nHis followers were totally flabbergasted. “Can anyone at all be saved then?” they asked. \nJesus looked them in the eye and said\, “If people had to do it themselves\, then no\, it would be beyond us. But it’s not beyond God. God can do anything.” \nPeter was trying to sort this out in his head. “Look\,” he said. “We turned our backs on everything we had and followed you.” \nJesus cut in and said\, “Look\, I wouldn’t kid you about this. Everyone who has had to give up house or land\, brothers\, sisters\, mother\, father or children in order to cast their lot in with me and with my message will be more than compensated. Hundreds of homes will be open to them\, and they’ll have more brothers and sisters and mothers and children than they can poke a stick at! Of course they’ll need them\, because they’ll be persecuted a hundred times more too! Then in the coming new age they’ll get the biggest bonus of all – life without limit! Once again you can see that God is turning the world on its head – many of those on top now will be at the bottom\, and those at the bottom now will then come out on top.” \n©2000 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 Amos 5: 6-7\, 10-15 \n \n\n \n \n \n Find your way back to the LORD if you want to save your lives.\nOtherwise all hell will break loose like a raging bushfire.\nEverything you hold sacred will go up in smoke.\nThere will be nothing anyone can do to control it. \nWhy? Because you have poisoned justice\,\nand trampled goodness and integrity into the dirt.\nYour hatred burns out of control against honest judges.\nYou can’t stand those who speak the whole truth. \nYou have made yourselves rich by riding roughshod over the poor\,\nripping them off blind with stacked odds and crooked charges.\nYou have built yourselves grandiose mansions with the proceeds\,\nbut you’ll never get to live in them.\nYou have established exclusive vineyards for yourselves\,\nbut you’ll be history before the first glass is poured. \nI have kept count of your many crimes.\nI know the full extent of your atrocities.\nYou are a nightmare to anyone who tries to do what is right.\nYou bulldoze your interests through the courts\nwith bribes and threats\,\ncrushing the needy in your path. \nBut those who’ve made a killing will be silenced\,\nfor such evil times sow the seeds of disaster. \nSet your sights on doing right\, and not evil.\nIt is your only chance to save your lives.\nYou have always made out that God is on your side.\nSee if you can turn things around and make it come true. \nReject evil and embrace what is good and right.\nClean up the courts so that justice can prevail.\nMaybe even now the LORD\, the God who rules over everything\,\nwill be generous enough to spare a few of you. \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 90: 12-17 \n \n\n \n \n \n Teach us to value each and every day\, LORD\,\nso that we will be wise enough to make the most of them. \nIt’s time for a change\, LORD.\nHasn’t this gone on long enough?\nFor pity’s sake\, it’s time to give us a break. \nLet a new day dawn\nand give us our fill of your love and loyalty\,\nso that our lives may be full of smiles and laughter\ntill the end of our days. \nGive us more days of happiness\nthan the days of suffering you sent.\nMay the years where evil reigned\nbe cancelled out by years of joy. \nMake your actions clear to those of us in your service;\nlet your children see your strength in all its glory. \nPut us in your good books\, O Lord our God\,\nand give us a rich return for all our labour —\nmay the work of our hands turn to gold! \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 suffered with us\nand tasted despair that we might taste mercy and grace. \nYour living and active word created all things;\nand everything lies exposed before your eyes.\nWhen our forebears put their trust in you\nyou rescued them\, for all things are possible for you. \nYou sent your Son\, Jesus\, into the world\,\npreaching your message and calling everyone to follow.\nHis word cuts to the core of all things\,\nexposing the addictions that bind us and blind us\nand hold us back from investing all we have in serving you.\nWhen Jesus was brought down to the dust of death\,\ndying in the horror of abandonment\,\nyou raised him to life again\,\nand through him we have the confidence\nto come into your presence\nand look to your grace for our life. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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\,\nwhose word cuts to the core of all things\,\nexposing all that holds us back from serving you\,\nand through whom we have the confidence\nto come into your presence\,\nlooking to your grace for our life. \n©2003 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 suffered with us\nand tasted despair that we might taste mercy and grace. \nYour living and active word created all things;\nand everything lies exposed before your eyes.\nWhen our forebears put their trust in you\nyou rescued them\, for all things are possible for you. \nYou sent your Son\, Jesus\, into the world\,\npreaching your message and calling everyone to follow.\nHis word cuts to the core of all things\,\nexposing the addictions that bind us and blind us\nand hold us back from investing all we have in serving you.\nWhen Jesus was brought down to the dust of death\,\ndying in the horror of abandonment\,\nyou raised him to life again\,\nand through him we have the confidence\nto come into your presence\nand look to your grace for our 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©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus\, the Son of God\, was tempted in every way that we are\,\nand is now at the throne of grace\npresenting to God our case for mercy.\nTherefore\, we can approach God's throne in confidence. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now in the confidence of people who have found mercy.\nFollow Jesus\,\nkeeping the commandments\,\nletting go of all that binds you to the ways of this world\,\nand investing everything in God’s realm. \nAnd may God come close to you and keep you safe;\nMay Christ Jesus reward your faithfulness a hundredfold;\nand may the Holy Spirit be your help in time of need. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nWhat Do Grace\, Love and Mercy Cost?A sermon on Hebrews 4:12-16 & Mark 10:17-31 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nCourage and VulnerabilityA sermon on Hebrews 4:12-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGrace\, or the Power of PossibilityA sermon on Job 23.1-9\, 16-17; Psalm 22.1-15 & Mark 10.17-31 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nImpossible?A sermon on Job 23:1-9\,16-17 & Mark 10:17-31 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhen Courage Fails\, Seek CompassionA sermon on Job 23:1-9\,16-17 by Neville Callum\n\n\n\n#FirstWorldProblems?A sermon on Mark 10:17-31 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Word that Lays us BareA sermon on Hebrews 4:12-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhat the hell\, God?A sermon on Job 23.1-9\, 16-17; Psalm 22.1-15; Hebrews 4:12-16 & Mark 10:17-31 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nClinging to Competitive GriefA sermon on Mark 10:17-31; Job 23.1-9\, 16-17; Psalm 22.1-15; & Hebrews 4:12-16 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp23/2027-10-10/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P23.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271010T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271010T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20200930T042053Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000533Z UID:10002779-1823126400-1823212799@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 23 - Year B 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 Job 23: 1-9\, 16-17 \n \n\n \n \n \n After hearing the attempts of his friends to explain his suffering\, Job said: \n“I continue to complain bitterly;\nGod is still kicking me while I’m down. \nIf only I knew where I could find God\,\nI’d pound on the door and demand a hearing.\nGod would have to listen to me state my case\nand argue my innocence.\nLet’s see what God would have to say to that!\nThen I could get God’s answer clear in my head. \nWould God simply pull rank and rule me out of order?\nI don’t think so. Surely God would listen.\nSurely if an honest bloke like me gets a fair hearing\,\nGod would judge in my favour\nand clear my name once and for all. \nBut I can’t find God anywhere.\nI look up\, down\, forwards\, backwards – nothing.\nI think I catch a glimpse to the left\, but no;\nI rush to the right\, but God vanishes like a mirage. \nMy hope and courage are almost gone;\nGod has left me a frightened wreck.\nGod has let a dark cloud close around me\,\nbut my protest will not be silenced!" \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 22: 1-15 \n \n\n \n \n \n God\, my God\, why the hell have you turned your back on me?\nHow come in my most desperate hour\,\nyou are nowhere to be found? \nI called you all day\, God\, over and over;\nI tossed and turned all night\,\nbut I still didn’t hear back from you. \nAren’t you supposed to be our one and only?\nAren’t you the one we’ve always voted for?\nOur ancestors put their trust in you\nand you never let them down.\nThey cried out for help and you stepped in;\nyou saved them from disaster and shame. \nSo what about me?\nShouldn’t I still be treated as a human being\,\neven if I feel like a worm –\nlooked down on\, loathed\, stomped on? \nEveryone who sees me sticks the boots in;\nthey turn up their noses and dismiss me with a sneering joke;\n“Why don’t you see if God’s on your side?\nSurely if you’re a mate of God’s then God will help you out!” \nWhat’s the story God?\nYour hands eased me from my mother’s womb;\nYou kept me from harm as I suckled at her breast.\nAs a baby\, I rested trustingly in your arms;\nYou’ve been my God since the day I was born. \nDon’t quit on me now.\nAll hell is about to break loose\nand there is no one else I can turn to. \nI’m surrounded by enemies\nlike a mob of wild bulls.\nAngry\, snorting\, stampeding beasts;\nthey charge at me\, all horns and pounding hoofs. \nI’m chucked out like a bucket of dirty water\,\nand I’m so smashed up I can barely move a muscle.\nMy heart has gone to jelly\,\na quivering useless blob.\nMy throat is as dry as a salt pan\,\nand my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.\nAnd you? You have left me for dead\ncovered in dust and flies. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 4: 12-16 \n \n\n \n \n \n The word of God is no dead letter — it is full of life and constantly at work. It is as sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel\, and anyone who pushes against it will be cut to the bone. With great precision it opens us up\, layer by layer\, uncovering what really makes us tick and diagnosing the state of our hearts. You can’t hide your true self from God’s word any more than you hide your body from a surgeon while lying naked and unconscious on the table. No matter who you are\, your life is an open book to God. \nAs exposed as this makes us feel\, it is all the more reason to stand firm in the faith we’ve already put our hands up to. After all\, the one who will present us to God and speak on our behalf — our great high priest — is Jesus\, and as God’s own Son we can be sure he has God’s ear. We can also be sure that he can relate to the realities we have to live with\, because he has already been through everything we have to go through — weakness\, doubts and torments — and all without selling out to sin. What more could we want in a high priest?! So let’s not be timid. Whenever we’re in need of help\, let’s walk right up to the throne of God and ask\, for our God is extravagantly welcoming and generous — only too happy to wipe our debts and help us out. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 10: 17-31 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus was just about to hit the road when a man ran up with his hat in his hand and asked\, “Good Teacher\, what do I have to do to receive the limitless life that God gives?” \nJesus said to him\, “What are you calling me good for? Only God is really good\, not any of us. What must you do? You know the commandments: ‘Don’t murder. Be faithful in marriage. Don’t steal. Don’t tell lies about anyone. Don’t cheat anyone. Treat your parents with respect.’” \nThe man replied\, “Teacher\, I’ve kept all these rules ever since I was a youngster.” \nJesus looked him straight in the eye and\, filled with love for him\, said\, “You still haven’t found what you’re looking for though\, have you? Come and follow me and you’ll find it. First though\, go and flog off everything you own\, give the proceeds to charity\, and then\, with all your investments in heaven\, you’ll be free to find what you are looking for.” \nYou could have knocked the bloke over with a feather. The colour drained out of his face and he turned and walked off feeling sick at the very thought of giving up all the trappings of his success. \nJesus looked around at his followers and said\, “Some people seem to have everything\, but for them it is nearly impossible to get into the culture of God.” \nHis followers thought they must have been hearing wrong\, but Jesus pressed the point: “Embracing the culture of God is not the easiest thing in the world anyway\, but for the rich\, it is about the most difficult thing you can imagine. You’d have more chance of getting a container ship through the eye of a needle than getting a person who’s loaded into the culture of God.” \nHis followers were totally flabbergasted. “Can anyone at all be saved then?” they asked. \nJesus looked them in the eye and said\, “If people had to do it themselves\, then no\, it would be beyond us. But it’s not beyond God. God can do anything.” \nPeter was trying to sort this out in his head. “Look\,” he said. “We turned our backs on everything we had and followed you.” \nJesus cut in and said\, “Look\, I wouldn’t kid you about this. Everyone who has had to give up house or land\, brothers\, sisters\, mother\, father or children in order to cast their lot in with me and with my message will be more than compensated. Hundreds of homes will be open to them\, and they’ll have more brothers and sisters and mothers and children than they can poke a stick at! Of course they’ll need them\, because they’ll be persecuted a hundred times more too! Then in the coming new age they’ll get the biggest bonus of all – life without limit! Once again you can see that God is turning the world on its head – many of those on top now will be at the bottom\, and those at the bottom now will then come out on top.” \n©2000 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 Amos 5: 6-7\, 10-15 \n \n\n \n \n \n Find your way back to the LORD if you want to save your lives.\nOtherwise all hell will break loose like a raging bushfire.\nEverything you hold sacred will go up in smoke.\nThere will be nothing anyone can do to control it. \nWhy? Because you have poisoned justice\,\nand trampled goodness and integrity into the dirt.\nYour hatred burns out of control against honest judges.\nYou can’t stand those who speak the whole truth. \nYou have made yourselves rich by riding roughshod over the poor\,\nripping them off blind with stacked odds and crooked charges.\nYou have built yourselves grandiose mansions with the proceeds\,\nbut you’ll never get to live in them.\nYou have established exclusive vineyards for yourselves\,\nbut you’ll be history before the first glass is poured. \nI have kept count of your many crimes.\nI know the full extent of your atrocities.\nYou are a nightmare to anyone who tries to do what is right.\nYou bulldoze your interests through the courts\nwith bribes and threats\,\ncrushing the needy in your path. \nBut those who’ve made a killing will be silenced\,\nfor such evil times sow the seeds of disaster. \nSet your sights on doing right\, and not evil.\nIt is your only chance to save your lives.\nYou have always made out that God is on your side.\nSee if you can turn things around and make it come true. \nReject evil and embrace what is good and right.\nClean up the courts so that justice can prevail.\nMaybe even now the LORD\, the God who rules over everything\,\nwill be generous enough to spare a few of you. \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 90: 12-17 \n \n\n \n \n \n Teach us to value each and every day\, LORD\,\nso that we will be wise enough to make the most of them. \nIt’s time for a change\, LORD.\nHasn’t this gone on long enough?\nFor pity’s sake\, it’s time to give us a break. \nLet a new day dawn\nand give us our fill of your love and loyalty\,\nso that our lives may be full of smiles and laughter\ntill the end of our days. \nGive us more days of happiness\nthan the days of suffering you sent.\nMay the years where evil reigned\nbe cancelled out by years of joy. \nMake your actions clear to those of us in your service;\nlet your children see your strength in all its glory. \nPut us in your good books\, O Lord our God\,\nand give us a rich return for all our labour —\nmay the work of our hands turn to gold! \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 suffered with us\nand tasted despair that we might taste mercy and grace. \nYour living and active word created all things;\nand everything lies exposed before your eyes.\nWhen our forebears put their trust in you\nyou rescued them\, for all things are possible for you. \nYou sent your Son\, Jesus\, into the world\,\npreaching your message and calling everyone to follow.\nHis word cuts to the core of all things\,\nexposing the addictions that bind us and blind us\nand hold us back from investing all we have in serving you.\nWhen Jesus was brought down to the dust of death\,\ndying in the horror of abandonment\,\nyou raised him to life again\,\nand through him we have the confidence\nto come into your presence\nand look to your grace for our life. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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\,\nwhose word cuts to the core of all things\,\nexposing all that holds us back from serving you\,\nand through whom we have the confidence\nto come into your presence\,\nlooking to your grace for our life. \n©2003 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 suffered with us\nand tasted despair that we might taste mercy and grace. \nYour living and active word created all things;\nand everything lies exposed before your eyes.\nWhen our forebears put their trust in you\nyou rescued them\, for all things are possible for you. \nYou sent your Son\, Jesus\, into the world\,\npreaching your message and calling everyone to follow.\nHis word cuts to the core of all things\,\nexposing the addictions that bind us and blind us\nand hold us back from investing all we have in serving you.\nWhen Jesus was brought down to the dust of death\,\ndying in the horror of abandonment\,\nyou raised him to life again\,\nand through him we have the confidence\nto come into your presence\nand look to your grace for our 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©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus\, the Son of God\, was tempted in every way that we are\,\nand is now at the throne of grace\npresenting to God our case for mercy.\nTherefore\, we can approach God's throne in confidence. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now in the confidence of people who have found mercy.\nFollow Jesus\,\nkeeping the commandments\,\nletting go of all that binds you to the ways of this world\,\nand investing everything in God’s realm. \nAnd may God come close to you and keep you safe;\nMay Christ Jesus reward your faithfulness a hundredfold;\nand may the Holy Spirit be your help in time of need. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nWhat Do Grace\, Love and Mercy Cost?A sermon on Hebrews 4:12-16 & Mark 10:17-31 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nCourage and VulnerabilityA sermon on Hebrews 4:12-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGrace\, or the Power of PossibilityA sermon on Job 23.1-9\, 16-17; Psalm 22.1-15 & Mark 10.17-31 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nImpossible?A sermon on Job 23:1-9\,16-17 & Mark 10:17-31 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhen Courage Fails\, Seek CompassionA sermon on Job 23:1-9\,16-17 by Neville Callum\n\n\n\n#FirstWorldProblems?A sermon on Mark 10:17-31 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nThe Word that Lays us BareA sermon on Hebrews 4:12-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhat the hell\, God?A sermon on Job 23.1-9\, 16-17; Psalm 22.1-15; Hebrews 4:12-16 & Mark 10:17-31 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nClinging to Competitive GriefA sermon on Mark 10:17-31; Job 23.1-9\, 16-17; Psalm 22.1-15; & Hebrews 4:12-16 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp23/2027-10-10/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P23.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271017T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271017T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201001T054127Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241201T091049Z UID:10001668-1823731200-1823817599@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 24 - Year B 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 Job 38: 1-7\, (34-41) \n \n\n \n \n \n From the midst of a cyclone\, the voice of the LORD answered Job\, saying: \n“Who are you to mouth off against me\nwhen you’ve got no idea what you’re talking about?\nStand up straight like a man\nand see if you can give answers when I ask the questions. \n“Were you there when I laid the foundations of the earth?\nIf you’re so smart\, tell me all about it.\nWho drew up the plans and decided how big it would be?\nWho held the tape measure and marked it out?\nSpeak up – surely you know!\nWhat do the foundations sit on\, and how far down do they go?\nWho turned the first sod? Who laid the cornerstone?\nDo you remember what the morning stars sang at the celebration?\nIt brought everyone in heaven to their feet cheering. \n“Can you order the clouds around\nand tell them when and where to rain?\nWhen you give the word for the lightening to flash\,\ndoes it ask you first\, ‘How far?’ \n“Who tips off the water birds when the floods are coming?\nHow do ants know when it’s going to rain?\nWho has the wisdom to regulate the clouds\,\nor be put in charge of distributing the rain\nthat waters down the dust so it won’t blow away? \n“Can you help a hungry lion to hunt\,\nor hand feed lion cubs all they need?\nDo you lie around with them in their den\nand teach them how to pounce on their prey? \nWho do you think provides for the Currawong\nwhen it’s chicks wander about hungry\nand cry out to God for a feed? \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 104: 1-9\, 24\, 35c \n \n\n \n \n \n With all that I am\, O LORD\, I declare you to be the best.\nO LORD my God\, you are the greatest. \nYou are decked out in glory and distinction\,\nand the brilliant rays of the sun are your robe.\nYou make the milky way the ceiling\nand the ocean bed the foundation for your house.\nYou fly first class on the clouds\,\ntaking off and landing with the wind.\nYou have appointed the winds to deliver your message\,\nand flames of fire to administer your will. \nYou built the earth on firm foundations\,\nso that nothing can shake it loose.\nYou wrapped the planet up in an ocean\nthat submerged even the mountains. \nOnly when you gave the word did the waters back off;\nwith a voice of thunder you sent them running.\nCascading from the mountain tops they poured down valleys\nand came to rest in the place you had marked out for them.\nYou marked out the shore and declared the land off-limits\nso that the oceans would not drown the earth again. \nO LORD\, what a wildly fabulous world!  \nWorking hand in hand with wisdom\nyou have made an earthful of wonderful creatures.  \nI give you all the credit\, LORD!  \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 5: 1-10 \n \n\n \n \n \n The person who is chosen to be a high priest is given the task of representing the people to God and offering to God the costly gifts that people bring as a sign that they are sorry when they have messed up. The high priest\, being just as prone to thoughtless and crooked behaviour as anyone else\, is able to be supportive and understanding of people instead of dealing harshly with them. After all\, priests have to offer gifts to God to say sorry for their own wrongdoing along with everybody else’s. No one can nominate themselves for this honour. A person only becomes a high priest if God hand picks them for the job. That’s how it was for Aaron and it has been ever since. \nIt was no different with Christ. He became a high priest\, but not because he campaigned for the position. It was God who tapped him on the shoulder and said\, in the words of scripture: \n“You’re it — my Son;\ntoday I have named you.” \nIn the same way\, in another place\, God says: \n“You are a priest forever;\nyour task is the priestly work begun by Melchizedek.” \nWhen Jesus was among us and the threat of death was closing in on him\, it was with agonized cries and tears that he did his priestly work of offering up prayers and appeals to the God who has the power to save us from death. His pleas were heard because of his prayerful acceptance of God’s will. He was given no special privileges as a Son — he got his lessons in obedience in the same school of suffering as the rest of us. Once he had made the grade\, perfecting all that he had to learn\, God marked him out as a high priest — the last of the line that began with Melchizedek. Thus\, Jesus became the one who sets free all who trust and follow him. For them he is the source of life without limit. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 10: 35-45 \n \n\n \n \n \n Among the twelve closest followers of Jesus were two brothers\, James and John\, the sons of Zebedee. One day they approached Jesus on the quiet and asked\, “Teacher\, how about doing us a big favour?” \n“Tell me what it is and we’ll see\,” Jesus replied. \n“Well\,” they said\, “would you please reserve for us the top seats of honour on either side of yours\, when your day of glory comes?” \nBut Jesus shook his head and said\, “You’ve got no idea what you’re asking for. Can you drink the cup I have to drink? Have you got what it takes to be baptised with the baptism I am about to be put through? \n“No worries\,” they replied. “We’re up to it.” \nThen Jesus said to them\, “I’m afraid that you are going to drink the cup I have to drink\, and you will be plunged into the baptism I am about to go through\, but I don’t have the authority to give out the honours you’re asking for. God has already chosen who the seats on my right and left will be allocated to.” \nWhen the other ten got wind of what James and John had been asking for\, they were absolutely ropeable. Jesus stepped in and gave them all a good talking to. He said\, “I know you’ve seen how power is exercised outside of the people of God. A taste of power goes straight to the head. Leaders strut around\, flaunting their authority\, and before you know it they’ve set themselves up as dictators\, above the law. Don’t go making that your model. The measure of greatness among you is to be the measure of service. The person who will be honoured as number one among you will be the person who has slaved the hardest for everyone else. The New Human came serving everyone\, not looking to be served by them. He came offering his own life in exchange for the release of many who are held hostage. \n©2000 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 53: 4-12 \n \n\n \n \n \n Look at what the one who serves on the LORD’s behalf has suffered. \nThe sickness and brokenness he endured turned out to be ours;\nif it wasn’t for him\, it would have wiped us out.\nBut back then we thought it was his own fault\nand that God was punishing him for what he had done. \nIn reality\, it was what we had done that was to blame.\nIt was us who deserved to be punished\,\nbut him who copped the flak.\nWhen he was left battered\, broken and bleeding\,\nwe were off the hook;\nfree to enjoy the fruits of health and wholeness. \nWe were all doing our own thing in our own way;\nas far off-track as a penguin in the desert;\nas far off-key as a mob of galahs.\nAnd yet the LORD accepted his offer to take the rap\nfor the actions of each and every one of us. \nHe was ripped off and kicked around\,\nbut he took it on the chin.\nNot once did he ever whinge or protest;\nhe was as silent as a lamb that trots to its fate\,\nknowing neither shearer nor slaughterer. \nHis arrest and trial made a mockery of justice.\nNo one knew or cared what he was up against.\nHe was dragged off in the midst of life;\nput to death for crimes committed by our people. \nAlthough he had never breathed a lie\nor done anything to hurt anyone\,\nthey buried him alongside the callous and corrupt\n– thoughtless profiteers who died rich.” \nThe LORD says\,\n“It was me who decided to allow this tragedy\nto befall the one who serves on my behalf.\nHe made the ultimate sacrifice at your hands\,\nand won forgiveness for you in the process.\nSo now he will be rewarded with life;\nhe will live to see his children and their children.\nThrough his actions\,\nmy plans are able to succeed. \nIn the depths of agony and despair he discovered the truth\,\nand with the truth he found true peace.\nThe one who serves on my behalf was beyond reproach\,\nbut he took the rap for what others did\,\nand left their record as spotless as his own. \nBecause of all that he has done\,\nI\, the LORD\, elevate him to the hall of fame\nand give him the rewards of true greatness.\nHe deserves the best\, for he made the ultimate sacrifice\,\naccepting the death of common criminal\nso that through his suffering and prayers\nothers might be cut free from their sin.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 91: 9-16 \n \n\n \n \n \n We have nothing to fear because we have found safety in you;\nwe have settled down within your care.\nThanks to you\, LORD of the universe\, no evil can touch us;\ndisaster can not get a foot in the door. \nYou have instructed your angels to look after us;\nmade it their job to protect us wherever we go.\nYou’ve told them to catch us when we fall;\nto keep us from coming to grief on hidden snags. \nWith your help we can face any danger;\nwe can stare down crocodiles and Tiger snakes. \nThose who know you and love you can depend on you\,\nyou are always there to pull them out of trouble. \nThe moment they call\, you answer;\nyou’re on their side when all hell breaks loose;\nyou save their lives and throw a party in their honour. \nYou give them long and fulfilling lives\, LORD;\nthey will see the realisation of all you have promised. \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 alone know the secrets of the universe\nand you alone know who is to be honoured in glory. \nYou set the earth on its foundations\nand filled it with wonderful creatures.\nYour creative power is beyond our comprehension\nand your purposes in the world can only be glimpsed. \nYet you have come among us in your Son\, Jesus Christ.\nHe came as a servant of all\nand laboured and prayed with us for the release\nof all who are held hostage to sin and death.