5th Sunday between Epiphany and Lent - Year C
2028-02-06 00:00 - 23:59 (Australia/Melbourne)
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Isaiah 6: 1-8, (9-13)

I had a vision of the Lord during the year that King Uzziah died. The Lord was high above, sitting on an imposing throne. The Lord’s presence dwarfed everything else so totally that just the cuffs of his robe filled the temple. Awesome fiery creatures, known as Seraphim, were there, serving the Lord. Each Seraph had three pairs of wings. They used one pair to shield their faces, one to shield their bodies, and the third for flying. They cried out to one another saying:
“Holy! Holy! Holy!
Holy is the LORD who rules over everything.
The whole earth is full of God’s glory.”
The sound of their voices shook the place to its foundations, and clouds of smoke billowed through the temple. And I said:
“This is the end of me.
I’ll never get out of here alive.
If I so much as open my mouth
the ugliness inside is exposed for all to see,
and the same could be said of everyone I know;
yet I’ve stumbled into the presence of the Ruler of Heaven.
Here I am, naked before the all-consuming
holiness of the LORD!”
Then one of the seraphim flew right up to me carrying a pair of tongs in which it held a red hot coal – straight from the fire on the altar. The seraph touched my mouth with the glowing coal and said:
“Look! This holy fire has touched your lips.
Your sinfulness is forgiven.
Your slate is wiped clean.”
After this I heard the voice of the Lord saying
“Is there someone I can send?
Is there anyone who will go on our behalf?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me if you will!”
So the Lord told me to announce this message to the people:
“You can listen all you like, but it will never make sense to you.
You can look and look, but it will still be as clear as mud.”
The Lord gave me further instructions, saying:
“Make these people stubborn and thick-headed!
Make them plug their ears and cover their eyes,
so that they can’t see or hear or understand,
so they won’t wake up to themselves
and turn to me and be healed.”
“How long will it be like this, Lord?” I asked, and the Lord replied:
“Until everything has been destroyed.
Until the cities are uninhabitable,
the houses deserted,
and the land laid waste;
Until I have sent everyone off as refugees,
and there is nothing left but scorched earth.
Even if ten percent survive,
the land will be burned again.
But just as there are seeds that only germinate
after the bushfire has destroyed everything else,
so too will the few who are dedicated to me
bear the seed of new life.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 138

Thank you, LORD, thank you!
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart!
I will stand and sing your praises
in the face of every would-be god!
Wherever I am, I turn towards your holy Temple
and fall to my knees in gratitude,
thanking you for your rock-solid love and loyalty;
With everything you say and everything you do
your reputation continues to go through the roof.
The minute I called, you were there for me,
you put steel in my spine,
gave me the guts to go on.
When the things you have been saying sink in, LORD,
all the earth’s powerful rulers will give credit to you.
They’ll join the party, singing and dancing in your honour,
celebrating the wonderful things you do.
As great as you are,
you never think of ordinary people as beneath you,
but you don’t waste your time
on those who are pretentious and stuck-up.
Although I must often walk into dangerous situations,
you protect me from hatred and hostility;
your invisible hand is always there, keeping me safe.
You, LORD, have made plans for me
and you will see them through to completion.
Your love is as timeless and dependable as the rock;
you have made us what we are
and you never give up on us.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 15: 1-11

My friends, let me spell out the guts of the message I’ve been preaching one more time. This is the message which you welcomed so eagerly and gladly put your names to. It is the message through which your lives are being saved, assuming of course, that your faith has got sticking power and wasn’t just a flash in the pan. What a waste that would have been!
In my preaching I passed on to you the really crucial stuff, exactly as it had been told to me. Let me recite it again:
The Messiah died to deal with our sins,
backing up what the scriptures say.
After three days in the grave, he was raised to life,
backing up what the scriptures say.
He appeared alive to Peter,
and then to his closest followers.
He also appeared to a gathering
of more than five hundred of his followers.
Of those who saw him, only a few have since died;
most are still alive to tell the story.
He spent some time with James
and the others he had picked out
to be the leaders of his church.
At the end of the line – like the perpetual late-comer I am – I too was privileged to have him appear to me. If anyone deserved to be left out, it was me and I have certainly never deserved my place among the leaders of his church because I spent my early years trying to wipe God’s church out of existence. But God is extremely generous and has made me what I am. I’ve driven myself hard to make sure that God’s investment in me was not wasted. I reckon I’ve been the hardest worker on the team, although I can’t really take the credit when it is actually God who is so generously working through me. It makes no difference which of us God was using at the time. Whether you heard it from me or from them, what matters is that you heard the message we were preaching and that you put your trust in what we had to say.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 5: 1-11

One day Jesus was on the beach at Lake Galilee. There was a crowd hanging on his every word, eager to hear God’s message, and he was getting a bit cramped for space as they pressed in around him. He spotted a couple of fishing boats pulled up on the beach, so he went and spoke with the crew who were scrubbing down their fishing tackle at the end of their shift. The skipper of one of the boats, a man named Simon, agreed to put his boat out a few metres off the beach and let Jesus continue teaching the people from the bow of the boat. When he had finished speaking to the crowd, Jesus said to Simon, “How about some fishing? Head off shore and we’ll put the nets down for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Look here, Boss. We’ve been busting a gut out there all night and what have we caught? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! But hey, if you say put the nets down, you’re the boss. I’ll put the nets down.”
Well, you wouldn’t read about it! They had the most unbelievable catch – more fish than their nets could handle. They called for help from their mates in the other boat, but the size of the catch weighed down both boats so low that they were beginning to take on water over the sides. Simon Peter just looked at Jesus and sank to his knees. “Don’t come near me, Lord,” he said. “Leave me alone. I’m a godless sort of a mongrel, and I can’t handle the company of the likes of you.”
He and all his mates were completely unnerved by what had happened, because they knew that this was no natural catch of fish. James and John, Simon’s partners who ran the other boat for their father Zebedee, were feeling exactly the same way. But Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t worry, there’s no need to panic. If you think that was really something, just wait. From now on you’ll be bringing in people, not fish.”
They pulled their boats back up onto the beach and left them where they lay. They turned their backs on everything and followed Jesus.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for your love and fidelity last forever
and you entrust to us the news of your grace and salvation.
From the deep waters of chaos
you brought forth the earth, bursting with life,
and through your prophets and apostles
you have made known the glory of your name
and your promise.
In your child, Jesus Christ,
you have touched us with your mercy,
and in the fire of your holiness
you have consumed our impurity.
Although Jesus was killed
by those whose eyes and ears are closed,
you did not abandon him to the grave,
but raised him to life on the third day.
Appearing to more than five hundred of his followers,
he called us to follow him
and to cast wide the net of your love,
gathering in all those in need of your grace.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We give you thanks for the news of salvation in which we stand
for in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have touched us with your mercy,
consuming our impurity in the fire of your holiness,
and sending us to cast wide the net of your love.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for your love and fidelity last forever
and you entrust to us the news of your grace and salvation.
From the deep waters of chaos
you brought forth the earth, bursting with life,
and through your prophets and apostles
you have made known the glory of your name
and your promise.
In your child, Jesus Christ,
you have touched us with your mercy,
and in the fire of your holiness
you have consumed our impurity.
Although Jesus was killed
by those whose eyes and ears are closed,
you did not abandon him to the grave,
but raised him to life on the third day.
Appearing to more than five hundred of his followers,
he called us to follow him
and to cast wide the net of your love,
gathering in all those in need of your grace.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

The Lord has created you and will not abandon you.
Christ, who died for our sins and was raised again,
has reached out his hand in mercy to save us,
consuming our impurity
in the searing heat of his own holiness.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, and forsaking everything else, follow Christ.
By the grace of God, be all you have been called to be,
and cast wide the net of God’s love.
Remind one another of the good news,
and hold firmly to faith that is saving you.
And may God give you a vision of glory;
May Christ Jesus touch you with the fire of mercy;
And may the Holy Spirit hear your prayers and renew your strength.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

Are we any use to God?A sermon on Isaiah 6: 1-13 & Luke 5: 1-11 by Nathan Nettleton

What happens if I let God get close to me?A sermon on Isaiah 6: 1-13 & Luke 5: 1-11 by Nathan Nettleton

Holy! Holy! Holy!A sermon on Isaiah 6: 1-13 by Nathan Nettleton

Grace and FearA sermon on Isaiah 6: 1-13 & Luke 5: 1-11 by Nathan Nettleton

Love Raised from the DeadA sermon on 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11 by Nathan Nettleton

A Future Alive with HopeA sermon on Luke 5: 1-11 by Alison Sampson

Are We Of Any Use?A sermon on Isaiah 6: 1-13; 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11 & Luke 5: 1-11 by Keith Clements

Falling Down and Rising UpA sermon on Isaiah 6: 1-13; 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11 & Luke 5: 1-11 by Nathan Nettleton

6th Sunday between Epiphany and Lent - Year C
2028-02-13 00:00 - 23:59
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Jeremiah 17: 5-10

This is what the LORD says:
“The writing is on the wall for those
who turn their backs on me,
thinking they can live off their own bat
with only human muscle to back them up.
They will be in more trouble
than a fruit tree growing on a salt pan.
Stunted and lonely, they will cry out for relief
but even the rains will bring no life.
What a contrast to those who trust in me.
I, the LORD, will rain down blessings on them.
They will flourish like trees growing on a river bank
with not a worry in the world.
When the dry season comes and the river dries up
their roots draw cool water from deep below.
Even years of drought pose no danger.
They continue to flower and fruit regardless.
Who can understand the human heart?
It’s as shifty as a sand dune;
as devious as a hungry dingo.
I, the LORD, can see right through you.
I know what makes you tick.
I treat everyone as they deserve,
assessing the fruit of their actions.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 1

LORD, how good it will be for those
who turn a deaf ear to the advocates of greed;
who steer clear of corrupt short-cuts;
and avoid those who sneer at goodness.
Instead they relish your word, LORD.
Calming their minds,
they savour the scriptures day and night.
You make them strong and healthy,
like a Redgum tree with its roots deep in a river bank,
flowering abundantly every season,
and always laden with healthy leaves.
All that they do is vibrant with life.
But what a different story it is for the wicked;
they are about as secure as dry leaves in a cyclone.
They will have no defence
when they are brought to justice,
and no friends among people of integrity.
LORD, you keep a protective eye
on all who walk a straight path of peace and justice,
but nothing will save those who leave that road.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 15: 12-20

The message that we preached was that the Messiah is alive — risen from the dead — and you became Christians when you heard that message. So how come some of you are now saying that the dead won’t be raised to life? If the dead are not raised to life, then the Messiah has not been raised. And if the Messiah has not been raised, then he is still dead in his grave. And if that were the case, then our preaching is a waste of breathe and your faith is not worth a zack. Actually, it would be worse than that. We’d be guilty of misleading people about God — of telling outright lies — because we have been pushing the story that God raised the Messiah from the dead, and if it’s not true that the dead are raised then that story is a total fabrication.
Let’s face it: if God does not raise the dead, then the Messiah has not been raised. There is no question that he was dead, so if the Messiah has not been raised then he’s not alive now. And if he’s not alive now then your faith is an exercise in futility and every black mark that’s ever gone against your name still stands. What’s more, all those who died trusting in the Messiah, were just clutching at straws and they’ve had the gong. If we’ve put all our eggs in the Messiah’s basket and it has made no difference to how much life we’ve got — we will still just die and that will be the end of it — then we must be the sorriest bunch of losers who ever drew breath.
But the fact of the matter is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead and is more alive than ever. And he’s just the first. Now that he’s set the precedent you can rest assured that there are plenty more to come!
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 6: 17-26

Jesus and his twelve closest followers came down from the mountain and ran into a huge crowd of people on the flat grasslands below. Many of them were already followers of Jesus and many more were just people who had heard of him and had travelled there to hear him speak or to see if he could heal them of various chronic illnesses. They had come from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and even from the coastal towns of Tyre and Sidon. There were people there who were plagued by toxic spirits, and Jesus cleaned up the problems for them. Everyone was crowding in, trying to touch him, because there was a powerful healing energy surging from him and everybody wanted a piece of it. Jesus obliged and healed them all.
While they were there he taught his followers, saying:
“You who own next to nothing have got it made,
because you are already at home in the culture of God.
“You who don’t have enough to eat now have got it made,
because you will be filled with good things.
“You who are grief stricken now have got it made,
because you will be all smiles and laughter.
“And if people hate you and shut you out, treat you like dirt and drag your name through the mud because of your association with me, then you really have got it made! You’re in great company because in every generation they’ve done the same thing to all God’s faithful messengers. So sing! Dance! Celebrate! Heaven is coming and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams!
“But the writing is on the wall for you who have got it all now.
That’s it for you. You’ve got nothing more to look forward to.
“And the writing is on the wall for you who consume to excess.
You’ve had your share. You’re going to go hungry.
“The writing is on the wall for you who think it’s all a big joke now.
The smile is going to be wiped right off your face.
“And if everybody is fawning over you and saying how wonderful you are, then the writing is well and truly on the wall. They come from a long line of people who fawned over every religious charlatan that ever tickled their ears.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for in you all hunger is filled,
all grief is turned to laughter
and the Kingdom is handed to those who had nothing.
You created the world and all that live in it.
You called us to trust you,
and to put down our roots
alongside the life-giving stream of your Word.
Your child, Jesus Christ, came among us
and demonstrated your solidarity with all
who live in poverty, hunger, grief and hostility.
Though crowds sought him for wisdom and healing,
those who were rich, satisfied, and powerful
preferred false prophets to true,
so they hated him, defamed him, and had him killed.
But our hope did not die with him,
for you raised him from the dead,
as the first fruits of those who have died,
opening the way of resurrection life to us all.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We give you thanks for raising Christ from the dead,
and opening the way of resurrection life to us all,
In you, O God, all hunger is filled,
all grief is turned to laughter
and the Kingdom is handed to those who had nothing.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for in you all hunger is filled,
all grief is turned to laughter
and the Kingdom is handed to those who had nothing.
You created of the world and all that live in it.
You called us to trust you,
and to put down our roots
alongside the life-giving stream of your Word.
Your child, Jesus Christ, came among us
and demonstrated your solidarity with all
who live in poverty, hunger, grief and hostility.
Though crowds sought him for wisdom and healing,
those who were rich, satisfied, and powerful
preferred false prophets to true,
so they hated him, defamed him, and had him killed.
But our hope did not die with him,
for you raised him from the dead,
as the first fruits of those who have died,
opening the way of resurrection life to us all.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

It is true that Christ has been raised from death,
and because he has been raised
we are no longer lost in our sins.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for Christ will raise you to life and laughter.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, with your trust in the Lord.
Do not be influenced by the ways of sinners and cynics,
but delight in the Lord’s teaching
and study it night and day.
Rejoice in your union with Christ
even when people reject you for it.
And may God raise you to new life with Christ.
May Christ Jesus heal you of all that troubles you.
And may the Holy Spirit nourish you from the deep
and keep you fruitful in all you do.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

Getting the sermon off the MountA sermon on Luke 6:17-26 by Nathan Nettleton

A Tough Blessing to TakeA discussion starter on Luke 6:17-26 by Nathan Nettleton

Blessings We Didn’t WantA sermon on Luke 6:17-26 & Jeremiah 17:5-10 by Nathan Nettleton

Jesus and other zombiesA sermon on 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 & Luke 6:17-26 by Nathan Nettleton

A Clash of CulturesA sermon on Luke 6:17-26, Jeremiah 17:5-10 & Psalm 1 by Nathan Nettleton

7th Sunday between Epiphany and Lent - Year C
2028-02-20 00:00 - 23:59
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Genesis 45: 3-11, 15

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph, your brother. Is my father still alive?”
His brothers, though, were in such a state of shock and panic that they couldn’t even answer him. Joseph called them to gather close around him and, when they did, he said:
“I am your brother, Joseph: the one you sold to the Egyptian slave traders. But don’t panic! Despite what you did, it has worked out for the best. Your actions played into God’s hands, because God was bringing me here so that I could save many lives. The land has been in the grip of drought and famine for two years already, and it’s only going to get worse. It will be another five years before crops can be sown and harvested again. You and your families would have all perished if God hadn’t brought me here ahead of you, but now you will be among the survivors. So, don’t kick yourselves: it was not you, but God, who brought me here. Because of what God has done, even Pharaoh looks up to me now. I run all his business for him, both in the palace and in the whole land of Egypt.”
Joseph then told his brothers that he wanted them to get home as quickly as possible and deliver a message to his father. This is what it said:
“Dear Dad, I am your son, Joseph, and I am alive! God has put me in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Move down here at once. I will set aside land for you in the region of Goshen so that you can live near me. There will be plenty of room for you, and for your children, your grandchildren, all your livestock, and all your possessions. The drought will last for another five years, but I will provide for you and all your family and livestock so that you will be protected from starvation.”
With tears flowing freely, Joseph hugged and kissed all his brothers, and they finally loosened up and were able to talk with him.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 37: 1-11, 39-40