\nWhen tyrants rose against him\,\nhe drank the cup of suffering\nand was plunged into the baptism of death\,\nbut you raised him to new life\nand designated him a high priest forever\,\nmaking him the source of eternal salvation\nfor us and all who respond to your gracious call. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2000 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 Christ\,\nwho came as a servant of all\,\ndrinking the cup of suffering\,\nand labouring and praying with us for the release\nof all who are held hostage to sin and death. \n©2003 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 know the secrets of the universe\nand you alone know who is to be honoured in glory. \nYou set the earth on its foundations\nand filled it with wonderful creatures.\nYour creative power is beyond our comprehension\nand your purposes in the world can only be glimpsed. \nYet you have come among us in your Son\, Jesus Christ.\nHe came as a servant of all\nand laboured and prayed with us for the release\nof all who are held hostage to sin and death.\nWhen tyrants rose against him\,\nhe drank the cup of suffering\nand was plunged into the baptism of death\,\nbut you raised him to new life\nand designated him a high priest forever\,\nmaking him the source of eternal salvation\nfor us and all who respond to your gracious call. \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©2000 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 came not to be served but to serve\,\nand to give his life in exchange for those held hostage by sin.\nHaving been designated by God a high priest\,\nhe makes sacrifice for our sins\nand thus becomes the source of eternal salvation. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now with the words of your high priest in your ears:\n“You are a forgiven people.”\nThough Christ has welcomed you to his table\,\ndo not lord it over others.\nStrive not to be served\, but to serve\,\nand pray\, with cries and tears\, for the salvation of all. \nAnd may God be present to you in times of trial;\nMay Christ Jesus pray for you and secure your forgiveness;\nand may the Holy Spirit fill you with hope and humility. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nWho is the Priest?A sermon on Hebrews 5:1-10 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nKnowing Our PlaceA sermon on Psalm 104:24 by Keith Clements\n\n\n\nWishing to be GreatA sermon on Mark 10:35-45 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nStatus\, Sacraments and ServiceA sermon on Mark 10:35-45 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nRandom Acts of SufferingA sermon on the book of Job by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPrima-donnas and Exuberant ChildrenA sermon on Mark 10:35-45 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nFollowing JesusA sermon on Mark 10:35-45 by Elie Haddad URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp24/2027-10-17/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P24.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271017T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271017T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201001T054127Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000533Z UID:10002777-1823731200-1823817599@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 24 - Year B 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 Job 38: 1-7\, (34-41) \n \n\n \n \n \n From the midst of a cyclone\, the voice of the LORD answered Job\, saying: \n“Who are you to mouth off against me\nwhen you’ve got no idea what you’re talking about?\nStand up straight like a man\nand see if you can give answers when I ask the questions. \n“Were you there when I laid the foundations of the earth?\nIf you’re so smart\, tell me all about it.\nWho drew up the plans and decided how big it would be?\nWho held the tape measure and marked it out?\nSpeak up – surely you know!\nWhat do the foundations sit on\, and how far down do they go?\nWho turned the first sod? Who laid the cornerstone?\nDo you remember what the morning stars sang at the celebration?\nIt brought everyone in heaven to their feet cheering. \n“Can you order the clouds around\nand tell them when and where to rain?\nWhen you give the word for the lightening to flash\,\ndoes it ask you first\, ‘How far?’ \n“Who tips off the water birds when the floods are coming?\nHow do ants know when it’s going to rain?\nWho has the wisdom to regulate the clouds\,\nor be put in charge of distributing the rain\nthat waters down the dust so it won’t blow away? \n“Can you help a hungry lion to hunt\,\nor hand feed lion cubs all they need?\nDo you lie around with them in their den\nand teach them how to pounce on their prey? \nWho do you think provides for the Currawong\nwhen it’s chicks wander about hungry\nand cry out to God for a feed? \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 104: 1-9\, 24\, 35c \n \n\n \n \n \n With all that I am\, O LORD\, I declare you to be the best.\nO LORD my God\, you are the greatest. \nYou are decked out in glory and distinction\,\nand the brilliant rays of the sun are your robe.\nYou make the milky way the ceiling\nand the ocean bed the foundation for your house.\nYou fly first class on the clouds\,\ntaking off and landing with the wind.\nYou have appointed the winds to deliver your message\,\nand flames of fire to administer your will. \nYou built the earth on firm foundations\,\nso that nothing can shake it loose.\nYou wrapped the planet up in an ocean\nthat submerged even the mountains. \nOnly when you gave the word did the waters back off;\nwith a voice of thunder you sent them running.\nCascading from the mountain tops they poured down valleys\nand came to rest in the place you had marked out for them.\nYou marked out the shore and declared the land off-limits\nso that the oceans would not drown the earth again. \nO LORD\, what a wildly fabulous world!  \nWorking hand in hand with wisdom\nyou have made an earthful of wonderful creatures.  \nI give you all the credit\, LORD!  \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 5: 1-10 \n \n\n \n \n \n The person who is chosen to be a high priest is given the task of representing the people to God and offering to God the costly gifts that people bring as a sign that they are sorry when they have messed up. The high priest\, being just as prone to thoughtless and crooked behaviour as anyone else\, is able to be supportive and understanding of people instead of dealing harshly with them. After all\, priests have to offer gifts to God to say sorry for their own wrongdoing along with everybody else’s. No one can nominate themselves for this honour. A person only becomes a high priest if God hand picks them for the job. That’s how it was for Aaron and it has been ever since. \nIt was no different with Christ. He became a high priest\, but not because he campaigned for the position. It was God who tapped him on the shoulder and said\, in the words of scripture: \n“You’re it — my Son;\ntoday I have named you.” \nIn the same way\, in another place\, God says: \n“You are a priest forever;\nyour task is the priestly work begun by Melchizedek.” \nWhen Jesus was among us and the threat of death was closing in on him\, it was with agonized cries and tears that he did his priestly work of offering up prayers and appeals to the God who has the power to save us from death. His pleas were heard because of his prayerful acceptance of God’s will. He was given no special privileges as a Son — he got his lessons in obedience in the same school of suffering as the rest of us. Once he had made the grade\, perfecting all that he had to learn\, God marked him out as a high priest — the last of the line that began with Melchizedek. Thus\, Jesus became the one who sets free all who trust and follow him. For them he is the source of life without limit. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 10: 35-45 \n \n\n \n \n \n Among the twelve closest followers of Jesus were two brothers\, James and John\, the sons of Zebedee. One day they approached Jesus on the quiet and asked\, “Teacher\, how about doing us a big favour?” \n“Tell me what it is and we’ll see\,” Jesus replied. \n“Well\,” they said\, “would you please reserve for us the top seats of honour on either side of yours\, when your day of glory comes?” \nBut Jesus shook his head and said\, “You’ve got no idea what you’re asking for. Can you drink the cup I have to drink? Have you got what it takes to be baptised with the baptism I am about to be put through? \n“No worries\,” they replied. “We’re up to it.” \nThen Jesus said to them\, “I’m afraid that you are going to drink the cup I have to drink\, and you will be plunged into the baptism I am about to go through\, but I don’t have the authority to give out the honours you’re asking for. God has already chosen who the seats on my right and left will be allocated to.” \nWhen the other ten got wind of what James and John had been asking for\, they were absolutely ropeable. Jesus stepped in and gave them all a good talking to. He said\, “I know you’ve seen how power is exercised outside of the people of God. A taste of power goes straight to the head. Leaders strut around\, flaunting their authority\, and before you know it they’ve set themselves up as dictators\, above the law. Don’t go making that your model. The measure of greatness among you is to be the measure of service. The person who will be honoured as number one among you will be the person who has slaved the hardest for everyone else. The New Human came serving everyone\, not looking to be served by them. He came offering his own life in exchange for the release of many who are held hostage. \n©2000 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 53: 4-12 \n \n\n \n \n \n Look at what the one who serves on the LORD’s behalf has suffered. \nThe sickness and brokenness he endured turned out to be ours;\nif it wasn’t for him\, it would have wiped us out.\nBut back then we thought it was his own fault\nand that God was punishing him for what he had done. \nIn reality\, it was what we had done that was to blame.\nIt was us who deserved to be punished\,\nbut him who copped the flak.\nWhen he was left battered\, broken and bleeding\,\nwe were off the hook;\nfree to enjoy the fruits of health and wholeness. \nWe were all doing our own thing in our own way;\nas far off-track as a penguin in the desert;\nas far off-key as a mob of galahs.\nAnd yet the LORD accepted his offer to take the rap\nfor the actions of each and every one of us. \nHe was ripped off and kicked around\,\nbut he took it on the chin.\nNot once did he ever whinge or protest;\nhe was as silent as a lamb that trots to its fate\,\nknowing neither shearer nor slaughterer. \nHis arrest and trial made a mockery of justice.\nNo one knew or cared what he was up against.\nHe was dragged off in the midst of life;\nput to death for crimes committed by our people. \nAlthough he had never breathed a lie\nor done anything to hurt anyone\,\nthey buried him alongside the callous and corrupt\n– thoughtless profiteers who died rich.” \nThe LORD says\,\n“It was me who decided to allow this tragedy\nto befall the one who serves on my behalf.\nHe made the ultimate sacrifice at your hands\,\nand won forgiveness for you in the process.\nSo now he will be rewarded with life;\nhe will live to see his children and their children.\nThrough his actions\,\nmy plans are able to succeed. \nIn the depths of agony and despair he discovered the truth\,\nand with the truth he found true peace.\nThe one who serves on my behalf was beyond reproach\,\nbut he took the rap for what others did\,\nand left their record as spotless as his own. \nBecause of all that he has done\,\nI\, the LORD\, elevate him to the hall of fame\nand give him the rewards of true greatness.\nHe deserves the best\, for he made the ultimate sacrifice\,\naccepting the death of common criminal\nso that through his suffering and prayers\nothers might be cut free from their sin.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 91: 9-16 \n \n\n \n \n \n We have nothing to fear because we have found safety in you;\nwe have settled down within your care.\nThanks to you\, LORD of the universe\, no evil can touch us;\ndisaster can not get a foot in the door. \nYou have instructed your angels to look after us;\nmade it their job to protect us wherever we go.\nYou’ve told them to catch us when we fall;\nto keep us from coming to grief on hidden snags. \nWith your help we can face any danger;\nwe can stare down crocodiles and Tiger snakes. \nThose who know you and love you can depend on you\,\nyou are always there to pull them out of trouble. \nThe moment they call\, you answer;\nyou’re on their side when all hell breaks loose;\nyou save their lives and throw a party in their honour. \nYou give them long and fulfilling lives\, LORD;\nthey will see the realisation of all you have promised. \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 alone know the secrets of the universe\nand you alone know who is to be honoured in glory. \nYou set the earth on its foundations\nand filled it with wonderful creatures.\nYour creative power is beyond our comprehension\nand your purposes in the world can only be glimpsed. \nYet you have come among us in your Son\, Jesus Christ.\nHe came as a servant of all\nand laboured and prayed with us for the release\nof all who are held hostage to sin and death.\nWhen tyrants rose against him\,\nhe drank the cup of suffering\nand was plunged into the baptism of death\,\nbut you raised him to new life\nand designated him a high priest forever\,\nmaking him the source of eternal salvation\nfor us and all who respond to your gracious call. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2000 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 Christ\,\nwho came as a servant of all\,\ndrinking the cup of suffering\,\nand labouring and praying with us for the release\nof all who are held hostage to sin and death. \n©2003 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 know the secrets of the universe\nand you alone know who is to be honoured in glory. \nYou set the earth on its foundations\nand filled it with wonderful creatures.\nYour creative power is beyond our comprehension\nand your purposes in the world can only be glimpsed. \nYet you have come among us in your Son\, Jesus Christ.\nHe came as a servant of all\nand laboured and prayed with us for the release\nof all who are held hostage to sin and death.\nWhen tyrants rose against him\,\nhe drank the cup of suffering\nand was plunged into the baptism of death\,\nbut you raised him to new life\nand designated him a high priest forever\,\nmaking him the source of eternal salvation\nfor us and all who respond to your gracious call. \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©2000 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 came not to be served but to serve\,\nand to give his life in exchange for those held hostage by sin.\nHaving been designated by God a high priest\,\nhe makes sacrifice for our sins\nand thus becomes the source of eternal salvation. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now with the words of your high priest in your ears:\n“You are a forgiven people.”\nThough Christ has welcomed you to his table\,\ndo not lord it over others.\nStrive not to be served\, but to serve\,\nand pray\, with cries and tears\, for the salvation of all. \nAnd may God be present to you in times of trial;\nMay Christ Jesus pray for you and secure your forgiveness;\nand may the Holy Spirit fill you with hope and humility. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nWho is the Priest?A sermon on Hebrews 5:1-10 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nKnowing Our PlaceA sermon on Psalm 104:24 by Keith Clements\n\n\n\nWishing to be GreatA sermon on Mark 10:35-45 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nStatus\, Sacraments and ServiceA sermon on Mark 10:35-45 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nRandom Acts of SufferingA sermon on the book of Job by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPrima-donnas and Exuberant ChildrenA sermon on Mark 10:35-45 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nFollowing JesusA sermon on Mark 10:35-45 by Elie Haddad URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp24/2027-10-17/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P24.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271024T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271024T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201002T054848Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241201T091406Z UID:10001670-1824336000-1824422399@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 25 - Year B 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 Job 42: 1-6\, 10-17 \n \n\n \n \n \n After the LORD had spoken\, Job replied: \n“LORD\, I know that you can do anything\,\nand that once you set your mind to something\,\nnothing can stop you. \nYou asked why I talk so much when I don’t have clue.\nYou’re right. I was talking through my hat!\nI couldn’t begin to understand such deep matters. \nYou put me in my place and told me to listen;\nYou hit me with a raft of questions\nto show me how little I knew. \nIn the past I only knew of you second hand;\nbut now I have met you face to face.\nSo now I am ashamed of myself. I’m eating dirt!\nI won’t go down that track again.” \nAfter this\, the LORD turned Job’s luck around again and gave him everything. If he was well off before\, he was twice as well off now! All his relatives and old friends came and shared a great feast with him at his place. They offered their condolences and comforted him for all he had suffered through the acts of God. Everyone gave him presents – money and gold jewellery and the like. From that time on the LORD blessed Job more than ever. His stock runs held massive herds and flocks and were highly productive. He became the father of seven sons and three daughters. He named the girls Jemimah\, Keziah\, and Keren Happuch\, and they grew up to be the most beautiful women in the land. Job gave them an equal inheritance in his will\, along with their brothers. He lived for another hundred and forty years – long enough to see his great-grandchildren having children of their own. By the time he died\, he’d had the kind of innings most people only dream of. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 34: 1-8\, (19-22) \n \n\n \n \n \n I will speak up in your favour\, every chance I get\, LORD.\nEvery time I open my mouth\, I’ll sing your praises. \nEverything I’m proud of is your doing\, LORD;\nthe news of your goodness puts a smile on the face of the helpless. \nI’ll put the spotlight on you\, LORD;\nand gather a crowd to spread the word. \nWhen I pounded on your door\, LORD\, you opened up;\nyou calmed my fears and put my mind at rest. \nThose who look to you light up with joy;\ntheir faces never grow dark with shame. \nWhen I had nothing\, I cried out\, LORD\, and you answered;\nyou got me out of some serious trouble. \nYou station your angels to watch over those who trust you;\nthey watch us\, guard us\, and get us safely through. \nMay everyone taste for themselves how good you are\, LORD;\nmay everyone find shelter in you and be happy. \nYour people endure as much suffering as anyone else\, LORD\,\nbut you ensure that they make it through. \nLike a vigilant bodyguard\,\nyou see that not a bone is broken. \nEvil is lethal to those who drink their fill of it;\nthose who despise the straight and narrow will stumble to destruction. \nBut you\, LORD\, are always ready to bail out those who serve your cause;\nno one who runs to you for safety will be handed over to death. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 7: 23-28 \n \n\n \n \n \n We have had lots of priests in the past\, but none of them ever lasted. They kept dying and having to be replaced. Now though\, Jesus is our priest\, and the job is his for keeps because his life is forever. This means that now and always\, Jesus is ready\, willing and able to save the lives of everyone who reaches out to God through him. Appealing to God on their behalf is what Jesus lives for\, and he’s always on the job. \nIf you listed everything anyone could possibly want in a high priest\, Jesus would fit the bill perfectly. He is completely dedicated to God. There is no blood on his hands and no skeletons in his closet. When it comes to resisting sin\, he’s in a league of his own. Even in heaven he has the highest honour because no one else can compare with him. Unlike any other high priest\, he doesn’t need to keep offering the same old sacrifices\, day after day. And unlike them\, he doesn’t have to concentrate on himself and his own sins before he can get around to offering sacrifices for anyone else. Jesus offered himself as the ultimate sacrifice\, and so dealt with all the sacrifices required for sin once and for all. The legislation that covered the appointment of the high priests was never able to do anything about the human weaknesses that limited their ability to do the job. It is different now though\, because God has made a promise that has superseded that old legislation. This promise sees a Son appointed as permanent high priest\, and he is perfectly suited to the job. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 10: 46-52 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus and his followers travelled through Jericho with a large crowd in tow. As they were leaving town\, there was a destitute blind man sitting at the side of the road begging for money from the passers-by. He was known only as Bartimaeus – a reference to his father. Bartimaeus picked up that it was Jesus of Nazareth going past\, and he began to shout at the top of his lungs\, saying\, “Jesus\, Son of David\, have mercy. Help me!” \nPeople tried to stand over him and shut him up\, but he just upped the volume even more: “Jesus\, Son of David\, have mercy. Help me!” \nJesus pulled up in his tracks and said\, “Call him over.” \nSo the people called him\, saying\, “Come on! It’s your lucky day. Jesus is calling you.” \nBartimaeus was on his feet in a flash. He didn’t even bother picking up his things. He just hurried over to Jesus. Jesus asked him\, “What can I do for you?” \nThe blind man answered\, “Teacher\, I want to see again.” \nJesus said to him\, “Done! Your faith has paid off\, making you whole.” \nAnd sure enough – just like that – Bartimaeus regained his vision and began to follow Jesus on the way. \n©2000 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 31: 7-9 \n \n\n \n \n \n This is what the LORD has to say: \nSing and celebrate with God’s people.\nRaise the shout for the number one nation.\nBroadcast the news and give due credit\,\nfor I\, the LORD\, have come to save my people\,\nthe few who have remained faithful. \nSee\, I am going to bring them home from across the border.\nI will gather them from the ends of the earth.\nI won’t only bring the strong and agile ones\,\nbut the blind and the crippled\,\nthe one’s who are heavily pregnant\nand those with small children clinging to their ankles.\nI will bring them all back here\,\nthe whole mob of them. \nThere will be floods of tears as they return\,\nbut I will reassure them and lead them home.\nI will make sure there are refreshments available along the route\,\nand that the road is clear and easy to follow\,\nfor I have made these people my own children\,\nand I love them as my one and only. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 126 \n \n\n \n \n \n When you brought us home to Zion from exile\, LORD\,\n    we had to pinch ourselves to be sure it wasn’t a dream. \nLaughter and singing kept bubbling up in us;\n    we were just over the moon! \nEven the nations around us had to admit\n    that you must have taken our side\, LORD.\nIndeed\, we could only celebrate and thank you\n.    for the wonderful things you had done for us. \nLORD\, we need your help again;\n    we are like dry creek-beds in need of rain. \nWe have worked with sweat and tears;\n    let us reap the rewards with celebration. \nLet those who laboured with heavy hearts\,\n    expecting nothing but despair\,\ncome home with pride renewed\,\n    celebrating unimaginable success. \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 save all those who keep faith\,\nand bring healing and wholeness to all who seek your help. \nYou created the heavens and the earth\nand no purpose of yours can be thwarted.\nYour mysteries are more than we can comprehend\,\nand though even the good endure great trials\,\nyou come in person to rescue and restore them. \nYou have come to us in your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nwho embodied your compassion\nfor all who suffer the darkness of a broken world.\nIn the face of the forces of evil and death\,\nhe offered himself\, once and for all.\nYou raised him to life again\,\nmaking him our perfect high priest\,\nand exalted him above the heavens\nwhere he now prays for us\, day and night\,\nthat he might save all who approach you through him. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2000 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 Christ\,\nwho offered himself\, once and for all.\nYou raised him to life again\,\nmaking him our perfect high priest\,\nand exalted him above the heavens\nwhere he now prays\, day and night\,\nfor the salvation of all. \n©2003 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 save all those who keep faith\,\nand bring healing and wholeness to all who seek your help. \nYou created the heavens and the earth\nand no purpose of yours can be thwarted.\nYour mysteries are more than we can comprehend\,\nand though even the good endure great trials\,\nyou come in person to rescue and restore them. \nYou have come to us in your Son\, Jesus Christ\,\nwho embodied your compassion\nfor all who suffer the darkness of a broken world.\nIn the face of the forces of evil and death\,\nhe offered himself\, once and for all.\nYou raised him to life again\,\nmaking him our perfect high priest\,\nand exalted him above the heavens\nwhere he now prays for us\, day and night\,\nthat he might save all who approach you through him. \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©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus is able to save all who approach God through him.\nHe has offered himself for the forgiveness of sin\,\nonce and for all\,\nand now he lives to pray for us\,\nand present us\, forgiven\, to God. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go out with your eyes opened to the presence of God\nand follow Jesus on the way.\nDrink in the richness of God\nand enjoy the strength of the Lord. \nAnd may God give you a long and full life;\nMay Christ Jesus open your eyes to the wonder of life;\nand may the Holy Spirit fill you with the faith that makes you whole. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nSaved? From What?A sermon on Hebrews 7: 23-28 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhat if you could see clearly?A sermon on Mark 10:46-52 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSeeing ClearlyA sermon on Mark 10:46-52 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nStanding Up to the SilencersA sermon on Mark 10:46-52 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nHappy Ever After\, or notA sermon on Job 42:1-6\, 10-17 & Mark 10:46-52 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nBeauty\, Freedom\, Healing\, and WisdomA sermon on Job 42:1-6\, 10-17 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhen It All Becomes ClearA sermon on Mark 10:46-52 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp25/2027-10-24/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P25.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271031T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271031T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201005T081515Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241208T045455Z UID:10001672-1824940800-1825027199@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 26 - Year B 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 Ruth 1: 1-18 \n \n\n \n \n \n Long ago in the days before the Jewish people had a king\, a severe drought caused a famine in the land of Judah. There was a man named Elimelech\, from the tribe of Ephrath\, living in Bethlehem with his wife\, Naomi\, and their two sons\, Mahlon and Chilion. When their crops failed\, they fled the famine and settled in the land of Moab. While they were there\, Elimelech died\, leaving Naomi to raise their sons alone. In time\, the young men both married Moabite women\, one named Orpah\, and the other named Ruth. Within ten years\, both Mahlon and Chilion also died\, and Naomi was left destitute with no husband and no sons. \nNaomi got word that the LORD had blessed her homeland with good rains and good crops again\, so she decided to pack up and move back home. Her two daughters-in-law\, now widows too\, prepared to go with her. They left their home in Moab and set out for Judah\, but before they had gone very far\, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law\, “This is crazy. It makes no sense for you to come with me. Why not go home to your own mothers and live among your own people? You have been very kind to me\, just as you were always kind to my husband and my sons. May the LORD be just as kind to you and enable you to marry again and have homes and families of your own.” \nWith that she kissed them both\, and they were all in tears. But the two young women refused to go\, saying\, “We want to go with you and live among your people.” \nBut Naomi leaned on them to change their minds saying\, “Don’t be stupid\, my daughters. What good will it do you to come with me? It’s not as though I’m going to have any more sons for you to marry. You’ve got your whole lives ahead of you. Go back and get a life. I’m over the hill\, and even if I could promise to get a new husband tonight and get pregnant straight away with twin boys\, you could hardly put off marrying while you waited for them to grow up\, could you? Of course not. My daughters\, your lives are a bed of roses compared to mine\, because the LORD has written me off.” \nThe tears flowed freely again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law goodbye\, but Ruth dug her heels in. Naomi tried one more time: “See\, your sister-in-law has seen sense. She has gone back to her own people with their own ways and their own religion. Follow her lead — go back home.” \nBut Ruth said\, \n“Don’t try to change my mind about this\,\nor pressure me into giving up.\nI’m coming with you\, wherever you go.\nWherever you live\, I’m going to live too. \nYour people will be my people\,\nand your God will be my God.\nI’m with you for life\,\nand in death I’ll be buried right alongside you. \nI’m giving you my word on this\, cross my heart.\nMay the LORD punish me from now to kingdom come\nif I let even death get between us!” \nWhen Naomi saw that Ruth’s mind was made up\, she backed off and let her have her way. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 146 \n \n\n \n \n \n You are the best\, LORD!\nWith all my heart I sing your praises.\nI will never stop talking you up;\nI won’t stop spruiking your goodness till the day I die. \nThere is no one but you that we can depend on\, LORD;\nnot experts\, not leaders\, no one.\nNo human being can give what we most need;\nno matter what their plans and schemes promise\,\nthe minute they’re gone\, their promises die with them. \nBut we hit the jackpot when we look to you for help\, LORD;\nwhen we put all our hopes in you – the God of our ancestors.