Because of you, LORD, we don’t stress over corruption;
we don’t get jealous when crime seems to pay.
Those who live off ill-gotten gains will have their day;
they’ll wither like cut flowers in a hot north wind.
We put our trust in you, LORD, and do what’s right.
You give us our own land, and keep us safe and content.
Our greatest delight comes from knowing you, LORD,
and you delight in giving us what our hearts desire.
We have set our minds on following your ways, LORD;
our trust is in you, and we know you’ll back us up.
It will be as clear as day that we made the right choice;
you’ll make it perfectly obvious that our cause was justified.
We wait in your presence, LORD,
in stillness, quietness, patience.
We don’t waver when others profit from corruption;
we don’t regret our choice when others get away with murder.
Trusting in you, LORD, we can let go of vengeful anger.
We can relax and not get sucked into taking the law
into our own hands.
We can trust you to kick out the crooks, LORD,
and to hand the land over to those who staked their lives on you.
It’s only a matter of time before you wipe out corruption,
and those who lived by it will be nowhere to be seen.
But you have promised the land to the salt-of-the-earth types —
those who are not always demanding their “rights”
and elbowing past others —
you will see that their lives are rich and full of joy.
You, LORD, are the one who guarantees the safety
of those who do what is right;
We can always run to you
when all hell breaks loose.
You, LORD, are always there for us;
you save us from those who would harm us;
you offer us refuge when we turn to you.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 15: 35-38, 42-50

Some people want to ask biological questions about how the dead are raised to life: questions like, “What kind of bodies will they have?” They’re stupid questions really because it’s not about biology. The nearest biological comparison would be the way seeds grow. A seed doesn’t come to life until it is buried in the ground, and then when it does it is no longer anything like the original seed. You could never guess what a banksia tree, or any other plant, would look like just from looking at a single seed. God creates all the different kinds of plants, and the design of each one is already set within the seed, but you’d never know it by looking at it. In the same way the physical attributes of a human corpse don’t tell us anything about the body that will be raised from the dead.
When a person dies, we bury the body like a seed, and God raises something quite new and different from that seed. The bodies we have now, before we are buried, wear out and die. The bodies we will have when God raises us, will last forever. The body we bury is something many people can’t even bear to look at, but the body raised will be a thing of glorious beauty. The body buried is limp and lifeless, but the body raised will be strong and vibrant. The questions about biology end with the body that is buried, because while it is a physical body, the body that will be raised is a spiritual body. Physical bodies and spiritual bodies are equally real, but they are not the same thing.
According to the scriptures, the first human being, Adam, was given life in his body. The ultimate Adam, Jesus Christ, is a spirit who gives life to the body. No one starts off spiritual and then gets a physical body: the physical comes first and then the spiritual. Human beings were first made from the earth as physical creatures, but the new model, which we have seen in Jesus Christ, is from heaven. Those who are born on earth have the same kind of bodies as the first human being. Those who are born into heaven have the same kind of bodies as the ultimate human being. Just as we have been indistinguishable from the one born of earth, so too we will be the spitting image of the one born of heaven.
So to cut to the chase, brothers and sisters; when we inherit the realm of God we won’t be taking our present flesh and blood in with us. Perishable bodies cannot receive life without limit — God will raise us with new bodies for that life.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 6: 27-38

While teaching his followers, Jesus said:
“If you are ready to hear the truth then I have this to say: Love! Love even your enemies. Treat even those who hate you with love. If anyone mouths off at you or treats you like dirt, wish them all the best and pray for them. If someone gives you a smack around the ear to humiliate you, stand tall and stick your chin out, and invite them to have another crack. Absorb the hostility – don’t escalate it. If someone nicks your coat, just say, ‘Hey, if you’re needing that, you’ll be needing these,’ and hand over your hat and scarf as well. Give to everyone who asks something of you, and don’t go hassling people to give back what they’ve got from you. Live generously, and don’t go keeping score and looking to balance the ledger.
“If you want to know how to treat someone, just ask yourself what you’d be hoping for if you were in their shoes. Treat others the way you’d like to be treated, not just the way you are treated. It’s not as though you’d deserve a medal for loving someone who loves you. Anyone can do that! You won’t find your name in the honours lists for a good turn done to those who are always going out of their way to help you. Any crook can do that! And if you only ever give when it looks like there’ll be something in it for you, what’s the big deal? Every business shark knows how to make an investment, but it’s not exactly evidence of a generous spirit.
“Be different! Love your enemies and do good to them. Lend freely, and don’t go looking for returns. God will see that it’s worth it for you. You will be God’s very own children. God is generous to those who don’t deserve it, even if they’re totally ungrateful. God forgives whatever anyone owes. Do likewise: treat people the way God treats people.
“Don’t go checking on how people measure up, and God won’t go checking on how you measure up. Don’t be demanding and picky with others, and God won’t be demanding and picky with you. If you act with tolerance, you’ll be treated with tolerance. If you act generously, you’ll be treated generously. Very generously! Life will be absolutely chock full and bursting at the seams with good things for you. If you’ve lived open-handedly, you’ll find that what goes around comes around.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you show love and kindness even to the ungrateful,
and you raise us all to new life in glory and strength.
You created all that is,
shaping the earth with your own hands
and raising creatures from the dust to fill it.
Whenever famine or wickedness threatened your people,
you have sent a saviour to preserve their lives.
You sent your child, Jesus,
to reveal your nature to us all.
He embodied your desire to go on loving
even in the face of hostility and hatred.
When he was killed by the enemies of life,
you raised him in power
with a glorified body which will never die.
Now he is a life-giving spirit,
saving all who seek refuge in you,
and preparing all your faithful children
for rebirth into the life of your Kingdom.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We thank you for the love we have seen in Jesus,
a love that continues even in the face of hostility and hatred.
Raising Christ from the dead, you made him a life-giving spirit,
that he might prepare us all for rebirth into the life of your Kingdom.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you show love and kindness even to the ungrateful,
and you raise us all to new life in glory and strength.
You created all that is,
shaping the earth with your own hands
and raising creatures from the dust to fill it.
Whenever famine or wickedness threatened your people,
you have sent a saviour to preserve their lives.
You sent your child, Jesus Christ,
to reveal your nature to us all.
He embodied your desire to go on loving
even in the face of hostility and hatred.
When he was killed by the enemies of life,
you raised him in power
with a glorified body which will never die.
Now he is a life-giving spirit,
saving all who seek refuge in you,
and preparing all your faithful children
for rebirth into the life of your Kingdom.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

The God who is kind even to the ungrateful and wicked
will be merciful to all who call for help.
God will not judge you or condemn you,
but will pour out forgiveness
in generous measure.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now and give your life to the Lord.
Trust in God and do good.
Love and bless everyone, even your enemies.
Do not judge others, but be merciful and generous to all.
Treat others and you would have them treat you.
And may God be quick to act on your behalf;
May Christ Jesus raise you to new and everlasting life;
And may the Holy Spirit go before you
to prepare a place for you and provide for you.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

How do we love those who have hurt us badly?A sermon on Luke 6:27-38 by Nathan Nettleton

When Love Gets Off The LeashA sermon on Luke 6:27-38 by Nathan Nettleton

Becoming Children of the Most HighA sermon on Luke 6:27-38 by Nathan Nettleton

3rd Sunday between Epiphany and Lent - Year C
2028-02-22 00:00 - 23:59
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Nehemiah 8: 1-3,5-6,8-10

(The people of Jerusalem had returned home from exile and rebuilt the walls of the city.) On the first day of the seventh month they all gathered in the park near the Water Gate. Ezra, the Bible teacher, was there. At the people’s request, Ezra brought out a copy of the book of the law of Moses. The people wanted him to read out the teachings that the LORD had given to Israel. They set up a stage for Ezra to stand on and all the people gathered around – men, women and all the children who were old enough to make sense of it. Early in the morning Ezra took his place on the stage, opened the book of the law and began reading it to the crowd. When he opened the book, everybody stood up in honour of what they were about to hear. Ezra read non-stop until lunch time, and all the people paid close attention to everything they heard from the law. When Ezra had finished reading, he stood up and led the people in a prayer, giving thanks to the LORD, the great God. The people raised their hands in prayer and responded saying, “Yes, LORD! Amen!” Then they all dropped to their knees and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
So in this way the people were brought up to speed with all that was contained in the book of God’s law. A number of other Bible teachers were on hand to move among the crowd and explain things to people so that everyone could understand what was being read. As the teachings began to sink in, many people began sobbing as they realised how far Israel had strayed from the law of the LORD. Seeing their distress, Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest, and the other Bible teachers addressed the crowd, saying:
“This is a special day, dedicated to the LORD your God. This is not a day for mourning and crying but for celebration. Go home and party! Indulge yourselves with good food and fine wine, and share some with those who don’t have enough. This is how we should celebrate a day dedicated to the LORD. So cheer up! Celebrate the LORD who makes us strong!”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 19

Your glory is written in the sky, God;
your artistry is carved on the face of the earth.
From one day to another, the message passes on,
and each night puts the next one in the know.
Not a word is spoken,
not a sound do they make;
yet their silence reverberates around the earth
and their unspoken message echoes from pole to pole.
You made the sun at home flying across the sky.
It takes to its task with the eagerness of a bridegroom;
as exultant as an athlete breasting the tape.
As your messenger, God, it does its rounds,
from one end of the sky to the other,
warming everything in its path.
Your revealed will is right on the mark, LORD;
it gives our souls their second wind.
What you says goes,
and any fool can wise up by taking note.
Your instructions are spot on, LORD;
anyone who follows them will be glad they did.
What you direct us to do is easy to see,
and once seen, everything become clear.
Respect for you keeps us true, LORD,
nothing can corrupt it, now or ever.
What you decide is always accurate;
a fair ruling, beyond dispute.
Your Word is worth far more
than even diamond encrusted gold!
It is sweeter by far
than any mouth watering delicacy,
even chocolate dipped strawberries with cream!
But that’s not all!
Your Word, O LORD, keeps me out of danger,
and following it pays off richly.
Can anyone put their finger on all their own faults?
LORD, eradicate the bugs I haven’t even identified yet.
Remind me not to entertain sour contemptuous thoughts,
and don’t let them start pulling my strings.
Without them, I can stay on course,
and keep my record clean.
That’s what I want, O LORD.
I want all the things I say,
and all the things I mull over in my heart,
to be things I’d be proud to offer to you,
for you are the bedrock of my life;
the one who puts me back where I belong.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 12: 12-31a

The Church is a single body - the body of Christ. In some ways it is just like your own body; it is made up of many different parts, each with their own jobs to do, but it is still one body. When we were baptised, we became part of Christ’s body. The Holy Spirit integrated us all into this one body and so now we are first and foremost identified with the body, rather than with our individual characteristics. Whatever your nationality, and whatever your occupation or background, you all tap into the one Spirit for your life, just as all the cells in the body are nourished in the same way through their relationship to the whole.
When you think about this you can see how it means that all of you are important. In a body, every member matters. A foot doesn’t say, “I can’t grip like a hand, so this body doesn’t really need me.” The body still doesn’t want to be without its foot. An ear doesn’t say, “I can’t see like an eye, so I don’t really matter to this body.” The ear is still valued for its own contribution. A body made up only of eyes or of ears wouldn’t be able to do anything. God has carefully designed the body so that every member has its place. Each one has its own job which God has given it for the sake of the whole body and without it the body would be disabled.
This guarantees that each of you have a valued place, but it should also remind you not to get too full of yourselves. No one member can go it alone and if one group tried to limit membership of the body to their own kind, the body would fall apart in no time. It takes all different kinds to make a healthy and whole body. The eye is not going to say to the hand, “Drop off, we can do without you!” Nor is the head going to say to the feet, “I can get around perfectly well without you!” The more you think about it, the more you realise that the opposite is true. The parts of the body that we hardly ever notice often turn out to be the ones we can least do without. How often do you think about your liver? Not often, unless it’s packing up. You can lose both legs and survive, but not your liver.
Just because different parts of the body have a different public profile doesn’t mean they matter more or less. When you get dressed you are careful to cover some parts of your body, while other parts are left uncovered for anyone to see. Just because you are more modest about some parts of your body doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t care if you lost them, does it?! Some parts of the body need to be treated with more care than others; that’s just the way it is. When it’s your own body you hardly have to think about it. You just naturally give a bit more attention to the body parts that need it but it doesn’t mean that don’t care about the rest.
The way God has arranged the human body, then, is a good model for how the Church is to function. Those members who might never do anything that catches anyone’s attention should be valued and honoured, for they are as much a part of the body as anyone else and you’d probably only notice how important their contribution was if they quit. In your body the parts don’t turn on each other. So too in Christ’s body all the members are to work cooperatively and to look after each other’s interests. If you break your leg, your whole body suffers. So too, if one member is hurting the whole body needs healing. If one member is honoured, the whole body basks in the glory.
Together then, you are the body of Christ, and individually you are members of it. God has given you each your own job and the whole body depends on you to do it. It might look like some parts matter more than others - you know how it is, apostles get the most attention, and then coming down a rung at a time you find the preachers, the teachers, the wonder workers, the healers, the helpers, the administrators, and those who can pray in strange languages - but the popularity ladder actually tells you no more about the reality of the body than looking at someone’s make-up and clothing can tell you about the functioning of their internal organs. What sort of body would we be if everyone was an apostle? Or a preacher? Or a teacher? If everyone had exactly the same gifts and abilities, the body couldn’t function at all. So, by all means seek to develop your gifts and acquire new ones, but don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re a nobody if you don’t have the big ticket ones.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 4: 14-21

Jesus began his public ministry in Galilee. He was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and the news about him spread from town to town like wildfire. Wherever he went, he began by teaching in the local synagogue. Soon everyone was talking about him, and in glowing terms.
Before long he came to Nazareth, the town where he had grown up. He turned up at the synagogue on the Sabbath, as was his wont. He was invited to read from the scriptures, and when he stood up, the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He flicked through the pages until he found the relevant section, and then began to read:
“The Spirit of the Lord is working through me,
having picked me out
to deliver good news to the poor.
I have been sent to preach a message;
a message that means freedom for the locked-away,
a message that will open the eyes of those who can’t see.
I have been sent to set free the used and abused,
and to announce that now is God’s chosen time!”
With that he closed the book, handed it back to the attendant, and took his seat. You could have heard a pin drop. Every eye was on him. Then he began to speak again: “All that the prophet meant in this scripture has just been fulfilled, right here, as you heard it read.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you have baptised us into one body,
and anointed us to proclaim your reign in all the earth.
The earth and sky, which you created,
proclaim your genius from one day to the next.
The Law you gave through Moses
stands forever to revive the soul and guide the simple.
You sent your Word among us
in the human body of your child, Jesus Christ.
Anointed with your Holy Spirit,
he came with good news for the poor,
and a message of release for the captives,
sight for the blinded,
and freedom for the oppressed.
He was killed by the proud and powerful,
but you raised him to new life
and made us all members of his body
so that with all our gifts working as one,
we might fulfil your mission in all the world.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We give you thanks , O God,
for you have baptised us into one body in Christ,
so that with all our gifts working as one,
we might announce your good news of freedom and healing
and proclaim your reign in all the earth.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you have baptised us into one body,
and anointed us to proclaim your reign in all the earth.
The earth and sky, which you created,
proclaim your genius from one day to the next.
The Law you gave through Moses
stands forever to revive the soul and guide the simple.
You sent your Word among us
in the human body of your child, Jesus Christ.
Anointed with your Holy Spirit,
he came with good news for the poor,
and a message of release for the captives,
sight for the blinded,
and freedom for the oppressed.
He was killed by the proud and powerful,
but you raised him to new life
and made us all members of his body
so that with all our gifts working as one,
we might fulfil your mission in all the world.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

Though faults hide within us, God is merciful.
Through Jesus Christ, our saviour, the grip of pride is broken
and we are forgiven and freed from the guilt of sin.
God’s good grace will save you and keep you.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, and live as one body in Christ.
Be at peace, and care for one another;
Suffer with one another and rejoice with one another.
Give your attention to the Word of God
and proclaim the good news of freedom to all.
And may God delight your heart and sharpen your vision;
May Christ Jesus keep you, thought and word, in his grace;
And may the Holy Spirit be the fountain that sustains you all
and binds you together as one.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

The Voice that Speaks through the BookA sermon on Luke 4:14-21 & 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 by Nathan Nettleton

Bodies, Churches and CountriesA sermon on Luke 4:14-21 & 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 by Nathan Nettleton

(Up)setting the AgendaA sermon on Luke 4:14-21 & 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 by Nathan Nettleton

From little things big things growA sermon on Luke 4:14-21 & 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 by Roslyn Wright

The Apostle Paul’s Pandemic EconomicsA sermon on 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 by Nathan Nettleton

8th Sunday between Epiphany and Lent - Year C
2028-02-27 00:00 - 23:59
This occasion only occurs in 2028 for churches that do not observe the last Sunday before Lent as Transfiguration Sunday.

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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Sirach 27: 4-7

When grain is put through a sieve,
you find out how much rubbish was in it.
It’s the same when a person starts talking.
Whatever rubbish they are full of is soon out in the open.
The heat of the kiln tests a potter’s work for hidden faults.
What a person is made of is tested in the heat of conversation.
The quality of the fruit tells you if a tree has been looked after.
The things people have to say
reveal how they have taken care of their minds.
Don’t pump anyone up before you hear how they talk.
That’s the way the truth about people comes out.
©2013 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

OR Isaiah 55: 10-13

This is what the LORD says:
Everything I say has a powerful purpose;
no empty words ever pass my lips.
My words are like drops of rain in the cycle of nature:
wherever they fall they give life;
they replenish, renew and nourish life,
and then the earth gives them back and they start again.
My words always achieve their purpose;
they flourish where I plant them,
they nourish all who feed on them.
My Word will bring peace
and you will come home with great celebration.
The trees will line the road, clapping and singing;
the mountains will rain down ticker tape as you pass.
Where the saltbush struggled,
a redgum will take root and grow;
where noxious weeds ruled,
native orchids and daisies will bloom again.
The wilderness in all its glory will stand like a monument,
like a permanent sign of the LORD’s rich goodness.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 92: 1-4, 12-15

It is a privilege to be able to publicly thank you, LORD,
to sing your praises and put your name up in lights.
It is great to start the day singing about your rock-solid love,
with a full band ringing out the tune,
and to end it thanking you for being so loyal and trustworthy,
accompanying our praise with guitars.
For you, O LORD, have given us so much to be happy about;
what you have done with your own hands
sets us singing and dancing for joy.
People who always do the right thing by others
will thrive like a tropical rainforest
and grow strong like a river redgum.
They have put down their roots in your soil, LORD,
and they will brighten up your temple like flowers.
Even when they grow old they will still be fruitful,
healthy and vibrant and pulsing with life.
They are a credit to you, LORD,
proving for all to see that you are straight and true.
You are our rock,
and there is nothing rotten or crooked in you.
©2009 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 15: 51-58

Listen up! I will let you in on a mystery! We are not all going to die after all. But we will all be radically changed. When the final siren blows, it will happen in the blink of an eye. Just like that. The siren will sound, and those who were dead and buried will be raised up new, never to decay again, and any of us who hadn’t yet died will be changed just like them. The biggest make-over of all time! Our bodies will be stripped of their old steady decline, and clothed instead in never-ending health. These short-term bodies will lose their use-by dates, and be refitted, completely immortal. When that happens – when our old falling-apart bodies put on never-ending health and immortality – then the old saying from the prophets will have come true:
“Life wins! Death has been eaten alive!”
“You were so sure of yourself, Death,
but you turned out to be toothless.
Your bark was worse than your bite.”
Death depended on sin for its bite, and sin was powered by the law. But they have been blown away by our Lord Jesus, the Messiah. When he enters the fray, we win! Thanks be to God!
That being the case, my beloved friends, hang in there, rock solid, come what may. Whatever role the Lord has asked you to play, give it your absolute best, because you can be sure that when you are on his side, your work will never be in vain.
©2015 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 6: 39-49

While teaching the people, Jesus quoted the proverb: “If the blind are leading the blind, both fall into the same hole,” and then he went on to say, “Trainees can’t hold a candle to their teacher, but if they continue their training, they will eventually catch up with the teacher and be able to show others the way.
“Why is it that you are always the first to point out a loose thread or a speck of dust on someone else’s clothing, but you are the last to notice the dirty big vomit stain down your own front. There you are, making a big display of offering to help the other person get their appearance in order, without realising what a disgusting mess you are yourself. You pretentious fraud! Clean up your own act first, and then you might gain enough perspective to be able to help others.
“A healthy tree doesn’t produce sick fruit, and neither does a sick tree produce healthy fruit. The health of each tree is judged by the quality of the fruit it produces. You don’t find mangoes growing on a lemon tree. You can’t pick grapes from a blackberry vine. Good people have hearts and minds full of good things, and it shows in the generous and healthy ways they respond to others. Toxic people spew forth poison from the toxic filth churning inside them. Whatever your heart and mind are full of will colour what comes out when you open your mouth.
“What’s the use of dropping my name all the time and prattling on about what a high view of my authority you hold, when you ignore everything I ask you to do? The people who come to me and listen to what I say and put it into practice are like a builder who puts down solid foundations before building a house. When the flood waters rise and the river breaks its banks, it can’t budge that house because it has been built to last. But those who hear what I say and don’t bother doing anything about it are more like someone who knocks up a house without laying any foundation at all. The first time the river bursts, it is all over in a minute. The whole house comes crashing down and is swept away in little pieces!”
©2013 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
We do indeed give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for your victory has swallowed up the power of death
and given our living an unshakable foundation.
Your Word went forth to create the earth,
and to give seed to the sower and bread to the eater.
Your Word went forth through the law and prophets
to form a people who hear and act on all you say.
Your Word went forth in your Son, Jesus Christ,
and brought forth the full fruits
that grow from the goodness of your heart.
His words unmasked hypocrisy,
disarmed the powers of death,
and laid the foundation for your Church.
Though he was killed by those
who lead others to destruction,
you raised him to life
and clothed him in immortality.
In his victory, death has lost its sting,
and we can offer you our labour
knowing that all your purposes will be accomplished.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We give thanks for your Word which went forth to create the earth,
and to form us as a people who hear and act on all you say.
In your Son, Jesus Christ, your Word unmasked hypocrisy,
disarmed the sting of death,
and laid an unshakeable foundation for your Church.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you thanks and praise, O God,
for your victory has swallowed up the power of death
and given our living an unshakable foundation.
Your Word went forth to create the earth,
and to give seed to the sower and bread to the eater.
Your Word went forth through the law and prophets
to form a people who hear and act on all you say.
Your Word went forth in your Son, Jesus Christ,
and brought forth the full fruits
that grow from the goodness of your heart.
His words unmasked hypocrisy,
disarmed the powers of death,
and laid the foundation for your Church.
Though he was killed by those
who lead others to destruction,
you raised him to life
and clothed him in immortality.
In his victory, death has lost its sting,
and we can offer you our labour
knowing that all your purposes will be accomplished.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

Thought the words of our mouths betray the sin in our hearts,
the words of God’s mouth will accomplish their purpose,
overcoming the sting of death
and giving us victory over sin
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now and act on the words of Christ which you have heard.
Proclaim that the Lord is just.
Be steadfast and unshakeable.
Give your best to the work of the Lord,
for in Christ, your labour is not in vain.
And may God lead you out in joy and back in peace;
May Christ Jesus give you victory over the powers of death;
And may the Holy Spirit cultivate your heart and mind
to produce in you abundant fruits all your life.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

Why you probably don’t need to learn moreA sermon on Luke 6:39-49 by Nathan Nettleton

Ash Wednesday
2028-03-01 00:00 - 23:59
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Joel 2: 1-2, 12-17

Ring the alarm bells on the holy mountain.
Sound the sirens for the whole city to hear!
Put the fear of God into everybody,
for the day when the LORD will step in is near –
a dark and menacing day,
a day of fierce heat and dark choking clouds!
Like a raging bushfire sweeping down the mountain,
a terrifying army comes.
Wave upon wave,
it leaves nothing but scorched earth in its path.
It is more terrifying than anything ever seen before,
or anything ever likely to be seen again.
But even now, at the eleventh hour,
the LORD calls to us saying:
“It is not too late!
Get back on track with me.
Show me you mean it with your whole hearts.
Go off your food and get on your knees.
Weep and mourn from the depths of your hearts,
and don’t try to con me
with crocodile tears and cheap black arm bands.
“Come back to me, the LORD your God,
for I am compassionate and generous,
as eager to forgive as any mother.
My love and loyalty always hold back my anger.
Given half a reason I’ll withhold sentence
and give everybody a second chance.
“What have you got to lose by trying?
Perhaps you can convince me to change my mind.
Perhaps I’ll even send good times instead of disaster
and you’ll be eating and drinking in my honour.
“Ring the alarm bells on my holy mountain.
Declare a day of national repentance.
Rally the people, every one of them.
Get them together to pray and fast.
Make sure everyone has prepared themselves properly,
and make sure no one is missing.
Bring the aged and infirm,
the toddlers and the newborn.
Call back the newlyweds from honeymoons
and cancel all leave.
“In the heart of the place of worship
let those who lead you in prayer do so with tears.
Let them cry out to me, the LORD your God,
and beg me to have mercy on you.
Let them plead with me not to make you a laughingstock,
a classic example of a failed nation.
“For why should the rest of the world scoff
and conclude that your downfall is my failure?”
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Isaiah 58: 1-12 (alternative 1st reading)

God has told me to shout until you people hear;
to hammer home the message until it gets through.
You are God’s people, but God feels betrayed by you.
Listen to what God has to say about your sins:
“Day after day, you look good:
you turn up to worship and pay attention to my teachings.
You act like a people who want to do what is right;
like a people who want to obey to the letter.
You ask me for directions before you do anything,
and you seem enthusiastic about getting closer to me.
“Do you want to know why your religious behaviour turns me off?
Do you want to know why I ignore your fasting and bowing?
I’ll tell you why. You put on a great performance of it all,
but then you go straight back to feathering your own nest
and ripping off your workers in the process.
“When you fast, it just makes you irritable and violent;
and when you behave like that, I’ll just hang up on you.
“Do you really think this is what I like to see:
a day of pious misery?
black clothes, long faces and crocodile tears?
giving up chocolate and ice-cream?
Do you think that’s worship?
Do you think that pleases me?
Give me a break!
“Do you want to know what I’d really like to see?
Dismantle the structures of injustice;
take your feet off the throats of the poor;
stop jailing the victims of unfair laws;
and quit plundering nature’s resources.
“Do you want to know what else I’d like to see?
Open your tables to the hungry;
open your hearts and your homes to the refugees;
open your wardrobes to those without clothes;
and don’t go hiding every time you see someone in need.
“Do that, and I’ll put your name up in lights!
Do that and our relationship will be healed in an instant!
I’ll put you under my personal protection;
anyone who attacks you will have to deal with me, the LORD!
I’ll be on hand to respond whenever you need me;
just say the word, and I’ll be there for you.
“If you abandon all forms of exploitation,
and avoid bad-mouthing others to gain an edge;
if you share what you have with those in need,
and respond to the real needs of suffering communities;
then you’ll find that the world will light up for you
and life will be one beautiful day after another.
“I, the LORD, will always be there to guide you;
even in the grip of drought,
I’ll keep you healthy and well fed.
You’ll be like an irrigated vineyard with its own deep bore,
green and lush and full of life!
“Your ruined houses will be renovated and new;
you’ll be able to restore the homes
that have been in your families for generations.
You’ll get a reputation for making dreams possible,
for enabling everyone to find a good place to live.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 51: 1-17

O God, your love never gives up.
Have mercy on me now!
I’m relying on your record of generous mercy:
please wipe my slate clean!
Scrub away the filth I’ve been living in;
Scour away the stain of my sin.
I know only too well what I’ve done;
my sins stare me in the face.
It is you I’ve double-crossed, you I’ve betrayed;
I’ve done things which I knew you despised.
You have all the facts and you know what I deserve;
what ever you decide is fair enough.
I’ve been on the wrong side of you forever.
I turned my back on you before I was born.
You want honesty that comes from deep within,
so teach me your wisdom,
let it take root in my heart.
Get the bleach out and give me the treatment!
Soak me and wash me
until I’m as white as snow.
Open my ears to laughter and music.
Though you ground me into the dirt,
let me now rise to the sounds of joy.
Turn a blind eye to my record;
disregard my prior convictions.
Renovate me from the inside, O God;
rebuild my heart and rewire my brain;
install in me a new fault-free operating system.
Don’t cut me off from you now,
or withdraw your Holy Spirit from me.
Rekindle in me the joy of being safe in your care,
and fill me with an insatiable desire to follow you.
Then I’ll show others how to get back on track;
they’ll quit their corrupt ways and come back to you.
Get me out of this mess before I get blood on my hands, God.
Only you can get me out alive,
and I’ll tell everyone that you did.
Lord, as soon as you’ve got me out
and it’s safe to open my mouth,
I’ll be singing your praises with all my might.
I know I can’t fool you with hollow religion, God.
I could perform all the rituals perfectly, by the book,
but it wouldn’t mean a cracker to you.
What you want to see is a genuine heart-felt apology
and a commitment to a total life-change.
You will never turn away anyone who comes to you heartbroken
and promising to turn over a new leaf.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

2 Corinthians 5:20b - 6:10

On Christ’s behalf we beg you to accept the generous peace deal that God is offering. The way of reconciliation is on the table before you: you’d be mad to turn your backs on it! Even though Christ had never been sucked into sin like us, God lumped him in with us, so as to make it possible to lump us in with him. United with him, we can become examples of all that God considers to be right and true.
We are working together, shoulder to shoulder with God, and we urge you not to take God’s extravagant generosity for granted.
In the scriptures God says,
“At exactly the right moment,
I heard your call.
The day you needed help,
I was there to bail you out.”
Well, this is it — the exact right moment. This is the day to throw off the shackles and walk free! It won’t be our fault if you don’t take this chance — we’re doing everything in our power not to get in anyone’s way. There’s no point in nit-picking over the details of our work. We have endeavoured to be faithful servants of God and we’re confident that we’ve got the runs on the board. It’s not as though we’ve had it easy either. We have hung in there through hard times, tough times and horrendous disasters. We’ve been bashed, lynched and locked up. We’ve worked ourselves into the ground when things needed to be done, sometimes even going without sleep and food. And through all this we have maintained our integrity — our intentions have been pure and our heads have been clear. We have managed to hold on to our patience, generosity, and holiness of spirit. Our love has been genuine, our speech truthful, and God has continued to work powerfully through us. We have armed ourselves with nothing but an iron commitment to doing what’s right, and we’ve grasped the work of justice with both hands. Sometimes we’ve been honoured and sometimes slandered. We have been true to our word and yet denounced as charlatans. We’ve been treated as nobodies even though everyone knows who we are. We’ve been written of as dead, but here we are, brimming with life. We’ve been flogged to within an inch of our lives but never quite killed. We’ve almost drowned in tears and yet we are still bubbling with joy. They say we are poor, and yet many are enriched by us. They say we have nothing to offer, and yet everything is ours to share.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-21

While Jesus was teaching his followers on the mountain, he said:
“It is good to put the disciplines of godly living into practice, but be on your guard against the temptation to start doing it for show. The God who conceived you knows what’s going on, and if the good things you do are done only to impress people, you’ll get no credit for them in heaven.
“Don’t go blowing your own trumpet every time you do something charitable. If you give money for the relief of poverty, don’t go asking for public acknowledgement. The world is full of sponsorship schemes and naming rights deals, but it is all hypocrisy. It’s got more to do with image management than with concern for the poor. Of course it works as a business strategy, but I can assure you that there will be no rewards beyond that. God brought you to birth and understands everything you do, even what you do in secret. So if you want credit from God for giving money to charity, give it anonymously. Go out of your way to keep it quiet – don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. It is that sort of unpretentious generosity that God will reward.
“The same principle holds true when it comes to the inward disciplines such as prayer and fasting. When you pray, don’t turn it into a exhibition. In the media and even in worship services you’ll see people leading so-called ‘prayers’ that look and sound more like campaign speeches, carefully crafted for public consumption. It’s nothing more than hot air; sheer hypocrisy! No doubt they’ll succeed in impressing lots of people, but I can assure you: that’s the only reward they’ll ever get. Take my advice: do your praying behind closed doors so that you won’t be tempted to start grandstanding. Find a place where you can take off your masks and just open yourselves to God in quietness. By getting yourself out of the spotlight, you’ll have a chance of becoming aware of God’s presence – a reward in itself!
“When you are fasting, don’t go drawing attention to the fact. Some hypocrites make a big display of sitting at the table with long faces while everyone else eats. They might gain a reputation for being very religious and self-controlled, but they won’t get anything else out of it. It’s a waste of time training yourself to control one appetite while simultaneously indulging your appetite for adulation. Instead, when you are fasting, maintain your usual outward appearance and demeanour as best you can, so that no one will twig. God always has a loving eye on you and will see to it that your secret fasting reaps rich benefits.
“Don’t go piling up investments here on earth, where they can be wiped out in an instant by fire or flood, or a market crash. There is only one investment strategy that can never fail or be eroded. Invest everything you are and everything you have in the ways of heaven. It is a simple fact that whatever you invest yourself in will monopolise your concerns and therefore shape the person you will become.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Great Prayer Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
All glory and honour are yours
everywhere and always, O God,
for in your kindness and mercy,
your patience and faithfulness,
you are always ready to forgive and not punish.
We give you thanks and praise for your Son,
our saviour and brother, Jesus Christ,
by whose example and strength
we resist all evil,
and turn our backs on its lures
of comfort and honour, of power and success,
seeking instead to store up treasure in heaven,
knowing that though we may seem to have nothing,
in purity, knowledge, patience and kindness,
we really possess everything.
Therefore with .....
©1999 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into prayers with fixed prefaces)

We thank you for the example our saviour and brother, Jesus Christ,
by whose strength we resist all evil,
seeking instead to store up treasure in heaven,
knowing that though we may seem to have nothing,
in purity, knowledge, patience and kindness,
we really possess everything.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted)

We give you thanks and praise, O God,
for in your kindness and mercy,
your patience and faithfulness,
you are always ready to forgive and not punish.
We thank you for your Son,
our saviour and brother, Jesus Christ,
by whose example and strength
we resist all evil,
and turn our backs on its lures
of comfort and honour, of power and success,
seeking instead to store up treasure in heaven,
knowing that though we may seem to have nothing,
in purity, knowledge, patience and kindness,
we really possess everything.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

The Lord your God is kind and full of mercy,
always ready to forgive and not punish.
Christ, by uniting with us and sharing in our sin,
has enabled us to share in the righteousness of God.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

Doing the right thing: a modest entry to the kingdomA sermon on Matthew 6:1-6 by Paul Sheppy

Riches in Heaven and Light in the BodyA sermon on Matthew 6: 19-23 by Peter Mugabi

1st Sunday in Lent - Year C
2028-03-05 00:00 - 23:59
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Deuteronomy 26: 1-11

The LORD your God is giving you the land, and soon you will take ownership of it, settle down there, and plant your crops. When you begin harvesting each crop, you are to take a basketful of the first pickings and take it to the place chosen by the LORD as the place of worship. You are to present yourself to whoever is the priest at the time, saying, “I am here to give thanks to the LORD our God, for I have put down roots in the land that the LORD promised to our ancestors.”
Then the priest will accept the basket of produce from you and place it in front of the sacred altar of the LORD. As he does, you are to pray to the LORD in the words of the prayer which tells the story of your people:
“I am descended from a refugee,
an Aramean who settled in Egypt.
His family was small when we arrived,
but we expanded quickly in numbers and power.
We were forced into slavery to keep us in check;
the labour was hard and the treatment was harsh.
We cried out to you, LORD, God of our ancestors,
and you heard our prayers;
you saw how we were oppressed,
and felt the weight of our suffering.
You rescued us from the land of slavery, LORD.
You broke us free and got us out
with miraculous signs and a terrifying display of strength.
You brought us here to this wonderful land,
a land of peaches and cream.
So now, LORD, I am here to say thank you;
I give you the first of my crops,
the pick of all you have given me.”
After your basket has been placed in front of the altar, and you have prayed this prayer, you are to bow down and worship the LORD your God. Then, with your whole community, throw a big party to celebrate and enjoy the good harvest which the LORD God has given you. Don’t forget to send an open invitation to share in the celebration to the attendants from the place of worship and to any refugees who have settled in the neighbourhood.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 91: 1-2, 9-16

Your greatness and strength are our shelter, LORD;
we can live secure in your shade.
We call you our refuge, our place of safety;
you are the God in whom we trust.
We have nothing to fear because we have found safety in you;
we have settled down within your care.
Thanks to you, LORD of the universe, no evil can touch us;
disaster can not get a foot in the door.
You have instructed your angels to look after us;
made it their job to protect us wherever we go.
You’ve told them to catch us when we fall;
to keep us from coming to grief on hidden snags.
With your help we can face any danger;
we can stare down crocodiles and Tiger snakes.
Those who know you and love you can depend on you,
you are always there to pull them out of trouble.
The moment they call, you answer;
you’re on their side when all hell breaks loose;
you save their lives and throw a party in their honour.
You give them long and fulfilling lives, LORD;
they will see the realisation of all you have promised.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Romans 10: 8b-13

“The Word that saves is with you;
it is on the tip of your tongue;
it is beating in your heart.”
This is the message we’ve been preaching and it’s all about trust. If you put that trust into words, declaring that Jesus is the one you answer to; and embrace that trust in your heart, believing that Jesus lives because God raised him from the dead, then you will be put back on the right track with God. That’s what salvation is! When anyone allows that trust in God to rewrite the basic beliefs they live by, their heart is put right with God; and when those rewritten beliefs are expressed openly in what they say and do, then you know they are safely in God’s care. The scriptures back this up, saying, “No one who trusts God will ever be let down.” Your ethnic or religious background makes no difference in this: there is only one God, and that one God has the last word on everyone. God is equally generous to all those who call out in trust for help. As the saying goes, “Anyone who wants help from God only has to ask.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 4: 1-13

When Jesus left the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit was pulsing through him and active in everything he did. At the prompting of the Spirit, Jesus went bush by himself in a remote area. He spent forty days out there without eating at all, and by the end of that time he was weak from hunger. During the forty days, the devil tried every trick in the book to throw him off-track. Playing on his hunger, the devil said, “If you are really the Son of God, prove it! Say the word and turn this rock into a loaf of bread.”
Jesus answered him, “As the scriptures say, ‘It takes a lot more than bread to make life worth living.’”
After that, the devil took Jesus up to a lookout with a panoramic view of every nation and state in the whole world. The devil said to him, “I can make the world your oyster. I can give you the power to accomplish everything you want, everywhere on earth. I’ve been given power over the whole lot, and I can delegate it to whoever I like. All you have to do is worship me – just acknowledge me as number one – and it’s all yours.”
But Jesus was not taken in. He said, “The scriptures leave no doubt about who we are to call number one: ‘Worship the Lord your God and no other. Give your whole-hearted service to the Lord your God and no other.’”
With that the devil decided to try quoting scripture too. Taking Jesus to Jerusalem and standing him on top of the Temple’s highest tower, the devil said, “If you are really the Son of God, prove it to everyone. Throw yourself off the top of this tower so that God can fulfil the scriptures that say:
‘God will instruct the angels to protect you from danger.’
‘They will catch you as you fall
and you won’t so much as stub your toe
on the rocks below.’”
But Jesus couldn’t be budged. He replied, “The scriptures also say, ‘Don’t go trying to test out the Lord your God.’”
After trying everything to get through Jesus’s defences, the devil backed off and laid low, waiting for a weak moment to have another go.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you put your saving word on our lips and in our hearts
and strengthen us to endure in times of trial.
You created the world in all its glory
and called forth crops from the ground.
When your people were oppressed and enslaved,
you reached out your hand to save them,
and gave them a land flowing with milk and honey.
You sent your son, Jesus Christ,
as the first fruits of a harvest of righteousness.
He stood firm against the devil’s temptations,
trusting instead in your saving word,
and offering his worship and service to you alone.
When the forces of evil cast him into the grave,
you raised him from the dead
and made him Lord of all.
Now you save all who trust him,
and confess him as Lord in word and deed.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We thank you, O God, for your son, Jesus Christ,
who strengthens us to stand firm against the devil’s temptations,
trusting instead in your ever-present saving word,
and offering our worship and service to you alone.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you put your saving word on our lips and in our hearts
and strengthen us to endure in times of trial.
You created the world in all its glory
and called forth crops from the ground.
When your people were oppressed and enslaved,
you reached out your hand to save them,
and gave them a land flowing with milk and honey.
You sent your son, Jesus Christ,
as the first fruits of a harvest of righteousness.
He stood firm against the devil’s temptations,
trusting instead in your saving word,
and offering his worship and service to you alone.
When the forces of evil cast him into the grave,
you raised him from the dead
and made him Lord of all.
Now you save all who trust him,
and confess him as Lord in word and deed.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

No one who believes in Christ will be put to shame.
Trust in the power of God that raised Christ from the dead,
and you will be set right with God;
confess Jesus Christ as Lord,
and you will be saved.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, confessing Christ as Lord, in word and deed.
Worship and serve the Lord your God and no other.
Stand firm in the time of trial;
tell the story of God’s goodness,
and trust in the Lord whose saving word is always with you.
And may God instruct angels to guard you wherever you go;
May Christ Jesus be your refuge and stronghold;
And may the Holy Spirit lead you
and put God’s Word on your lips and in your hearts.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

What Does Discipleship Cost?A sermon on Luke 4: 1-13 by Nathan Nettleton

Does the Devil make us do it?A sermon on Luke 4: 1-13 by Nathan Nettleton

The Word is NearA sermon on Romans 10:8-13; Luke 4: 1-13 & Deuteronomy 26: 1-11 by Nathan Nettleton

If Only . .A sermon on Luke 4: 1-13 by Nathan Nettleton

The Systematised Salvation TemptationA sermon on Romans 10:8b-13 & Luke 4:1-13 by Nathan Nettleton

Confronting post-modern devilsA sermon on Luke 4: 1-13 by Nathan Nettleton

The Baptismal DecisionA sermon on Luke 4:1-13 & Psalm 91:1-2,9-16 by Sylvia Sandeman

2nd Sunday in Lent - Year C
2028-03-12 00:00 - 23:59
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Genesis 15: 1-12, 17-18

The LORD spoke to Abram in a vision, saying, “Abram, don’t you worry about a thing. I am your armour-plated protection and you will be greatly rewarded for your loyalty to me.”
But Abram said, “Thank you, Lord GOD, but the only thing I really want is the one thing you’ve never given me: children. I have longed for children of my own but you have not given me any. When I die, there will be no one to carry on my family name, and since the only person born in my house is Eliezer, my Turkish servant; he will inherit everything I own.
But the LORD spoke to Abram again, saying, “Eliezer will not be your heir. You will be able to pass on your property to a child of your own.”
The LORD took Abram outside and said, “Look at the night sky, Abram. See if you can count how many stars there are. You can’t, can you? Well, your descendants will be as uncountable as the stars in the night sky.”
Abram took the LORD’s word on trust, and for that the LORD regarded him as a good man.
The LORD spoke to Abram further, saying, “It was me who brought you safely here when you emigrated from the Chaldean land of Ur. It was me who gave you this land.”
But Abram said, “Lord GOD, how can I know for sure that this land is mine to keep?”
The LORD replied, “Okay, I’ll go through the ritual of a binding promise. On pain of death, you will have my word. You go and set up what is customary for the ceremony.”
So the next morning, Abram slaughtered three animals: a heifer, a ram, and a female goat — each three years old. He cut them in half and laid the halves opposite each other in two lines. He also killed a turtledove and a pigeon and laid one in each line. For the rest of the day, while he waited for the ceremony to commence, he was kept busy protecting the carcasses from the birds of prey.
When the sun went down, Abram was surrounded by a dense and awesome darkness, and he fell into a deep sleep. When the last glow was gone from the sky and everything was pitch black, the presence of the LORD appeared as a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch, and passed between the pieces of animal carcass. That completed the ritual, and in that way, the LORD made a binding promise to Abram, saying, “You have my word that I will give this land to your descendants, all the way from the Egyptian border to the great Euphrates river.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 27

Your light leads me to safety, LORD;
I’ve got nothing to fear.
You shelter me like a fortress, LORD;
I’m afraid of no one!
Vicious thugs can close in like sharks,
ready to eat me alive;
but savage violence is no match for you;
they’ll fall flat on their faces.
They could give my name to a death squad
and I’d still be at peace;
their armies could lay siege to my house,
but I’d still feel safe with you.
Only one thing I ask of you, LORD,
the one thing that really matters:
let me live out the whole of my life
right here in your presence;
let me lose myself in your beauty,
and abandon myself to prayer.
Let me hide here in safety with you,
when trouble gets too much;
You are as secure as a bomb shelter,
a protected place to rest and recover.
You have lifted me beyond the reach
of those who wanted to tear me down,
so I am here to express my thanks,
to offer you whatever I can give;
to sing your praises till I raise the roof,
to put on a concert in your honour.
Don’t ever stop being generous, LORD;
hear me and answer me when I call for help!
My heart tells me to search for you.
Please don’t stay hidden from me.
My desire is to know you, face to face.
Don’t slam the door on me in anger;
Help me again and I’ll go on serving you.
Don’t give up on me now,
don’t turn your back on me;
You alone can save me, God!
Even if my own parents kicked me out,
you’d still be there for me, LORD.
Give me clear directions, LORD;
keep me on the right track
so I don’t stumble into the path of my enemies.
Don’t let them get their claws into me.
With every breath they fill the air
with false allegations and violent threats.
I know I can rely on you, LORD,
I’ll see your goodness win out
and live to tell about it.
I wait patiently for you, LORD;
I’ll hang in there and keep my chin up;
I’ll sit tight, and trust in you!
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Philippians 3:17 - 4:1

My friends, follow my lead. Keep your eyes on those who are on the same track as us and are living out what we’ve taught you. There are plenty of people who push a different line. I know you’ve often heard me going on about this, but you can tell by the way they live that they are dead-set against Christ — against the idea that the way of the cross might be God’s way. It brings tears to my eyes every time I bring this up, but it has to be said. These people are living on borrowed time — racing headlong towards their own destruction. They boast about the depths of degradation they have wallowed in. If their stomach rumbles they drop everything to do its bidding, as though it were a god. They never give a thought to anything beyond the mundane concerns their own little world. Our allegiance is to a quite different world — heaven itself — a world that will come to rescue and rule this world in the person of Jesus Christ. We are eagerly looking forward to his arrival, because he has the power to bring absolutely everything back under control. We can hardly wait for him to use that power on us because when he does, our human desires, which have so often let us down, will be brought up to the standard of his own. So hang in there, friends. I love you greatly. You always make me so happy and proud, and I can’t wait to see you again. Whatever you do, dig your heels in and don’t let anyone pull you off God’s track.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 13: 31-35

Some members of the Pharisee party came to Jesus and said, “Clear off. Don’t show your face around here again or you’ll be killed. Herod wants your blood.”
Jesus replied, “You can go and give that vicious dog this message from me: ‘Whether you like it or not, I’m going to keep on booting out the demonic forces and healing the sick – today, tomorrow and the third day, until I’m finished.’
“I’ve got nothing to fear from Herod around here. Since when did prophets ever get killed any place other than Jerusalem? And that’s where I’m headed over the next three days.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
you shoot the messenger every time.
Your streets are awash with blood,
the blood of the prophets sent to warn you!
So often I have been filled with longing for you;
yearning to gather your children into safety.
Like a mother swan gathering her brood under her wing,
I have offered to protect you,
but you refused my care!
So now the nest will be deserted.
There will be nothing left for you.
You won’t be seeing me again until the day when you shout,
‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 9:28-36 (alternative gospel if the last Sunday before Lent was not observed as Transfiguration)

Jesus had spoken to his followers for the first time about his impending death in Jerusalem and the fact that following him meant putting their lives on the line. About a week later, he took Peter, John and James and went up to the top of a mountain to pray. As he was praying, a visible change came over his face and his clothing became so white it was dazzling. Suddenly two more men could be seen in deep conversation with Jesus. They were Moses and Elijah, and the glory of heaven could be seen in them. They spoke with Jesus about how he was about to escape to freedom through the waters of death in Jerusalem.
Peter and his mates nearly missed all this because, although they had come to pray too, they were falling asleep. However, they roused themselves in time to see Jesus in all his glory standing with the two men. As the two were finishing up with Jesus, Peter – shooting his mouth off without thinking – said, “Boss, this is fantastic! What a moment! How about we knock up three huts, so that you, Moses and Elijah can all stay here longer.”
Even before he finished getting the words out, an awesome cloud engulfed them all and they were quaking in their boots. Deep within the cloud, a voice boomed forth: “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him!”
When the voice finished, everything suddenly looked normal again, and Peter, James and John saw no one there but Jesus. They were dumbfounded by what they had seen and in the coming days they didn’t breathe a word about it to anyone.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you gather us safely under your wings
and we have nothing to fear.
You created the earth and sky
as a home where we can worship you and enjoy your beauty.
You made a lasting covenant with Abraham
and with all who trust your promises.
Your child, Jesus Christ, wept over the sins of your people
and their failure to put their trust in you,
and even when his enemies were breathing violence.
he continued to cast out demons and heal the sick.
Like many faithful prophets before him,
he was killed in Jerusalem,
but you raised him to resurrection life.
Now he makes us citizens of heaven,
and we eagerly await his coming as Saviour and Lord,
for then he will conform our bodies to his own glory
and fulfil all things under his rule.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ,
who weeps over the sins of your peoples
and will come as Saviour and Lord,
to gathers us in safety under your mothering wings
and make us citizens of heaven.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you gather us safely under your wings
and we have nothing to fear.
You created the earth and sky
as a home where we can worship you and enjoy your beauty.
You made a lasting covenant with Abraham
and with all who trust your promises.
Your child, Jesus Christ, wept over the sins of your people
and their failure to put their trust in you,
and even when his enemies were breathing violence.
he continued to cast out demons and heal the sick.
Like many faithful prophets before him,
he was killed in Jerusalem,
but you raised him to resurrection life.
Now he makes us citizens of heaven,
and we eagerly await his coming as Saviour and Lord,
for then he will conform our bodies to his own glory
and fulfil all things under his rule.

Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

Even if all others reject you,
God will not shut you out in anger or abandon you.
Trust in the Lord, and it will be credited as righteousness.
God will save you - body, mind and spirit,
and enfold you in the wings of mercy.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, trusting in God’s promises.
Seek the presence of the Lord
and abandon yourself to prayer.
Follow those who are faithful to God,
stand firm against evil and seek healing for all.
And may God be your saving light and fortress;
May Christ Jesus gather you into the safe wings of mercy;
And may the Holy Spirit make you citizens of heaven.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem’A sermon on Luke 13:31-35 by Colin Hunter

An Oath of AllegianceA sermon on Luke 13:31-35 & Philippians 3:17 – 4:1 by Nathan Nettleton

Of Foxes and Fowls and Tae KwondoA sermon on Luke 13:31-35 by Nathan Nettleton

Foxes, Chooks and the Path of TearsA sermon on Luke 13:31-35 & Philippians 3:17 – 4:1 by Nathan Nettleton

When Terror StalksA sermon on Luke 13:31-35 & Philippians 3:17 – 4:1 by Nathan Nettleton

What do we do with Shiny Shiny Jesus?A sermon on Luke 9.28-36 by Katecia Taylor

3rd Sunday in Lent - Year C
2028-03-19 00:00 - 23:59
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Isaiah 55: 1-9

This is what the LORD says:
Hey you! Are you thirsty?
Come, then. Drink from these fresh waters!
Are you too penniless even to eat?
Never mind! Come! Help yourselves; eat your fill!
Come and stock up with food, wine and milk.
What will it cost you? Not a red cent!
Why sink all your money into things that leave you hungry?
Why bust a gut working for things that can never satisfy?
Listen carefully to what I have to say
and you will feast at a rich banquet of fine foods.
Stick with me and tune in to what I’m saying,
for without my words, life is bland and tasteless.
I will surround your lives with love and loyalty,
making a permanent alliance, just as I did with David.
I gave him influence and authority over the nations,
and he was my witness among them.
You will be the same – a light to which others flock;
even those who don’t know you will come running;
they’ll be drawn to my glory, seen in you,
the glory of the LORD, the one and only God of Israel.
The LORD says,
Track me down before it is too late,
make contact while I’m in your neck of the woods.
Clean up your act and get your head straight;
give up your corrupt practices and plans.
Get yourself back on my wavelength
and I’ll pour out mercy and generous forgiveness.
I don’t think the way you think, says the LORD,
and I don’t do things the way you do.
Your ways and mine are like cheese and chalk,
your thoughts and mine are lightyears apart.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 63: 1-8

You are my God and I crave you;
all that I am thirsts for you;
every fibre of my being aches for you,
like a parched and weary land longing for rain.
Let me stay here in this sacred place
and drink in the vision of your strength and glory.
With every breath I sing your praises,
because your rock-solid love
is worth more to me than life itself.
I will worship you till my dying day,
with my hands reaching out to you
and my voice calling your name.
You are like a rich banquet to my soul;
like a meal I can’t praise enough!
Even in the dead of night
I lie awake thinking of you,
and savouring each treasured thought.
I snuggle under your wings and sing for joy,
for you have been my help and support.
With all that I am I cling to you,
and your strong loving arms hold me safe.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 10: 1-13

My friends, take a lesson from the history of our people. Our ancestors all started out on the same footing. They all shared a common baptism as they passed through the sea from their old life of slavery to new life as followers of Moses. They were all led in the desert by the same cloud and they all ate the same food — the food that God provided them each day. They all drank from the same fountain to quench their spiritual thirsts: the fountain that gushed from the rock that is Christ, for he went with them as they travelled. But despite all that God did to nourish and strengthen them, most of them rebelled and got God off-side. As a result they perished in the desert.
Their mistakes and the price they paid for them are clearly warnings to us not to fall into the same sort of traitorous behaviour ourselves. So don’t get sucked into celebrations that honour something else in place of God. The scriptures condemn the way our ancestors ate and drank and cavorted in celebrations dedicated to other so-called gods. Similarly we must not get drawn into a culture of sexual depravity as some of them were. Look at the price they paid: twenty-three thousand of them were wiped out in a single day. We also need to beware of trying to test Christ out by seeing how far his tolerance can be stretched. Some of our ancestors tried pushing their luck like that, and the next thing they knew they were being killed by a plague of deadly snakes. And don’t go stirring up discontent the way they did either. Their whingeing unleashed a destructive spirit that decimated them.
The accounts of what happened to them are like flashing lights warning us of danger. We might be living at the other end of the world’s history, but if we don’t learn from their mistakes, we’ll be doomed to repeat them. So don’t go getting too sure of yourselves or you’ll let your guard down and be on the canvas in no time. No matter how tough the going gets, you are not up against anything worse than what everyone else has to face. God never lets us down and will ensure that you don’t cop any pressure that you’re not capable of withstanding. There may be situations that will seem to be testing your limits — temptations that feel unbearable — but God will always make sure that there is a way out for you. It’s up to you to take it, but God will make sure it is there for you.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 13: 1-9

Some people came to Jesus bringing news of a massacre that had occurred in a place of worship. They said that a death squad, sent by Pilate, had butchered a group of Galileans while they were offering sacrifices. Jesus questioned the people about what they thought this meant: “Do you think there’s some kind of justice in this? Do you think that because these particular Galileans copped it, they must therefore have been the worst sinners in Galilee? No, they didn’t deserve it any more than anyone else. But all the same, unless you turn your lives around, you’ll end up just as dead as them.
“What about the eighteen people who were crushed to death when the Tower of Siloam collapsed? Do you think that such a disaster proved that they had offended God more than the rest of the population of Jerusalem? If you do, I can tell you that you’re wrong. But I can also tell you that unless you get your lives back on the right track, your number will soon be up too.”
Then he told a story to illustrate the point: “A bloke had a fruit tree planted on his property. One day, after finding that the tree had still not produced any fruit, he ran out of patience with it. He called his gardener and said, ‘I’ve given up on this tree. It’s been here for three years and has produced nothing but leaves. Chop it down! It’s a waste of good soil.’ But the gardener replied, ‘Boss, let’s give it one more year. I’ll loosen up the soil and keep the fertiliser up to it and we’ll see if it gives us a crop next summer. If it does, great. But if there’s still nothing, we’ll take the axe to it then.’”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are your ways and thoughts above ours.
You spread out creation like a rich banquet
and poured forth blessings like an ever-flowing stream.
In the days of Moses, you rescued your people from slavery, and nourished them in the wilderness.
In your child, Jesus,
you have met us in our suffering again.
When he was killed,
he opened the way through the deep waters of death
to the promised land of resurrection life.
Remembering this, we cling to you,
sheltered beneath your wings,
thankful that though disaster may beset us
and push us to the limits of our endurance,
you will replenish our strength, without cost,
from your overflowing table,
and so enable us to stand firm
and rest trustingly in your abundant mercy.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We thank you that even in the face of trial and disaster
you replenish our strength, without cost,
from your overflowing table,
and so enable us to stand firm
and rest trustingly in your abundant mercy.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are your ways and thoughts above ours.
You spread out creation like a rich banquet
and poured forth blessings like an ever-flowing stream.
In the days of Moses, you rescued your people from slavery, and nourished them in the wilderness.
In your child, Jesus Christ,
you have met us in our suffering again.
When he was killed,
he opened the way through the deep waters of death
to the promised land of resurrection life.
Remembering this, we cling to you,
sheltered beneath your wings,
thankful that though disaster may beset us
and push us to the limits of our endurance,
you will replenish our strength, without cost,
from your overflowing table,
and so enable us to stand firm
and rest trustingly in your abundant mercy.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

God is faithful and will have mercy on all
who give up doing and planning evil
and return to the Lord.
God will abundantly pardon their sins.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now; turn to the Lord, and let his thoughts fill your minds.
Do not expend your resources on that which cannot satisfy,
and do not become overly sure of yourselves,
lest you fall into temptation.
Instead seek the Lord while he may be found,
and take the path to freedom that opens before you.
And may God’s love be better to you even than life;
May Christ Jesus be to you a rock and a life-giving spring;
And may the Holy Spirit strengthen you
and guide you in the ways of life.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

Shit HappensA sermon on Luke 13:1-9 by Nathan Nettleton

Is Repentance Good Insurance?A sermon on Luke 13:1-9, Isaiah 55:1-9 & 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 by Nathan Nettleton

No such thing as a free lunch?A sermon on Isaiah 55:1-9 by Nathan Nettleton

Satisfying the Hunger WithinA sermon on Isaiah 55:1-9 by Alison Sampson

Interpreting TragedyA sermon on Luke 13:1-9 by Nathan Nettleton

Craving GodA sermon on Psalm 63:1-8 & Isaiah 55:1-9 by Nathan Nettleton

Transfiguration Sunday (Last Sunday before Lent) - Year C
2028-03-20 00:00 - 23:59
Churches that do not observe the last Sunday before Lent as Transfiguration Sunday may prefer to use the resources for the 8th Sunday between Epiphany and Lent.

Below you will find the Bible readings set for Transfiguration Sunday in the Revised Common Lectionary, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them, plus prayers and sermons based on them.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Exodus 34: 29-35

Moses came down from Mount Sinai carrying the two slabs of stone on which he had written the terms of the Alliance with God. Although he didn’t know it, his face was lit up like a lantern because God had been speaking to him directly. When Aaron and all the Israelite people saw how his face was aglow, they were too scared to even go near him. However, Moses called together Aaron and the leaders of the people and spoke with them. After that, he called together an assembly of all the Israelite people, and spelled out for them the laws that came from what the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai. Once Moses had finished addressing the people, he hid his face with a scarf. Whenever he entered the sacred place to speak with the LORD, he would take off the scarf. When he came out again and told the Israelites whatever God had told him to tell them, they could see that his face was aglow. Moses would then put the scarf back over his face and wear it until the next time he went in to speak with the LORD.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 99

You, LORD, rule over everything!
Enthroned in glory, surrounded by awesome creatures,
your presence sends shivers down our spines
and makes even the earth tremble and quake!
LORD, your greatness is celebrated in Zion,
and in every nation you are number one.
At the mere mention of your name,
people everywhere burst into praise,
for your greatness and holiness are awesome!
Ruling in strength; loving justice with a passion;
you have seen to it that everyone gets a fair go.
You have laid down the law
so that your people will do what is right.
We fall at your feet and sing your praises, O LORD our God,
for your greatness and holiness are awesome!
Moses and Aaron served you as priests,
Samuel was another who reached out to you.
They cried out to you on the world’s behalf,
and from the awesome cloud you answered them.
They stuck to what you had told them, LORD,
and did whatever you asked of them.
When they did wrong you set them straight,
in no uncertain terms;
but you forgave them, LORD,
and never failed to answer them.
We sing your praises, O LORD our God.
We climb your holy mountain to worship you,
for your greatness and holiness are awesome!
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

2 Corinthians 3:12 - 4:2

The hope we have in the new life-giving ways of the Spirit fills us with confidence to live our faith openly — more openly even than Moses. His face was aglow with the glory of God after he received the written law, but he put a scarf over his face so that the people wouldn’t see how quickly it faded. The people back then were as thick-headed as the people of our own day — they could hear the words of God’s law read out, but it never seemed to penetrate their hearts and minds. It’s as though the scarf has stayed in place ever since to prevent anyone from catching sight of the glory revealed by the words. Only Christ can uncover what is hidden. It’s the same for anyone who reads the scriptures without opening themselves to the Lord for insight: it is as though the wool has been pulled over their eyes and nothing gets through but the bare words. It all changes when we turn to the Lord, though, because the Lord is a real eye-opener. The Lord and the Spirit are one and the same, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the freedom to see clearly. The wool is pulled away from our eyes and we come face to face with the glory of God. This experience is truly transfiguring! We are set ablaze by the Spirit — lit up like the Lord — so that more and more we become like mirrors reflecting the glory of God.
We have nothing to hide then, and no reason to lose our nerve, for God has been incredibly generous in trusting us with a share of this work. We have sworn off any methods that we’d be ashamed to have brought to light. We don’t hide behind masks; we don’t do anything shifty or manipulative; and we don’t twist God’s word to promote our own agendas. Instead, we simply lay all our cards on the table and let our integrity speak for itself. By stating it plainly and living it openly in the sight of God, we give everyone the opportunity to make up their own minds about the truth.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 9: 28-36 (37-43)

Jesus had spoken to his followers for the first time about his impending death in Jerusalem and the fact that following him meant putting their lives on the line. About a week later, he took Peter, John and James and went up to the top of a mountain to pray. As he was praying, a visible change came over his face and his clothing became so white it was dazzling. Suddenly two more men could be seen in deep conversation with Jesus. They were Moses and Elijah, and the glory of heaven could be seen in them. They spoke with Jesus about how he was about to escape to freedom through the waters of death in Jerusalem.
Peter and his mates nearly missed all this because, although they had come to pray too, they were falling asleep. However, they roused themselves in time to see Jesus in all his glory standing with the two men. As the two were finishing up with Jesus, Peter – shooting his mouth off without thinking – said, “Boss, this is fantastic! What a moment! How about we knock up three huts, so that you, Moses and Elijah can all stay here longer.”
Even before he finished getting the words out, an awesome cloud engulfed them all and they were quaking in their boots. Deep within the cloud, a voice boomed forth: “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him!”
When the voice finished, everything suddenly looked normal again, and Peter, James and John saw no one there but Jesus. They were dumbfounded by what they had seen and in the coming days they didn’t breathe a word about it to anyone.
The next day, as they came back down the mountain, they ran into a large crowd who had gathered to meet them. The minute they arrived, one of the men in the crowd shouted out to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, please, I beg you. Take a look at my son, my one and only child. He gets these sudden fits all the time. Some horrible spirit seizes him and throws him screaming to the ground. It makes him foam at the mouth and thrash around until he’s black and blue. I pleaded with your followers to deal with it, but nothing they could do made any difference.”
Jesus shook his head and said, “Sometimes they are as godless and twisted as the rest of their generation. I don’t know why I put up with any of them. Bring your son here.”
Even as they brought him over, another demonic fit seized the boy, crashing him to the ground, convulsing wildly. This time, though, Jesus took charge and bawled out the toxic spirit. He healed the boy and returned him to the care of his father. Everyone was completely bowled over by this sign of God’s power and generosity.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you remove the veil from our minds
and transfigure us in the wondrous light of your glory.
At creation your word lit up the sun and stars
and dispelled the chaos to form the earth.
You revealed your glory to your servant, Moses,
and, from the cloud, made a covenant with your people.
In the timeless presence of Moses and Elijah
you transfigured your Son, Jesus,
allowing his terrified followers to witness his glory
and hear your voice from the awesome cloud.
He was killed by those whose minds were hardened,
but, by your mercy, his exodus through the waters of death
led to resurrection life and freedom.
Now, you have called us to listen to him
and through your Holy Spirit,
you are transforming us into his image
and clothing us with honour and majesty.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We give you thanks for your transfiguring love
which shone from your servant Moses,
was seen by terrified disciples in your Son, Jesus Christ,
and is now removing the veil from our minds
and clothing us with his honour and glory.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you remove the veil from our minds
and transfigure us in the wondrous light of your glory.
At creation your word lit up the sun and stars
and dispelled the chaos to form the earth.
You revealed your glory to your servant, Moses,
and, from the cloud, made a covenant with your people.
In the timeless presence of Moses and Elijah
you transfigured your Son, Jesus,
allowing his terrified followers to witness his glory
and hear your voice from the awesome cloud.
He was killed by those whose minds were hardened,
but, by your mercy, his exodus through the waters of death
led to resurrection life and freedom.
Now, you have called us to listen to him
and through your Holy Spirit,
you are transforming us into his image
and clothing us with honour and majesty.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

We have renounced the shameful things that were kept hidden.
It is God’s freedom to punish, but God’s delight to forgive sin.
So do not lose heart, the Spirit of the Lord is here,
and where the Spirit is, there is freedom and mercy.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now and live your faith boldly
as an open statement of God’s truth.
Keep nothing hidden,
and refuse anything deceitful or manipulative.
By God’s mercy, engage in the ministry
to which you have been called,
and let the light of God’s word shine brightly in you.
And may God strengthen you and keep you safe;
May Christ Jesus unveil your minds;
And may the Holy Spirit transform you from glory to glory.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

The Pilgrimage of Prayer – Luke’s Transfiguration StoryA sermon on Luke 9.28-36 & 2 Corinthians 3.12–4.2 by Garry Deverell

Glorious PotentialA sermon on Luke 9.28-36 & 2 Corinthians 3.12–4.2 by Nathan Nettleton

Weighty MattersA sermon on Luke 9.28-36 & 2 Corinthians 3.12–4.2 by Nathan Nettleton

Glimpses of RealityA sermon on Luke 9.28-36 & 2 Corinthians 3.12–4.2 by Nathan Nettleton

What do we do with Shiny Shiny Jesus?A sermon on Luke 9.28-36 by Katecia Taylor

The Feast of the Annunciation
2028-03-25 00:00 - 23:59
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Isaiah 7: 10-14

The LORD sent word to King Ahaz of Judah, saying:
I, the LORD your God, will give you a sign so that you can be sure that it is really me who is sending you this promise of safety. What sign do you want? Something dramatic, deep the earth or high in the sky? You name it, and I’ll do it.
But Ahaz refused, saying, “I will ask no such thing. Far be it from me to demand guarantees from the LORD.” So Isaiah the prophet spoke on behalf of the LORD, saying:
Then get this into your head, you who rule from David’s throne. Haven’t you made enough people sick and tired of your weak-as-water religious posturing? Do you have to try it on with God as well?! Well, the Lord is going to go ahead and give you a sign anyway. Check this out: there is a girl who is pregnant. She will give birth to a baby boy and he will be given the name Emmanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 45 (alternative)

My heart overflows with words of delight;
a song of love bursts forth for the king;
my voice as charmed as the poet’s pen.
You, my king, are a man of unsurpassed beauty.
Every word that passes your lips is generous and inspiring.
God’s richest blessings are yours forever.
Warrior, present yourself armed and in uniform,
in all your splendour and majesty.
Ride forth in glory, the pride of your people,
to defend the cause of truth and justice.
May your arm be strong and your skills razor sharp;
may every blow land with telling effect,
piercing the opposition to your righteous reign,
bringing to their knees the enemies of life.
Your throne is God-given, and will never be shaken.
Your royal power is wielded for justice.
You have a passion for integrity
and a loathing for corruption.
Therefore God has chosen you above all others,
crowned you with joy like no other has known.
Rich and exotic fragrances cascade from your royal robes,
and your palace is alive with music and dancing.
The daughters of kings wait on you, hand and foot;
and on your arm is your chosen bride in a gown of liquid gold.
O chosen daughter, bride of the king, listen to my advice:
leave your father’s home and don’t look back
for the king is wild with desire for you.
What more could you want? Abandon yourself to him!
Wedding gifts will arrive from every nation,
the wealthy outdo each other with their presents.
The inner beauty of your bride, O king,
outshines even her wedding gown,
woven with gold and sparkling with jewels.
In dazzling beauty she is brought to you
with her chosen bridesmaids at hand.
Joy and laughter process in with her,
and the whole palace erupts with elation.
Soon you will have children, continuing your family line,
and the thrones of the earth will be theirs.
No one will ever forget you,
your fame will inspire generation after generation,
and songs will be sung in praise of you forever and ever.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 40: 5-10 (alternative)

You are in a league of your own, LORD God;
nothing and no one comes within a bull’s roar of you!
I can’t keep track of all the amazing things you’ve done
or all the generous plans you’ve made for us.
I could talk about them till the cows came home
and still have barely scratched the surface.
You are not looking for gifts from us, LORD;
nothing we own is any use to you;
Your generosity and mercy are not for sale;
but you have given us ears and asked us to listen.
So I am giving you my “Yes!”
I’ll make your book my own and live by it.
Doing what pleases you will be my greatest delight,
for you are my God and I’m taking your ways to heart.
When all your people gathered,
I spoke up about how you had bailed me out.
I gave them the full story; I left nothing out;
you know this is true, LORD.
I have made no secret of the help you gave me;
I have put it all out in the open.
I have told everyone how you saved my life
and how we can trust you completely.
I have put it all on the public record
and kept nothing to myself
about your rock-solid love or dependability.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Hebrews 10: 4-10

The old system of dealing with sin just wasn’t up to the job. There is no way that the blood of sacrificed animals could fix the problem. Because of this, Christ came into the world saying,
“God, you don’t want more sacrifices and offerings.
I know you get no pleasure from all that stuff,
even when it’s done sincerely and by the book.
But you have prepared a body for me, God,
and I come now to do what you really want,
for it is what I do that is really ‘by the book’.
Do 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.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 1: 26-38

God sent the angel Gabriel to a town called Nazareth in the region of Galilee, to speak to a young woman named Mary. Mary was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, whose family line went back to King David. The angel approached Mary and said, “Hello there! You’ve got it made! The Lord is with you and has chosen you.”
But Mary was freaking out over this and didn’t know what to make of the angel’s words, so he spoke to her again, saying, “There is no need to be frightened, Mary. God is smiling on you. Look what God is about to do: a child will be conceived in your womb. You will give birth to a baby boy, and you will name him Jesus. He will have a great future, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will put him on the throne established by his ancestor David. He will lead God’s people forever, establishing a culture that will never die out.”
Mary replied, “How can this possibly happen? I am still a virgin.”
The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will take hold of you, and the life-force of the Most High will enfold you. Therefore the child that is born will belong to God, and will be called God’s Son. Check it out: your wrinkly old relative Elizabeth is also carrying a baby boy in her womb. Even when she was young she was infertile, but now she is six months pregnant. It just goes to show that when God gets involved, nothing will ever be impossible.”
So Mary said, “Okay. Count me in. I’m at the service of the Lord. Let these things happen to me just as you have said.”
And with that, the angel was gone.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

AnnunciationA sermon on Luke 1: 26-55, 2 Samuel 7: 1-16 & Romans 16:25-27 by Marita Munro

The Conception of GodA sermon on Luke 1:26-38 & 2 Samuel 7: 1-11, 16 by Nathan Nettleton

VirginA sermon on Luke 1:26-35, 38 by Alison Sampson

4th Sunday in Lent - Year C
2028-03-26 00:00 - 23:59
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Joshua 5:9-12

When the people of Israel had set up their first camp after crossing the river into the promised land, the LORD said to Joshua, “You all lived with the disgrace of being slaves in Egypt, but today I am wiping away your disgrace.”
The place where they were camped has been known as Gilgal ever since, because it sounds like the Hebrew word meaning “wiped away”.
They were still camping there at Gilgal in the flat country near Jericho on the fourteenth day of the month — the time set for the celebration of the sacred feast of Passover. That evening, they kept the feast for the first time in their new homeland. The very next day, the manna, which God had been giving them to eat, stopped appearing from heaven each morning. From then on they ate food produced on the land, there in Canaan. They began roasting grain and making flat-breads from the grain-crops growing in the land, and the manna was never seen again.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 32

What a blessing it is to be among those you have forgiven, LORD,
those whose record of wrongdoing you have wiped clean.
People who are honest about their lives
have everything going for them;
they never have to cover their tracks
or worry that they’ll be in your bad books.
I used to keep my sins to myself, LORD,
but they poisoned me from within;
wasting my body,
tormenting my mind.
Day and night I felt your eyes following me;
I lived in fear that you’d see right through me.
The joy of living evaporated
in the burning heat of my guilt.
Then I decided to come clean with you, LORD,
to own up to all I’d done and stop living a lie.
I made a full confession to you, LORD,
and you gave me a full pardon, forgiving all my sin.
Now, like all your faithful people, LORD,
I am always ready to open myself to you in prayer.
When trouble breaks its banks,
your faithful ones are on safe ground.
You are like a bomb shelter for us, LORD;
you protect us from danger.
Thanks to you, LORD, we can still laugh;
we can dance around singing songs of freedom.
You have given us clear directions;
you have pointed out the path we should follow.
You have kept a watchful eye on us
and made sure we understood.
You have encouraged us to follow willingly,
to understand and embrace your ways;
not to buck and snort like wild horses,
fighting the reins until our strength is broken.
Those who refuse the straight and narrow
will suffer for it, over and over;
but those who put their trust in you, LORD,
will find love and loyalty wherever they go.
You are celebrated by all right-minded people, LORD;
with open hearts we shout for joy;
with clear minds we sing your praises.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Because of what Christ has done for everyone, we are careful not to assume that people are nothing more than what our eyes and ears tell us about them. In the past we made that mistake with Christ, but we now know a lot more of him than our eyes or ears alone could detect. Whenever anyone unites themselves to Christ, something new is created. What that person was becomes a thing of the past; they get a whole new start in life! This is all God’s doing! God wants to be at peace with us, and so sent Christ to bring about reconciliation. Now God is sending us to continue this same work of reconciliation. To put it another way, what God was doing in and through Christ, was rebuilding the trust and love that are supposed to flow in both directions between the world and God. To achieve that, God agreed not to hold against us anything we had done in the past. This, then, is the extraordinary message of reconciliation which we are now given the job of sharing. We are a bit like a negotiation team who is authorised to issue the appeal on God’s behalf. We represent Christ in the world, and so on his behalf we beg you to hear this message and accept the generous peace deal that God is offering. The way of reconciliation is on the table before you: you’d be mad to turn your backs on it! Even though Christ had never been sucked into sin like us, God lumped him in with us, so as to make it possible to lump us in with him. United with him, we can become examples of all that God considers to be right and true.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-32

For much of the time, a crowd of people hung around Jesus, listening to everything he had to say. The crowd was full of disreputable characters whose lifestyles were offensive to the more respectable members of society. The devoutly religious Pharisees and the experts in religious law got their noses out of joint over this, and began denouncing Jesus. “He keeps company with people whose behaviour is beyond the pale,” they said, “and he doesn’t even draw the line at eating with them.”
Jesus responded to their objections by telling a story. He said, “Once upon a time there was a man who had two sons. One day, the younger of the two said to his father, ‘Dad, I don’t want to have to wait for you to die before I get my hands on your property. Divide it up and give me my share now.’
“So the man had all his assets divided up and transferred to his two sons. The younger son immediately sold his share and shot through with the money. The lifestyle of a cashed-up backpacker offered him a smorgasbord of parties and pleasures beyond his wildest dreams, but they all came at a price. Before he knew it, he’d blown the lot. He didn’t have a penny left to his name, and the country where he was living was in the grip of a severe recession. Times were tough and work was hard to find. He managed to get some casual shifts cleaning out septic tanks, but at times he was reduced to picking food out of rubbish bins just to survive. One day, he woke up to himself: ‘My old man has three square meals a day served up for his farm labourers, and here I am eating stuff his dogs wouldn’t touch! I’ll go home and apologise for turning my back on him and God. I’ll ask him to take me on as a hired hand, since I’ve obviously blown any right to be treated as his son.’
“So he got up and thumbed his way home to his father’s property. Even as he was trudging down the road, rehearsing his speech, his father saw him coming. With emotion choking in his throat, he leapt to his feet, ran headlong down the road, and threw his arms around his son. The son began his prepared speech, saying, “Dad, my behaviour has been offensive to God and brought disgrace to you. It would not be right for you to ever treat me as your son again.’
“But before he could get all the words out, his father began to say, ‘My son, welcome home! Come inside and we’ll pop a bottle of bubbly. I’ll run you a bath and get you a clean set of clothes.’ Then he began giving orders to one of his workers: ‘Go and round up all the hands. Tell them to take the rest of the day off and come and celebrate with us. Fire up the spit-roast and pick out a prime calf. The drinks are on me, for this boy of mine was as good as dead, but now he’s alive and well. He was lost forever, but now he’s home again, safe and sound.’ And the celebrations began.
“Now the man’s elder son had been out at the time, and when he pulled up out the front, he heard the sounds of music, dancing and laughter. He asked the first person he saw what was going on and was told, ‘Your brother has turned up, out of the blue, and your dad’s so over the moon about it that he’s given everyone the day off and thrown a huge party. He’s even put one of the prime calves on the spit.’
“With that, the older brother spat the dummy and locked himself in his room. His father came and pleaded with him to come and join the party, but he yelled, ‘All these years I’ve worked my guts out for you. I’ve never given you a moment of grief, but not once have you ever given me so much as a pack of steaks to have a barbecue with my mates. But this scumbag son of yours has dragged your name through the mud and blown all your money on sex and drugs, and yet the minute he turns up, you put the prime calf on the spit for him!’
“But his father replied, ‘Son, you’ve got to be kidding! You’re always with me and I’ve signed everything I own over to you. Anytime you want a barbecue, it’s all yours! But this is a day to celebrate. We had to have a party! Your brother was as good as dead, but now he’s alive and well. He was lost forever, but now he’s home again, safe and sound.’”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you are always seeking the lost
and rescuing the enslaved.
You created the earth and called forth its crops.
In the days of your servant Joshua,
you led your people into a rich new land,
and celebrated with them as they tasted its first fruits.
In Jesus Christ, the old has gone and the new has come.
In him you have sought us out,
and welcomed us to your table.
When those who resented your grace crucified him,
you raised him to new life
and through him you are reconciling the world to yourself.
At the first sign of repentance, you run to us
with your arms open
and your heart full of compassion.
Though we squander our birthright,
you lay the table with the richest food and wine
to celebrate our restoration to your life.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We thank you that in Jesus Christ, the old has gone and the new has come.
In him you have sought us out and,
though we had squandered our birthright,
you have laden the table with the richest food and wine
to celebrate our restoration to your life.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you are always seeking the lost
and rescuing the enslaved.
You created the earth and called forth its crops.
In the days of your servant Joshua,
you led your people into a rich new land,
and celebrated with them as they tasted its first fruits.
In Jesus Christ, the old has gone and the new has come.
In him you have sought us out,
and welcomed us to your table.
When those who resented your grace crucified him,
you raised him to new life
and through him you are reconciling the world to yourself.
At the first sign of repentance, you run to us
with your arms open
and your heart full of compassion.
Though we squander our birthright,
you lay the table with the richest food and wine
to celebrate our restoration to your life.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.
You who confess your wrong to God are pardoned.
There is rejoicing in heaven over you,
for you were lost but now are found,
dead, but now you are alive in Christ.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now as ambassadors for Christ
and proclaim God’s message of reconciliation.
Trust in God, rejoice in the Lord,
and celebrate God’s grace as it enfolds even the unworthy.
And may God be your shelter and save you from ruin;
May Christ Jesus teach you and show you the path to walk;
And may the Holy Spirit watch out for you
and encircle you with songs of freedom.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

Look after your own, God!A sermon on Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 by Nathan Nettleton

Who’s Jesus talking to?A sermon on Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 by Nathan Nettleton

Is God’s Grace Fair?A sermon on Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 by Nathan Nettleton

What About Me? The Tale of the Two ProdigalsA sermon on Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 by Garry Deverell

Family BrokenA sermon on Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 by Nathan Nettleton

Getting in on the DealA sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 & Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 by Nathan Nettleton

5th Sunday in Lent - Year C
2028-04-02 00:00 - 23:59
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Isaiah 43: 16-21

This is what the LORD has to say:
I am the one who cut a path through the ocean for you,
an escape route through the raging waters.
I am the one who dealt with the army that pursued you:
the soldiers and all their weapons of war.
Where are they now? Lying dead, never to rise again;
snuffed out like a drenched candle.
Now I say to you: Don’t dwell on the things of the past;
don’t get bogged down in nostalgia.
I am about to do something completely new;
can’t you see it taking shape before your eyes?
I will make a safe path through the hostile wilderness.
I will make the desert rivers flow again.
Untamed animals will applaud what I do
– dingoes, emus, goannas –
because the desert bursts into life
as I send rains, filling the inland lakes.
Now the people I have chosen can drink their fill;
I created them to be my people,
to enjoy and celebrate the things I do.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 126

When you brought us home to Zion from exile, LORD,
we had to pinch ourselves to be sure it wasn’t a dream.
Laughter and singing kept bubbling up in us;
we were just over the moon!
Even the nations around us had to admit
that you must have taken our side, LORD.
Indeed, we could only celebrate and thank you
. for the wonderful things you had done for us.
LORD, we need your help again;
we are like dry creek-beds in need of rain.
We have worked with sweat and tears;
let us reap the rewards with celebration.
Let those who laboured with heavy hearts,
expecting nothing but despair,
come home with pride renewed,
celebrating unimaginable success.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Philippians 3: 4b-14

If anyone starts bragging about their breeding and background to win an audience, I could trump them every time. I’ve got a pedigree to die for! I’m a pure blooded Israelite, born into the noble tribe of Benjamin. I was circumcised when I was eight days old, exactly as the law prescribes. I was educated by the Pharisees at the best school, so I know the scriptures inside out, and discipline and obedience are second nature to me. I was so pumped up with passion for the purity of religion that I led violent campaigns against declared heretics, including the church. You could measure me against the strictest interpretations of the law and I’d come out with a perfect record every time.
Most people would count all this as the perfect start in life, but I have come to see it as more of a disadvantage. Why? Because of the Messiah. You see, the one and only thing that is of real and lasting value is knowing the Messiah Jesus, my Lord, and I now realise that just about everything else gets in the way of that. This is why I’ve stopped counting my so-called blessings. I used to think that such things gave me the inside running with God, but I now regard such thinking as a lot of crap. I have given up clinging to such crappy ideas, so that I can give myself totally to the Messiah and be embraced fully by him. I’m no longer interested in how I measure up to any checklist of religious laws, however worthy it may be. God’s checklist is the only one that matters to me now and it only has one item on it. All those who trust Christ get the big tick from God. What I really want now is to know Christ intimately and to experience in my own life the power that raised him from the dead. I’ll do whatever it takes — I’ll take my share of his sufferings, I’ll follow him on the road to death if need be — because the only thing that matters to me is to be united with him in his resurrection life.
I’m not claiming for a moment that I’ve made it, or that I’ve now got it all together. There’s a long way to go, but at least I’m now on the right track and I’m not giving up. I know I’ll make it because the Messiah is backing me all the way. My friends, I don’t see myself as the expert in these things, but I know enough to be sure of which way to go. I’m taking no further interest in the successes or failures of the past. I’ve got my eyes firmly fixed on what God has called me to become, and I won’t let anything stop me until I cross the line and fall into the waiting arms of Christ.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 12: 1-8

Six days before the celebration of Passover, Jesus arrived in Bethany. He stayed overnight in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus; the man he had previously raised from the dead. Martha prepared a dinner party in honour of Jesus, and everyone was there, including Lazarus. During the evening, Mary broke open a very expensive bottle of blended fragrant oils. She poured out the oil and used it to massage Jesus’ feet. She then wiped them dry with her own hair. The intoxicating fragrance of the oils filled the whole house.
Judas Iscariot, however, took exception to her behaviour. Although he was one of Jesus’ closest followers, the seeds of betrayal were taking root in his mind. When he saw what Mary was doing, he growled, “What do you think you’re doing? That stuff is worth a fortune. Why was it not sold and the money put to work to do something for the poor?”
He wasn’t really the least bit concerned about the plight of the poor, but he was their treasurer and liked to keep their shared account topped up so he could help himself to it without anyone noticing.
Jesus said, “Get off her case, Judas! She brought that oil and kept it to use in preparing me for a decent burial. There will never be any shortage of opportunities to do something worthwhile for the poor, but you won’t always have the opportunity to do anything worthwhile for me.”
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for there is nothing else in life that can compare
with the surpassing value of knowing you.
The newborn earth sprang forth at your touch
and life burst free as you lavished your love upon it.
You formed a people to declare your glory
and led them to freedom on a road through the sea.
Your child, Jesus Christ, honoured our outpoured devotion,
but was betrayed and killed by those
who profit from corruption.
You raised him to life
and called us leave the past
and look to the new wonders you are doing:
opening pathways through inhospitable places
and pouring forth springs where all was dry and lifeless,
so that we, and all who have laboured in sorrow,
might joyously bring forth a harvest of righteousness
and join Christ in the glory of his resurrection life.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We thank you for your love in Christ
which opens pathways through inhospitable places,
so that we might press on through suffering and death
to the prize of resurrection life in Christ.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for there is nothing else in life that can compare
with the surpassing value of knowing you.
The newborn earth sprang forth at your touch
and life burst free as you lavished your love upon it.
You formed a people to declare your glory
and led them to freedom on a road through the sea.
Your child, Jesus Christ, honoured our outpoured devotion,
but was betrayed and killed by those
who profit from corruption.
You raised him to life
and called us leave the past
and look to the new wonders you are doing:
opening pathways through inhospitable places
and pouring forth springs where all was dry and lifeless,
so that we, and all who have laboured in sorrow,
might joyously bring forth a harvest of righteousness
and join Christ in the glory of his resurrection life.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

The righteousness that comes from God
is given to all who turn from their past
and put their faith in Christ.
Sisters and brothers, God has heard your confession;
Christ Jesus has made you his own.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, and press on in the path to which God has called you.
Do not get caught up in the things of the past,
or in the things that the world prizes,
but welcome the new things God is doing,
and take the new paths that open through the places of death.
And may God pour life-giving waters into your wilderness;
May Christ Jesus make you his own;
And may the Holy Spirit strengthen you
for the race that lies before you.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

Sermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website.

What are we striving for?A sermon on Philippians 3:4b-14 and John 12:1-8 by Nathan Nettleton

Building FortressesA sermon on Isaiah 43:16-21, Philippians 3:4b-14 and John 12:1-8 by Nathan Nettleton

Renouncing Gifts and Wasting ResourcesA sermon on Philippians 3:4b-14 and John 12:1-8 by Nathan Nettleton

Getting Jesus RightA sermon on John 12:1-8 by Nathan Nettleton

Dealing with the PastA sermon on Isaiah 43:16-21 & Philippians 3:4b-14 by Nathan Nettleton

Scandalous ExtravaganceA sermon on John 12:1-8 by Nathan Nettleton

A Gift Far Too SmallA sermon on John 12:1-8 & Philippians 3:4b-14 by Alison Sampson

Scandal, Personal Space, and Passing the PeaceA sermon on John 12:1-8 & Luke 7:36-50 by Nathan Nettleton

Where To From Here?A sermon on Isaiah 43:16-21 & Philippians 3:4b-14 by Nathan Nettleton

6th Sunday in Lent (Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday) - Year C
2028-04-09 00:00 - 23:59
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.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Luke 19: 28-40 (Gospel for the Liturgy of the Palms)

Jesus and his followers pushed on, heading up towards Jerusalem. Their last stop was just outside the twin townships of Bethphage and Bethany near the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of his followers into the township, saying, “Just as you get into the main street you’ll see a young donkey tied up to a fence. It is an awkward looking thing and has not yet even been ridden. Collect it and bring it to me, and if anyone asks you what you think you’re doing with it, just tell them the boss needs it.”  So the two of them headed into the township, and sure enough, there was the donkey tied to the fence, just as Jesus had said. As they began to lead it off, its owner appeared and said, “Hey, what do you think you’re doing with my donkey?”
They replied, “The boss needs it.”
They brought it to Jesus and made an improvised saddle from items of spare clothing. Jesus got on and began riding slowly up the road to Jerusalem. As he approached, people began giving him the red-carpet treatment, spreading their coats on the road before him and cheering as he passed. As he rode the final stretch from the Mount of Olives, the swelling crowd of his followers were shouting and singing at the top of their voices, praising God for all the remarkable actions they had witnessed in Jesus’s company. A loud chant began:
God’s blessing is on the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
God is on the throne
and all is well in heaven!
Some religious teachers from the Pharisee party witnessed this from the crowd and confronted Jesus, saying, “Teacher, get your followers back under control!”
But Jesus answered, “The fact is, if I shut them up, the stones on the roadside would take up the chant!”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29 (Psalm for the Liturgy of the Palms)

Thank you, LORD, thank you!
Thank you for your goodness!
Thank you for your love —
rock solid and timeless!
May all your people recognise
that your love and loyalty last forever.
The minute they open the city gates
— the gates of justice —
we’ll be the first through, LORD;
eager to tell you how thankful we are.
These gates belong to you, LORD,
those you have put right can come on through.
Thank you for answering our prayers, LORD;
for coming to our rescue and putting us right.
From a rejected stone found in a rubbish pile
you cut and polished a priceless jewel.
This is obviously your work, LORD,
and we can hardly believe our eyes!
Today is your day, LORD, a day to honour you;
we will celebrate with joy and laughter.
Get us through safely, LORD!
In the tasks ahead, give us success!
The one who comes in your name, LORD,
is the one who is truly blessed.
Gathered here in your house,
we praise you for sending him.
You, LORD, are our only God,
and you light up our lives.
In a great procession,
we march to the sacred place,
waving branches and banners;
tossing flowers in the air.
You are our God
and we give you thanks.
You are our God
and we give you our highest acclaim.
Thank you, LORD, thank you!
Thank you for your goodness!
Thank you for your love —
rock solid and timeless!
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Isaiah 50: 4-9a

The LORD God has given me the gift of the gab
so that my words can teach others
and put a spring in the step of the weary.
As I wake up each new day,
God makes me hungry for learning.
The LORD cleaned out my ears
so that I could hear every word.
I learned eagerly;
I never rebelled or quit.
I was opposed by others,
but I gritted my teeth and stood my ground.
I looked them in the eye
when they insulted me and spat in my face.
I took it on the chin and did not fight back,
when they gave me a belting and tore out my hair.
The Lord GOD is always there for me,
so no disgrace ever gets to me.
I have steeled my jaw and dug in my heels,
and I’m sure I’ll never be ashamed of my stand
because I can trust God to back me up.
So, who thinks they can take me on?
Let them stand up and face me!
Who are my opponents?
Let’s see what they’re made of!
The Lord GOD is backing me;
so who is going to accuse me of doing wrong?
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 31: 9-16

Be kind to me, LORD,
I’m a mess.
My eyes are bloodshot from crying;
My heart is breaking
and my whole body aches.
Grief gnaws away at my life,
sorrows piles up, year after year.
Misery is draining my strength
and destroying my health.
I get no respect from my opponents;
nothing but ridicule.
Those who know me can’t bear to look at me;
even strangers cross the street to avoid me.
Everyone wants to purge me from their thoughts;
they’ve given me up for dead;
abandoned me like a burned out car.
Everyone is out to get me;
they’re whispering behind my back.
They’ve portrayed me as a monster
and put a price on my head.
But I still put my trust in you, LORD;
you are my God and you’re all I’ve got left.
My future is in your hands;
snatch me from the grasp
of those who are hunting me down.
I’m working for you; look on me with love.
Stand by me and save me.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net

Philippians 2: 5-11

Model your attitude on the attitude of the Messiah, Jesus.
Although Jesus was the same as God in every way,
he did not think of his God-like privileges
as something to be milked for all they were worth.
Instead, he laid it all aside
and, with no more privileges than a slave,
was born as a human being.
Having become a human being,
he was the model of humility.
He didn’t demand his own way
but let God set the agenda;
even when it included his own death,
and a gruesome public death at that.
Because of all this,
God has raised him to the status of number one
and honoured him more highly
than anyone else in the universe.
So now, just the mention of the name ‘Jesus’
should bring everyone to their knees;
everyone who has ever lived or ever will.
Everyone, everywhere will honour God
by openly acknowledging
that Jesus the Messiah is Lord of all!
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 22:14 - 23:56

When the hour came, Jesus took his seat at the dining table, along with his closest followers. He said to them, “I’ve been hanging-out to eat this sacred Passover meal with you before I am put through the wringer. You can take it from me; I will not get to eat it until it is done to perfection in the culture of God.”
Then he picked up a cup of wine, and after giving thanks to God he said, “Take this, and share it among yourselves. I kid you not; from now on, not another drop of wine will pass my lips until the culture of God has broken through.”
He took a loaf of bread in his hands, and when he had given thanks to God, he broke the loaf and gave it to them, saying: “This is my body. It is given for you. Do this so that I will be remembered.”
He did the same thing with the cup at the end of the meal, saying: “This cup, which is poured out for you, is God’s new alliance with you – an alliance sealed with my blood. But get this; the one who will betray me is here passing food around the table with us. And while the New Human will go to his fate according to the script, the writing is on the wall for the one who stabs him in the back.”
That set them questioning one another, trying to work out which one of them could possibly be going to do such a thing.
Before long an argument had broken out among them over which of them would be seen as the greatest. But Jesus broke it up, saying, “Outside of the people of God, those in power love to strut around, flaunting their authority. They describe themselves as the benefactors of the nation, but before you know it they’ve set themselves up as dictators, above the law. Don’t go taking that as your model. Instead, the greatest among you must become as unassuming as a junior recruit, and the one who is your leader must be like one who is at everyone else’s service. Who do people think of as most important – the one seated at the table, or the one waiting on the table? The one seated at the table of course. But I am at your service when I am among you.
“You are the ones who have hung in there with me when I’ve been under the pump. Now I am doing for you what my Father has done for me – promoting you to the status of royalty, so that you can eat and drink at my royal table when my culture is established. You will share my authority, sitting on thrones and ruling over the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Jesus turned to Simon Peter and said, “Listen here, Simon. The satan has demanded the opportunity to take you lot apart and see what you are really made of. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that you will have what it takes. Once you are back on track yourself, you are to help these others get back to full strength.”
Simon Peter said, “Lord, I am ready to be locked up with you; to face death with you. Whatever it takes, I’ve got it.”
Jesus said to him, “You can take it from me, Peter; The rooster won’t get a chance to crow tonight before you have sworn three times that you don’t even know me.”
Speaking to all of them again, Jesus said, “Remember when I sent you out and told you to travel light – no luggage and not even your wallets. Did you find yourselves having to do without?”
“Not at all,” they replied.
“Well, this is a whole new ball game,” Jesus said. “You will be on your own and you will need all the resources you’ve got. If there is anything in your wallet, you will need it. There will be no one to defend you, so those who can’t defend themselves might as well flog off their coats and buy swords instead. You can take my word for it; what the scriptures said is about to take on a whole new meaning here: ‘He was lumped in with the crooks and low-life.’ Indeed, everything that was written about me is proving itself true.”
They said, “Look, Lord, we’ve got a couple of swords already.”
Jesus replied, “You won’t need any more than that!”
Jesus went outside and as usual headed off to the Mount of Olives with his followers. When they reached their usual spot, he said to them, “Pray that you will not have to face anything that’s too tough for you to handle.”
Then he moved off by himself, about a stone’s throw away from them, and fell to his knees in prayer, saying, “Father, if it’s okay with you, get me out of this without having to drink this bitter cup! But still, the bottom line is that I’ll go along with whatever you have decided.”
At that point a messenger from heaven appeared and gave him the strength to go on. Barely able to hold himself together, he prayed all the more desperately until the sweat was pouring off him like blood. When he got up and returned to his followers, he found that the grief had got the better of them and they had fallen asleep. He said to them, “What are you doing sleeping? Pray that you will not have to face anything that’s too tough for you to handle.”
Even before Jesus finished getting the words out, a mob arrived on the scene, led by Judas, who was one of the twelve. Judas walked straight up to Jesus and was about to kiss him, but Jesus said, “Judas, are you going to double-cross the New Human with a kiss?”
When those who were with Jesus realised what was going on, they called out, “Lord, do you want us to put up a fight?” and without waiting for an answer one of them began lashing out with a knife, slashing a personal attendant of the High Priest and cutting off his ear. But Jesus yelled, “Stop! Put that down.”
And he touched the injured man’s ear and healed him. Then he turned to the chief priests, the temple security guards, and political heavies who had come for him, and said, “Do you think I am some sort of dangerous thug, that you need your weapons drawn and your batons ready when you come for me? I have been sitting in the temple with you nearly every day, and you never laid a finger on me. But this is your way, isn’t it? Deeds of darkness in the darkest hour!”
The mob arrested Jesus and dragged him off to the High Priest’s house. Peter followed at a safe distance. Some of the security guards lit themselves a fire in the middle of the High Priest’s central courtyard, and when they sat down to warm themselves around it, Peter slipped in among them. A girl from the High Priest’s domestic staff saw him there in the light of the fire. She took a good hard look at him and said, “This bloke was with him too.”
But he denied it, saying, “Sorry, lady. You’ve got the wrong man. I don’t know him.”
A little bit later, someone else recognised him and said, “You are one of them.”
But Peter said, “Not me, mate. No way!”
About an hour later, someone else became more insistent, saying, “This bloke was with him, for sure. He’s a Galilean – it’s a dead give away.”
But Peter held his line: “Mister, I’ve got no idea what you are talking about.”
But the words were hardly out of his mouth when a rooster began to crow, and the Lord turned around and looked straight at Peter. Peter heard the words the Lord had spoken come flooding back – “Before the rooster crows tonight, you will have sworn three times that you don’t even know me” – and he ran out into the street, bawling his eyes out; a broken man.
The men who were holding Jesus in custody began to taunt him and rough him up. They blindfolded him and kept saying, “Come on, prophesy for us! Tell us who bashed you that time!”
The insults and abuse were flowing thick and fast.
First thing the next morning, Jesus was brought before a meeting of the whole Ruling Council, including the chief priests and the religious lawyers. They said to him, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.”
But Jesus replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me anyway, and if I question you, you won’t give me an answer. But from now on the New Human will take his seat as God’s right hand man.”
They all jumped at that and asked, “So then, are you saying that you are the Son of God?”
He said to them, “You yourselves are saying that I am.”
At that, they all said, “What further evidence do we need? We have all heard him condemn himself with his own words.”
The Ruling Council rose as one, marched Jesus off, and brought him before Pilate, the Roman governor. They began reeling off all sorts of charges against him, saying, “This bloke has been stirring up trouble on a national scale. He tells people to stop paying their taxes, and he is setting himself up as the Messiah in opposition to the Emperor.”
So Pilate began his interrogation by asking Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
“They are your words,” answered Jesus.
Pilate turned back to the chief priests and the mob, and said, “I can’t see that he has broken any laws. You have got nothing on him that will stick.”
But they dug their heels in and kept insisting, “He is trouble. He stirs up the people with his teaching, and not just around here. He started up in Galilee. He has worked his way all around Judea, and now he is at it here.”
When Pilate heard this, he asked whether Jesus was a Galilean, and when this was confirmed, he figured he could pass the buck to Herod, since Galileans came under Herod’s jurisdiction. Herod was in Jerusalem at the time anyway, so it was easy to palm Jesus off onto him. Herod was only too happy to see Jesus. He had been wanting to see him for some time, because he had heard plenty of stories about him and was hoping that he might get to see Jesus perform some miraculous sign. So Herod interrogated him at length, but Jesus remained silent and answered nothing. The chief priests and religious lawyers stood there, making all sorts of vicious allegations against him. The silent treatment got up Herod’s nose and he and his soldiers began to treat Jesus like dirt, and bad-mouth him. They made a joke of him, dressing him up like royalty, and then sending him back to Governor Pilate. Herod and Pilate had never had any time for each other before, but from that day on, they got on like a house on fire.
Governor Pilate then called together the chief priests, the political leaders, and the representatives of the people, and said to them, “You dragged this man in here and alleged that he was stirring up trouble among the people. But I have interrogated him here in your presence and I can’t find any basis to your allegations. None of your charges seem to stick. Herod obviously hasn’t found anything to pin on him either, because he has sent him back without recording any convictions. Quite clearly the man has done nothing to warrant the death penalty. So I will get my men to give him a flogging as a warning, and then release him.”
But the crowd went berserk, shouting together, “Rid the earth of this man! Free Barabbas for us!”
Barabbas had taken part in a violent uprising in the city, and was being held in prison on charges of terrorism and murder. Pilate wanted to release Jesus, and spoke to the crowd again, but they just kept up a loud chant of, “String him up! String him up!”
Pilate tried a third time, asking, “Why? What evil has he done? I can’t find any evidence of anything that would warrant a death sentence. I will have him flogged as a warning, and then release him.”
But the mob was in a frenzy, shouting louder and louder, and demanding that Jesus be executed. In the end they got their way. Pilate caved in and signed the order granting the people their demand. He set free the prisoner they asked for – the one who had been locked up for terrorism and murder – and handed Jesus over to them to do as they wished.
As they marched Jesus off to be executed, they grabbed a man called Simon of Cyrene, who was just arriving in town from the bush. They made him lift the large wooden cross on which Jesus was to be strung up, and carry it behind him. A huge crowd of people followed him out, and among them were many women who were weeping and wailing and carrying on loudly. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, it is no use crying for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children. You can bet the days are coming when people will say that the fortunate women are the ones who couldn’t have children. They’ll say ‘How lucky are the women who never conceived! How lucky are those who never held babies to their breasts!’ People will cry out to the mountains saying ‘Fall on us now!’ They will wish the hills would collapse and bury them. For if this is what is done to a healthy green tree, imagine what will happen to all the old dead wood.”
Two convicted criminals were dragged off with him to be executed at the same time. The place where the executions were carried out was called Skull Hill. When they got there, they strung Jesus up on the cross by driving nails through his flesh. They executed the two convicted criminals in the same way on crosses on each side of him. As he hung there, Jesus prayed out loud, saying, “Father, forgive these people. They’ve got no idea what they are doing.”
The executioners divided up his clothes among themselves, tossing a coin to see who should get what. The people stood around staring, but the community leaders were hurling insults and ridicule at him and making a huge joke of it, saying, “He reckoned he could save everyone else. Let’s see him get himself out of this if he’s really the Messiah, God’s chosen one!”
The soldiers were sticking the boots in too, offering him drinks of wine that had turned to vinegar, and saying, “Come on. If you’re the king of the Jews, pull rank and get yourself out of this trouble!”
They also hung a sign above his head saying, “This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals who was strung up alongside him joined in the insults, shouting, “What sort of Messiah are you?! Get your act together and save yourself, and save us while you’re at it!”
But the other criminal pulled his mate up short, saying, “Put a sock in it! Don’t you care what God could do to us? We are about to meet our maker, the same as he is, but you and I have done the crime and we are copping what we had coming. There was no miscarriage of justice over us. But what has this bloke ever done wrong? Nothing!” And then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come to take charge of everything.”
Jesus replied, “You have my word for it; today you will join me in Paradise.”
It was now about midday, but darkness fell over the whole land for three hours. The sun was blacked out, and the curtain that closed off the most holy place in the Temple tore in two. Then, with a loud cry, Jesus said, “Father, I lay down my life, and place it in your hands.”
That said, he breathed his last. When the commanding officer saw what had happened, he spoke highly of God and said, “This bloke was innocent. I’d bet my life on it!”
Crowds of spectators had gathered to witness the gruesome show, but when they saw what really took place, they were completely gutted and headed back to their homes sobbing.
Those who knew Jesus, including the women who had been among his followers since the days in Galilee, stood at a safe distance and kept watch over all that happened.
There was a man named Joseph who came from the Jewish town of Arimethea. He was a man of integrity who always did what was right, and who was genuinely looking forward to the culture of God. So although he was a respected member of the Ruling Council, he had opposed their plot and the action they had taken.
Joseph went to Pilate and got permission to take the body of Jesus for burial. He took the body down from the cross, wrapped it in a linen shroud, and buried it in a tomb which had been cut into a rock wall, but had never been used. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was about to begin at sundown. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed along and saw where the tomb was and how his body was laid out. Then they left, and prepared the spices and lotions required to anoint the body of Jesus in the customary way. On the Sabbath, they took the day off, as the law required.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 23: 1-49 (Alternative shorter gospel reading)

The Ruling Council rose as one, marched Jesus off, and brought him before Pilate, the Roman governor. They began reeling off all sorts of charges against him, saying, “This bloke has been stirring up trouble on a national scale. He tells people to stop paying their taxes, and he is setting himself up as the Messiah in opposition to the Emperor.”
So Pilate began his interrogation by asking Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
“They are your words,” answered Jesus.
Pilate turned back to the chief priests and the mob, and said, “I can’t see that he has broken any laws. You have got nothing on him that will stick.”
But they dug their heels in and kept insisting, “He is trouble. He stirs up the people with his teaching, and not just around here. He started up in Galilee. He has worked his way all around Judea, and now he is at it here.”
When Pilate heard this, he asked whether Jesus was a Galilean, and when this was confirmed, he figured he could pass the buck to Herod, since Galileans came under Herod’s jurisdiction. Herod was in Jerusalem at the time anyway, so it was easy to palm Jesus off onto him. Herod was only too happy to see Jesus. He had been wanting to see him for some time, because he had heard plenty of stories about him and was hoping that he might get to see Jesus perform some miraculous sign. So Herod interrogated him at length, but Jesus remained silent and answered nothing. The chief priests and religious lawyers stood there, making all sorts of vicious allegations against him. The silent treatment got up Herod’s nose and he and his soldiers began to treat Jesus like dirt, and bad-mouth him. They made a joke of him, dressing him up like royalty, and then sending him back to Governor Pilate. Herod and Pilate had never had any time for each other before, but from that day on, they got on like a house on fire.
Governor Pilate then called together the chief priests, the political leaders, and the representatives of the people, and said to them, “You dragged this man in here and alleged that he was stirring up trouble among the people. But I have interrogated him here in your presence and I can’t find any basis to your allegations. None of your charges seem to stick. Herod obviously hasn’t found anything to pin on him either, because he has sent him back without recording any convictions. Quite clearly the man has done nothing to warrant the death penalty. So I will get my men to give him a flogging as a warning, and then release him.”
But the crowd went berserk, shouting together, “Rid the earth of this man! Free Barabbas for us!”
Barabbas had taken part in a violent uprising in the city, and was being held in prison on charges of terrorism and murder. Pilate wanted to release Jesus, and spoke to the crowd again, but they just kept up a loud chant of, “String him up! String him up!”
Pilate tried a third time, asking, “Why? What evil has he done? I can’t find any evidence of anything that would warrant a death sentence. I will have him flogged as a warning, and then release him.”
But the mob was in a frenzy, shouting louder and louder, and demanding that Jesus be executed. In the end they got their way. Pilate caved in and signed the order granting the people their demand. He set free the prisoner they asked for – the one who had been locked up for terrorism and murder – and handed Jesus over to them to do as they wished.
As they marched Jesus off to be executed, they grabbed a man called Simon of Cyrene, who was just arriving in town from the bush. They made him lift the large wooden cross on which Jesus was to be strung up, and carry it behind him. A huge crowd of people followed him out, and among them were many women who were weeping and wailing and carrying on loudly. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, it is no use crying for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children. You can bet the days are coming when people will say that the fortunate women are the ones who couldn’t have children. They’ll say ‘How lucky are the women who never conceived! How lucky are those who never held babies to their breasts!’ People will cry out to the mountains saying ‘Fall on us now!’ They will wish the hills would collapse and bury them. For if this is what is done to a healthy green tree, imagine what will happen to all the old dead wood.”
Two convicted criminals were dragged off with him to be executed at the same time. The place where the executions were carried out was called Skull Hill. When they got there, they strung Jesus up on the cross by driving nails through his flesh. They executed the two convicted criminals in the same way on crosses on each side of him. As he hung there, Jesus prayed out loud, saying, “Father, forgive these people. They’ve got no idea what they are doing.”
The executioners divided up his clothes among themselves, tossing a coin to see who should get what. The people stood around staring, but the community leaders were hurling insults and ridicule at him and making a huge joke of it, saying, “He reckoned he could save everyone else. Let’s see him get himself out of this if he’s really the Messiah, God’s chosen one!”
The soldiers were sticking the boots in too, offering him drinks of wine that had turned to vinegar, and saying, “Come on. If you’re the king of the Jews, pull rank and get yourself out of this trouble!”
They also hung a sign above his head saying, “This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals who was strung up alongside him joined in the insults, shouting, “What sort of Messiah are you?! Get your act together and save yourself, and save us while you’re at it!”
But the other criminal pulled his mate up short, saying, “Put a sock in it! Don’t you care what God could do to us? We are about to meet our maker, the same as he is, but you and I have done the crime and we are copping what we had coming. There was no miscarriage of justice over us. But what has this bloke ever done wrong? Nothing!” And then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come to take charge of everything.”
Jesus replied, “You have my word for it; today you will join me in Paradise.”
It was now about midday, but darkness fell over the whole land for three hours. The sun was blacked out, and the curtain that closed off the most holy place in the Temple tore in two. Then, with a loud cry, Jesus said, “Father, I lay down my life, and place it in your hands.”
That said, he breathed his last. When the commanding officer saw what had happened, he spoke highly of God and said, “This bloke was innocent. I’d bet my life on it!”
Crowds of spectators had gathered to witness the gruesome show, but when they saw what really took place, they were completely gutted and headed back to their homes sobbing.
Those who knew Jesus, including the women who had been among his followers since the days in Galilee, stood at a safe distance and kept watch over all that happened.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you alone are good and your steadfast love is forever.
The creation of the world was your doing
and is marvellous to our eyes.
Your prophets told us of the coming one
who would teach your ways
and sustain us with your word.
Your child, Jesus Christ, though one with you
gave up all he had,
taking on human flesh
and walking the path of obedience
all the way to insult, betrayal and death,
trusting only in your vindication.
Though he was rejected by those who had cheered him,
you made him the cornerstone of new life
and raised him to the highest place of honour.
He has opened the gates of justice
and become our salvation,
so with shouts of joy we greet his appearing,
and proclaim that Christ is Lord
to your glory forever.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)

We thank you for your son, Jesus Christ,
who, giving up all he had
and walking the path of obedience
all the way to insult, betrayal and death,
opened the gates of justice
and become our salvation.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you alone are good and your steadfast love is forever.
The creation of the world was your doing
and is marvellous to our eyes.
Your prophets told us of the coming one
who would teach your ways
and sustain us with your word.
Your child, Jesus Christ, though one with you
gave up all he had,
taking on human flesh
and walking the path of obedience
all the way to insult, betrayal and death,
trusting only in your vindication.
Though he was rejected by those who had cheered him,
you made him the cornerstone of new life
and raised him to the highest place of honour.
He has opened the gates of justice
and become our salvation,
so with shouts of joy we greet his appearing,
and proclaim that Christ is Lord
to your glory forever.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

The Lord who vindicates you is near.
God has heard your confession
and you will not be put to shame.
With the Lord God as your help
no one can declare you guilty.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now and follow Christ in obedience.
Have the same mind as was in Christ Jesus;
Keep your ears open to God’s teaching;
Be humble, even in the face of hostility
and do not turn back.
And may God help you and keep you from disgrace;
May Christ Jesus lead you through the gates of justice;
And may the Holy Spirit keep you in God’s steadfast love
and fill your mouths with praise to the glory of God.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

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Jesus and the Opinion PollsA sermon for Palm Sunday by Nathan Nettleton

Monday of Holy Week
2028-04-10 00:00 - 23:59
Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Isaiah 42:1-9

The Lord says:
Let me introduce to you the one who serves me,
the one I am backing all the way.
I have chosen him,
and I am bursting with pride over him.
I have given him my spirit in full measure,
and he will bring about justice everywhere on earth.
He won’t go thrusting himself into the public eye,
or grandstanding in the street with pompous speeches.
He won’t exploit the vulnerability of damaged people,
or squeeze the last drops out of those who are running on empty.
He will be completely fair dinkum
about making justice a reality.
He will not run out of steam or throw in the towel
until his mission is accomplished;
until justice holds sway everywhere on earth
and the world’s peoples are eager to learn from him.
I am the one who created the universe
and stretched out the skies;
the one who constructed the earth
and produced everything that grows from it;
the one who breathes life into the world’s people
and kindles the spark of life within them;
I am the LORD your God;
so listen to what I have to say:
I, the LORD, have called you to stand for what is right.
I have put my arm around you and kept you safe.
I have made you a shining light for all the earth to see,
to draw all people everywhere
into a permanent alliance with me.
I have given you a privileged role
as the one who enables the blind to see the light;
the one who opens the gates of the stifling detention centres
and welcomes the prisoners into the fresh air of freedom.
I am the LORD, that is my name;
I don’t allow pretenders to cash in on my glory
or rip off my image to promote their frauds.
Take note: everything I warned you about has happened on cue.
Now I am announcing my new projects;
I’m letting you in on them even before they get started.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 36: 5-11

You unwavering love fills the universe, LORD;
your loyalty is as timeless as the milky way.
Your passion for doing right
is as solid as the mountain ranges;
your understanding of us
is as deep as the oceans.
You set out to save the lives of every creature, LORD,
and no one – not man nor woman,
not bird nor beast – is left out of your care.
Your love, O God, is our greatest treasure!
You keep a place for everyone
under the shelter of your wings.
You invite all who come to feast at your table;
the wine of your love flows like a river
and no one’s glass is allowed to run dry.
Life bursts forth from you like a fountain;
light shines from you and lights up our world.
Don’t ever give up on us, LORD;
keep loving all who trust you,
keep rescuing all whose hearts are in the right place.
Protect us from those who would trample us underfoot.
Stand in the way of those who would drive us from the land.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Hebrews 9: 11-15

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.
Under 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!
This is why we say that Jesus is the mediator. He brought the two sides together — us and God — to establish a new alliance. It took his own death to bring the job to completion, but he succeeded in having written off the debts we had accumulated by breaking the rules of the old agreement, and having us written back into the list of those who God has called — those who will inherit for all time all that God has promised to give.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 12: 1-11

Six days before the celebration of Passover, Jesus arrived in Bethany. He stayed overnight in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus; the man he had previously raised from the dead. Martha prepared a dinner party in honour of Jesus, and everyone was there, including Lazarus. During the evening, Mary broke open a very expensive bottle of blended fragrant oils. She poured out the oil and used it to massage Jesus’ feet. She then wiped them dry with her own hair. The intoxicating fragrance of the oils filled the whole house.
Judas Iscariot, however, took exception to her behaviour. Although he was one of Jesus’ closest followers, the seeds of betrayal were taking root in his mind. When he saw what Mary was doing, he growled, “What do you think you’re doing? That stuff is worth a fortune. Why was it not sold and the money put to work to do something for the poor?”
He wasn’t really the least bit concerned about the plight of the poor, but he was their treasurer and liked to keep their shared account topped up so he could help himself to it without anyone noticing.
Jesus said, “Get off her case, Judas! She brought that oil and kept it to use in preparing me for a decent burial. There will never be any shortage of opportunities to do something worthwhile for the poor, but you won’t always have the opportunity to do anything worthwhile for me.”
The news that Jesus was back in Bethany spread quickly and the crowds gathered to see him. Many were also keen to see Lazarus, because they had heard about Jesus raising him from the dead. When news of this reached the senior religious authorities, they began plotting to have Lazarus killed as well. They wanted to get rid of him because he had inspired so many of their followers to give up on them and switch their allegiance to Jesus.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Tuesday of Holy Week
2028-04-11 00:00 - 23:59
Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections 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.

Isaiah 49: 1-7

Everyone, from coast to coast, listen up!
All you people, far and near, don’t miss a word.
Before I was born, the LORD had chosen me.
While I was still in my mother’s womb
I was given a name and a job.
I was created to be a surgeon’s knife,
razor sharp in the hand of the LORD;
ready and waiting to slice through any defence
and cut to the core with a word.
The LORD said to me, “Israel, you are my servant,
the one who will put my name up in lights.”
But I said, “Then how come every thing I do comes to nothing?
I’ve worked my guts out but there is nothing to show for it.
But I gave it my best shot for you LORD,
so you decide whether I’m worth my pay.”
And now the LORD has more to say to me;
this God who chose me as a servant before I was born;
who gave me the job of bringing home the people of Israel
for a great reunion with God.
It is a privilege and an honour to do this for the LORD,
and God has given me the strength to see it through.
But now the LORD says to me,
“Getting the people of Israel back on their feet is great,
but it’s a piece of cake for my number one worker.
Now I’ve got a real challenge for you!
I want you to help the whole world to see the light!
I want you to give my saving love a global reach!”
I, the LORD, the one and only, who puts things right for Israel,
have this to say:
“You have been treated like dirt.
kicked around by the nations,
and forced to work in chains for their rulers;
but let me tell you how it is going to be:
Kings will stand up when you walk in;
Governors will snap to attention at your approach.
You have my word on this and I can be trusted;
I am the LORD, your one and only, and I have chosen you.”
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 71: 1-14

I run to you for protection, LORD,
please don’t ever let me down.
You always do the right thing,
so please be there for me when I need you.
Hear me when I call for help
and step in quickly to bail me out.
Keep me safe when I need somewhere to hide.
You are like a mountain hideaway to me;
like a bunker than nothing can blast open.
If I fall into hostile hands,
be my God and rescue me;
Don’t let the callous and cruel
get their claws into me.
You are my only hope,
the only one I can depend on, LORD;
I’ve trusted you since I was a kid.
I’ve leaned on you for support
since the day I was born.
You were the midwife who delivered me from my mother’s womb,
the safe hands who pulled me gasping into life.
I’ll never stop thanking you for that!
Many people think my name spells trouble,
but you stick up for me when they attack.
How can I ever thank you enough?
I go on all day about how wonderful you are.
Don’t give up on me when I get too old, LORD;
don’t turn your back when I’ve got nothing left to offer.
I’ll need your help, because my enemies are out to get me,
they’re plotting against my life even now.
They’ve put out a contract on me
and guaranteed immunity to whoever brings me down
They say you’ve given up on me
and that no one will defend me.
Don’t ever let me out of your sight, God;
jump to my defence at the first sign of trouble.
Turn the tables on those who slandered me,
leave them with egg all over their faces.
See to it that those who set out to destroy me
get the public humiliation they deserve.
I will never give up hope,
because I trust in you.
Every time I open my mouth,
I will sing your praises more and more.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 1: 18-31

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:
“I will expose the brilliant insights of your experts
and the wise counsel of your gurus;
I will expose them for what they really are,
a load of codswallop!”
So 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! When it’s all said and done, the sum total of the human race’s intellectual achievements don’t even begin to stack up against the foolishness of God; and the combined force of all the world’s powers is puny in comparison to the weakness of God.
Sisters and brothers, you don’t have to look any further than your own experience of God’s call to see the truth of this. Not many of you were academic hot-shots. Not many of you were movers and shakers in the corridors of power. Not many of you were feted as celebrities. But God chose you! God chose those who were dismissed as fools to expose the bankruptcy of the world’s accepted wisdom. God chose those who were weak and vulnerable in the world to show up the corruption of those who wield power. God consistently chooses what is despised as the dregs by the world, things which are seen as worthless, to expose the worthlessness of things which are seen as being ‘it and a bit’. Because of this, no one who is accepted into God’s presence has any grounds for blowing their own trumpet. God and God alone is the source of the life you share in union with the Messiah, Jesus. It is only in Jesus that we have been able to tap into God’s wisdom. And it is only in Jesus that our lives have been put back on track, given a clean bill of health, and set on the path to wholeness. For this reason, the scriptures make sense to us when they say:
“If you are going to blow your trumpet about something,
blow it about the Lord!”
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 12: 20-36

Many people were arriving in Jerusalem for the celebration of the Jewish religious festival known as Passover. However, not all of the people were Jewish, and one group of foreigners made contact with Philip, and said, “Sir, we would like to meet Jesus.”
Philip, who was from the Galilean town of Bethsaida, told Andrew, and together they went and told Jesus about the request from the foreign visitors. On hearing about it, Jesus said, “If the foreigners are asking after us, we’ve reached the point of no return. The time has come for the New Human to be lifted up in all his glory.”
He went on to say:
“I kid you not, a grain of wheat is nothing unless it hits the dirt and loses its life. But if it gives up its life as a single grain, then it will begin to produce a bumper crop of life. Anyone who prizes their own life above everything else will end up losing the lot. But those who treat their individual survival in this world as a matter of no consequence will find life opening up before them without limit. If any of these people want to apprentice themselves to me, they will need to come and stick with me. Those who work for me will be going wherever I go. Whoever works for me will get the thumbs-up from the God who conceived me. But at the moment, I’m all churned up inside. Should I call on the Father to bail me out of what is about to happen? No, I can’t do that because what is about to happen is the pinnacle of everything I came to achieve. So then, I call out to God and say, ‘Father, put your name up in lights!’ ”
And a voice answered from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.”
The crowd who were gathered there heard the voice. Some of them said it sounded like thunder, and others said, “A messenger from God has spoken to him.”
Jesus addressed them, saying, “This voice has spoken for your benefit, not mine. The world is being weighed in the balance right now; and the one who has been calling the shots in this world will now be driven out. As for me, I will be lifted up off the ground, and when that happens, I will draw all people to myself.”
With these words, he gave an indication of the kind of death he was going to die. The crowd questioned him about this, saying, “The Bible tells us that the Messiah will be with us forever, so how can you say that the New Human will be strung up? And who exactly is this New Human?”
Jesus said to them, “The light will only be with you for a little while longer, so make your move while it continues to light up the way. If you leave it too late, the darkness will catch up with you, and if you try to make your move then, you’ll have no idea where you are going. Put your trust in the light as long as you have access to it, so that you may become people of the light.”
And having said this, Jesus cleared off and made himself scarce.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net