\nYou are the one who made earth and sky\,\nwho poured out the seas and filled them with life.\nYou are true to your word no matter what;\nwhen people are ground into the dirt\, you bring about justice;\nwhen people are left to starve\, you come with food. \nYou\, LORD\, set the prisoners free.\nYou\, LORD\, open the eyes of those who can’t see.\nYou\, LORD\, put the downtrodden back on their feet. \nYou\, LORD\, love those who do the right thing.\nYou\, LORD\, keep a caring eye on the asylum seekers.\nYou stick up for those who have no one else to stick up for them\,\nbut you make the schemes of the corrupt backfire on them. \nTake charge forever\, LORD\,\nrule from your sacred Mountain for all time.\nYou’re the best\, LORD. We’re with you all the way! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 9: 11-14 \n \n\n \n \n \n The priests of old served in a great tent which people had made as the place to approach God here on earth\, but when Christ came he bypassed the old tent. He came as the new high priest\, bringing a new improved way of approaching God. Once and for all he went in to the real Holy Place of God’s presence\, in the middle of the ultimate tent — heaven itself. He also bypassed the old sacrifices of goat and calf blood. Instead\, he shed his own blood in the process of winning permanent freedom for everyone. \nUnder the old arrangements\, people were not permitted to come and worship God if they had done something that made them officially unclean. They had to be purified first in a ritual that required them to be sprinkled with blood from goats and bulls and with the ashes of a sacrificed calf. Now if such a ritual was enough to clear up these problems\, imagine how much more thoroughly our lives can be cleaned up — inside and out — by the blood of Christ! Christ’s self-sacrifice — which because of his spotless record was the greatest possible sacrifice — was made in the power of God’s Spirit to wipe the slate clean for us. No longer are we weighed down by the emotional debris left over from previous futile efforts to sort things out with God. Now we are free to join the joyous dance of life that honours God! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 12: 28-34 \n \n\n \n \n \n One of the religious lawyers came across Jesus engaged in a vigorous debate with some members of the Sadducee party. He was impressed by the depth of insight Jesus displayed in the answers he was giving\, so he approached him with a question of his own. “Which would you say is the number one commandment of them all?” he asked. \nJesus answered\, “The number one commandment is this: \nListen carefully\, O people of Israel: the Lord our God is the one and only Lord. Therefore you will love the Lord your God with everything you are\, with all your heart and soul and mind and strength.\n\nAnd while we’re on the topic\, the number two commandment is this: \nYou will love your neighbour as attentively as you love yourself.\n\nThere are no other commandments that can top these two.” \nOn hearing this\, the religious lawyer applauded him\, saying\, “Teacher\, what a first rate answer! You are right on the mark when you say that ‘God is the one and only\, and there is no other.’ And as you have added\, ‘to love God with all your heart and soul and mind and strength\,’ and ‘to love your neighbour the way you love yourself\,’ – these things are way more important than all the religious offerings and sacrifices put together.” \nJesus was impressed by the wisdom revealed in the man’s answer\, so he said to him\, “It won’t take much to get you into the culture of God. You’re all but there already!” \nNo one was game to put any more questions to him after that. \n©2000 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 6: 1-9 \n \n\n \n \n \n Moses said to the people\, “I’m laying down the law to you here with a set of principles and a code of ethics. The LORD your God has given me the job of teaching you to live by these things in the land that you are about to move into and live in. Learning to live this way will be for the best for you\, and for your kids and grandkids after you. Learn to honour and respect the LORD your God as long as you live\, and stick to the principles and ethics that I have spelt out to you on God’s behalf\, and you will live long and happy lives. So listen up\, people of Israel. Put these things into practice without cutting corners\, and you will reap rich rewards. You will flourish and prosper in a land of peaches and cream\, just as the LORD promised your parents you would. \nListen carefully\, O people of Israel: the LORD is our God\, the LORD and no other. Therefore you will love the LORD your God with everything you are\, with all your heart and soul and strength. Do whatever it takes to keep these things I am teaching you now fixed in your minds. Repeat them over and over to your kids. Talk about them everywhere and all the time\, at home\, at work\, on the road\, morning\, noon and night. Write them on the back of your hands; wear them as a badge stuck on your forehead\, 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. Do whatever you have to do to keep them fixed in your minds. \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 119: 1-8 \n \n\n \n \n \n LORD\, how good it will be for those who no one can point a finger at\,\nwho play by your rules and stick to the straight and narrow. \nHow good it will be for those who do what you say\,\nand put their whole heart into knowing you better;\nwho never do the wrong thing by any one\,\nbut stick to your tracks all the way. \nYou have laid down the law for us\nand told us to follow it to the letter. \nThere is nothing I want more than to be rock solid\,\nfollowing your script in everything I do. \nIf I keep my eyes fixed on your instructions\,\nI will never have to hang my head. \nThe more I discover the justice and integrity of your teaching\,\nthe more I sing your praises with my heart beating proud. \nI intend to do everything you say;\nplease don’t ever give up on me. \n©2011 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\,\nwith all our heart and soul and mind and strength\,\nfor you keep faith forever with all peoples\nand reach out to save the burdened and the bereft. \nYou are the creator of heaven and earth\,\nand the maker of the teeming seas.\nFrom generation to generation\,\nyou have shown your generous love to those who\, like Ruth\,\nhave united with your people and walked in your ways. \nThrough your law you provided a way of forgiveness\,\nand when we lost our way\,\nyou came to us in your Son\, Jesus Christ.\nEmbodying the law of love\,\nhe shed his own blood in obtaining our redemption\,\nand\, raised by you to new life\,\nhe has entered your holy presence\, once for all\,\nfreeing us from works of futility\nto worship you by living the ways of love. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2000 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 Christ\,\nwho embodied the law of love\nand shed his own blood in obtaining our redemption\,\nentering your holy presence\, once for all\,\nand freeing us from works of futility\nto worship you by living the ways of love. \n©2003 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\,\nwith all our heart and soul and mind and strength\,\nfor you keep faith forever with all peoples\nand reach out to save the burdened and the bereft. \nYou are the creator of heaven and earth\,\nand the maker of the teeming seas.\nFrom generation to generation\,\nyou have shown your generous love to those who\, like Ruth\,\nhave united with your people and walked in your ways. \nThrough your law you provided a way of forgiveness\,\nand when we lost our way\,\nyou came to us in your Son\, Jesus Christ.\nEmbodying the law of love\,\nhe shed his own blood in obtaining our redemption\,\nand\, raised by you to new life\,\nhe has entered your holy presence\, once for all\,\nfreeing us from works of futility\nto worship you by living the ways of love. \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©2000 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 shed his own blood in winning freedom for us.\nAs our high priest\, he has gone into the presence of God\nand obtained for us eternal redemption\,\npurifying us from all guilt\,\nand freeing us to worship the living God. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Hear this: the Lord our God is the one and only Lord.\nTherefore go out into the world\nand love the Lord your God\nwith all your heart\, soul\, mind and strength\,\nand love others as you love yourself. \nAnd may God give you justice and freedom;\nMay Christ Jesus set you free for love;\nand may the Holy Spirit go where you go\nand protect you on your way. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nLove and Religious RitualA sermon on Mark 12: 28-34 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDoing Right or Doing RitesA sermon on Mark 12: 28-34 & Hebrews 9: 11-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLove and SacrificeA sermon on Mark 12: 28-34 & Hebrews 9: 11-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nRuthless Loyalty\, Ruthless CourageA sermon on Ruth 1: 1-18 by Jude Waldron\n\n\n\nLove and What the Gospel Isn’tA sermon on Mark 12: 28-34 & Hebrews 9: 11-14 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp26/2027-10-31/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P26.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271101T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271101T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201006T032701Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241208T045350Z UID:10001674-1825027200-1825113599@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:All Saints Day - Year B 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 Wisdom of Solomon 3: 1-9 \n \n\n \n \n \n The lives of good people are held safely in God’s hand\,\nand the horror of death will never get its claws into them. \nThe death of good people might look like a tragedy.\nIn the eyes of those who don’t know any better\nit might seem like they’ve suffered the same fate as everyone else\,\nbut it’s not so – they are at peace. \nIt might look to others as though they were punished\,\nbut they are actually anticipating a life that death can never touch. \nThe reward they receive will more than compensate\nfor the discipline they endured.\nThey were put to the test by God and they passed with flying colours.\nThey came through the fire like refined gold\,\nor like a sacrifice offered to God through the fire on the altar\,\nand God was proud to accept them. \nWhen God comes to reward them they will be radiant.\nThey will leap and dance like a string of fireworks.\nThey will be put in charge of nations and their people\,\nrejoicing that the Lord is their king forever. \nThe key to understanding the truth is to put your trust in the Lord.\nThose who are faithful will share a life of love with God.\nThe Lord’s chosen have dedicated themselves to God.\nThey are showered with extravagant generosity and mercy\,\nand the Lord keeps a protective eye on them forever. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n OR Isaiah 25: 6-9 (alternative 1st reading) \n \n\n \n \n \n Every people on earth will be invited to the sacred mountain\nfor the huge party thrown by the LORD who rules over everything.\nIt will be the feast to end all feasts\,\nwith the very finest of foods and wines:\nchoice meats\, wines aged to perfection\,\ngourmet delicacies to make every mouth water! \nAnd right here on this sacred mountain\nthe LORD will tear off the pall of death\nand release the nations from the coffin that held them.\nThe LORD will swallow up death once and for all. \nWith that\, the Lord GOD will wipe the tears from every eye\,\nand God’s people will no longer be humiliated and despised;\nThe LORD says so and that settles it. \nWhen that happens people will say\,\nWow! This is our God!\nWe hoped\, we waited\, we trusted God to save us.\nAnd our waiting has not been in vain.\nThe LORD has not let us down.\nCelebrate! Sing and dance\,\nfor God has come to our rescue and set us free. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 24 \n \n\n \n \n \n The whole planet belongs to you\, LORD —\nthe earth and everything that lies in it\,\ngrows from it\, or walks on it.\nYou raised the land above the seas\,\nand secured its foundations in the depths. \nWho will be granted a permit\nto climb your sacred mountain\, O God?\nWho may scale the summit to your holy presence? \nThose who have played a straight bat\,\nacting with integrity\,\nnot selling themselves out to delusions\,\nor playing fast and loose with the truth. \nYour rich goodness will come their way\, LORD\,\nand you will declare them innocent\nand set them free. \nThese are the people who take no shortcuts\nin their search for you.\nTheir greatest hunger is to know you\,\nthe God of their ancestors. \nWe hear the call:\n“Wake up! On your feet!\nOpen the gates and form a guard of honour!\nRoll out the red carpet\nbefore the glorious sovereign.” \nWho is this majestic ruler?\nIt is you\, LORD\, supreme and dynamic\,\nthe conqueror of conflict. \nWe hear it again:\n“Wake up! On your feet!\nOpen the gates and form a guard of honour!\nRoll out the red carpet\nbefore the glorious sovereign.” \nWho is this majestic ruler?\nIt is you\, the LORD who rules over everything.\nThis majestic ruler is you\, our God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Revelation 21: 1-6a \n \n\n \n \n \n I\, John\, had another extraordinary vision. I saw a completely revamped heaven and a radically reconstructed earth. The first heaven\, the first earth and the sea were all but a memory. Then I saw Jerusalem\, the city dedicated to God\, now made completely new. She was coming down the aisle from heaven itself\, from God\, and she looked sensational\, like a bride on her wedding day. I heard a loud voice coming from heaven’s throne. It said: \n“See\, God has moved in and set up home among ordinary people.\nGod will live with them and be their God\,\nand the people will gladly belong\nto the God who lives right in their midst. \nGod will wipe every tear from their eyes.\nDeath will be abolished forever;\npain and grief and tears will be things of the past.\nAll these things have been made obsolete.” \nThen the one sitting on the throne said\, “Look\, I am making everything new – absolutely everything!” \n“Write all this down\,” he said\, “because these words can be depended on. They are the truth.” \nThis is what he said: “The job is done! I am the whole story\, from A to Z. I am the beginning and I am the end.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n John 11: 32-44 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus had arrived at Bethany where Lazarus had recently died and been buried by his sisters\, Martha and Mary. When Mary saw Jesus\, she embraced him and sobbed\, “Lord\, if only you’d been here. I know my brother wouldn’t have died if you had been here.” \nJesus was stirred up\, deep in his guts\, by her tears and by the crying of the people who were with her. “Where did you bury him?” he asked. \n“Come and we’ll show you\, Lord\,” they said. As they went\, Jesus too began weeping. This prompted some of the people to say\, “He must have really loved Lazarus\,” but others were more cynical\, saying\, “If he loved him so much\, how come he didn’t do something to keep him from dying? After all\, he had no trouble giving sight to a blind man.” \nJesus arrived at the tomb\, and by now he was quite worked up. The tomb was a cave with a big rock sealing the entrance. Jesus gave orders for it to be reopened. Martha\, the other sister of the dead man\, protested saying\, “Lord\, it will stink to high heaven. He’s already been dead for four days.” \nBut Jesus said\, “I told you\, didn’t I\, that if you believed\, you would see things so amazing that they could only be credited to God?” \nSo they went ahead and removed the rock from the entrance of the tomb. Jesus paused to pray\, saying\, “Father\, thank you for hearing my prayer. I know you always do\, but I want this crowd to hear me giving the credit to you\, because then they might believe that it was you who sent me.” \nHaving said that\, he raised his voice and bellowed\, “Lazarus\, get out here!” \nAnd sure enough\, the dead man came out\, still wrapped up like a mummy from head to toe. Jesus gave the order to unwrap him and set him free. \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 are preparing a rich banquet for all your saints\nthat we might rejoice forever in your salvation. \nThe earth is yours for you founded it\,\nand you have made your home among its inhabitants.\nThrough your prophets you gave us a vision\nof a world made new\,\nand of suffering and grief abolished forever. \nIn your son\, Jesus Christ\,\nwe have seen your deep anguish\nover the death of your faithful ones\,\nand in his life-giving ministry\nwe have seen your glory.\nThough he passed through the fires of death\,\nwe now see him raised up and making all things new.\nIn him is our hope of resurrection\nand vindication for all who have trusted you\,\nfor their souls are safe in your hands\nand you have declared them to be worthy of your life. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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 Christ\,\nwho is making all things new\,\nand securing our resurrection\nand the vindication for all who have trusted you\,\nfor their souls are safe in your hands\nand you have declared them to be worthy of your life. \n©2003 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 preparing a rich banquet for all your saints\nthat we might rejoice forever in your salvation. \nThe earth is yours for you founded it\,\nand you have made your home among its inhabitants.\nThrough your prophets you gave us a vision\nof a world made new\,\nand of suffering and grief abolished forever. \nIn your son\, Jesus Christ\,\nwe have seen your deep anguish\nover the death of your faithful ones\,\nand in his life-giving ministry\nwe have seen your glory.\nThough he passed through the fires of death\,\nwe now see him raised up and making all things new.\nIn him is our hope of resurrection\nand vindication for all who have trusted you\,\nfor their souls are safe in your hands\nand you have declared them to be worthy of your 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©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n These words are trustworthy and true:\nChrist Jesus is making all things new.\nThe first things have passed away\,\nand our disgrace is removed.\nVindication has come from the God of our salvation. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go out confident that your lives are safe in God.\nKeep your hands clean and your hearts pure.\nDo not act falsely and do not swear deceitfully.\nTrust in the Lord\, even in the face of death\,\nand follow in the footsteps of all God’s saints. \nAnd may God keep a protective eye on you;\nMay Christ Jesus show you his grace and mercy;\nand may the Holy Spirit give you a vision\nof the life of the world made new. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nLife\, Death and TearsA sermon on John 11: 32-44; Revelation 21: 1-6a & Isaiah 25: 6-9 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/b42/2027-11-01/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/42.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271107T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271107T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201007T001513Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000533Z UID:10002775-1825545600-1825631999@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 27 - Year B 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 Ruth 3: 1-5; 4: 13-17 \n \n\n \n \n \n Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi had settled back in Judah and were eking out a living there. One day Naomi said to her: \n“My daughter\, it’s time I found you a husband so that you can have a home of your own and a secure future. You can’t just look after me forever. I think Boaz is the man for you. You have been working alongside the young women he employs and you know he has treated you well. He is a relative of mine too\, so he has some responsibilities toward you. I’ve got a plan. Boaz is threshing grain at the moment\, so he’ll be sleeping out at the threshing shed tonight. Go and have a bath\, get your hair done and put on perfume and make-up. Dress up in something flattering. Then tonight\, get yourself down to the threshing shed. Keep your eyes open but stay out of sight until he has finished eating and had a few drinks. Watch carefully and see whereabouts he lies down to sleep for the night. Then when the lights are out\, it’s time to make your move. Tiptoe up\, open up his swag from the foot and sleep with him. When he wakes again\, it’s his call. See what he decides you should do.” \nRuth replied\, “If you think it’s for the best\, I’ll do just as you say.” \nWell\, the upshot of it all was that not long afterwards\, Ruth and Boaz were married. The LORD blessed their love-making so that Ruth became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When he was born\, the local women celebrated with Naomi\, saying: \n“The LORD be blessed! Today God has blessed you with a grandson to take care of you in your old age. May he grow up to be a man of renown\, looked up to everywhere in Israel! He’ll sure put the smile back on your face and the spring back in your step. He’ll be there for you when you need him in your twilight years. He’s bound to be — it’s in his genes — he’s Ruth’s son and her love has been of more value to you than the love of seven sons.” \nNaomi loved the boy to pieces\, and from day one he was Grandma’s little boy. The local women all gathered for the naming ceremony and he was given the name Obed. The women still just called him “Naomi’s Boy” though. When Obed grew up he had a son of his own\, named Jesse\, and Jesse in turn had a son named David\, who went on to become the King of Israel. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 127 \n \n\n \n \n \n Unless you’ve commissioned the building project\, LORD\,\nattempting construction would be futile. \nUnless you’re in charge of security\, LORD\,\nour gates and guards are a waste of effort. \nWe could work ourselves to the bone for nothing;\nfirst on the job in the morning\, last home at night\,\nand what would we have to show for it?\nNothing but heartaches and ulcers. \nYou\, LORD\, long for us to slow down.\nWe can relax and trust in your loving care. \nYou have given us children\, a gift to remind us to play;\ntime with them is worth more than overtime on double pay. \nGood relationships with our children are the best insurance\nwhen trouble comes and threatens to wipe us out. \nThe respect of our children will give us more joy\nthan any pat on the back from the boss. \nWhen we give time and love to our children\,\nwe will always be able to hold our heads high\,\nno matter who denounces our lack of “productivity”! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 9: 24-28 \n \n\n \n \n \n Christ didn’t mess around with replicas and enactments. He was for real. He went into the real Holy Place — not our home made model\, but heaven itself — and there he is now\, in the presence of God\, appearing on our behalf. It is not that Jesus has to offer himself to God over and over again. The old high priest had to go into the Holy Place in the temple again every year to offer a sacrifice of blood — not his own\, but that of an animal. If Jesus had been required to follow the same system\, he would have needed to come back and suffer on earth over and over again\, from the day of creation to the end of time. It is not like that though. Jesus waited until time was almost up and then appeared once and for all. He came to remove sin\, permanently\, and he made the ultimate sacrifice to see the job through. Everyone has to die once — that’s just part of being human — and after that we face the music. Christ died once too — he absorbed into himself all the guilt and grief of the whole dysfunctional human race and sacrificed his own life to save them from it. Having done that once\, he will appear again\, but not to do the same thing all over again. This time he will appear for the grand finale — the great liberation of all those who have been eagerly anticipating his promised arrival. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 12: 38-44 \n \n\n \n \n \n A large crowd was gathered around Jesus in the temple to hear what he had to teach. He said to them\, “Don’t get sucked in by high-flying religious experts. They love cultivating an image of profound sophistication\, and basking in the adulation of a gullible public. They get a kick out of always being invited to appear at openings and premieres. At formal occasions they proudly take their place among the distinguished guests. But behind the scenes they are taking advantage of the weak and vulnerable\, exploiting them for all they’re worth. Their long and polished public prayers are a mask. They’ll get what’s coming to them eventually.” \nAfter this\, Jesus sat down near the temple offering box and watched as people made their financial contributions. Many rich people clearly put in large sums of money. One poor old woman came up and put in a couple of small coins\, less than a dollar in total. Jesus called his followers over and pointed this out to them\, saying\, “The fact of the matter is that this woman was the most generous giver of them all. The rest of them just gave a percentage of their surplus – money they’ll never miss. She\, on the other hand\, despite never having enough to make ends meet\, has given her all – every last cent.” \n©2000 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 17: 8-16 \n \n\n \n \n \n During the terrible drought\, Elijah got word from the LORD saying\, “Go and live in the Sidonian town of Zarephath. There is a destitute widow there who I have told to feed you.” \nSo Elijah hit the road and headed for Zarephath. When he arrived on the outskirts of the town\, he saw a destitute widow gathering firewood. He called out to her\, saying\, “Could you please bring me a cup of water; I need a drink.” As she went to get the water\, he called out again\, saying\, “And grab me a chunk of bread too\, please.” \nBut she stopped and said\, “I swear by God\, the LORD your God\, that I haven’t got any bread to give you. I am down to the last handful of flour in my jar and the last dribble of oil in my jug. With them and the firewood I am collecting here\, I will prepare one last meal for myself and my son\, and when we’ve eaten that\, we will starve to death. \nElijah said to her\, “Don’t worry; it will be okay. Go and make the bread as you planned\, but make two loaves. Bring one to me\, and then share the second one with your son. For this is what the LORD\, the God of Israel\, is promising you: “The flour jar will never be empty and the oil jug will never run dry until the day that the LORD sends down rain on the land.” \nShe went and made the bread as Elijah had said\, and they all had enough to eat for many days. The flour in the jar never ran out and the oil in the jug never ran dry. It was just as Elijah had said: the LORD had given his word. \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 146 \n \n\n \n \n \n You are the best\, LORD!\nWith all my heart I sing your praises.\nI will never stop talking you up;\nI won’t stop spruiking your goodness till the day I die. \nThere is no one but you that we can depend on\, LORD;\nnot experts\, not leaders\, no one.\nNo human being can give what we most need;\nno matter what their plans and schemes promise\,\nthe minute they’re gone\, their promises die with them. \nBut we hit the jackpot when we look to you for help\, LORD;\nwhen we put all our hopes in you – the God of our ancestors.\nYou are the one who made earth and sky\,\nwho poured out the seas and filled them with life.\nYou are true to your word no matter what;\nwhen people are ground into the dirt\, you bring about justice;\nwhen people are left to starve\, you come with food. \nYou\, LORD\, set the prisoners free.\nYou\, LORD\, open the eyes of those who can’t see.\nYou\, LORD\, put the downtrodden back on their feet. \nYou\, LORD\, love those who do the right thing.\nYou\, LORD\, keep a caring eye on the asylum seekers.\nYou stick up for those who have no one else to stick up for them\,\nbut you make the schemes of the corrupt backfire on them. \nTake charge forever\, LORD\,\nrule from your sacred Mountain for all time.\nYou’re the best\, LORD. We’re with you all the way! \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 your love embraces all people\nand you are coming to save all who eagerly await you.  \nIn the beginning you founded the world\,\nand nourished all life upon it.\nYou drew people to one another\,\nfilling them with your creative love\nand blessing the earth with children.  \nWhenever our work has been at odds with your plans\nyou have provided a path to forgiveness and reconciliation.\nYou came among us in your child\, Jesus\,\nexposing the hypocrisy of the proud\nand honouring the generosity of the humble.\nThe powers of evil had him killed\,\nbut in his sacrificial death he removed our sins.\nYou raised him to new life\nand made him high priest\,\nappearing on our behalf in your Holy Place\,\nas he prepares to return in glory\nbringing your salvation to all the world.  \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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 Christ\,\nwho sacrificed himself to remove our sins\,\nand who you raised to new life\,\nmaking him the high priest\nwho appears on our behalf in your Holy Place\,\nto save all who eagerly await you. \n©2003 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 embraced all people\nand you are coming to save all who eagerly await you. \nIn the beginning you founded the world\,\nand nourished all life upon it.\nYou filled men and women with your creative love\nand blessed the earth with children. \nWhenever our work has been at odds with your plans\nyou have provided a path to forgiveness and reconciliation.\nYou came among us in your child\, Jesus\,\nexposing the hypocrisy of the proud\nand honouring the generosity of the humble.\nThe powers of evil had him killed\,\nbut in his sacrificial death he removed our sins.\nYou raised him to new life\nand made him the high priest\nwho appears on our behalf in your Holy Place\,\nas he prepares to return in glory\nbringing your salvation to all the world. \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©2003 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 appeared once for all\nbearing the sins of many\nand offering himself to remove sin.\nHe will appear again to save all those\nwho eagerly wait for him. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go out and share God’s love with all.\nDo not slave for things that are not life-giving\,\nbut trust in God’s provision\,\nand give generously of all you have. \nAnd may God watch over you and provide for you;\nMay Christ Jesus be to you a restorer of life;\nand may the Holy Spirit lead you in the ways of humble generosity. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nHand Over the ToolsA sermon on Psalm 127 & Mark 12:38-44 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGod’s RevolutionA sermon on Hebrews 9. 24-28 & Mark 12. 38-44 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nWith Open HandsA sermon on Mark 12:38-44 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nLeaving a LegacyA sermon on Psalm 127; Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17 & Mark 12:38-44 by Roslyn Wright\n\n\n\nFiery Politics and the Romance NovelA sermon on the book of Ruth by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGiving\, Taking and Religious ScandalA sermon on Mark 12:38-44 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp27/2027-11-07/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P27.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271107T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271107T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201007T001513Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241215T113744Z UID:10001676-1825545600-1825631999@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 27 - Year B 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 Ruth 3: 1-5; 4: 13-17 \n \n\n \n \n \n Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi had settled back in Judah and were eking out a living there. One day Naomi said to her: \n“My daughter\, it’s time I found you a husband so that you can have a home of your own and a secure future. You can’t just look after me forever. I think Boaz is the man for you. You have been working alongside the young women he employs and you know he has treated you well. He is a relative of mine too\, so he has some responsibilities toward you. I’ve got a plan. Boaz is threshing grain at the moment\, so he’ll be sleeping out at the threshing shed tonight. Go and have a bath\, get your hair done and put on perfume and make-up. Dress up in something flattering. Then tonight\, get yourself down to the threshing shed. Keep your eyes open but stay out of sight until he has finished eating and had a few drinks. Watch carefully and see whereabouts he lies down to sleep for the night. Then when the lights are out\, it’s time to make your move. Tiptoe up\, open up his swag from the foot and sleep with him. When he wakes again\, it’s his call. See what he decides you should do.” \nRuth replied\, “If you think it’s for the best\, I’ll do just as you say.” \nWell\, the upshot of it all was that not long afterwards\, Ruth and Boaz were married. The LORD blessed their love-making so that Ruth became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When he was born\, the local women celebrated with Naomi\, saying: \n“The LORD be blessed! Today God has blessed you with a grandson to take care of you in your old age. May he grow up to be a man of renown\, looked up to everywhere in Israel! He’ll sure put the smile back on your face and the spring back in your step. He’ll be there for you when you need him in your twilight years. He’s bound to be — it’s in his genes — he’s Ruth’s son and her love has been of more value to you than the love of seven sons.” \nNaomi loved the boy to pieces\, and from day one he was Grandma’s little boy. The local women all gathered for the naming ceremony and he was given the name Obed. The women still just called him “Naomi’s Boy” though. When Obed grew up he had a son of his own\, named Jesse\, and Jesse in turn had a son named David\, who went on to become the King of Israel. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 127 \n \n\n \n \n \n Unless you’ve commissioned the building project\, LORD\,\nattempting construction would be futile. \nUnless you’re in charge of security\, LORD\,\nour gates and guards are a waste of effort. \nWe could work ourselves to the bone for nothing;\nfirst on the job in the morning\, last home at night\,\nand what would we have to show for it?\nNothing but heartaches and ulcers. \nYou\, LORD\, long for us to slow down.\nWe can relax and trust in your loving care. \nYou have given us children\, a gift to remind us to play;\ntime with them is worth more than overtime on double pay. \nGood relationships with our children are the best insurance\nwhen trouble comes and threatens to wipe us out. \nThe respect of our children will give us more joy\nthan any pat on the back from the boss. \nWhen we give time and love to our children\,\nwe will always be able to hold our heads high\,\nno matter who denounces our lack of “productivity”! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 9: 24-28 \n \n\n \n \n \n Christ didn’t mess around with replicas and enactments. He was for real. He went into the real Holy Place — not our home made model\, but heaven itself — and there he is now\, in the presence of God\, appearing on our behalf. It is not that Jesus has to offer himself to God over and over again. The old high priest had to go into the Holy Place in the temple again every year to offer a sacrifice of blood — not his own\, but that of an animal. If Jesus had been required to follow the same system\, he would have needed to come back and suffer on earth over and over again\, from the day of creation to the end of time. It is not like that though. Jesus waited until time was almost up and then appeared once and for all. He came to remove sin\, permanently\, and he made the ultimate sacrifice to see the job through. Everyone has to die once — that’s just part of being human — and after that we face the music. Christ died once too — he absorbed into himself all the guilt and grief of the whole dysfunctional human race and sacrificed his own life to save them from it. Having done that once\, he will appear again\, but not to do the same thing all over again. This time he will appear for the grand finale — the great liberation of all those who have been eagerly anticipating his promised arrival. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 12: 38-44 \n \n\n \n \n \n A large crowd was gathered around Jesus in the temple to hear what he had to teach. He said to them\, “Don’t get sucked in by high-flying religious experts. They love cultivating an image of profound sophistication\, and basking in the adulation of a gullible public. They get a kick out of always being invited to appear at openings and premieres. At formal occasions they proudly take their place among the distinguished guests. But behind the scenes they are taking advantage of the weak and vulnerable\, exploiting them for all they’re worth. Their long and polished public prayers are a mask. They’ll get what’s coming to them eventually.” \nAfter this\, Jesus sat down near the temple offering box and watched as people made their financial contributions. Many rich people clearly put in large sums of money. One poor old woman came up and put in a couple of small coins\, less than a dollar in total. Jesus called his followers over and pointed this out to them\, saying\, “The fact of the matter is that this woman was the most generous giver of them all. The rest of them just gave a percentage of their surplus – money they’ll never miss. She\, on the other hand\, despite never having enough to make ends meet\, has given her all – every last cent.” \n©2000 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 17: 8-16 \n \n\n \n \n \n During the terrible drought\, Elijah got word from the LORD saying\, “Go and live in the Sidonian town of Zarephath. There is a destitute widow there who I have told to feed you.” \nSo Elijah hit the road and headed for Zarephath. When he arrived on the outskirts of the town\, he saw a destitute widow gathering firewood. He called out to her\, saying\, “Could you please bring me a cup of water; I need a drink.” As she went to get the water\, he called out again\, saying\, “And grab me a chunk of bread too\, please.” \nBut she stopped and said\, “I swear by God\, the LORD your God\, that I haven’t got any bread to give you. I am down to the last handful of flour in my jar and the last dribble of oil in my jug. With them and the firewood I am collecting here\, I will prepare one last meal for myself and my son\, and when we’ve eaten that\, we will starve to death. \nElijah said to her\, “Don’t worry; it will be okay. Go and make the bread as you planned\, but make two loaves. Bring one to me\, and then share the second one with your son. For this is what the LORD\, the God of Israel\, is promising you: “The flour jar will never be empty and the oil jug will never run dry until the day that the LORD sends down rain on the land.” \nShe went and made the bread as Elijah had said\, and they all had enough to eat for many days. The flour in the jar never ran out and the oil in the jug never ran dry. It was just as Elijah had said: the LORD had given his word. \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 146 \n \n\n \n \n \n You are the best\, LORD!\nWith all my heart I sing your praises.\nI will never stop talking you up;\nI won’t stop spruiking your goodness till the day I die. \nThere is no one but you that we can depend on\, LORD;\nnot experts\, not leaders\, no one.\nNo human being can give what we most need;\nno matter what their plans and schemes promise\,\nthe minute they’re gone\, their promises die with them. \nBut we hit the jackpot when we look to you for help\, LORD;\nwhen we put all our hopes in you – the God of our ancestors.\nYou are the one who made earth and sky\,\nwho poured out the seas and filled them with life.\nYou are true to your word no matter what;\nwhen people are ground into the dirt\, you bring about justice;\nwhen people are left to starve\, you come with food. \nYou\, LORD\, set the prisoners free.\nYou\, LORD\, open the eyes of those who can’t see.\nYou\, LORD\, put the downtrodden back on their feet. \nYou\, LORD\, love those who do the right thing.\nYou\, LORD\, keep a caring eye on the asylum seekers.\nYou stick up for those who have no one else to stick up for them\,\nbut you make the schemes of the corrupt backfire on them. \nTake charge forever\, LORD\,\nrule from your sacred Mountain for all time.\nYou’re the best\, LORD. We’re with you all the way! \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 your love embraces all people\nand you are coming to save all who eagerly await you.  \nIn the beginning you founded the world\,\nand nourished all life upon it.\nYou drew people to one another\,\nfilling them with your creative love\nand blessing the earth with children.  \nWhenever our work has been at odds with your plans\nyou have provided a path to forgiveness and reconciliation.\nYou came among us in your child\, Jesus\,\nexposing the hypocrisy of the proud\nand honouring the generosity of the humble.\nThe powers of evil had him killed\,\nbut in his sacrificial death he removed our sins.\nYou raised him to new life\nand made him high priest\,\nappearing on our behalf in your Holy Place\,\nas he prepares to return in glory\nbringing your salvation to all the world.  \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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 Christ\,\nwho sacrificed himself to remove our sins\,\nand who you raised to new life\,\nmaking him the high priest\nwho appears on our behalf in your Holy Place\,\nto save all who eagerly await you. \n©2003 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 embraced all people\nand you are coming to save all who eagerly await you. \nIn the beginning you founded the world\,\nand nourished all life upon it.\nYou filled men and women with your creative love\nand blessed the earth with children. \nWhenever our work has been at odds with your plans\nyou have provided a path to forgiveness and reconciliation.\nYou came among us in your child\, Jesus\,\nexposing the hypocrisy of the proud\nand honouring the generosity of the humble.\nThe powers of evil had him killed\,\nbut in his sacrificial death he removed our sins.\nYou raised him to new life\nand made him the high priest\nwho appears on our behalf in your Holy Place\,\nas he prepares to return in glory\nbringing your salvation to all the world. \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©2003 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 appeared once for all\nbearing the sins of many\nand offering himself to remove sin.\nHe will appear again to save all those\nwho eagerly wait for him. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go out and share God’s love with all.\nDo not slave for things that are not life-giving\,\nbut trust in God’s provision\,\nand give generously of all you have. \nAnd may God watch over you and provide for you;\nMay Christ Jesus be to you a restorer of life;\nand may the Holy Spirit lead you in the ways of humble generosity. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nHand Over the ToolsA sermon on Psalm 127 & Mark 12:38-44 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGod’s RevolutionA sermon on Hebrews 9. 24-28 & Mark 12. 38-44 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nWith Open HandsA sermon on Mark 12:38-44 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nLeaving a LegacyA sermon on Psalm 127; Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17 & Mark 12:38-44 by Roslyn Wright\n\n\n\nFiery Politics and the Romance NovelA sermon on the book of Ruth by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGiving\, Taking and Religious ScandalA sermon on Mark 12:38-44 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp27/2027-11-07/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P27.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271114T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271114T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201012T073214Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241222T045427Z UID:10001678-1826150400-1826236799@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 28 - Year B 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 1 Samuel 1: 4-20 \n \n\n \n \n \n In the days before Israel had a king\, there was a woman named Hannah who was married to a man named Elkanah. Hannah had never been able to have children even though Elkanah tended to favour her over his other wife\, Peninnah\, who had several children. Elkanah provided well for both his wives and all his children\, but he really doted on Hannah. \nPeninnah used to deliberately torment Hannah about her infertility\, taunting her with suggestions that the LORD had dried out her womb. The nastiness was at its worst when they went up to Shiloh each year to offer sacrifices to the LORD\, perhaps because that was when Elkanah’s favouritism was most obvious. So the annual visit to Shiloh was always a miserable time for Hannah. She would go off her food and be in tears all the time. Her husband Elkanah tried to comfort her\, saying\, “Hannah\, cheer up? Why won’t you eat something? Look on the bright side. Aren’t I worth more to you than a big mob of sons?” \nOne year in Shiloh\, after they had offered the sacrifices and eaten a meal together\, Hannah got up and went back to pray to the LORD by herself. The only other person in the place of worship was Eli the priest who was sitting near the door. Hannah was at her wit’s end and wept bitter tears as she prayed to the LORD. She tried to bargain with God\, praying\, “O LORD\, you rule over everything! Have pity on me\, your servant. Don’t write me off in my misery. If you will give me the gift of a baby boy\, then I will see to it that he joins the religious order of the Nazarites and never touches drink or drugs or has his hair cut.” \nAs she was praying silently\, Eli could see her lips moving and her tears\, but since he couldn’t hear her saying anything\, he jumped to the conclusion that she was drunk. He got up and said to her\, “Time to go home and sober up\, woman. You can’t keep making a drunken spectacle of yourself in here. On your way\, and get yourself on the wagon!” \nBut Hannah defended herself\, saying\, “No\, Reverend Sir\, please don’t write me off as a hopeless case. I’m heartbroken\, but I haven’t sought solace in the bottle. I’ve been pouring my heart out to the LORD – all my agony and fears – trying to get everything off my chest.” \nThen Eli answered\, “Go in peace. May the LORD\, the God of Israel\, go with you and take care of whatever it is that is bothering you.” \n“Thank you for being so kind to me\, Reverend Sir\,” said Hannah. She went back to where she was staying and cheered up no end. She even had a good meal with her husband. \nThe next morning the whole family got up early and worshipped the LORD. Then they packed up and went back home to Ramah. The LORD remembered Hannah’s prayer and the next time she and Elkanah made love\, she fell pregnant. She gave birth to a baby boy and named him Samuel. She often spoke of him as an answer to her prayer. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n 1 Samuel 2: 1-10 (Canticle) \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 Hebrews 10: 11-14\, (15-18)\, 19-25 \n \n\n \n \n \n Day after day the priests do their job\, offering the same old sacrifices over and over again\, without so much as budging the problem of sin. What Christ did as priest was quite different. He offered just one sacrifice for sins\, a sacrifice with no use-by date! Then he sat down in the seat of honour alongside God and there he waits. It is only a matter of time before those who oppose him run out of options and concede defeat. As a priest he was so perfect\, that it only took him one single offering to deal with all the imperfections of all the imperfect people who come to him wanting to be made perfect for God! The Holy Spirit can back us up on this. First she said in the scriptures: \n“The new alliance I will make with the people\nwill be different\, says the Lord:\nNo more writing down the rules for people to read;\nthis time I’ll write them into their hearts and minds.” \nThen\, for good measure\, she added: \n“I’ll wipe the record of their failings and their perverse behaviour;\nnone of it will ever again even enter my mind.” \nSo if that’s done — if the slate has been wiped clean — then there is no longer any need to come offering sacrifices to try to make up for what we’ve done wrong. \nSo\, my friends\, now it’s a whole new ball game. Now we can confidently walk straight into the sacred place because Jesus won us that right\, spilling his own blood in the process. We walk in via a new route. The old way had a big curtain between us and the sacred place — on the new route the only thing between us and the sacred place is Jesus\, and he invites us to become part of his own body and go in that way. Add all that to the fact that Jesus himself is now our great priest who says what goes in the house of God\, and you’ll understand what is now open to us. So let’s go! Let’s approach God with integrity and with deep trust. Let us stand before God knowing for sure that not only have our bodies been washed clean in pure water\, but so to have our hearts\, our minds\, our conscience. \nIn light of all this\, let’s hold on tight to the hope that we’ve put our hands up to. None of this on-again off-again stuff! You can’t get more dependable than the one who has made these promises. So let’s put on our thinking caps and come up with some good strategies for stirring one another up to greater and greater love and more and more ways to put it into action. Some people have got out of the habit of gathering together as a congregation — let’s not go down that path. Gather often\, support and encourage one another. The closer we get to that final day the more we’ll need one another. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 13: 1-8 \n \n\n \n \n \n As Jesus and his followers were coming out of the temple\, one of them said to him\, “Teacher\, isn’t this building spectacular? Look at the stonework and the scale of the whole place – it’s one of a kind!” \nJesus replied\, “Do you think this is the greatest? This whole place will be flattened. There will be nothing left of these great stones but a heap of rubble.” \nLater on they went out to the Mount of Olives and were sitting there with a full view of the Temple. Peter\, James\, John\, and Andrew took Jesus aside for a few quiet questions. “Can you tell us when these things are going to happen?” they asked\, “and what warning sign should we watch for? What will tip us off that these things are almost upon us.” \nJesus began to launch into an answer\, saying\, “Be on your guard. Don’t fall for the doomsday enthusiasts. There will be no shortage of people bobbing up and saying\, ‘Follow me! I’m the One!’ Far too many people will be sucked into their madness. Every time there’s a new war or a tense stand off between world powers\, the fanatics will crank up the speculation again. Keep your cool. These things will happen\, but they don’t mean that time’s up. Nations will set out to destroy each other. There will be ethnic conflicts and civil wars. There will be horrendous natural disasters. Countless people will be faced with starvation. This will not be the end. It’s just the beginning\, the first labour pangs of what is to come. \n©2000 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 Daniel 12: 1-3 \n \n\n \n \n \n When the time comes\, Michael\, the great angel prince who stands guard over your people\, will step forward. There will be a time of awful suffering\, worse than anything any nation has ever seen in all of history. But that will be the time when your people are rescued. Their names are all written on a list and they will all be rescued. Many people who have long been dead and buried will awake as though they had only been sleeping. Some will rise to life and never face death again. Others will be facing shame and disgrace that can never be shaken off. Those who’ve got their heads on straight will light up the sky like the most brilliant fireworks. Those who have led others to get their lives on the right track will outshine the stars of the night with a glory that never ends. \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 16 \n \n\n \n \n \n Protect me\, God\,\nyou are my place of refuge. \nI’m acknowledging you as the one in charge\, LORD;\nyou are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. \nI delight in the company of those\nwho dedicate themselves to you;\nthey are the salt of the earth. \nThose who worship other things\nwill have nothing but grief.\nI will not buy into their futile devotions;\nI will not utter the names they revere. \nYou are all I want\, LORD\, and all I need;\nyou hold my future in your hands. \nYou mark out the best of everything for me;\nyou’ve set me up with a bright future. \nI heap accolades on you\, LORD\,\nfor you always give me wise advice;\neven in the dead of night\nyou fill my heart with your teachings. \nI’ll always stick close behind you\, LORD;\nwith you near by\,\nI’ll never be pushed off track. \nYou fill me with delight\, LORD;\njoy erupts from deep in my bones;\nmy body relaxes\, safe in your care. \nYou’ll never let the grave drag me down;\nyour faithful servants are never left for dead. \nYou set my feet on a life-giving track\, LORD.\nTo be in your presence is absolute bliss.\nAll I could dream of comes from your hand. \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 raise up the broken and humiliated\nand seat them in honour at your banqueting table. \nThe whole universe is yours\, for you made it;\nyou set the earth in place and filled it with life.\nThrough your law and prophets\nyou promised a day of justice\nwhen the hungry will have their fill. \nYou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\nto establish a new covenant\,\nleading us in the way of faithfulness\nand writing your laws on our hearts.\nAs a great priest\, he offered a single sacrifice for all sins\,\nand was thrown in to the land of the dead\,\nbut you raised him to new life\,\nopening for us a new and living way into your presence\nand convulsing the earth with the birth pangs\nof the new age of your glorious justice. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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\, O God\, for your son\, Jesus\,\nour great priest\, who offered a single sacrifice for all sins\,\nwho opened for us a new and living way into your presence\,\nand who writes your laws on our hearts. \n©2000 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 raise up the broken and humiliated\nand seat them in honour in your presence. \nThe whole universe is yours\, for you made it;\nyou set the earth in place and filled it with life.\nThrough your law and prophets\nyou promised a day of justice\nwhen the hungry will have their fill. \nYou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\nto establish a new covenant\,\nleading us in the way of faithfulness\nand writing your laws on our hearts.\nAs a great priest\, he offered a single sacrifice for all sins\,\nand was thrown in to the land of the dead\,\nbut you raised him to new life\,\nopening for us a new and living way into your presence\nand convulsing the earth with the birth pangs\nof the new age of your glorious justice. \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©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n As our high priest\, Christ offered\, for all time\,\none perfect sacrifice for sin.\nTherefore let us have confidence to approach God\nwith our hearts washed clean of all guilt\nand a confident hope in God’s mercy. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go out in peace\, for the Lord has heard your prayers.\nDo not allow anyone to lead you astray\nbut hold fast to the hope you have claimed.\nContinue to meet together\,\nencouraging and provoking one another\nto put love into action. \nAnd may God be your rock of strength;\nMay Christ Jesus usher you into the presence of God;\nand may the Holy Spirit write the laws of life on your hearts. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nGet a Life!A sermon on Hebrews 10:11-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nEarth-Shattering TimesA sermon on Mark 13:1-8; Hebrews 10:11-25; 1 Samuel 1:4-20 & 2:1-10 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nApocalypse and ForgivenessA sermon on Mark 13:1-8 & Hebrews 10:11-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nAs It All Comes Crashing DownA sermon on Mark 13:1-8 & Hebrews 10:11-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nAwkward ConversationsA sermon on 1 Samuel 1:4-20 & 2:1-10; Mark 13:1-8 & Hebrews 10:11-25 by Roslyn Wright URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp28/2027-11-14/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P28.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271114T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271114T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201012T073214Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000532Z UID:10002773-1826150400-1826236799@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 28 - Year B 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 1 Samuel 1: 4-20 \n \n\n \n \n \n In the days before Israel had a king\, there was a woman named Hannah who was married to a man named Elkanah. Hannah had never been able to have children even though Elkanah tended to favour her over his other wife\, Peninnah\, who had several children. Elkanah provided well for both his wives and all his children\, but he really doted on Hannah. \nPeninnah used to deliberately torment Hannah about her infertility\, taunting her with suggestions that the LORD had dried out her womb. The nastiness was at its worst when they went up to Shiloh each year to offer sacrifices to the LORD\, perhaps because that was when Elkanah’s favouritism was most obvious. So the annual visit to Shiloh was always a miserable time for Hannah. She would go off her food and be in tears all the time. Her husband Elkanah tried to comfort her\, saying\, “Hannah\, cheer up? Why won’t you eat something? Look on the bright side. Aren’t I worth more to you than a big mob of sons?” \nOne year in Shiloh\, after they had offered the sacrifices and eaten a meal together\, Hannah got up and went back to pray to the LORD by herself. The only other person in the place of worship was Eli the priest who was sitting near the door. Hannah was at her wit’s end and wept bitter tears as she prayed to the LORD. She tried to bargain with God\, praying\, “O LORD\, you rule over everything! Have pity on me\, your servant. Don’t write me off in my misery. If you will give me the gift of a baby boy\, then I will see to it that he joins the religious order of the Nazarites and never touches drink or drugs or has his hair cut.” \nAs she was praying silently\, Eli could see her lips moving and her tears\, but since he couldn’t hear her saying anything\, he jumped to the conclusion that she was drunk. He got up and said to her\, “Time to go home and sober up\, woman. You can’t keep making a drunken spectacle of yourself in here. On your way\, and get yourself on the wagon!” \nBut Hannah defended herself\, saying\, “No\, Reverend Sir\, please don’t write me off as a hopeless case. I’m heartbroken\, but I haven’t sought solace in the bottle. I’ve been pouring my heart out to the LORD – all my agony and fears – trying to get everything off my chest.” \nThen Eli answered\, “Go in peace. May the LORD\, the God of Israel\, go with you and take care of whatever it is that is bothering you.” \n“Thank you for being so kind to me\, Reverend Sir\,” said Hannah. She went back to where she was staying and cheered up no end. She even had a good meal with her husband. \nThe next morning the whole family got up early and worshipped the LORD. Then they packed up and went back home to Ramah. The LORD remembered Hannah’s prayer and the next time she and Elkanah made love\, she fell pregnant. She gave birth to a baby boy and named him Samuel. She often spoke of him as an answer to her prayer. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n 1 Samuel 2: 1-10 (Canticle) \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 Hebrews 10: 11-14\, (15-18)\, 19-25 \n \n\n \n \n \n Day after day the priests do their job\, offering the same old sacrifices over and over again\, without so much as budging the problem of sin. What Christ did as priest was quite different. He offered just one sacrifice for sins\, a sacrifice with no use-by date! Then he sat down in the seat of honour alongside God and there he waits. It is only a matter of time before those who oppose him run out of options and concede defeat. As a priest he was so perfect\, that it only took him one single offering to deal with all the imperfections of all the imperfect people who come to him wanting to be made perfect for God! The Holy Spirit can back us up on this. First she said in the scriptures: \n“The new alliance I will make with the people\nwill be different\, says the Lord:\nNo more writing down the rules for people to read;\nthis time I’ll write them into their hearts and minds.” \nThen\, for good measure\, she added: \n“I’ll wipe the record of their failings and their perverse behaviour;\nnone of it will ever again even enter my mind.” \nSo if that’s done — if the slate has been wiped clean — then there is no longer any need to come offering sacrifices to try to make up for what we’ve done wrong. \nSo\, my friends\, now it’s a whole new ball game. Now we can confidently walk straight into the sacred place because Jesus won us that right\, spilling his own blood in the process. We walk in via a new route. The old way had a big curtain between us and the sacred place — on the new route the only thing between us and the sacred place is Jesus\, and he invites us to become part of his own body and go in that way. Add all that to the fact that Jesus himself is now our great priest who says what goes in the house of God\, and you’ll understand what is now open to us. So let’s go! Let’s approach God with integrity and with deep trust. Let us stand before God knowing for sure that not only have our bodies been washed clean in pure water\, but so to have our hearts\, our minds\, our conscience. \nIn light of all this\, let’s hold on tight to the hope that we’ve put our hands up to. None of this on-again off-again stuff! You can’t get more dependable than the one who has made these promises. So let’s put on our thinking caps and come up with some good strategies for stirring one another up to greater and greater love and more and more ways to put it into action. Some people have got out of the habit of gathering together as a congregation — let’s not go down that path. Gather often\, support and encourage one another. The closer we get to that final day the more we’ll need one another. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Mark 13: 1-8 \n \n\n \n \n \n As Jesus and his followers were coming out of the temple\, one of them said to him\, “Teacher\, isn’t this building spectacular? Look at the stonework and the scale of the whole place – it’s one of a kind!” \nJesus replied\, “Do you think this is the greatest? This whole place will be flattened. There will be nothing left of these great stones but a heap of rubble.” \nLater on they went out to the Mount of Olives and were sitting there with a full view of the Temple. Peter\, James\, John\, and Andrew took Jesus aside for a few quiet questions. “Can you tell us when these things are going to happen?” they asked\, “and what warning sign should we watch for? What will tip us off that these things are almost upon us.” \nJesus began to launch into an answer\, saying\, “Be on your guard. Don’t fall for the doomsday enthusiasts. There will be no shortage of people bobbing up and saying\, ‘Follow me! I’m the One!’ Far too many people will be sucked into their madness. Every time there’s a new war or a tense stand off between world powers\, the fanatics will crank up the speculation again. Keep your cool. These things will happen\, but they don’t mean that time’s up. Nations will set out to destroy each other. There will be ethnic conflicts and civil wars. There will be horrendous natural disasters. Countless people will be faced with starvation. This will not be the end. It’s just the beginning\, the first labour pangs of what is to come. \n©2000 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 Daniel 12: 1-3 \n \n\n \n \n \n When the time comes\, Michael\, the great angel prince who stands guard over your people\, will step forward. There will be a time of awful suffering\, worse than anything any nation has ever seen in all of history. But that will be the time when your people are rescued. Their names are all written on a list and they will all be rescued. Many people who have long been dead and buried will awake as though they had only been sleeping. Some will rise to life and never face death again. Others will be facing shame and disgrace that can never be shaken off. Those who’ve got their heads on straight will light up the sky like the most brilliant fireworks. Those who have led others to get their lives on the right track will outshine the stars of the night with a glory that never ends. \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 16 \n \n\n \n \n \n Protect me\, God\,\nyou are my place of refuge. \nI’m acknowledging you as the one in charge\, LORD;\nyou are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. \nI delight in the company of those\nwho dedicate themselves to you;\nthey are the salt of the earth. \nThose who worship other things\nwill have nothing but grief.\nI will not buy into their futile devotions;\nI will not utter the names they revere. \nYou are all I want\, LORD\, and all I need;\nyou hold my future in your hands. \nYou mark out the best of everything for me;\nyou’ve set me up with a bright future. \nI heap accolades on you\, LORD\,\nfor you always give me wise advice;\neven in the dead of night\nyou fill my heart with your teachings. \nI’ll always stick close behind you\, LORD;\nwith you near by\,\nI’ll never be pushed off track. \nYou fill me with delight\, LORD;\njoy erupts from deep in my bones;\nmy body relaxes\, safe in your care. \nYou’ll never let the grave drag me down;\nyour faithful servants are never left for dead. \nYou set my feet on a life-giving track\, LORD.\nTo be in your presence is absolute bliss.\nAll I could dream of comes from your hand. \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 raise up the broken and humiliated\nand seat them in honour at your banqueting table. \nThe whole universe is yours\, for you made it;\nyou set the earth in place and filled it with life.\nThrough your law and prophets\nyou promised a day of justice\nwhen the hungry will have their fill. \nYou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\nto establish a new covenant\,\nleading us in the way of faithfulness\nand writing your laws on our hearts.\nAs a great priest\, he offered a single sacrifice for all sins\,\nand was thrown in to the land of the dead\,\nbut you raised him to new life\,\nopening for us a new and living way into your presence\nand convulsing the earth with the birth pangs\nof the new age of your glorious justice. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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\, O God\, for your son\, Jesus\,\nour great priest\, who offered a single sacrifice for all sins\,\nwho opened for us a new and living way into your presence\,\nand who writes your laws on our hearts. \n©2000 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 raise up the broken and humiliated\nand seat them in honour in your presence. \nThe whole universe is yours\, for you made it;\nyou set the earth in place and filled it with life.\nThrough your law and prophets\nyou promised a day of justice\nwhen the hungry will have their fill. \nYou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\nto establish a new covenant\,\nleading us in the way of faithfulness\nand writing your laws on our hearts.\nAs a great priest\, he offered a single sacrifice for all sins\,\nand was thrown in to the land of the dead\,\nbut you raised him to new life\,\nopening for us a new and living way into your presence\nand convulsing the earth with the birth pangs\nof the new age of your glorious justice. \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©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n As our high priest\, Christ offered\, for all time\,\none perfect sacrifice for sin.\nTherefore let us have confidence to approach God\nwith our hearts washed clean of all guilt\nand a confident hope in God’s mercy. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go out in peace\, for the Lord has heard your prayers.\nDo not allow anyone to lead you astray\nbut hold fast to the hope you have claimed.\nContinue to meet together\,\nencouraging and provoking one another\nto put love into action. \nAnd may God be your rock of strength;\nMay Christ Jesus usher you into the presence of God;\nand may the Holy Spirit write the laws of life on your hearts. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nGet a Life!A sermon on Hebrews 10:11-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nEarth-Shattering TimesA sermon on Mark 13:1-8; Hebrews 10:11-25; 1 Samuel 1:4-20 & 2:1-10 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nApocalypse and ForgivenessA sermon on Mark 13:1-8 & Hebrews 10:11-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nAs It All Comes Crashing DownA sermon on Mark 13:1-8 & Hebrews 10:11-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nAwkward ConversationsA sermon on 1 Samuel 1:4-20 & 2:1-10; Mark 13:1-8 & Hebrews 10:11-25 by Roslyn Wright URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp28/2027-11-14/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P28.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271121T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271121T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201013T022132Z LAST-MODIFIED:20241228T230305Z UID:10001680-1826755200-1826841599@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 29 - Christ the King - Year B 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 2 Samuel 23:1-7 \n \n\n \n \n \n The God of Jacob\, the mighty One of Israel\,\nchose David\, the son of Jesse\,\nloved him\, and raised him up to be a great King.\nAt the end of his reign\,\nDavid spoke these final words from his death bed: \nThe Spirit of the LORD speaks through me.\nThe words that roll from my tongue come from God.\nA message comes from the ancient solid Rock\,\nfrom the God of Israel\, saying to me: \n“A true leader has a heart for justice\nand exercises power with the constant awareness\nof being under the eye of God.\nSuch a leader is as welcome as the dawn\,\nas popular as sunshine on the weekend\,\nas valuable as spring rains on the wheat fields.” \nI\, David\, have established my dynasty on this principle\,\nand God has made a permanent alliance with me\,\nsigned\, sealed and delivered.\nSurely then I can depend on God to stand by me\nand make my hopes and dreams come true. \nLeaders who shun God are a very different story.\nYou wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole.\nThey are a plague on the land\, like feral blackberry vines\,\nwhich can only be dealt with by bulldozing them into a pile\nand burning them on the spot. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 132: 1-12\, (13-18) \n \n\n \n \n \n O LORD\, keep David in mind\nand give him credit for the tough times he endured. \nRemember the promise he made to you\, LORD.\nHe named you as the Mighty God of Jacob\nand swore a sacred vow\, saying: \n“I will not go home or lay my head on the pillow;\nI will not get a wink of sleep or a moment’s rest\,\nuntil I find a home for the LORD\,\na place for the Mighty God of Jacob to live.” \nWe have heard the call to worship you\, LORD.\nWe will make our pilgrimage to your home\nlike David did when he brought your sacred Ark\nfrom the Field of Yaarim\nto the place where we now kneel in worship. \nCome\, LORD\, and settle into your new home\,\nmove into the Temple with your mighty Ark.\nMay your priests be instantly recognizable by their passion for justice;\nmay your faithful people erupt with shouts of joy. \nBe true to the word you gave to your servant\, David\,\ndon’t turn your back on your chosen leader.\nYou\, LORD\, gave a guarantee to David\, saying\,\n“I will see to it that one of your own sons inherits your throne.\nAnd after that\, if your sons are faithful to our alliance\nand stick to the ways I teach them\,\nthen their sons too will inherit your throne\,\none after the other for ever and ever.” \nYou\, LORD\, have chosen Zion\,\nidentified it as the place you wish to live.\nYou said of it: \n“This is where I will settle permanently\,\nI’ll put down roots because I love it here.\nI’ll see that there is always plenty of food here\,\nand even the poor will have more than enough to eat.\nSalvation will be like a badge of office for Zion’s priests\,\nand faithful crowds will roar their appreciation.\nHere I will consolidate David’s power;\nI have chosen him and put his name up in lights.\nI will have his enemies run out of town\,\nwhile his reputation will shine brighter and brighter.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Revelation 1:4 b-8 \n \n\n \n \n \n Greetings and best wishes. May the One who is and who was and who is yet to come be generous to you and give you peace. May the seven spirits who gather around heaven’s throne do likewise for you. And so too may Jesus Christ. He is the key witness whose testimony will not be silenced\, no matter what. He is the first one to have been reborn from the grave. He is the one to whom everyone who holds power on earth must answer. \nAll glory and power to Jesus Christ\,\nfor he loves us.\nHe cut us loose from our sins\,\neven spilling his own blood to get it done. \nHe made us citizens of a new global domain\nand priests in the service of his God and Father.\nAll glory and power to Jesus Christ\,\nfrom now to forever. So say all of us! \nBe on the watch - he’s on his way!\nRolling in on the clouds - no one will fail to see him.\nEven those who cut him down will have to look\,\nand the sight of him will cause weeping and wailing\nfrom every race and nation on earth. \nThat’s the long and the short of it\, and so say all of us! \n“I’m the first and the last; the be all and end all\,” says the Lord God\, the invincible one\, who is and who was and who is yet to come. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n John 18:33-37 \n \n\n \n \n \n Faced with the request to have Jesus executed\, Pilate went back into his headquarters and interviewed Jesus again. “Do you see yourself as the King of the Jews?” he asked. \nJesus replied\, saying\, “Is that your own question or has someone else been wording you up?” \n“Give me a break\,” Pilate retorted\, “I’m obviously not one of the Jews\, am I? It wasn’t my people who had you dragged in here. It was your mob\, your own race\, your own religious leaders. What in the world have you done?” \nJesus answered\, “My reign is not tied to this world. If my power base depended on this world\, those who have given their allegiance to me would be fighting tooth and nail to keep me out of the hands of that mob. But it’s not like that. My reign is not tied to this world.” \nPilate latched on to that: “So you are claiming to be a king then?” \n“You’re the one who’s putting the ‘king’ label on me\,” Jesus replied. “If you want to know what I’m on about\, what I was born into the world for\, it’s this: I’m the key witness whose job it is to speak the truth\, the whole truth\, and nothing but the truth. Everyone who has given their allegiance to the truth responds to my voice.” \n©2000 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 Daniel 7: 9-10\, 13-14 \n \n\n \n \n \n Before my very eyes\,\nthrones were set up\,\nand down sat One who has ruled since the dawn of time.\nHe was dressed in white robes\, bright as snow\,\nand had a head of hair like clean wool. \nHis throne was an explosion of fire\nand its wheels were raging flames.\nA torrent of fire poured forth where ever he went\nand spread in all directions.\nAn army of servants answered his every call\,\nand a squillion more stood to attention\, awaiting his word.\nThe royal commission began\,\nand the books were laid open. \nThe vision continued as I watched into the night.\nI saw the arrival of one who appeared to be human\nsurrounded by clouds from the sky.\nHe approached the One who has ruled since the dawn of time\nand his entrance was formally announced. \nHe was installed as king\nand given great glory and authority\,\nso that the people of every race and nation and language\nwould gladly serve him.\nHis term of office is forever\,\nit will never come to an end.\nHis reign as king\nwill never be overthrown. \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 93 \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\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 the One who was\, and is\, and is to come\,\nand you reign over all from beginning to end. \nYou created the earth and its inhabitants\,\nand chose gifted men and women to lead your people\,\nexalting those who rule with justice and humility. \nIn faithfulness to your servant\, David\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus Christ\, into the world\nto testify to the truth and shepherd your people.\nThough he was accused of treason before Pilate\nand executed by his own nation\,\nhe was the first born from the dead\,\nraised by your power\nto free us from sin and make us your holy people.\nYou gave him glory and dominion forever\,\nand he rules over all\nwith an authority that comes\, not from this world\,\nbut from you\, our God and our Rock. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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 Christ\,\nwho you sent into the world\nto testify to the truth and shepherd your people.\nRaising him from the dead\,\nyou gave him glory and dominion\,\nand set him to rule over all forever. \n©2003 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 the One who was\, and is\, and is to come\,\nand you reign over all from beginning to end. \nYou created the earth and its inhabitants\,\nand chose gifted men and women to lead your people\,\nexalting those who rule with justice and humility. \nIn faithfulness to your servant\, David\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus Christ\, into the world\nto testify to the truth and shepherd your people.\nThough he was accused of treason before Pilate\nand executed by his own nation\,\nhe was the first born from the dead\,\nraised by your power\nto free us from sin and make us your holy people.\nYou gave him glory and dominion forever\,\nand he rules over all\nwith an authority that comes\, not from this world\,\nbut from you\, our God and our Rock. \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©2003 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\, the ruler of all the earth\,\nloves us and\, at the cost of his own blood\,\nfreed us from our sins\,\nmaking us citizens of his realm\nand priests forever in the service of God. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go out as faithful witnesses to the one who reigns forever.\nLook to Christ as your shepherd and your ruler\,\nand listen for his voice.\nClothe yourselves in righteousness\nand make every place a place to worship God. \nAnd may God strengthen you and fulfil your dreams;\nMay Christ Jesus be the rising sun that lightens your days;\nand may the Holy Spirit speak to you and through you\n    with words of grace and peace. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nMaking a Joke of the KingA sermon on John 18:33-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Clash of KingdomsA sermon on John 18:33-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nClashing Kingdoms and the Grey ZonesA sermon on John 18:33-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nFake News and a Kingdom of TruthA sermon on John 18:33-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nTo King or Not to KingA sermon on John 18:33-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nCome: Consider Your KingA sermon on Christ the King by Vivian Grice URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp29/2027-11-21/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P29.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271121T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271121T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201013T022132Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000532Z UID:10002771-1826755200-1826841599@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:Proper 29 - Christ the King - Year B 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 2 Samuel 23:1-7 \n \n\n \n \n \n The God of Jacob\, the mighty One of Israel\,\nchose David\, the son of Jesse\,\nloved him\, and raised him up to be a great King.\nAt the end of his reign\,\nDavid spoke these final words from his death bed: \nThe Spirit of the LORD speaks through me.\nThe words that roll from my tongue come from God.\nA message comes from the ancient solid Rock\,\nfrom the God of Israel\, saying to me: \n“A true leader has a heart for justice\nand exercises power with the constant awareness\nof being under the eye of God.\nSuch a leader is as welcome as the dawn\,\nas popular as sunshine on the weekend\,\nas valuable as spring rains on the wheat fields.” \nI\, David\, have established my dynasty on this principle\,\nand God has made a permanent alliance with me\,\nsigned\, sealed and delivered.\nSurely then I can depend on God to stand by me\nand make my hopes and dreams come true. \nLeaders who shun God are a very different story.\nYou wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole.\nThey are a plague on the land\, like feral blackberry vines\,\nwhich can only be dealt with by bulldozing them into a pile\nand burning them on the spot. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 132: 1-12\, (13-18) \n \n\n \n \n \n O LORD\, keep David in mind\nand give him credit for the tough times he endured. \nRemember the promise he made to you\, LORD.\nHe named you as the Mighty God of Jacob\nand swore a sacred vow\, saying: \n“I will not go home or lay my head on the pillow;\nI will not get a wink of sleep or a moment’s rest\,\nuntil I find a home for the LORD\,\na place for the Mighty God of Jacob to live.” \nWe have heard the call to worship you\, LORD.\nWe will make our pilgrimage to your home\nlike David did when he brought your sacred Ark\nfrom the Field of Yaarim\nto the place where we now kneel in worship. \nCome\, LORD\, and settle into your new home\,\nmove into the Temple with your mighty Ark.\nMay your priests be instantly recognizable by their passion for justice;\nmay your faithful people erupt with shouts of joy. \nBe true to the word you gave to your servant\, David\,\ndon’t turn your back on your chosen leader.\nYou\, LORD\, gave a guarantee to David\, saying\,\n“I will see to it that one of your own sons inherits your throne.\nAnd after that\, if your sons are faithful to our alliance\nand stick to the ways I teach them\,\nthen their sons too will inherit your throne\,\none after the other for ever and ever.” \nYou\, LORD\, have chosen Zion\,\nidentified it as the place you wish to live.\nYou said of it: \n“This is where I will settle permanently\,\nI’ll put down roots because I love it here.\nI’ll see that there is always plenty of food here\,\nand even the poor will have more than enough to eat.\nSalvation will be like a badge of office for Zion’s priests\,\nand faithful crowds will roar their appreciation.\nHere I will consolidate David’s power;\nI have chosen him and put his name up in lights.\nI will have his enemies run out of town\,\nwhile his reputation will shine brighter and brighter.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Revelation 1:4 b-8 \n \n\n \n \n \n Greetings and best wishes. May the One who is and who was and who is yet to come be generous to you and give you peace. May the seven spirits who gather around heaven’s throne do likewise for you. And so too may Jesus Christ. He is the key witness whose testimony will not be silenced\, no matter what. He is the first one to have been reborn from the grave. He is the one to whom everyone who holds power on earth must answer. \nAll glory and power to Jesus Christ\,\nfor he loves us.\nHe cut us loose from our sins\,\neven spilling his own blood to get it done. \nHe made us citizens of a new global domain\nand priests in the service of his God and Father.\nAll glory and power to Jesus Christ\,\nfrom now to forever. So say all of us! \nBe on the watch - he’s on his way!\nRolling in on the clouds - no one will fail to see him.\nEven those who cut him down will have to look\,\nand the sight of him will cause weeping and wailing\nfrom every race and nation on earth. \nThat’s the long and the short of it\, and so say all of us! \n“I’m the first and the last; the be all and end all\,” says the Lord God\, the invincible one\, who is and who was and who is yet to come. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n John 18:33-37 \n \n\n \n \n \n Faced with the request to have Jesus executed\, Pilate went back into his headquarters and interviewed Jesus again. “Do you see yourself as the King of the Jews?” he asked. \nJesus replied\, saying\, “Is that your own question or has someone else been wording you up?” \n“Give me a break\,” Pilate retorted\, “I’m obviously not one of the Jews\, am I? It wasn’t my people who had you dragged in here. It was your mob\, your own race\, your own religious leaders. What in the world have you done?” \nJesus answered\, “My reign is not tied to this world. If my power base depended on this world\, those who have given their allegiance to me would be fighting tooth and nail to keep me out of the hands of that mob. But it’s not like that. My reign is not tied to this world.” \nPilate latched on to that: “So you are claiming to be a king then?” \n“You’re the one who’s putting the ‘king’ label on me\,” Jesus replied. “If you want to know what I’m on about\, what I was born into the world for\, it’s this: I’m the key witness whose job it is to speak the truth\, the whole truth\, and nothing but the truth. Everyone who has given their allegiance to the truth responds to my voice.” \n©2000 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 Daniel 7: 9-10\, 13-14 \n \n\n \n \n \n Before my very eyes\,\nthrones were set up\,\nand down sat One who has ruled since the dawn of time.\nHe was dressed in white robes\, bright as snow\,\nand had a head of hair like clean wool. \nHis throne was an explosion of fire\nand its wheels were raging flames.\nA torrent of fire poured forth where ever he went\nand spread in all directions.\nAn army of servants answered his every call\,\nand a squillion more stood to attention\, awaiting his word.\nThe royal commission began\,\nand the books were laid open. \nThe vision continued as I watched into the night.\nI saw the arrival of one who appeared to be human\nsurrounded by clouds from the sky.\nHe approached the One who has ruled since the dawn of time\nand his entrance was formally announced. \nHe was installed as king\nand given great glory and authority\,\nso that the people of every race and nation and language\nwould gladly serve him.\nHis term of office is forever\,\nit will never come to an end.\nHis reign as king\nwill never be overthrown. \n©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 93 \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\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 the One who was\, and is\, and is to come\,\nand you reign over all from beginning to end. \nYou created the earth and its inhabitants\,\nand chose gifted men and women to lead your people\,\nexalting those who rule with justice and humility. \nIn faithfulness to your servant\, David\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus Christ\, into the world\nto testify to the truth and shepherd your people.\nThough he was accused of treason before Pilate\nand executed by his own nation\,\nhe was the first born from the dead\,\nraised by your power\nto free us from sin and make us your holy people.\nYou gave him glory and dominion forever\,\nand he rules over all\nwith an authority that comes\, not from this world\,\nbut from you\, our God and our Rock. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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 Christ\,\nwho you sent into the world\nto testify to the truth and shepherd your people.\nRaising him from the dead\,\nyou gave him glory and dominion\,\nand set him to rule over all forever. \n©2003 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 the One who was\, and is\, and is to come\,\nand you reign over all from beginning to end. \nYou created the earth and its inhabitants\,\nand chose gifted men and women to lead your people\,\nexalting those who rule with justice and humility. \nIn faithfulness to your servant\, David\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus Christ\, into the world\nto testify to the truth and shepherd your people.\nThough he was accused of treason before Pilate\nand executed by his own nation\,\nhe was the first born from the dead\,\nraised by your power\nto free us from sin and make us your holy people.\nYou gave him glory and dominion forever\,\nand he rules over all\nwith an authority that comes\, not from this world\,\nbut from you\, our God and our Rock. \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©2003 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\, the ruler of all the earth\,\nloves us and\, at the cost of his own blood\,\nfreed us from our sins\,\nmaking us citizens of his realm\nand priests forever in the service of God. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go out as faithful witnesses to the one who reigns forever.\nLook to Christ as your shepherd and your ruler\,\nand listen for his voice.\nClothe yourselves in righteousness\nand make every place a place to worship God. \nAnd may God strengthen you and fulfil your dreams;\nMay Christ Jesus be the rising sun that lightens your days;\nand may the Holy Spirit speak to you and through you\n    with words of grace and peace. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nMaking a Joke of the KingA sermon on John 18:33-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Clash of KingdomsA sermon on John 18:33-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nClashing Kingdoms and the Grey ZonesA sermon on John 18:33-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nFake News and a Kingdom of TruthA sermon on John 18:33-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nTo King or Not to KingA sermon on John 18:33-37 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nCome: Consider Your KingA sermon on Christ the King by Vivian Grice URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/bp29/2027-11-21/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P29.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271128T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271128T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20250105T034751Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250105T034844Z UID:10002162-1827360000-1827446399@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:1st Sunday of Advent - Year C 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 Jeremiah 33:14-16 \n \n\n \n \n \n The LORD says: \nI have made a promise to the people of Israel and Judah\, and you can bet your bottom dollar that the days are not far off when I will make good on that promise. When those days come\, when the time is good and right\, I will appoint a new king who will rule with integrity and bring about justice. He will appear from the family of David\, like a new branch on an old tree. At that time peace and safety will be restored to Judah\, and Jerusalem will have nothing to fear. The city will come to be known as “The City of the LORD’s Justice.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 25:1-10 \n \n\n \n \n \n I gladly offer you everything I am\, LORD . \nI have put my trust in you\, God;\nplease don’t let me down;\ndon’t give my enemies grounds to gloat. \nBe there for those who hang in there for you\, no matter what:\ndon’t leave them with egg on their faces.\nSave that for the two-faced scabs who deserve it. \nLet me in on your way of doing things\, LORD;\nteach me how to follow your tracks. \nSteer me along your ways of truth\, and teach me all about them.\nOnly you can save me from disaster\, God\,\nso I’ll wait for you before setting out. \nYour love and mercy have been as timeless and dependable as the rock;\nplease don’t change your mind about them now! \nDon’t keep a record of everything I’ve done wrong in the past.\nLet your unshakable love colour your view of me\,\nand keep your reputation for generosity intact! \nYou always do what is good and right\, LORD\,\nand so you patiently retrain those who do wrong. \nYou pilot a safe course for those who are not too full of themselves;\nyou give lessons on your ways to the humble folk. \nEvery path you tread\, LORD\, is marked by solid love and loyalty\nfor the benefit of all who keep our end of the bargain with you. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 \n \n\n \n \n \n There is no way we could ever thank God enough for all the joy that you Christians in Thessalonica have given us. We pray hard for you all the time\, day and night\, and ask God to let us catch up with you face to face so that we can do whatever we can to strengthen your faith even more. \nIt’s all up to God the provider\, and to our Lord Jesus. If they put us on track\, we’ll be over to you like a shot. In the mean time\, may the Lord see to it that your love keeps growing in leaps and bounds\, just like our love for you has. May the God who conceived us all\, continue to intensify the strength and purity of your hearts so that when the Lord Jesus comes with all his followers\, you may be in perfect condition to take your place among them. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 21:25-36 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jesus spoke to those gathered around him in the temple\, saying: \n“At that time the whole cosmos will seem to be going berserk. The sun\, the moon\, the stars\, the earth and the seas will be out of control\, and waves of blind panic will sweep across every nation. The terrifying sense of doom will be more than some people can bear - they’ll drop in their tracks in a dead faint as the elemental powers of the universe tremor and crash around them. Then\, and only then\, those who are still standing will see the breathtaking arrival of the New Human\, riding on the clouds in power and glory. When these things start happening\, get up on your feet and stand tall\, because the moment is approaching when everything will finally be put right for you.” \nThen Jesus used an illustration to make his point\, saying: \n“Most trees give clear signs when the seasons are changing. When the wattles start unfurling their blooms you know that summer is just around the corner. This is much the same. When you see all these things happening you can be sure that the reign of God is almost upon you. The fact of the matter is that some of you will see these things in your own lifetime. The earth and the sky will only last for so long\, but there is no expiry date on my words. \n“Keep on your toes and don’t let yourself get entangled in wasteful trivialities like partying and keeping up with the Jones’. If you get sucked into all that you’ll lose all sense of perspective and you’ll flap blindly into the coming day like a moth into a windshield. It’s not as though there is any way of avoiding it. That day will come to everyone on earth at once\, ready or not. So stay on your watch constantly. Pray for strength\, pray for guts\, pray for the ability to keep your wits about you; you’ll need the lot when these things happen if you’re going to dodge and weave your way clear so that you can stand tall before the New Human.” \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 even when the the whole earth is thrown into chaos\nyour tenderness and lasting love are our sure hope. \nYou created the heavens and the earth\,\nand though even they will pass away\,\nthe words you have spoken to us\nare an everlasting covenant of promise. \nThe words of your son\, Jesus Christ\,\nshook the earth and opened our eyes to your coming reign.\nHe led us in the paths of your truth\nand taught us your ways of faithful love.\nHe was crucified by the enemies of justice\,\nbut you raised him to new life\nand sent his Spirit to restore and strengthen our faith\nas the day of redemption draws near.\nYour promise will be fulfilled in coming days\nwhen Christ comes on the clouds\nto establish your reign of justice and righteousness forever. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2000 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 the words of your son\, Jesus Christ\,\nwhich shook the earth and opened our eyes to your coming reign\,\nassuring us that even when the world is thrown into chaos\nyour tenderness and lasting love remain as our sure hope. \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 our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor even when the the whole earth is thrown into chaos\nyour tenderness and lasting love are our sure hope. \nYou created the heavens and the earth\,\nand though even they will pass away\,\nthe words you have spoken to us\nare an everlasting covenant of promise. \nThe words of your son\, Jesus Christ\,\nshook the earth and opened our eyes to your coming reign.\nHe led us in the paths of your truth\nand taught us your ways of faithful love.\nHe was crucified by the enemies of justice\,\nbut you raised him to new life\nand sent his Spirit to restore and strengthen our faith\nas the day of redemption draws near.\nYour promise will be fulfilled in coming days\nwhen Christ comes on the clouds\nto establish your reign of justice and righteousness 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 The Lord does not remember your faults\,\nnor the sins of your past\,\nbut will strengthen your hearts in holiness\nso that you may be blameless before God\nat the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now and let the Lord steer you in the way of truth.\nBe on your guard so that you will not be caught up\nin the trivialities and anxieties of the world.\nBe alert at all times and pray for strength\nto escape the traps that would keep you from God. \nAnd may God make you increase in love for one another;\nMay Christ Jesus teach you how to live in God’s ways;\nand may the Holy Spirit strengthen your hearts in holiness\,\nas you ready yourselves for the coming of the Lord. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nThe Future – what should we know? An Advent sermon by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Hope and the FearA sermon on Luke 21:25-36 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nHolding your Heads HighA sermon on Luke 21:25-36 by Andrew Woff\n\n\n\nThe New BranchA sermon on Jeremiah 33:14-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nApocalypse Now?A sermon on Luke 21:25-36 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nEarth-Shattering ExpectationsA sermon on Luke 21:25-36 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nExpecto Patronum!A sermon on Luke 21:25-36 & Jeremiah 33:14-16 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/c01/2027-11-28/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Advent1a.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271205T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271205T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201020T021249Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250116T120000Z UID:10001684-1827964800-1828051199@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:2nd Sunday of Advent - Year C 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 Baruch 5:1-9 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jerusalem\, take off your funeral suit. The time of grief is over!\nDress to the nines in the beauty of God’s glory. \nGod has given you righteousness as a gift.\nWear it like a full length coat.\nGod has given you a share of divine glory.\nWear it as a crown.\nGod will see that every nation on earth\ngets an eyeful of your splendour! \nThanks to God\, you will gain a name for justice\, for peace\,\nand for reflecting the glory of God. \nOn your feet\, Jerusalem. Climb the lookout.\nScan the horizon. Look who’s coming!\nGod has given the go ahead to bring home your children.\nFrom every direction they come\,\nsinging with joy because God remembered them. \nThey were marched away from you on foot\nwith enemy soldiers driving them ruthlessly.\nBut when God brings them home\,\nthey will be driven by chauffeurs\nwith bands playing and ticker tape raining down. \nGod has even ordered special road works for their coming:\nno more dangerous mountain passes or river fords.\nA spectacular new freeway\nwill make travelling a breeze for God’s people.\nThey’ll be able to come home safely\,\nenjoying all that God has done. \nEven the hot sun won’t bother them\,\nbecause God has ordered shady trees to line the way. \nGod will lead the homecoming procession.\nEveryone will return\,\nsinging the praises of God’s mercy and justice.\nGod’s glorious presence\nwill light up the road before them. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n OR Malachi 3:1-4 \n \n\n \n \n \n The LORD who rules over everything has this to say: \n“Look\, I am sending my own messenger to get things ready for my arrival. Then\, all of a sudden\, the Lord you have been looking for will turn up in the temple. You have been longing to see the messenger who will come to put my promises on the table. Well\, he’s coming alright. But will anyone be able to cope with him when he does? Will anyone be able to stand firm in his presence? \nYou see\, he’ll be like a bush fire that clears all the debris from the forest floor\, or like paint stripper that takes a surface back to bare metal. He will tear through the whole family of priests and burn away the rubbish once and for all\, until they shine like pure polished gold. Then they’ll do what they are supposed to do and bring the right kind of offerings to the LORD. That way the offerings of the people of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to God again\, just like they were in the past.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 1:68-79 (canticle) \n \n\n \n \n \n We sing your praises\, Lord God of Israel\,\nbecause you have smiled upon us and put things right for us. \nFrom the family of your servant David\nyou have called forth a hero with the power to save us.\nYou promised this years ago\, in the preaching of your prophets.\nYou said you would break us loose from the grip of our enemies\nand from the traps of those who had it in for us. \nYou have been true to your word\nand honoured the agreement you made with our ancestors.\nWay way back\, you swore to Abraham and Sarah\nthat you would snatch us clear of enemy hands\nand give us the opportunity to serve you openly\,\nwithout having to watch our backs;\nto dedicate ourselves totally to you\nand to doing what is right for the rest of our lives. \nAnd now you have given us this child.\nHe will be known as a prophet of the great God.\nHe will go ahead of the coming Lord\,\ngetting everything prepared.\nHe will let your people know that you offer salvation\nand make it clear that their sins are forgiven. \nOur God\, your tender and patient love\nwill dawn on us and light up the world for us.\nEven in the darkest hours\, in the blackest hell-holes of our world\,\nyour love will break through and illuminate the way of peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Philippians 1:3-11 \n \n\n \n \n \n Every time you Christians at Philippi pop up in my thoughts\, I can’t help but thank God for you. It is a real joy to pray for you people and I do so often. Of course I do - you’ve shared so much with us in this new life we’re announcing\, and you have ever since day one. It was God who commenced this great work in you\, turning the first sod\, and one thing I’d bet my life on is that God will stick to the job\, without cutting a single corner\, so that the completed project is ready for a grand unveiling on the day when Jesus Christ appears. \nIt is no surprise that I get so carried away about you and hold such a special place for you in my heart. You’ve always been so committed to me\, sticking by me through thick and thin. I’ve experienced the generous love of God through you; I did when we worked side by side to present and defend God’s message\, and I still do now\, locked up here in prison. As God is my witness\, I can assure you that I long to be able to show you how much I care for you. Sometimes I feel as though even Jesus couldn’t love you more than I do! \nSo I’m praying for you\, that you may be so full of love that it just pours out in all directions! And I don’t mean sentimental mushy stuff. I’m praying that your love will be the kind that sharpens your senses and puts steel in your backbone so that you can discern what is right and see it through no matter what. With that kind of love you can be sure that when Christ turns up there’ll be no mud sticking to you. Between now and then you’ll have been working together with Jesus like a well oiled machine producing one good thing after another\, all bearing the marks of justice and integrity which draw attention to the glory of God’s goodness. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 3:1-6 \n \n\n \n \n \n John\, the son of Zechariah\, received a message from God in the desert. This happened when Tiberius had been Roman Emperor for fifteen years. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea at the time\, and Herod the Second held the reins up in Galilee. Herod’s brother Philip had the job in the region of Iturea and Trachonitis\, and in Abilene\, Lysanias was in charge. In Jerusalem\, Annas and Ciaphas were jointly holding the office of High Priest. \nWhen he received the message from God\, John went up and down the Jordan valley preaching to the people. He called them to be baptised\, to completely turn their lives around and receive God’s forgiveness for their toxic ways. The prophet Isaiah had foreshadowed this when he wrote: \n“In the desert a voice is shouting: \n‘The Lord is coming!\nGet the road ready.\nClear the track. Straighten it out for him. \nFill the potholes. Bridge the valleys.\nCut through the obstructions to level the grade.\nReplace meandering tracks with a new direct route.\nLay a new surface over the old corrugations. \nThe Lord is coming to save the world\nand everyone on earth will see it happen.’ ” \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 from your deepest mercy comes our hope of salvation. \nIn the beginning you began creating the world\nand you will bring it to completion at your final appearing.\nThrough your prophets you promised to save us\nfrom all that would drive us into slavery. \nYou sent your servant\, John\,\nto prepare the way for your anointed one\nby proclaiming a baptism of repentance\,\na refining fire to purify your people.\nIn your child\, Jesus\, we have seen the dawn of justice\,\nand the glory of your mercy and righteousness.\nWhen he was crucified\nyou raised him to new life with the power to save.\nNow we eagerly await the glorious day of his appearing\,\nwhen all your children will be gathered home\,\noverflowing with love\, joy and the fruits of righteousness\nto your glory and praise. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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 our hope of salvation\nwhich springs from your deepest mercy.\nLike a refining fire\, you sent your servant John\,\nto prepare the way for your anointed one\nby proclaiming a baptism of repentance\,\nto make us pure and blameless before him. \n©2000 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 from your deepest mercy comes our hope of salvation. \nIn the beginning you began creating the world\nand you will bring it to completion at your final appearing.\nThrough your prophets you promised to save us\nfrom all that would drive us into slavery. \nYou sent your servant\, John\,\nto prepare the way for your anointed one\nby proclaiming a baptism of repentance\,\na refining fire to purify your people.\nIn your child\, Jesus\, we have seen the dawn of justice\,\nand the glory of your mercy and righteousness.\nWhen he was crucified\nyou raised him to new life with the power to save.\nNow we eagerly await the glorious day of his appearing\,\nwhen all your children will be gathered home\,\noverflowing with love\, joy and the fruits of righteousness\nto your glory and praise. \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©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n In God’s deepest mercy\,\nwe were called to a baptism of repentance\,\nso that our sins might be forgiven\nand we might be pure and blameless\nbefore the coming Christ. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now and prepare the way for the Lord.\nShare in the gospel of God’s grace;\nProclaim salvation and the forgiveness of sins;\nMake straight paths for justice and mercy. \nAnd may God complete the good work begun in you;\nMay Christ Jesus rejoice in your faith and compassion;\nand may the Holy Spirit fill your love with wisdom\,\nand produce in you a harvest of righteousness. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nInviting TroubleA sermon on Malachi 3:1-4 & Luke 1:68-79 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nShaping up for the Coming FutureA sermon on Luke 3:1-6; Malachi 3:1-4 & Philippians 1:3-11 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWho can endure Christmas?A sermon on Malachi 3: 1-4 & Luke 3:1-6 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nOpen Up The WayA sermon on Luke 3:1-6 & Malachi 3:1-4 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWelcoming FireA sermon on Luke 3:1-6; Malachi 3:1-4 & Philippians 1:3-11 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Wilderness WayA sermon on Luke 3:1-6 & Malachi 3:1-4 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSilence and a SongA sermon on Luke 1:68-79 by Carolyn Francis URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/c02/2027-12-05/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Advent2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271205T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271205T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201020T021249Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000532Z UID:10002769-1827964800-1828051199@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:2nd Sunday of Advent - Year C 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 Baruch 5:1-9 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jerusalem\, take off your funeral suit. The time of grief is over!\nDress to the nines in the beauty of God’s glory. \nGod has given you righteousness as a gift.\nWear it like a full length coat.\nGod has given you a share of divine glory.\nWear it as a crown.\nGod will see that every nation on earth\ngets an eyeful of your splendour! \nThanks to God\, you will gain a name for justice\, for peace\,\nand for reflecting the glory of God. \nOn your feet\, Jerusalem. Climb the lookout.\nScan the horizon. Look who’s coming!\nGod has given the go ahead to bring home your children.\nFrom every direction they come\,\nsinging with joy because God remembered them. \nThey were marched away from you on foot\nwith enemy soldiers driving them ruthlessly.\nBut when God brings them home\,\nthey will be driven by chauffeurs\nwith bands playing and ticker tape raining down. \nGod has even ordered special road works for their coming:\nno more dangerous mountain passes or river fords.\nA spectacular new freeway\nwill make travelling a breeze for God’s people.\nThey’ll be able to come home safely\,\nenjoying all that God has done. \nEven the hot sun won’t bother them\,\nbecause God has ordered shady trees to line the way. \nGod will lead the homecoming procession.\nEveryone will return\,\nsinging the praises of God’s mercy and justice.\nGod’s glorious presence\nwill light up the road before them. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n OR Malachi 3:1-4 \n \n\n \n \n \n The LORD who rules over everything has this to say: \n“Look\, I am sending my own messenger to get things ready for my arrival. Then\, all of a sudden\, the Lord you have been looking for will turn up in the temple. You have been longing to see the messenger who will come to put my promises on the table. Well\, he’s coming alright. But will anyone be able to cope with him when he does? Will anyone be able to stand firm in his presence? \nYou see\, he’ll be like a bush fire that clears all the debris from the forest floor\, or like paint stripper that takes a surface back to bare metal. He will tear through the whole family of priests and burn away the rubbish once and for all\, until they shine like pure polished gold. Then they’ll do what they are supposed to do and bring the right kind of offerings to the LORD. That way the offerings of the people of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to God again\, just like they were in the past.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 1:68-79 (canticle) \n \n\n \n \n \n We sing your praises\, Lord God of Israel\,\nbecause you have smiled upon us and put things right for us. \nFrom the family of your servant David\nyou have called forth a hero with the power to save us.\nYou promised this years ago\, in the preaching of your prophets.\nYou said you would break us loose from the grip of our enemies\nand from the traps of those who had it in for us. \nYou have been true to your word\nand honoured the agreement you made with our ancestors.\nWay way back\, you swore to Abraham and Sarah\nthat you would snatch us clear of enemy hands\nand give us the opportunity to serve you openly\,\nwithout having to watch our backs;\nto dedicate ourselves totally to you\nand to doing what is right for the rest of our lives. \nAnd now you have given us this child.\nHe will be known as a prophet of the great God.\nHe will go ahead of the coming Lord\,\ngetting everything prepared.\nHe will let your people know that you offer salvation\nand make it clear that their sins are forgiven. \nOur God\, your tender and patient love\nwill dawn on us and light up the world for us.\nEven in the darkest hours\, in the blackest hell-holes of our world\,\nyour love will break through and illuminate the way of peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Philippians 1:3-11 \n \n\n \n \n \n Every time you Christians at Philippi pop up in my thoughts\, I can’t help but thank God for you. It is a real joy to pray for you people and I do so often. Of course I do - you’ve shared so much with us in this new life we’re announcing\, and you have ever since day one. It was God who commenced this great work in you\, turning the first sod\, and one thing I’d bet my life on is that God will stick to the job\, without cutting a single corner\, so that the completed project is ready for a grand unveiling on the day when Jesus Christ appears. \nIt is no surprise that I get so carried away about you and hold such a special place for you in my heart. You’ve always been so committed to me\, sticking by me through thick and thin. I’ve experienced the generous love of God through you; I did when we worked side by side to present and defend God’s message\, and I still do now\, locked up here in prison. As God is my witness\, I can assure you that I long to be able to show you how much I care for you. Sometimes I feel as though even Jesus couldn’t love you more than I do! \nSo I’m praying for you\, that you may be so full of love that it just pours out in all directions! And I don’t mean sentimental mushy stuff. I’m praying that your love will be the kind that sharpens your senses and puts steel in your backbone so that you can discern what is right and see it through no matter what. With that kind of love you can be sure that when Christ turns up there’ll be no mud sticking to you. Between now and then you’ll have been working together with Jesus like a well oiled machine producing one good thing after another\, all bearing the marks of justice and integrity which draw attention to the glory of God’s goodness. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 3:1-6 \n \n\n \n \n \n John\, the son of Zechariah\, received a message from God in the desert. This happened when Tiberius had been Roman Emperor for fifteen years. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea at the time\, and Herod the Second held the reins up in Galilee. Herod’s brother Philip had the job in the region of Iturea and Trachonitis\, and in Abilene\, Lysanias was in charge. In Jerusalem\, Annas and Ciaphas were jointly holding the office of High Priest. \nWhen he received the message from God\, John went up and down the Jordan valley preaching to the people. He called them to be baptised\, to completely turn their lives around and receive God’s forgiveness for their toxic ways. The prophet Isaiah had foreshadowed this when he wrote: \n“In the desert a voice is shouting: \n‘The Lord is coming!\nGet the road ready.\nClear the track. Straighten it out for him. \nFill the potholes. Bridge the valleys.\nCut through the obstructions to level the grade.\nReplace meandering tracks with a new direct route.\nLay a new surface over the old corrugations. \nThe Lord is coming to save the world\nand everyone on earth will see it happen.’ ” \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 from your deepest mercy comes our hope of salvation. \nIn the beginning you began creating the world\nand you will bring it to completion at your final appearing.\nThrough your prophets you promised to save us\nfrom all that would drive us into slavery. \nYou sent your servant\, John\,\nto prepare the way for your anointed one\nby proclaiming a baptism of repentance\,\na refining fire to purify your people.\nIn your child\, Jesus\, we have seen the dawn of justice\,\nand the glory of your mercy and righteousness.\nWhen he was crucified\nyou raised him to new life with the power to save.\nNow we eagerly await the glorious day of his appearing\,\nwhen all your children will be gathered home\,\noverflowing with love\, joy and the fruits of righteousness\nto your glory and praise. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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 our hope of salvation\nwhich springs from your deepest mercy.\nLike a refining fire\, you sent your servant John\,\nto prepare the way for your anointed one\nby proclaiming a baptism of repentance\,\nto make us pure and blameless before him. \n©2000 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 from your deepest mercy comes our hope of salvation. \nIn the beginning you began creating the world\nand you will bring it to completion at your final appearing.\nThrough your prophets you promised to save us\nfrom all that would drive us into slavery. \nYou sent your servant\, John\,\nto prepare the way for your anointed one\nby proclaiming a baptism of repentance\,\na refining fire to purify your people.\nIn your child\, Jesus\, we have seen the dawn of justice\,\nand the glory of your mercy and righteousness.\nWhen he was crucified\nyou raised him to new life with the power to save.\nNow we eagerly await the glorious day of his appearing\,\nwhen all your children will be gathered home\,\noverflowing with love\, joy and the fruits of righteousness\nto your glory and praise. \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©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n In God’s deepest mercy\,\nwe were called to a baptism of repentance\,\nso that our sins might be forgiven\nand we might be pure and blameless\nbefore the coming Christ. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now and prepare the way for the Lord.\nShare in the gospel of God’s grace;\nProclaim salvation and the forgiveness of sins;\nMake straight paths for justice and mercy. \nAnd may God complete the good work begun in you;\nMay Christ Jesus rejoice in your faith and compassion;\nand may the Holy Spirit fill your love with wisdom\,\nand produce in you a harvest of righteousness. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nInviting TroubleA sermon on Malachi 3:1-4 & Luke 1:68-79 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nShaping up for the Coming FutureA sermon on Luke 3:1-6; Malachi 3:1-4 & Philippians 1:3-11 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWho can endure Christmas?A sermon on Malachi 3: 1-4 & Luke 3:1-6 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nOpen Up The WayA sermon on Luke 3:1-6 & Malachi 3:1-4 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWelcoming FireA sermon on Luke 3:1-6; Malachi 3:1-4 & Philippians 1:3-11 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Wilderness WayA sermon on Luke 3:1-6 & Malachi 3:1-4 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nSilence and a SongA sermon on Luke 1:68-79 by Carolyn Francis URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/c02/2027-12-05/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Advent2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271212T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271212T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201020T093355Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250514T000532Z UID:10002767-1828569600-1828655999@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:3rd Sunday of Advent - Year C 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 Zephaniah 3: 14-20 \n \n\n \n \n \n Lift your voices\, all you children of Israel.\nSing and shout for joy!\nLet your hair down\, Jerusalem.\nCelebrate with all your heart! \nThe LORD has let you out of jail\nand forced your enemies to turn tail and run.\nThe one who rules over Israel – the LORD –\nis right alongside you\, so you have nothing to fear.\nNo disaster can touch you now. \nThe great day is coming\, Jerusalem\,\nwhen you will hear this message: \n“Relax! Don’t be afraid\, people of Zion.\nYour hands can stop trembling now!\nThe LORD\, your God\, is right alongside you;\na champion who always comes out on top.\nGod will be bursting with joy over you\,\ncelebrating as though it was always your birthday!\nGod will nourish you with love\nuntil the spring is back in your step.” \nThe LORD\, your God\, says to you: \n“I will bring your misfortune to an end;\nand set you free from its humiliation.\nThose who have kicked you around\nwill have me to deal with!\nI will rescue and reunite\nthe crippled and the refugees.\nNo longer will they be treated with contempt.\nI’ll see that they are honoured all over the world.\nWhen that time comes\,\nI will gather you together and bring you all home.\nWith your own eyes\nyou’ll see me restore all that is rightly yours.\nThen you will be honoured everywhere.\nEveryone on earth will sing your praises.\nI\, the LORD\, have spoken.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Isaiah 12:2-6 (canticle) \n \n\n \n \n \n You alone\, LORD\, are able to set us free\,\nso we put our trust in you\, and have nothing to fear.\nAll our strength and power come from you\, LORD GOD\,\nyou have become our hero\, our saviour! \nYou will put your saving love on tap\,\ndeep draughts to be enjoyed by everyone.\nOn that day we will all say to one another\,\n“Thank the LORD! Let God’s name be on everyone’s lips!” \nWe will tell the world what you have done\,\nwe will shout your name and declare you to be number one.\nWe will sing your praises because of all you have accomplished\,\nand give you the glory all over the earth.\nWith all the citizens of Zion\, we lift our voices to you\nwith shouts and laughter and songs of celebration\,\nfor you are the ultimate\, the greatest\, the Holy One\,\nand you live among us\, your people! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Philippians 4:4-7 \n \n\n \n \n \n Celebrate the Lord non-stop. I repeat - celebrate! Let your hair down! See that you get a reputation for gentleness - pushiness only gets up everyone’s nose and we can’t afford that when the Lord is so close. \nDon’t go getting anxious about anything\, but pray about everything. Worrying never fixed anything\, so take action: repackage your concerns as prayers. Spell out to God what it is you want\, giving thanks in advance\, and get it off your chest. You’ll find it is such a relief! The peace of God\, which no one can ever make sense of\, will move in and take over. The fears and anxieties will be pushed aside and your troubled hearts and minds will take refuge in Christ Jesus to relax and recover. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 3:7-18 \n \n\n \n \n \n John’s baptism became the ‘in thing’ and people flocked out to be baptised by him. John was not convinced by them though\, and bellowed\, “You slippery bunch of snakes! What makes you think that running down here for a quick wash will get you off scot free when the judgment comes? You’ve got to walk the walk. Show by your actions that you’ve turned your lives around as you say you have. And don’t go thinking that you’ve got the inside running just because you can trace your family tree back to Abraham. I’m telling you straight: descendants of Abraham are thick on the ground and\, at the snap of a finger\, God could turn these rocks into a few more. Family trees count for nothing. It is what sort of fruit the tree bears that matters. If the fruit is rubbish\, God will have no hesitation in wielding the axe\, cutting the tree off at the ground and tossing it on the fire.” \nThat got their attention! “What should we do then?” they asked him. \nJohn replied\, “Live differently. If you have two coats and someone else has none\, then share. If you have food\, do the same again – share. That’s the sort of thing you should do.” \nEven some of the people who collected taxes for the Roman occupation forces came out to be baptised. “Teacher\, what should we do?” they asked. \nJohn replied\, “Don’t rip anybody off. Collect only what the law prescribes and no more.” \nSome members of the security forces came too and asked\, “What about us? What should we do?” \n“No stand-over tactics and no protection rackets\,” John replied. “No intimidation or throwing your weight around to extort money out of people. You get paid your wages – be satisfied with that.” \nJohn’s activities struck a chord with the deep yearning for a national saviour\, and people began to speculate that perhaps John might be the one who God had chosen. John was quick to hose down such ideas\, saying\, “I’m only baptising you with water. The One who is coming is way out of my league – the chance to polish his boots would be more than I could aspire to. When he gets started\, it won’t be just water that he’ll be plunging you into. He’ll baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He’s ready to start with his flame thrower in hand. He’ll release an uncontrollable fire into the dry bushland of your lives\, completely incinerating the rubbish and germinating the good seeds that lie in wait for that day.” \nJohn made a lot of speeches like that. He was constantly on the job\, getting the word out\, bringing the people up to speed with the good news about what God was doing. \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 are coming in the fire of love\nto baptise your people and gather them home. \nIn love\, you created the earth and its inhabitants\nand sent faithful prophets like your servant John\,\nto call us\, and all Abraham’s children\,\nto turn to you and bear fruits of justice and mercy. \nIn your child\, Jesus\, you made your home in our midst.\nLiberating the lame and gathering the outcast\,\nhe confronted our oppressors\nand lifted us from shame to honour.\nWhen he was cut down and killed\nyou raised him to resurrection life.\nNow\, as the day of his coming draws near\,\nhe plunges us into his Spirit and fire\nto renew us in love\, and banish our fear\,\nso that we might praise your name forever\nand draw freely from the well of your salvation. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2000 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 come\nto baptise us in your Spirit and fire\,\nrenewing us in love and banishing our fear\,\nso that we might praise your name forever\nand draw freely from the well of your salvation. \n©2000 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 coming in the fire of love\nto baptise your people and gather them home. \nIn love\, you created the earth and its inhabitants\nand sent faithful prophets like your servant John\,\nto call us\, and all Abraham’s children\,\nto turn to you and bear fruits of justice and mercy. \nIn your child\, Jesus\, you made your home in our midst.\nLiberating the lame and gathering the outcast\,\nhe confronted our oppressors\nand lifted us from shame to honour.\nWhen he was cut down and killed\nyou raised him to resurrection life.\nNow\, as the day of his coming draws near\,\nhe plunges us into his Spirit and fire\nto renew us in love\, and banish our fear\,\nso that we might praise your name forever\nand draw freely from the well of your salvation. \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©2000 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 your saviour; you have nothing to fear.\nThe Lord has taken away the judgments against you\nand invited you to draw freely\nfrom the well of salvation. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now and rejoice in the Lord always.\nDo not be afraid or worried about anything\,\nbut in everything trust God and pray.\nBear fruits worthy of repentance\,\nsharing what you have and being gentle with all. \nAnd may God rejoice over you with gladness;\nMay Christ Jesus renew you in his love;\nand may the Holy Spirit give you peace beyond understanding\nto guard your hearts and minds in Christ. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nWhen you don’t feel like rejoicingA sermon on Philippians 4.4-7 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nRejoice! A Study in Faith’s AbsurdityA sermon on Zephaniah 3.14-20; Philippians 4.4-7 & Luke 3.7-18 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nWrath or GenerosityA sermon on Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLighting FiresA sermon on Zephaniah 3.14-20; Philippians 4.4-7 & Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nCould Hannah Gadsby be the Messiah?!A sermon on Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nChristmas Joys and Fair-weather SupportersA sermon on Zephaniah 3.14-20 & Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/c03/2027-12-12/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Advent3.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271212T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271212T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201020T093355Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250119T021208Z UID:10001686-1828569600-1828655999@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:3rd Sunday of Advent - Year C 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 Zephaniah 3: 14-20 \n \n\n \n \n \n Lift your voices\, all you children of Israel.\nSing and shout for joy!\nLet your hair down\, Jerusalem.\nCelebrate with all your heart! \nThe LORD has let you out of jail\nand forced your enemies to turn tail and run.\nThe one who rules over Israel – the LORD –\nis right alongside you\, so you have nothing to fear.\nNo disaster can touch you now. \nThe great day is coming\, Jerusalem\,\nwhen you will hear this message: \n“Relax! Don’t be afraid\, people of Zion.\nYour hands can stop trembling now!\nThe LORD\, your God\, is right alongside you;\na champion who always comes out on top.\nGod will be bursting with joy over you\,\ncelebrating as though it was always your birthday!\nGod will nourish you with love\nuntil the spring is back in your step.” \nThe LORD\, your God\, says to you: \n“I will bring your misfortune to an end;\nand set you free from its humiliation.\nThose who have kicked you around\nwill have me to deal with!\nI will rescue and reunite\nthe crippled and the refugees.\nNo longer will they be treated with contempt.\nI’ll see that they are honoured all over the world.\nWhen that time comes\,\nI will gather you together and bring you all home.\nWith your own eyes\nyou’ll see me restore all that is rightly yours.\nThen you will be honoured everywhere.\nEveryone on earth will sing your praises.\nI\, the LORD\, have spoken.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Isaiah 12:2-6 (canticle) \n \n\n \n \n \n You alone\, LORD\, are able to set us free\,\nso we put our trust in you\, and have nothing to fear.\nAll our strength and power come from you\, LORD GOD\,\nyou have become our hero\, our saviour! \nYou will put your saving love on tap\,\ndeep draughts to be enjoyed by everyone.\nOn that day we will all say to one another\,\n“Thank the LORD! Let God’s name be on everyone’s lips!” \nWe will tell the world what you have done\,\nwe will shout your name and declare you to be number one.\nWe will sing your praises because of all you have accomplished\,\nand give you the glory all over the earth.\nWith all the citizens of Zion\, we lift our voices to you\nwith shouts and laughter and songs of celebration\,\nfor you are the ultimate\, the greatest\, the Holy One\,\nand you live among us\, your people! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Philippians 4:4-7 \n \n\n \n \n \n Celebrate the Lord non-stop. I repeat - celebrate! Let your hair down! See that you get a reputation for gentleness - pushiness only gets up everyone’s nose and we can’t afford that when the Lord is so close. \nDon’t go getting anxious about anything\, but pray about everything. Worrying never fixed anything\, so take action: repackage your concerns as prayers. Spell out to God what it is you want\, giving thanks in advance\, and get it off your chest. You’ll find it is such a relief! The peace of God\, which no one can ever make sense of\, will move in and take over. The fears and anxieties will be pushed aside and your troubled hearts and minds will take refuge in Christ Jesus to relax and recover. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 3:7-18 \n \n\n \n \n \n John’s baptism became the ‘in thing’ and people flocked out to be baptised by him. John was not convinced by them though\, and bellowed\, “You slippery bunch of snakes! What makes you think that running down here for a quick wash will get you off scot free when the judgment comes? You’ve got to walk the walk. Show by your actions that you’ve turned your lives around as you say you have. And don’t go thinking that you’ve got the inside running just because you can trace your family tree back to Abraham. I’m telling you straight: descendants of Abraham are thick on the ground and\, at the snap of a finger\, God could turn these rocks into a few more. Family trees count for nothing. It is what sort of fruit the tree bears that matters. If the fruit is rubbish\, God will have no hesitation in wielding the axe\, cutting the tree off at the ground and tossing it on the fire.” \nThat got their attention! “What should we do then?” they asked him. \nJohn replied\, “Live differently. If you have two coats and someone else has none\, then share. If you have food\, do the same again – share. That’s the sort of thing you should do.” \nEven some of the people who collected taxes for the Roman occupation forces came out to be baptised. “Teacher\, what should we do?” they asked. \nJohn replied\, “Don’t rip anybody off. Collect only what the law prescribes and no more.” \nSome members of the security forces came too and asked\, “What about us? What should we do?” \n“No stand-over tactics and no protection rackets\,” John replied. “No intimidation or throwing your weight around to extort money out of people. You get paid your wages – be satisfied with that.” \nJohn’s activities struck a chord with the deep yearning for a national saviour\, and people began to speculate that perhaps John might be the one who God had chosen. John was quick to hose down such ideas\, saying\, “I’m only baptising you with water. The One who is coming is way out of my league – the chance to polish his boots would be more than I could aspire to. When he gets started\, it won’t be just water that he’ll be plunging you into. He’ll baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. He’s ready to start with his flame thrower in hand. He’ll release an uncontrollable fire into the dry bushland of your lives\, completely incinerating the rubbish and germinating the good seeds that lie in wait for that day.” \nJohn made a lot of speeches like that. He was constantly on the job\, getting the word out\, bringing the people up to speed with the good news about what God was doing. \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 are coming in the fire of love\nto baptise your people and gather them home. \nIn love\, you created the earth and its inhabitants\nand sent faithful prophets like your servant John\,\nto call us\, and all Abraham’s children\,\nto turn to you and bear fruits of justice and mercy. \nIn your child\, Jesus\, you made your home in our midst.\nLiberating the lame and gathering the outcast\,\nhe confronted our oppressors\nand lifted us from shame to honour.\nWhen he was cut down and killed\nyou raised him to resurrection life.\nNow\, as the day of his coming draws near\,\nhe plunges us into his Spirit and fire\nto renew us in love\, and banish our fear\,\nso that we might praise your name forever\nand draw freely from the well of your salvation. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2000 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 come\nto baptise us in your Spirit and fire\,\nrenewing us in love and banishing our fear\,\nso that we might praise your name forever\nand draw freely from the well of your salvation. \n©2000 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 coming in the fire of love\nto baptise your people and gather them home. \nIn love\, you created the earth and its inhabitants\nand sent faithful prophets like your servant John\,\nto call us\, and all Abraham’s children\,\nto turn to you and bear fruits of justice and mercy. \nIn your child\, Jesus\, you made your home in our midst.\nLiberating the lame and gathering the outcast\,\nhe confronted our oppressors\nand lifted us from shame to honour.\nWhen he was cut down and killed\nyou raised him to resurrection life.\nNow\, as the day of his coming draws near\,\nhe plunges us into his Spirit and fire\nto renew us in love\, and banish our fear\,\nso that we might praise your name forever\nand draw freely from the well of your salvation. \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©2000 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 your saviour; you have nothing to fear.\nThe Lord has taken away the judgments against you\nand invited you to draw freely\nfrom the well of salvation. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now and rejoice in the Lord always.\nDo not be afraid or worried about anything\,\nbut in everything trust God and pray.\nBear fruits worthy of repentance\,\nsharing what you have and being gentle with all. \nAnd may God rejoice over you with gladness;\nMay Christ Jesus renew you in his love;\nand may the Holy Spirit give you peace beyond understanding\nto guard your hearts and minds in Christ. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nWhen you don’t feel like rejoicingA sermon on Philippians 4.4-7 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nRejoice! A Study in Faith’s AbsurdityA sermon on Zephaniah 3.14-20; Philippians 4.4-7 & Luke 3.7-18 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nWrath or GenerosityA sermon on Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nLighting FiresA sermon on Zephaniah 3.14-20; Philippians 4.4-7 & Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nCould Hannah Gadsby be the Messiah?!A sermon on Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nChristmas Joys and Fair-weather SupportersA sermon on Zephaniah 3.14-20 & Luke 3.7-18 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/c03/2027-12-12/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Advent3.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271219T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271219T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20201021T003415Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250126T045130Z UID:10001688-1829174400-1829260799@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:4th Sunday of Advent - Year C 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 Michah 5:2-5a \n \n\n \n \n \n The LORD says to Bethlehem of Ephrathah: \n“You might only be a one-horse town\, Bethlehem\,\nbut I will put you on the map.\nYou will be the home town of the new ruler\,\nthe one who will lead Israel for me.\nHis origins will go way back.\nHis claim will be as old as the hills.” \nThe LORD'S people will be lost – God is giving up on them –\nbut only until the labour is over\nand the mother holds God’s newborn ruler in her arms.\nGod’s chosen ruler will bring his people home to Israel\,\nreuniting the refugees as a family again.” \nMade strong by the LORD he will take his stand.\nHe will rule his people on the authority of his glorious God.\nHe will care for them and provide all they need\,\nand they will live in freedom and safety.\nAll over the earth his greatness will be acknowledged\,\nand he will be the one who establishes peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 80:1-7 \n \n\n \n \n \n God\, you are the one who watches over your people\n    like a lifeguard supervising a dangerous beach\,\n        watching from a high seat\, like a king enthroned.\nListen to our prayer and clearly flag the boundaries\,\n    so that your tribes will no longer get out of their depth. \nUp and at it\, God!\n    Come equipped to rescue us.\nCome and smile on us again\, God;\n    breathe life back into us and save us. \nLORD God\, you rule over everything;\n    how much longer will you keep us in the sin bin\,\n        turning away in anger when we pray? \nYou reduced our rations to tears alone;\n    tears by the plate full\, tears by the cup full.\nYou made us the laughing stock of our enemies\nand even our neighbours turn up their noses. \nCome and smile on us again\, God;\n    breathe life back into us and save us. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n OR Luke 1:47-55 (canticle) \n \n\n \n \n \n We turn the spotlight on your greatness\, God!\nWe dance with wholehearted joy over you\, our saviour!\nYou smiled upon us\, though we were nothing special\,\nand the memory of your generosity will last forever.\nYou have done wonderful and powerful things for us.\nThere is no other name in the same league as yours. \nIn every generation\, Lord\, you shower mercy\nto those who treat you with respect.\nYou have rolled up your sleeves in a show of strength\,\nand sent packing those who were so full of themselves. \nYou kicked the power mongers out of office\,\nand lifted the downtrodden back to their feet.\nYou put on a feast for those who are hungry\,\nand slam the door on the rich without giving them a bite. \nYou give a helping hand to your servant Israel\,\nand always remember them with tender care.\nThis is exactly what you promised long ago\, Lord\,\nwhen you made a vow to Abraham and Sarah\nfor every generation.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 10:5-10 \n \n\n \n \n \n Christ came into the world saying\, \n“God\, you don’t want more sacrifices and offerings.\nI know you get no pleasure from all that stuff\,\neven when it’s done sincerely and by the book.\nBut you have prepared a body for me\, God\,\nand I come now to do what you really want\,\nfor it is what I do that is really ‘by the book’. \nDo you see what he’s saying there? He’s saying that God gets neither satisfaction nor pleasure from all the different kinds of offerings that the law prescribed for sin and for various other things. And he’s going further than that because he’s saying that he’s here to do what God really wants. This is a total change over. He is abolishing the previous system and putting a new one in place. So now\, according to what God really wanted\, Jesus has dealt with sin once and for all\, at the cost of his own body\, and brought us all up to scratch for God. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 1:39-45\, (46-55) \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.” \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 are coming to restore us and save us\,\nand your mercy embraces the faithful in each generation. \nIn ancient days you founded the earth\nand promised mercy to Abraham and his offspring forever.\nThrough the law you provided a way of repentance\nand through your prophets you called for justice and peace. \nNow you come to us in your child\, Jesus Christ\,\nat whose name even unborn babies rejoice.\nIn him we have seen your promised ruler\nwho will establish the reign of peace\,\npulling tyrants from thrones\nand lifting up the downtrodden\,\nfilling the hungry with good things\nand sending the greedy away empty.\nThough enemies mocked him\, scorned him and killed him\,\nby your strength you restored him to life\,\nand through his bodily offering\nyou sanctified your people once and for all. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2000 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 that your mercy embraces each generation\nand we rejoice that you are coming to restore us and save us.\nWith eager longing we await your promised ruler\nwho will establish your reign of peace\nand sanctify your people once and for all. \n©2000 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 coming to restore us and save us\,\nand your mercy embraces the faithful in each generation. \nIn ancient days you founded the earth\nand promised mercy to Abraham and his offspring forever.\nThrough the law you provided a way of repentance\nand through your prophets you called for justice and peace. \nNow you come to us in your child\, Jesus Christ\,\nat whose name even unborn babies rejoice.\nIn him we have seen your promised ruler\nwho will establish the reign of peace\,\npulling tyrants from thrones\nand lifting up the downtrodden\,\nfilling the hungry with good things\nand sending the greedy away empty.\nThough enemies mocked him\, scorned him and killed him\,\nby your strength you restored him to life\,\nand through his bodily offering\nyou sanctified your people once and for all. \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©2000 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 mercy embraces the faithful\, one generation to the next.\nThe light of God’s presence restores us and saves us.\nThrough what Jesus Christ did in his own body\,\nonce and for all\,\nyou are purified and made fit for God. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 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 in God’s mercy\nfor all God has promised you will be fulfilled.\nTrust God’s strength for your safety\,\nwalk in the ways of peace\,\nand be ready to greet the coming Lord. \nAnd may God our Saviour look with favour upon you;\nMay Christ Jesus use his wonderful power for you;\nand may the Holy Spirit leap joyously with you\n    and pour forth from you in songs of praise. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nGod-bearers in Insignificant PlacesA sermon on Micah 5:2-5a & Luke 1: 39-55 by  Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nMagnifitastic!A sermon on Luke 1: 39-55 by  Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nNot domestic\, not a goddess: Mary the prophetA sermon on Luke 1: 38-55 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nUpending the World as We Know ItA sermon on Luke 1: 39-55 by  Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Blessed Virgin Mary meets Indiana JonesA sermon on Luke 1: 38-55 by Margie Dahl\n\n\n\nLet it BeA sermon on Luke 1: 46-55 by Liza B. Lamis URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/c04/2027-12-19/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Advent4.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20271225T000000 DTEND;TZID=UTC:20271225T235959 DTSTAMP:20260404T043315 CREATED:20220904T230756Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260125T004203Z UID:10001898-1829692800-1829779199@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:The Feast of the Nativity (Christmas Eve/Day) DESCRIPTION:The Revised Common Lectionary provides three sets of readings for the Feast of the Nativity\, and  calls them Proper I\, Proper II\, and Proper III. Some church will use different ones for different services. Some will use one set each year. Others might use readings from all three sets in an extended service of lessons and carols. \n\n\n\nBelow you will find the three sets\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases and prayers. Below the third set you will find a list of sermons for the day. \n\n\n\nProper I\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 Isaiah 9: 2-7 \n \n\n \n \n \n The people who lived in a dark cloud of gloom\nhave seen a great light break through;\nthose in the blackest hell-holes\nhave seen their whole world light up. \nLORD\, you have built up the nation\,\nand given them every reason to celebrate.\nThe people revel in it all\,\nlike farmers when a drought breaks;\nlike children opening presents. \nFinally they are out from under the thumb\nof those who oppressed them.\nYou have broken their chains\nand run the slave drivers out of town\,\njust as you did in days long ago. \nThere will be a huge bonfire\nto burn everything left by the occupation forces\,\ntheir blood-stained uniforms and cruel boots\nwill go up in flames. \nFor see! A child has been born for us;\nthe gift of a son who will take charge of everything.\nHe will be given all these titles:\nMost Excellent Advisor;\nSupreme God;\nFather Forever\,\nPrince of Peace. \nThe reach of his arm will just keep growing\,\nand his realm will know peace without limit. \nHe will inherit all that David ruled\,\nand bring stability and security.\nDoing what is just and right\nwill be the hallmarks of his reign\nfrom now on and for all time. \nThe LORD’s heart is set on this;\nThe LORD who rules over everything will see that it happens. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 96 \n \n\n \n \n \n We sing like we’ve never sung before\, LORD;\n    singing to you with all the earth.\n        Every mention of your name sets us singing your praises. \nWe never tire of telling the story of how you bailed us out;\n    all over the world\, we speak of your incredible accomplishments;\n        everyone we meet hears us giving the credit to you. \nYou are the greatest\, LORD; we can’t praise you enough!\n    When it comes to gods\, you are in a league of your own;\n        all other objects of devotion are powerless. \nBut you\, LORD\, created the whole cosmos;\n    you are surrounded by majesty and celebration;\n        strength and beauty are signs of your presence. \nPeople of every race and creed recognise you\, LORD;\n    they recognise you behind all that is strong and true;\n    they name you as the one who deserves all the glory. \nWe offer ourselves to you\, LORD;\n    we fall to our knees in this beautiful place of worship;\n        with all the earth\, we celebrate you alone. \nYou are our king\, LORD; we’ll tell everyone everywhere!\n    You have set the world on firm foundations\,\n        and with you in charge\, everyone will get a fair go. \nLet the heavens and the earth celebrate;\n    let the roar of the sea join in;\n        let everything that walks\, flies or swims join the party! \nYou are on your way\, LORD\,\n    and even the roadside trees cheer as you approach\,\n        for you are coming to set things right on the earth. \nYou will sort things out and put things right\,\n    and reveal the truth about everything and everyone. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Titus 2: 11-14 \n \n\n \n \n \n     God’s extravagant generosity is now out in the open for everyone to see. No one is left out - God has come to save everyone and everything! There are some solid lessons in this for all of us - we are being trained in how to turn our backs on crass and indulgent lifestyles\, and how to get our lives back under control and on track\, to realign ourselves with God and rebuild our integrity. All this is for the here and now. As much as we are eagerly waiting for the day when all God’s promises are fulfilled\, when the full glory of our great God and Saviour\, Jesus Christ\, is writ large for all to see\, there’s no reason not to get on with living it right now! After all\, it was him who paid the ultimate price to bail us out of the degradation we’d sunk into. He didn’t stop at getting us out either\, he personally went to work\, decontaminating us and transforming us into a people he’s proud to be identified with\, a people who enthusiastically throw themselves into doing good. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 2: 1-14\, (15-20) \n \n\n \n \n \n Many years ago\, the Roman Emperor Augustus gave orders for a census to be conducted throughout the whole empire. This was the first time it had been done while Quirinius was governor of Syria. Every man was required to go and register himself and his family in the town where he had been born. For Joseph\, this meant travelling all the way from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. Bethlehem had been the home town of King David\, and Joseph\, being a descendent of David\, had been born there too\, so that was where he had to report. Joseph’s fiancée\, Mary\, travelled with him to Bethlehem for the census. She was pregnant and the baby was due any day. There was no accommodation left anywhere in the town\, so they ended up sleeping rough in the stables behind a pub. Sure enough\, she went into labour while they were there and gave birth to her first child – a baby boy. Mary wrapped the baby in a bunny rug and made up a bed for him in a feed trough.\nThe region around Bethlehem was sheep country\, and that night there was a bunch of shearers spinning yarns around their campfire. Suddenly the whole sky lit up with the glory of God\, and the Lord’s messenger stood among them. They were packing death\, but the messenger said to them\, “It’s okay! There’s no need to panic. I’m here with good news\, news that will give everyone everywhere good reason to celebrate. A saviour has just been born in David’s town. He is God’s chosen one\, the Lord of all. Go and see for yourselves. You’ll know you’ve found him when you see a baby wrapped in a bunny rug and lying in a feed trough!”\nThe moment he’d finished speaking\, the messenger was joined by a whole crowd from heaven\, all praising God and shouting at the tops of their voices\, saying: \n“All the glory belongs to God in heaven\,\nand let there be peace on earth for all God’s people!” \n    Then it was all over – the crowd went back to heaven and the shearers were left sitting there looking at one another\, gob-smacked. “We’d better go and check this out\,” they said. “Let’s go into town and see if we can see what’s happened\, what the Lord has let us in on.”\nSo without messing around they headed straight into Bethlehem\, and sure enough\, they tracked down Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the feed trough. When they saw all this\, they began telling everyone what they had heard about this child. People could hardly believe their ears when they heard what the shearers were saying. But their words were precious to Mary and she repeated them over and over in her mind\, wondering what would become of it all. The shearers headed off towards their camp again – a rowdy mob\, singing and shouting in the streets about how fabulous God was because of everything they had seen and heard. Everything had been just the way they had been told it would be. \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\,\nand to offer a new song of praise\,\nsinging: “Glory to you in the highest heaven\nand on earth peace among all you favour.” \nYou are the God who made the heavens\,\nthe Lord\, whose majestic light now shines\non those who walked in darkness.\nYour grace appears bringing salvation to all;\nyour child is given to us\, the firstborn of Mary\,\nand the heavenly host sings his praise. \nThough born in exile at the Emperor’s command\nand delivered over to death\,\nhe will rise to break the rod of oppression.\nThough clothed this night in bands of cloth\,\nhe will burn the blood stained clothes of war.\nThough laid this night in a manger\,\nhe will be seated on the throne of endless peace\nto rule with justice and righteousness\nfrom this time onward and forevermore. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2004 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 It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your grace appears bringing salvation to all;\nyour Son is given to us\, the firstborn of Mary.\nThough laid this night in a manger\,\nhe will be seated on the throne of endless peace\nto rule with justice and righteousness\nfrom this time onward and forevermore. \n©2003 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 offer to you a new song of praise\,\nsinging: “Glory to you in the highest heaven\nand on earth peace among all you favour.” \nYou are the God who made the heavens\,\nthe Lord\, whose majestic light now shines\non those who walked in darkness.\nYour grace appears bringing salvation to all;\nyour child is given to us\, the firstborn of Mary\,\nand the heavenly host sings his praise. \nThough born in exile at the Emperor’s command\nand delivered over to death\,\nhe will rise to break the rod of oppression.\nThough clothed this night in bands of cloth\,\nhe will burn the blood stained clothes of war.\nThough laid this night in a manger\,\nhe will be seated on the throne of endless peace\nto rule with justice and righteousness\nfrom this time onward and forevermore. \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©2004 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 revealed his grace for the salvation of all people.\nJesus Christ is given to us\nto redeem us from all wickedness\nand to make us a pure people who belong to him\nand are eager to do good. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now\, glorifying and praising God\nfor all you have heard and seen.\nRenounce ungodly living and unworthy desires\,\nand take control of your life with godliness and honour. \nAnd may the God of grace increase your joy.\nMay Christ Jesus be born as Saviour within you.\nAnd may the Spirit\, the Wonderful Counsellor\,\nmake the good news known to you and through you. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\nProper II\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 Isaiah 62:6-12 \n \n\n \n \n \n Jerusalem\, I have sent the town criers up onto the wall.\nI have told them to shout day and night\,\nand never let anyone shut them up.\nTheir job is to shout and chant without a break\,\nto keep up the pressure\nuntil the LORD puts Jerusalem back on her feet\nand makes her the toast of all the earth. \n“I have given my word\,” says the LORD\,\n“and you can count on it.”\n“Never again will I let your enemies in\nto plunder the food and wine\nthat you have put so much work into.\nFrom now on everyone will enjoy the fruits of their own labour;\nthose who bake the bread\nwill eat with thankful hearts;\nthose who pick the grapes\nwill enjoy the wine in my temple.” \nPeople of Jerusalem\, throw open your gates.\nGet everything ready for the home comers.\nResurface the road\,\nfill the potholes\, clear the stones\,\nput up signs to show everyone the way. \nThe LORD has an announcement to make\,\nand all the earth will hear it;\n“I am coming soon to save you\, Jerusalem\,\nand I will bring a reward\nto make up for all you have suffered. \nYou will be known as a people dedicated to me\,\nas the people I have reclaimed and brought home.\nYou will be called “the place to be\,\nthe city no one wants to leave.” \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 97 \n \n\n \n \n \n You\, LORD\, are the ruler of everything!\nThe whole earth celebrates!\nUp and down the coast\, everyone is shouting for joy! \nDeep\, dark clouds of mystery hide you from us;\njustice and integrity are the bedrock of your rule. \nYou are a consuming fire\, leaping in all directions\,\npurging the earth of its enemies. \nYour touch splits the darkness with bolts of light;\nthe earth is lit up and shakes like a leaf. \nYou are Lord of all the earth\, and in your presence\neven the mountains go weak and melt like wax. \nThe heavens herald you as the one who puts things right;\nall people everywhere witness your day of glory. \nThose who worshipped hollow facades\nwill hang their heads in shame.\nThose who take pride in the power of possessions\nwill be horrified when it all proves worthless.\nAll these false gods and short-lived saviours\ncrumble and fall before you\, the real thing. \nFrom the Temple Mountain to the farthest flung town\,\nyour people are celebrating with great joy\, O God\,\nbecause you have seen the truth and brought about justice. \nYou\, LORD\, are number one in all the universe;\nin a league of your own\,\nfar above anything else that seeks our allegiance. \nYou love those who detest evil\, LORD;\nYou stand guard over those who are loyal to you;\nYou come to their rescue if they fall prey to violence. \nWhen people have integrity and do what is right\,\nyou light up their lives and fill them with joy. \nAll who build their lives on the bedrock of your truth and justice\nare celebrating all you do\, LORD.\nJust the mention of your holy name\nand they burst forth with a flood of gratitude! \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Titus 3: 4-7 \n \n\n \n \n \n When God our Saviour showed up\,\n    overflowing with goodness\, love and kindness\,\n        we were rescued from the horrors of our past. \nGod saved us\,\n    for no other reason than because God wanted to.\nWe had never done anything to deserve it.\n    It only happened because God’s mercy is so extravagant. \nThe Holy Spirit stepped in\n    and took us down into the healing waters.\nWe came out thoroughly rejuvenated\,\n    like newborn babies with a fresh start before us. \nThrough our contact with Jesus Christ\, our Saviour\,\n    God has poured out the Holy Spirit on us\,\n        like a rich oil that soaks into every pore.\nSo now\, having been given a clean slate\n    through God’s extravagant generosity\,\nwe are marked out to receive the full inheritance\,\n    the life without limit that everyone has been longing for. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 2: (1-7)\, 8-20 \n \n\n \n \n \n     Many years ago\, the Roman Emperor Augustus gave orders for a census to be conducted throughout the whole empire. This was the first time it had been done while Quirinius was governor of Syria. Every man was required to go and register himself and his family in the town where he had been born. For Joseph\, this meant travelling all the way from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. Bethlehem had been the home town of King David\, and Joseph\, being a descendent of David\, had been born there too\, so that was where he had to report. Joseph’s fiancée\, Mary\, travelled with him to Bethlehem for the census. She was pregnant and the baby was due any day. There was no accommodation left anywhere in the town\, so they ended up sleeping rough in the stables behind a pub. Sure enough\, she went into labour while they were there and gave birth to her first child – a baby boy. Mary wrapped the baby in a bunny rug and made up a bed for him in a feed trough.\nThe region around Bethlehem was sheep country\, and that night there was a bunch of shearers spinning yarns around their campfire. Suddenly the whole sky lit up with the glory of God\, and the Lord’s messenger stood among them. They were packing death\, but the messenger said to them\, “It’s okay! There’s no need to panic. I’m here with good news\, news that will give everyone everywhere good reason to celebrate. A saviour has just been born in David’s town. He is God’s chosen one\, the Lord of all. Go and see for yourselves. You’ll know you’ve found him when you see a baby wrapped in a bunny rug and lying in a feed trough!”\nThe moment he’d finished speaking\, the messenger was joined by a whole crowd from heaven\, all praising God and shouting at the tops of their voices\, saying: \n“All the glory belongs to God in heaven\,\nand let there be peace on earth for all God’s people!” \nThen it was all over – the crowd went back to heaven and the shearers were left sitting there looking at one another\, gob-smacked. “We’d better go and check this out\,” they said. “Let’s go into town and see if we can see what’s happened\, what the Lord has let us in on.”\nSo without messing around they headed straight into Bethlehem\, and sure enough\, they tracked down Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the feed trough. When they saw all this\, they began telling everyone what they had heard about this child. People could hardly believe their ears when they heard what the shearers were saying. But their words were precious to Mary and she repeated them over and over in her mind\, wondering what would become of it all. The shearers headed off towards their camp again – a rowdy mob\, singing and shouting in the streets about how fabulous God was because of everything they had seen and heard. Everything had been just the way they had been told it would be. \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\,\nsinging: “Glory to you in the highest heaven\nand on earth peace among all you favour.” \nYou are the God whose Word raised the earth from the seas\,\nwhose presence melts mountains like wax\,\nand whose light rains down joy on loyal hearts.\nYour loving kindness has appeared - salvation by grace -\na child is given to us\, the firstborn of Mary\,\nand the heavenly host sings his praise. \nThough born in exile at the Emperor’s command\nand delivered over to death\nhe will rise to bring back your people\nand name them “Redeemed”.\nThough clothed this night in bands of cloth\,\nhe will be wrapped in thunder and crowned with glory.\nThough laid this night in a manger\,\nhe will be throned on justice and righteousness\,\nand will restore to all the joyous fruits of their labours. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2004 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 It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your loving kindness has appeared - salvation by grace -\na Son is given to us\, the firstborn of Mary.\nThough laid this night in a manger\,\nhe will be throned on justice and righteousness\,\nand will restore to all the joyous fruits of their labours. \n©1999 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\,\nsinging: “Glory to you in the highest heaven\nand on earth peace among all you favour.” \nYou are the God whose Word raised the earth from the seas\,\nwhose presence melts mountains like wax\,\nand whose light rains down joy on loyal hearts.\nYour loving kindness has appeared - salvation by grace -\na child is given to us\, the firstborn of Mary\,\nand the heavenly host sings his praise. \nThough born in exile at the Emperor’s command\nand delivered over to death\nhe will rise to bring back your people\nand name them “Redeemed”.\nThough clothed this night in bands of cloth\,\nhe will be wrapped in thunder and crowned with glory.\nThough laid this night in a manger\,\nhe will be throned on justice and righteousness\,\nand will restore to all the joyous fruits of their labours. \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©2004 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Declaration of Grace / Absolution \n \n\n \n \n \n The kindness and love of God our Saviour has been revealed\nand he has saved us according to his mercy.\nHaving been justified by his grace\,\nwe are now made heirs with Christ\nin the hope of eternal life. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©1999 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now\, glorifying and praising God\nfor all you have heard and seen.\nLove the Lord\, reject evil\,\nBe joyous in Christ and live faithful lives. \nAnd may God shield you and call you his redeemed.\nMay Christ Jesus be born as Saviour within you.\nAnd may the Spirit be poured out upon you\,\nmaking you heirs of hope with Christ. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\nProper III\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 Isaiah 52: 7-10 \n \n\n \n \n \n Talk about a sight for sore eyes!\nHere comes the messenger\, galloping down the mountain\,\nbringing the news that God’s people have been hanging out for:\n“You are saved!\nGod is in control!\nFinally there will be peace!” \nSo now its time to celebrate like crazy! \nThose of you who were standing\, tense and silent\, on the lookout\ncan let your hair down and sing and dance.\nFearing the worst\, you saw the best:\nthe LORD returning home to reclaim the city! \nYou whose streets and homes were reduced to rubble\ncan raise your glasses and sing together\,\nfor the LORD has put an arm around your shoulders\,\nreclaimed your streets\, and begun rebuilding. \nIn full view of every nation\nthe LORD has brandished a hard fist\,\nready to deal with would-be oppressors.\nNow is the time for the whole earth to see\nthe freedom God promised\,\nthe peace we longed for! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 98 \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.\nWith a brass fanfare and a dancing beat\nwe loudly celebrate your reign over us. \nThe whole creation joins in the celebration:\nthe ocean and its creatures roar their approval;\nthe land and its animals\, cheer and stomp;\nrivers and lakes give a standing ovation\,\nmountains and hills erupt in applause. \nWe put on the whole show in your presence\, LORD\,\ncelebrating your arrival as you finally bring justice.\nWith you in charge we know things will be put right;\nnow every one on earth will get a fair go. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Hebrews 1: 1-4\, (5-12) \n \n\n \n \n \n Down through the years\, God has spoken to our ancestors through the prophets in all sorts of different ways. Lately though\, at long last\, God has sent a Son to speak to us directly. It was through this Son that God created the world in the first place\, and it will all belong to him in the end. You can see all the glory of God mirrored in this Son. God’s essential nature is imprinted on him perfectly. Everything in the universe holds together at his say so. The Son took action to bring about the forgiveness of sins\, and having done that he was given the most honoured seat in heaven as God’s right hand man. He had proven himself to be in a league above the angels\, and the title he was granted made this clear. \nThink about it; God never said to any of the angels: \n“You are my Son;\nfor I have conceived you and brought you to birth.” \nNor did God ever say of of angel:  \n“I am the Parent\,\nand this one is my Child.” \nWhen God’s firstborn is brought forth into the world\, God says: \n“All my angels are to worship him.”  \nReferring to the angels\, God says: \n“I make my angels but a puff of wind\,\nand my servants but flames of fire.” \nBut speaking to the Son\, God says: \n“Your throne\, O God\, will never be shaken.\nYour royal power is wielded for justice. \nYou have a passion for integrity and a loathing for corruption.\nTherefore God has chosen you above all others\,\nand crowned you with joy like no other has known.” \nAnd again speaking to the Son\, God says: \n“On day one\, Lord\, you laid the earth’s foundations\,\nand made the stars in the sky by hand.\nEarth and sky will one day be gone\,\nbut you are here for keeps.\nThey will wear out like favourite work clothes\nor be tossed out like last year’s fashions.\nBut you are untouched by time or wear\,\nand you will be with us forever.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n John 1: 1-14 \n \n\n \n \n \n At the very start\, there was one who is called the Word.\nThe Word was with God\,\nand the Word was God.\nFrom day one\, God and the Word were inseparable. \nIt was through the Word that everything was created.\nThere is absolutely nothing that doesn’t owe its existence to him. \nIn the Word was life.\nHe is the source of the life\nthat turns on the lights for everyone.\nThe light of his life breaks open the darkness\,\nand the darkness could not snuff it out. \nOnce there was a man on a mission from God;\nhis name was John.\nJohn gave a first-hand report about the light\,\nspelling it out so that everyone could believe.\nHe wasn’t the light\, himself\,\nbut he made it his job to draw everyone’s attention to the light. \nThe real light was on his way into the world;\nthe light that lights up inside of everyone. \nHe was in the world\nbut the world didn’t even notice him\neven though it owed its existence to him. \nHe turned up on his own planet\, among those he created\,\nbut his own people turned their backs on him. \nSome people accepted him\, though\,\nand put their trust in who he said he was\nand what he said he was on about.\nHe gave to those people all they needed\nto become children of God.\nBecoming God’s children had nothing to do\nwith sperm and egg\,\nor three-stage labour;\nthey became God’s children\nwhen they were born of God. \nThe Word\, though\, was born flesh and blood like everyone else.\nHe cast in his lot with us\nand rolled out his swag in our midst.\nWe have seen him in all his glory\,\nlike father\, like son;\nwarm and generous to a fault\,\nsolid and true to the core. \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 revealed your justice to the nations\nand recalled your merciful love for your people. \nIn the beginning your Word created the world.\nThrough your Word\, life was brought into being\,\nand the life was the light that overcomes the darkness.\nYour messenger came bringing the good news of peace\nso that all might know the Word and believe. \nAnd tonight the good news is fulfilled:\nthe Word has become flesh.\nThough comforted at the breast\, he is your exact likeness.\nThough the world did not know him\,\nhe bears the imprint of your very being.\nThough his own people gave him no welcome\,\nin him we have seen your glory\, full of grace and truth.\nHe will come to rule the world in justice\nand in him all the earth shall see your salvation. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2004 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 It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor your Word has become flesh among us.\nThough the world did not know him\,\nhe bears the imprint of your very being.\nThough his own people turned him away\,\nin him we have seen your glory\, full of grace and truth. \n©2000 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 revealed your justice to the nations\nand recalled your merciful love for your people. \nIn the beginning your Word created the world.\nThrough your Word\, life was brought into being\,\nand the life was the light that overcomes the darkness.\nYour messenger came bringing the good news of peace\nso that all might know the Word and believe. \nAnd tonight the good news is fulfilled:\nthe Word has become flesh.\nThough comforted at the breast\, he is your exact likeness.\nThough the world did not know him\,\nhe bears the imprint of your very being.\nThough his own people gave him no welcome\,\nin him we have seen your glory\, full of grace and truth.\nHe will come to rule the world in justice\nand in him all the earth shall see your salvation. \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©2004 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\, the exact likeness of God’s own being\,\nhas come into the world full of grace and truth.\nHe has made purification for sins\,\nand to all who believe in him\,\nhe gives the power to become children of God. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Commission & Benediction \n \n\n \n \n \n Go now\, and join your voices\nwith the song of joy in all creation.\nAnnounce peace.\nHerald salvation.\nLet the earth know that God reigns. \nAnd may God sustain you with his powerful Word.\nMay Christ Jesus be born as Saviour within you.\nAnd may the Spirit reveal to you the glory\nof the Father’s only Son\, full of grace and truth. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\n“From little things\, big things grow.” A sermon on Luke 2: 1-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nA Homily from St Gregory Nazianzus for the Feast of the NativityA thematic sermon by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nA Homily from St Leo the Great for the Feast of the NativityA thematic sermon by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Nativity Sermon of St John ChrysostomA thematic sermon by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nA Nativity Sermon from St Ephraim the SyrianA thematic sermon by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Light ShinesA sermon on John 1:1-14 & Isaiah 9:2-7 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nToday!A thematic sermon by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nPeace on EarthA sermon on Luke 2: 1-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Emmanuel ScandalA sermon on John 1: 1-14; Luke 2: 1-20 & Matthew 1: 18-25 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nChristmas LightsA Christmas sermon by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nHuman BecomingA sermon on John 1:1-18; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-20 & Isaiah 9:2-7 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nThe Gospel in a Feed TroughA sermon on Luke 2:1-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nFor Christmas hope and healing\, look to the shadowsA sermon on Luke 2:1-20 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nMay the Word be With YouA sermon on John 1:1-14 by Roslyn Wright\n\n\n\nLight in the DarknessA sermon on Isaiah 9:2\, Luke 2:9 & John 1:3-9 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/abc05/2027-12-25/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/ChristmasDay.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271226T000000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20271226T235900 DTSTAMP:20260404T043316 CREATED:20201021T011018Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250202T001518Z UID:10001690-1829779200-1829865540@laughingbird.net SUMMARY:1st Sunday of Christmas - Year C 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 1 Samuel 2: 18-20\, 26 \n \n\n \n \n \n While he was still a young boy\, Samuel served the LORD on the staff of the place of worship in the town of Shiloh. When he was working he wore a special religious cape over the robes his mother made for him. Hannah used to make small copies of the robes the priests wore\, and bring them to him each year when she and her husband came up to Shiloh for the annual sacrifice. When they came\, Eli the priest would give Elkanah and Hannah a blessing\, saying\, “You have given your son as a gift to the LORD. May the LORD reward the two of you with more children to take his place.” \nAfter Eli had blessed them\, Elkanah and Hannah would return home to their own town. Year by year Samuel continued to grow into an impressive young man. Everybody liked him and the LORD was pleased with him. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Psalm 148 \n \n\n \n \n \n We sing your praises\, LORD!\nFrom every corner of the universe\,\nfrom high and low\, near and far\,\nwe join the chorus of praise! \nWith the angels and all who serve you in heaven\,\nwe sing your praises!\nWith the sun and moon\, stars and planets\,\nwe sing your praises!\nWith far flung galaxies and the milky way\,\nwe sing your praises! \nAll of them speak of you in glowing terms\, LORD\,\nfor they owe their very existence to you.\nYou ordered their creation\nand fixed them in place for all time. \nWe sing your praises\, LORD!\nEvery creature on earth joins the choir\,\nsinging your praises for all they’re worth:\ndolphins and whales\nand the ocean itself;\nbushfire and hail storm\,\nsnow and ice\,\ncyclones dancing to your tune;\nmountain ranges and rolling hills\,\norchards and rainforests\,\nanimals from both bush and farm\,\nreptiles and birds;\npeople of every race and class\,\npeople of power and influence;\nmen and women\, old and young\,\nevery voice on earth joins as one! \nOne and all\, we sing your praises\, LORD\,\nyours is the only name on our lips!\nYou alone outshine the glory of the universe! \nYou have given strength to your people\,\nand honour to your faithful ones\,\nto those you have chosen\nand hold close to your heart. \nYou\, LORD\, are the greatest! \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Colossians 3: 12-17 \n \n\n \n \n \n You are a special and much loved people\, hand picked by God. To mark you out as God’s people\, you have a uniform to wear. It consists of generosity\, humility\, tolerance and a passionate concern for others\, all of which must be worn without any pretentiousness. The thing you do have to wear it with is love. Without love\, you won’t even be able to keep the rest of it on - it would all look totally out of place. \nChrist has called you to be united as one body\, with his peace surging through your veins and keeping the whole body strong. I’ll give you some instructions here for life in the body\, but if you let the peace of Christ shape the way you live\, you’ll find it comes naturally. Hang in there with each other. No doubt there will be times when you will rub each other up the wrong way\, but be forgiving. The Lord had no hesitation forgiving you\, so follow his lead and forgive each other. Cultivate a mindset of gratitude. Provide rich soil in your hearts into which the word of Christ can sink deep strong roots. Don’t keep good advice to yourself. Share what you have learned and guide one another in the ways of wisdom. Then you’ll all have plenty to be grateful about. Let your gratitude overflow in the songs you sing together - whatever the style\, offer them as spirited gifts to God. At all times\, whatever you are up to\, see to it that the things you say and do are all things that Christ would be proud to be associated with. Let everything you do for Christ be a way of communicating your thanks to God\, for it is God who has given you life. \n©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n \n \n \n\n \n \n Luke 2: 41-52 \n \n\n \n \n \n Every year\, Mary and Joseph and most of their friends and family travelled to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old\, they all went up for the festival as usual. At the end of the celebration\, they all hit the road as one and began heading home. No one noticed that Jesus was left behind in Jerusalem. Everyone just assumed he was with someone else in the crowd\, and they’d done a day’s travel before his parents began to look for him. When they couldn’t find him anywhere among their friends and relatives\, they turned around and went back to Jerusalem to mount a search. It took three days to find him and they were nearly at their wits’ end. Jesus was fine though. They found him in the temple\, sitting among the teachers\, hanging on every word they said and probing them with questions of his own. Those who had been listening in were staggered by his grasp of the issues and his ability to participate in such learned discussion. His parents were not nearly so impressed! “Young man\, what do you think you’re doing running off on us like this?” Mary demanded. “Your father and I have been worried sick and we’ve hunted everywhere.” \nJesus replied\, “Why were you looking everywhere? Surely you know me well enough to know that this was where I’d be\, in the house of my Father.” \nThey didn’t really cotton on to what he meant\, but the whole incident became another of Mary’s treasured memories. Jesus went home to Nazareth with his parents and was careful to cooperate with their wishes. With each passing year\, he grew in wisdom and maturity. God was pleased with him and everybody liked having him around. \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\,\njoining with the joyous cries of all creation\,\nfor you oversee and nourish our growth to fullness of life. \nYour word called forth the sun\, moon and stars\,\nand your breath gave life to every creature.\nYou chose a people to be close to you\,\nand you spoke through them by your law and prophets. \nYou sent your Son\, Jesus\, among us\,\nand even as a child his zeal for your ways\nand his wisdom impressed all who heard him.\nHis passion for the integrity of your house\nand for the holiness of your people\nturned the powerful against him.\nThey crucified him\nbut you raised him to new life.\nNow his peace rules in our hearts\,\nhis word dwells in us richly\,\nand we are clothed in his love\,\nto the glory of your holy name. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2003 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 peace of Christ which rules in our hearts\,\nfor his word which dwells in us richly\, clothing us in his love\,\nand nourishing our growth to maturity\nin wisdom\, in compassion and in love\,\nto the glory of your holy name. \n©2000 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\,\njoining with the joyous cries of all creation\,\nfor you oversee and nourish our growth to fullness of life. \nYour word called forth the sun\, moon and stars\,\nand your breath gave life to every creature.\nYou chose a people to be close to you\,\nand you spoke through them by your law and prophets. \nYou sent your Son\, Jesus\, among us\,\nand even as a child his zeal for your ways\nand his wisdom impressed all who heard him.\nHis passion for the integrity of your house\nand for the holiness of your people\nturned the powerful against him.\nThey crucified him\nbut you raised him to new life.\nNow his peace rules in our hearts\,\nhis word dwells in us richly\,\nand we are clothed in his love\,\nto the glory of your holy name. \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©2003 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 word called you into existence\,\nand fixed you forever in God’s love.\nLet the peace of Christ rule in your hearts\,\nand sing with gratitude\,\nfor the Lord has forgiven 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 God’s chosen ones\, holy and beloved.\nLet the word of Christ dwell in you richly;\nclothe yourselves with love;\nforgive one another\,\nand do everything you do in the name of Christ\,\ngiving thanks to God. \nAnd may God bless you and repay you for all you give;\nMay Christ Jesus send his peace to rule in your hearts;\nand may the Holy Spirit raise you to maturity\nin wisdom\, in compassion and in love. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \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\nWhat’s that precocious kid got to do with us?A sermon on Luke 2:41-52 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nFinding Jesus – Finding OurselvesA sermon on Luke 2:41-52 & Colossians 3:12-17 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nDay by Day Like Him We GrowA sermon on Luke 2:41-52 & Colossians 3:12-17 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nListening\, learning\, growingA sermon on Luke 2:41-52 & Colossians 3:12-17 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nWhen you lose JesusA sermon on Luke 2:41-52 by Nathan Nettleton URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/c06/2027-12-26/ ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Christmas1.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR