LaughingBird

2nd Sunday in Lent - Year A
2029-02-25 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.

Genesis 12: 1-4a

The LORD spoke to Abram, and said:
“Get up and leave your country, your relatives and the family of your parents, and move to the land that I will show you. I will make things go well for you and see that your descendants become a great nation. I will see to it that you are remembered as one of the greats; as one whose life was a blessing to others. I will do good to those who do good to you, and I will pull the rug out from under anyone who pulls the rug out from under you. Life will be better for everyone on earth because of you.”
So Abram got up and left Haran, just as the LORD had told him to.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 121

If we look to the mountains,
will we find security there?
No, our security comes from you alone,
the LORD, the maker of earth and sky.
You are on the alert, twenty four hours a day,
making sure that we don’t lose our footing.
You never slack off or take a nap,
but constantly guard your people.
You keep us safe, LORD,
you are always at our side to shield us.
While the sun shines, nothing can harm us;
the moon comes up, but still we are safe.
You stand between us and all evil, LORD;
you keep our lives clear of danger.
Whether we are coming or going,
you look after us, LORD;
you always have and always will.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Romans 4: 1-5, 13-17

How does our new perspective on faith affect the way we understand the example set by our ancestor Abraham? If Abraham had earned God’s acceptance through his own hard work, then he could quite fairly claim to be a cut above the rest of us, though not above God of course. But that is not the way it happened. As the scriptures clearly say: “Abraham put his trust in God, and God counted that as the equivalent of a perfect life.”
When people put in an honest day’s work, their wages are not thought of as a gift, but as something they have earned. But no one can earn God’s acceptance. Instead of claiming it as an entitlement, we can only put our trust in God, who generously treats such trust as the equivalent of a perfect life, and puts right those who could never make the grade on their own.
When God promised Abraham that he and his descendants would inherit the earth, it was not because Abraham had earned it by following God’s instructions to the letter. Instead it was a gift given when God put things right for Abraham in response to the trust he had shown. If it were possible to earn the rights to the earth by rigid compliance with the law, then basic values like trust and promise would be irrelevant. It would all become just another legal contract to be negotiated. Tie it all up in fine print and it will only end up serving as evidence against you; but where the relationship is conducted on the basis of trust, no one goes on the lookout for very possible breach.
So instead of being a legal matter, the fulfilment of the promise is conditional only on people’s willingness to put their trust in God. It is simply an expression of God’s generosity, and that’s why it is guaranteed to always be available to everyone. Whether you were raised in a culture where observing the religious law was the norm, or whether you have simply stepped out and put your trust in God like Abraham did, the promise is open to you. After all, both groups can rightly trace their line back to Abraham, and the scriptures say that God promised to make him the father of many nations. When it looked like Abraham wouldn’t ever become the father of anyone, he trusted his future into the hands of God, believing that the God who can bring life out of death could create something out of nothing.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 3: 1-17

There was a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Pharisee party and a leader in the Jewish nation. Late one night he came to speak with Jesus. He said, “Rabbi, we recognise that God has sent you as a teacher and that God is with you. How else could you do these things which are so clearly the work of God?”
Jesus answered him, “Right you are. And let me tell you this: no one will see the full life of God without being born into it from above.”
Nicodemus was taken aback. “How can this be?” he asked, “A person can only be born once. None of us can go back to the womb and be born again.”
Jesus replied saying:
“Listen again, for it is important that you get this. There is only one way into the full life of God, and it is through a birth of water and Spirit. A baby that emerges from a womb got its body from the bodies of its parents. But a growing person is not just a body, and the life-force within them emerges from the womb of the Spirit. So don’t be surprised that I said you have to be born from above. You can’t control or predict these things. They are like the wind. You can hear it coming and see what it does, but what’s driving it or where it is going next is anyone’s guess. God’s Spirit is like the wind, and so are all those who are born of the Spirit.”
But Nicodemus said, “I’m not with you. How can these things be?”
Jesus replied:
“How can you set yourself up as one of the teachers of Israel when you are struggling to get your head around the basics?
“Listen carefully because I’m speaking the truth. We know these things from our own experience, we’ve seen them with our own eyes, and yet you fob us off as though we were reporting a rumour we’d heard in the street. If I told you the sky was blue, you’d blink and take another look, so what chance is there of you believing anything I have to say about the ways of God? How are you going to check out what I say? None of you have ever gone up and stood face to face with God. The only one who has done that is the New Human, the one who came from God in the first place. You know the old story from the desert: the one about Moses lifting up the hand-made snake so that the people could look at something that would help them to focus their trust in God. Well, the New Human is going to be lifted up for much the same reason. Everyone who looks up to him in trust and hope will receive life without limit.
“God’s love for the world is so overwhelming that even giving up his own son was not too great a cost to ensure that no one need succumb to death. All those who put their trust in him can have boundless life instead.
“God didn’t put his son’s life on the line merely to bring down the hammer and pass sentence on us. Rather, God saw the world in desperate trouble and sent the Son on a cosmic rescue mission.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton Laughingbird.net

OR Matthew 17: 1-9 (if the last Sunday before Lent was not observed as Transfiguration Sunday)

Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them off up a high mountain. Before their very eyes, the way Jesus looked was suddenly changed from the inside out. His face shone like the sun and his clothing became so white it was dazzling. And, lo and behold, they saw Moses and Elijah there too, in deep conversation with Jesus.
Peter said, “Lord, this is fantastic! What a moment! If you like, I will knock up three huts, so that you, Moses and Elijah can all stay here longer.”
Even before he finished getting the words out, a dazzling cloud engulfed them all. Deep within the cloud, a voice boomed forth: “This is my Son, the love of my life, who fills me with pride. Listen to him!”
When Peter, James and John heard this, they hit the deck, dumbfounded. But Jesus came and tapped them on the shoulders and said, “Up you get! There’s nothing to be afraid of!”
And when they looked up, everything looked normal again and they saw no one there but Jesus.
As they were coming back down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy, saying, “Don’t breathe a word to anyone about what you’ve seen until the New Human has been raised from the dead.”
©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 you are our help, our protector, our saviour.
You made the heavens and earth,
calling into existence things which were not.
You founded a people for yourself
on the faithful obedience of Abraham,
and led them through your law and prophets.
From the depths of your love
you sent your Son into the world,
not to condemn it, but to save it.
When he was lifted up on the cross and killed,
you raised him to life again,
and opened the life of your Kingdom
to all who believe and are born of water and Spirit.
Calling us to entrust our destinies
to the unpredictable currents of your Spirit,
and in faith follow your call into unknown places,
you have invited us to share in your gracious promise,
a promise of blessing for all the earth.
Therefore with .....
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give you thanks for sending your Son into the world,
not to condemn it, but to save it,
and to open the life of your Kingdom
to all who believe and are born of water and Spirit.
©2002 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 our help, our protector, our saviour.
You made the heavens and earth,
calling into existence things which were not.
You founded a people for yourself
on the faithful obedience of Abraham,
and led them through your law and prophets.
From the depths of your love
you sent your Son into the world,
not to condemn it, but to save it.
When he was lifted up on the cross and killed,
you raised him to life again,
and opened the life of your Kingdom
to all who believe and are born of water and Spirit.
Calling us to entrust our destinies
to the unpredictable currents of your Spirit,
and in faith follow your call into unknown places,
you have invited us to share in your gracious promise,
a promise of blessing for all the earth.
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.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

If we put our trust in the one who justifies the ungodly,
God counts our faith as righteousness,
for God did not send the Son into the world
to condemn us
but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out into the world at the call of God.
Find your help in the Lord,
and allow the Spirit to carry you wherever she blows.
And may God shelter you from evil and keep you from stumbling;
May Christ Jesus secure your life in faith;
And may the Holy Spirit carry you on the winds of God’s love.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

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

Risk Evaluation and Reckless TrustA sermon on Genesis 12:1-4 & John 3: 1-17 by Nathan Nettleton

Birth, New Birth and the Kingdom of GodA sermon on John 3: 1-17 by Nathan Nettleton

Birth, New Birth and the Culture of God This sermon on John 3: 1-17& Genesis 12:1-4 by Nathan Nettleton consists mostly of a merger of the previous two above.

A New Start in the Great UnknownA sermon on Genesis 12:1-4 & John 3: 1-17 by Nathan Nettleton

The Lord is your KeeperA sermon on Psalm 121 by Nathan Nettleton

Hobbits, Abram, and other JourneysA sermon on Genesis 12:1-4 & John 3: 1-17 by Margie Dahl

1st Sunday in Lent - Year A
2029-02-18 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 2: 15-17; 3: 1-7

The LORD God put the humans in the garden of Eden so that they could tend the garden and look after it. The LORD God gave them these instructions: “You are free to eat the fruit from every tree in the garden except one. There is one tree whose fruit you must not eat, for just one bite of it and your minds will start dividing everything up into good and evil. The day that happens, you lose your life.”
Now, among the wild animals which the LORD God had made, the most devious of all was the snake. The snake approached the woman one day and said, “Did God tell you you couldn’t eat fruit from the trees in the garden?”
The woman replied, “We are free to eat fruit from any tree in the garden except for one tree in the middle. God told us not to eat its fruit or even touch it because if we do we will die.”
But the snake said to the woman, “You would not die. God knows very well that if you eat that fruit you will be able to see what you cannot yet see. You will be like God, because you be able to judge good and evil.”
Then the woman stared at the fruit on the tree. It was beautiful, and not only looked delicious, but now it looked to her like a desirable shortcut to great wisdom, so she took a piece of the fruit and ate it. The man was with her, so she gave some to him and he ate it too. Suddenly they saw everything through different eyes. Feeling exposed, and needing to cover up, they sewed fig leaves together to hide their nakedness.
©2002 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

Romans 5: 12-19

Sin infected the world through one person; and it proved to be fatal. It spread rapidly and no one was immune. In no time at all everybody was facing death because sin had shown up in the actions of every person on the planet. Indeed, the epidemic of sin had well and truly taken hold before God gave us the Law through Moses, but until then, there was no way to accurately diagnose it or keep a record of it. Records or no records, death was still the order of the day before the time of Moses, and had been ever since Adam. While most people had not developed symptoms as serious as Adam’s — flat out disobedience of a clear instruction from God — even the mildest cases of sin proved to be fatal. Despite his role in all this, when we look back at Adam we can see in him some clear indicators of the nature of the one who would later come to clear up the mess.
Of course the free gift that the Messiah gives is nothing like the infection that Adam left us, but there are striking similarities in the way that their respective actions had such enormous consequences for everybody else. One person’s stuff-up was responsible for the death of many; while the other person, Jesus the Messiah, through his own generous love, was responsible for the extravagant generosity of God becoming freely available to everyone. The comparison ends there, though, because the consequences are clearly a world apart. The sentence that was brought down on that first act of corruption put us all on death row, but despite the sorry history of corruption since, the Messiah’s free gift enables anybody and everybody to stand before God with a perfectly clean record. All it took for death to seize absolute power was for one person to do the wrong thing. So you can imagine what can be achieved through the actions of one person when that person is Jesus the Messiah! It is a sure thing that those who open themselves to his extravagant generosity, and accept his free gift of being put in the good books with God, will topple death and regain the power to live life to the full.
So it all boils down to this: just as a corrupt act by one person resulted in us all being condemned to death, so an act of unshakeable integrity by one person resulted in us all being able to make a fresh start with a clean slate and an open ticket on life. One person did the wrong thing by God and we were all tarred with the same brush; but now one person has done the right thing by God, and we’re all going to get the credit!
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Matthew 4: 1-11

The Spirit led Jesus up into a remote wilderness area so that he could be challenged and prove himself. He went without food for forty days and nights out there, and after that he was weak from hunger. Sensing his weakness, the devil tried every trick in the book to lure 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 these rocks into loaves of bread.”
Jesus answered him, “As the scriptures say,
‘It takes a lot more than bread to make life worth living.
It is the words that God speaks, every one of them,
that really feed us.’”
The devil decided to try quoting scripture too. Taking Jesus to the holy city 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 down from the top of this tower so that God can fulfil the scriptures that say:
‘God will give instructions to the angels about you,’
‘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 and replied, “The scriptures also say, ‘Don’t go trying to test out the Lord your God.’”
Making another try, the devil took Jesus up onto a very high mountain with panoramic views of all the world’s nations in all their splendour, and said to him, “I can make the world your oyster. I will give you all this if you just get down on your knees and worship me. Just acknowledge me as number one – and it’s all yours.”
But Jesus was not taken in, and he said, “Get out of here, you satan! 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 cleared off, and suddenly God’s angels showed up and took care of everything Jesus needed.
©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 you have given us the free gift of righteousness and life.
You created the world, abundant and fertile,
and entrusted it to us.
With every word that comes from your mouth,
you feed us with the fruit of life
and show us how to avoid the fruit of death.
When sin entered the world through one man’s deceit,
we were all left, poisoned by shame,
our strength withering as in a summer drought.
But now, through one man, Jesus Christ,
righteousness has come.
He was tested in the wilderness
but refused to compromise with evil,
even when it came disguised
as compassion, knowledge and reason.
Though he was killed, you raised him to life,
and in him we have received the abundance of grace
that we might stand before you cleansed of all evil and deceit.
Therefore with .....
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We thank you for feeding us with every word that comes from your mouth,
and for not leaving us poisoned by the fruit of death,
but, through one man, Jesus Christ,
reaching out to us with the free gift of grace
that we might stand before you cleansed of all evil and deceit.
©2002 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 given us the free gift of righteousness and life.
You created the world, abundant and fertile,
and entrusted it to us.
With every word that comes from your mouth,
you feed us with the fruit of life
and show us how to avoid the fruit of death.
When sin entered the world through one man’s deceit,
we were all left, poisoned by shame,
our strength withering as in a summer drought.
But now, through one man, Jesus Christ,
righteousness has come.
He was tested in the wilderness
but refused to compromise with evil,
even when it came disguised
as compassion, knowledge and reason.
Though he was killed, you raised him to life,
and in him we have received the abundance of grace
that we might stand before you cleansed of all evil and deceit.
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.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

When we hide our sin, we grow weak,
but when we confess our wrong,
God pardons us.
A free gift of righteousness is ours through Jesus Christ
who brings justification and life for all.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out into the world in the righteousness of Christ.
Do not hide your sin,
but trust in God who gives mercy and love.
Do not be afraid to face the wilderness,
but do not compromise with evil.
And may God be your shelter to save you from ruin.
May Christ be your teacher and show you the path to walk.
And may the Spirit encircle you with songs of freedom.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

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

What Does Discipleship Cost?A sermon on Matthew 4:1-11 by Nathan Nettleton

Does the Devil make us do it?A sermon on Matthew 4:1-11 by Nathan Nettleton

Shortcuts and Hard YardsA sermon on Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 & Matthew 4:1-11 by Nathan Nettleton

Temptation – the glory of being humanA sermon on Matthew 4:1-11 by Jude Waldron

Hooked InA sermon on Matthew 4:1-11 by Samara Pitt

Rethinking EveA sermon on Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7 by Alison Sampson

Ash Wednesday
2029-02-14 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

6th Sunday between Epiphany and Lent - Year A
2029-02-11 00:00 - 23:59
This occasion only occurs in 2026 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.

Deuteronomy 30: 15-20

“Take note that today I, the LORD your God, have laid out the choices clearly before you. You can choose life and good times or death and hard times. If you live by the rules that I have given you today — if you love me, do things my way, and follow my rules, guidance and instructions — then you will live and flourish. I, the LORD your God, will look after you and make you strong and prosperous in the land I am about to give you.
On the other hand, if you reject me and refuse to listen to me, it will be a very different story. I am warning you in no uncertain terms that if you pursue other objects of devotion and serve them instead of me, your lives will be ruined. You will not last long in the land I am about to give you on the other side of the Jordan River.
Here and now I call on the earth and sky to witness that I have laid out the choices clearly before you; choices between life and death, between being blessed and being cursed. Choose life! Choose life so that you and your children and grandchildren can flourish. Commit yourself to me, the LORD your God, in love and loyalty. Obey what I say and stick with me, because that is the sure-fire recipe for a long and satisfying life in the land that I promised to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

OR Sirach 15: 15-20

You can do what God tells you if you want to.
Sticking to the right track is a simple matter of choice.
God has laid out the options in front of you.
Stick your hand in the fire or in the water. You choose!
Every person is offered the same alternatives – life or death –
and whichever you choose, that’s what you get.
The wisdom of the Lord is incredible.
The power of the Lord is enormous.
They eyes of the Lord don’t miss a thing.
The Lord keeps a close watch on all who respect him.
Whatever people are up to, the Lord knows about it.
No one is under God’s orders to do the wrong thing by others.
The Lord has not given the nod to corruption of any kind.
©2011 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 119: 1-8

LORD, how good it will be for those who no one can point a finger at,
who play by your rules and stick to the straight and narrow.
How good it will be for those who do what you say,
and put their whole heart into knowing you better;
who never do the wrong thing by any one,
but stick to your tracks all the way.
You have laid down the law for us
and told us to follow it to the letter.
There is nothing I want more than to be rock solid,
following your script in everything I do.
If I keep my eyes fixed on your instructions,
I will never have to hang my head.
The more I discover the justice and integrity of your teaching,
the more I sing your praises with my heart beating proud.
I intend to do everything you say;
please don’t ever give up on me.
©2011 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 3: 1-9

Sisters and brothers, I wish I could treat you as grown-ups when we are speaking of spiritual things but, unfortunately, I can’t. You are such babies in the Messiah’s family that I can’t treat you much better than those who live like animals. I’m still having to spoon feed you with baby food, because you are clearly not ready for the solid meat-and-potatoes stuff. You weren’t ready when I was with you, and you are still not, because you still behaving like animals. Look at all the bitchiness and back-biting that goes on among you. Can’t you see what it says about you; that you not tuned in to the Spirit at all, but are constantly at the beck and call of your own selfish desires?
You keep splitting up into rival factions. One group says, “We’re on Paul’s side,” and another says, “We’re for Apollos.” You’re like toddlers spitting the dummy!
What’s so important about Apollos or me anyway? We are just simple workers who introduced you to the Lord while doing the jobs that he gave us. We were working together like a team of gardeners. I planted the seeds, Apollos came along and watered them, but it was God who made things grow. The ones who plant and water are nothing. They can’t make anything grow. Only God can do that. Apollos and I are on the same team. My planting and his watering were both for the same purpose, and we’ll both be paid our due wages from the one payroll. You see, we are simply two labourers, working shoulder to shoulder, tending God’s garden, which is you lot, or constructing God’s building, which is also you lot.
©2011 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Matthew 5: 21-37

After telling his followers that their integrity needed to go way beyond that of the Pharisees and the religious experts, Jesus went on to give some examples. He said, “You know that the law given to our ancestors in the olden days said ‘Do not kill anyone’, and ‘whoever kills someone will be brought to justice.’ Well, I am telling you to set your sights way higher than that. Imagine one of those sliding scales the legal eagles love to dream up, and try this for size. If you lose your temper with someone, you will be brought to justice. And if you spit insults at someone, you’ll be dragged before the High Court. And if you call someone a brainless moron, you will probably burn in hell! Now there’s a standard to aim at!
“So what does this look like in practice? Well, if you are on your way to offer your worship to God and you remember that you have offended a sister or brother and you haven’t sorted it out with them yet, then put everything on hold, and go and make peace straight away. Get your relationship back on good terms first, and then you are free to come and worship God.
“Or, if someone is accusing you of something and threatening to take you to court, do everything you can to find some way of settling it and getting back on good terms before it ever gets that far. If you dig your heels in and try to fight it through the courts, you’ll be paying off lawyers for the rest of your life, and you might lose anyway.
“You know that the law said ‘Do not have sex with anyone who is married to someone else’. Well, I am telling you expect a bit more of yourselves than just that. If you start undressing someone with your eyes and wishing you could get your hands on them, then there is already a sexual predator on the prowl in your heart. Stomp on it before it gets loose! If you can’t control your wandering eye, you might as well gouge it out and get rid of it. You’d be better off without it than letting it lead you onto the slippery slope of depravity that ends in hell. And if you can’t keep your hands to yourself, you’d be better off getting them amputated. It is no use keeping them if they are out of control and turning you into a predator fit for hell.
“The law also said that if you decide to quit on your marriage, you should end it completely with a proper legal divorce. Well, I am telling you to lift your standards. Unless the person you married is already dragging your vows through the mud, divorcing them is a failure to follow through on your promises and is no better than adultery. And if you marry someone who walked out on their marriage to be with you, that’s just adultery too. The legal niceties don’t make it right.
“And another thing: you know that the law given to our ancestors in the olden days said, ‘You must not tell lies under oath, and if you make a promise in God’s name, then you must follow through on it.’ Well, I am telling you to set your sights way higher than that. Think of yourselves as being under oath all the time, and don’t go trying to add extra weight to what you say by calling God as your witness, or swearing on a stack of Bibles, or on your mother’s grave, or any such thing. None of this cross-your-heart-and-hope-to-die rubbish, as if it made any difference. Just speak the truth all the time. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Any attempt to muddy the waters beyond that is a scheme of the devil.”
©2011 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 we have learned of your justice,
and you have never left us without witnesses to your Word.
In ancient days before you gave your people the land,
you set before us a covenant,
with heaven and earth as your witnesses,
calling us to embrace your ways
and choose life over evil.
When we turned away from you, life began to perish,
but you sent your child, Jesus Christ,
— your word become flesh —
to reconcile us to one another and to you,
so that the righteousness of your law might be fulfilled in us.
Though he was killed, you raised him to life,
and now, in each generation
your servants work together
to plant and water the seed of your Word
which you cause to grow in us,
so that, following your ways, life can be blessed.
Therefore with .....
©2006 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We thank you for sending your child, Jesus Christ,
to reconcile us to one another and to you,
so that the righteousness of your law
might be planted and grown in us,
and following your ways, life can be blessed.
©2011 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 we have learned of your justice,
and you have never left us without witnesses to your Word.
In ancient days before you gave your people the land,
you set before us a covenant,
with heaven and earth as your witnesses,
calling us to embrace your ways
and choose life over evil.
When we turned away from you, life began to perish,
but you sent your child, Jesus Christ,
— your word become flesh —
to reconcile us to one another and to you,
so that the righteousness of your law might be fulfilled in us.
Though he was killed, you raised him to life,
and now, in each generation
your servants work together
to plant and water the seed of your Word
which you cause to grow in us,
so that, following your ways, life can be blessed.
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.
©2006 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

To all you who seek God with all your heart
comes God’s promise to steady you and hold you close,
God’s mercy is for you,
that you may, without shame,
walk in the ways of God’s life.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2006 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

God has placed before you life & death, blessings & curses.
Therefore choose life, follow God’s way.
Go now, and be a people of reconciliation and integrity.
Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” “no”.
And in all the paths you walk
may God hold you steady and close.
May Christ Jesus bless you and every place you enter.
And may the Spirit give you length of days and fullness of life.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2006 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

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

Fighting RightA sermon on 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 & Matthew 5:21-37 by Nathan Nettleton

Lifting our StandardsA sermon on Matthew 5:21-37 by Nathan Nettleton

Taking Our Humanity to a New LevelA sermon on 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 & Matthew 5:21-37 by Nathan Nettleton

Who Lit the Fires of Hell?A sermon on Matthew 5:21-37 by Nathan Nettleton

Jesus Confronts My Angry TiradeA sermon on Matthew 5:21-37 by Nathan Nettleton

Transfiguration Sunday (Last Sunday before Lent) - Year A
2029-02-11 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 7th 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 24: 12-18

The LORD said to Moses, “Come up onto the mountain and wait for me there; and I will give you the two slabs of stone on which I have written the instructions for how my people are to live.”
So Moses and his right-hand-man, Joshua, set out for the mountain to meet with God. Before going up the mountain, Moses called together the tribal leaders and said, “Stay put here until we get back. I’m leaving Aaron and Hur in charge. You can ask them to sort out any problems that occur while we are away.”
Then Moses began his climb up Mount Sinai, and cloud engulfed the mountain. The mountain top lit up with the glorious presence of the LORD. To the Israelite people watching from below, it looked like a raging bushfire and the whole mountain was engulfed in thick cloud for six days. On the seventh day, the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. Moses went into the cloud and right up onto the top of the mountain. He stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 2

Why do the nations conspire against you, LORD?
Why do the peoples plot rebellion?
Why do the world’s power brokers thump their chests,
and the war lords put their heads together,
plotting against you and your chosen one?
They say:
“Let us join forces to sever ties with God.
Let’s throw off these chains and declare our independence.”
You must be laughing as you sit high above, LORD.
They must look like a pathetic joke to you.
You will vent your terrifying anger on them,
and give them a piece of your mind, saying,
“I, the LORD, have put my king on the throne
on Zion, my sacred mountain.”
We know well what you promised, LORD.
You said to your chosen one:
“You are my son;
today I have brought you forth.”
You give to your chosen one whatever he asks;
nations, land and sea, the earth itself.
They are all his to do with as he sees fit;
he can smash them to pieces if he so desires.
So the power brokers would be well advised to serve you, LORD;
the rulers would do well to heed the warning
and kiss your feet with fear and trembling.
If they don’t your anger will blaze forth and incinerate them,
for you easily lose your temper with corrupt leaders.
But those who trust you for shelter, LORD,
will always be glad they did.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

OR 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 Peter 1: 16-21

When we filled you in on the power of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and his approaching return, were not simply digging up a masterful old bit of story telling. We know what we were talking about because we had been given a sneak preview of his true grandeur. God, the conceiver of everything, decked Jesus out in honour and glory. We witnessed this ourselves while we were with him on the sacred mountain. With our own ears we heard God’s voice, booming out majestically to him from heaven, saying, ““This is my Son who I love greatly and who fills me with pride.”
So we have been left in no doubt about the truth of what God’s prophets have said about him. Take my advice and pay attention to what they said, because their message is a much-needed source of light in the darkness that you must endure until the new day breaks and the morning star rises in your hearts. But what you must first get clear in your heads is that the prophetic messages in the scriptures are not just the private opinions of those who wrote them down. The prophetic messages that have been passed down to us were not born of someone’s wishful thinking. Rather, the Holy Spirit fired up men and women to speak on God’s behalf.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Matthew 17: 1-9

Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them off up a high mountain. Before their very eyes, the way Jesus looked was suddenly changed from the inside out. His face shone like the sun and his clothing became so white it was dazzling. And, lo and behold, they saw Moses and Elijah there too, in deep conversation with Jesus.
Peter said, “Lord, this is fantastic! What a moment! If you like, I will knock up three huts, so that you, Moses and Elijah can all stay here longer.”
Even before he finished getting the words out, a dazzling cloud engulfed them all. Deep within the cloud, a voice boomed forth: “This is my Son, the love of my life, who fills me with pride. Listen to him!”
When Peter, James and John heard this, they hit the deck, dumbfounded. But Jesus came and tapped them on the shoulders and said, “Up you get! There’s nothing to be afraid of!”
And when they looked up, everything looked normal again and they saw no one there but Jesus.
As they were coming back down the mountain, Jesus swore them to secrecy, saying, “Don’t breathe a word to anyone about what you’ve seen until the New Human has been raised from the dead.”
©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 your transfiguring light has overcome us
and is restoring within us the image of your glory.
At the dawn of time your glory overcame the chaos
and gave birth to the earth and heavens.
On the fiery mountain you gave the law to Moses,
and through men and women moved by your Holy Spirit
you gave us your word to lighten up the dark places.
In the timeless presence of Moses and Elijah
you transfigured your anointed one, Jesus,
allowing his terrified followers to witness his majesty
and hear your voice from the awesome cloud.
Powerful leaders plotted against him
and killed him,
but you raised him from the dead,
declaring him again to be your beloved Son.
Calling us now to listen to him
you send us forth to share your transfiguring love with all.
Therefore with .....
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We thank you for the glory of your anointed one, Jesus,
which was witnessed by his terrified followers in the awesome cloud,
and is now restoring within us the image of your glory
and sending us forth to share your transfiguring love with all.
©2002 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 transfiguring light has overcome us
and is restoring within us the image of your glory.
At the dawn of time your glory overcame the chaos
and gave birth to the earth and heavens.
On the fiery mountain you gave the law to Moses,
and through men and women moved by your Holy Spirit
you gave us your word to lighten up the dark places.
In the timeless presence of Moses and Elijah
you transfigured your anointed one, Jesus,
allowing his terrified followers to witness his majesty
and hear your voice from the awesome cloud.
Powerful leaders plotted against him
and killed him,
but you raised him from the dead,
declaring him again to be your beloved Son.
Calling us now to listen to him
you send us forth to share your transfiguring love with 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.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

Though the glory of the Lord is a devouring fire,
before which we tremble in awe,
Jesus comes to us,
touching us with mercy
and saying, “Get up, and do not be afraid.”
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now and make known the power and coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Bow at God’s feet,
and serve the Lord with joy.
And may God be your shelter;
May Christ Jesus take away your fear;
And may the Holy Spirit lead you in truth until the day dawns
and the morning star rises in your hearts.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

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

After the MountainA sermon on 2 Peter 1:16-21 & Matthew 17:1-9 by Nathan Nettleton

Revealing the face of utter human vulnerabilityA sermon on Matthew 17:1-9 by Roslyn Wright

From Mountain Top to Mountain Top (full version)A sermon on 2 Peter 1:16-21; Exodus 24:12-18 & Matthew 17:1-9 by Nathan Nettleton

From Mountain Top to Mountain Top (abridged version)A sermon on 2 Peter 1:16-21; Exodus 24:12-18 & Matthew 17:1-9 by Nathan Nettleton

5th Sunday between Epiphany and Lent - Year A
2029-02-04 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 58: 1-9a, (9b-12)

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 112: 1-9 (10)

We are singing your praises, LORD!
How good life is for those who respect you, LORD,
for those who gladly do what you want them to do.
Their children will follow in their footsteps,
doing what’s right and going from strength to strength.
You fill their homes with good things,
and guarantee their good reputation.
Their generosity, tolerance, and integrity shine forth in a dark world,
lighting up the way for others to follow.
LORD, you see that things go well
for those who conduct their business fairly
and lend generously to those in need.
You guarantee a firm footing for people of integrity;
their reputation will long outlast them.
Bad news will not break them,
for they have an inner strength grounded in you, LORD.
With their trust in you, they are calm in a crisis;
fearless in the fight,
and they always end up on top.
You will honour their strength
and make their integrity a lasting legacy,
for they have been open-handed, especially to the poor.
All this throws corrupt people into a snarling rage.
Bitterness consumes them
as their dreams crumble to nothing.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 2: 1-12, (13-16)

Brothers and sisters in Corinth, back when I first came your way to announce the mind-boggling truth about God, I didn’t dress it up in fancy words or philosophical jargon. I wanted to keep it simple and avoid getting sidetracked, so I emptied my head of everything except the news about Jesus the Messiah and, in particular, about him strung up to die. I didn’t cut a very impressive figure among you did I? A sickly little weed, scared out of my wits and shaking like a leaf. There was nothing in my conversation or my preaching that would have wowed the crowds or had anyone yelling for encores. But that didn’t stop God’s Spirit and power showing themselves. Clearly then, your trust in Jesus was never based on any human theories, however profound, but on your first hand experience of God’s powerful work.
Now don’t get me wrong: we are happy to talk about deeper stuff with those who are far enough down the track to be ready for it. But even when we do, it is not the trendy pop-wisdom that is all the rage these days. Nor is it the opinions of those who call the shots on the world stage. They’re on borrowed time anyway. But when it comes to speaking about God’s wisdom, we are prepared to dig down and explore depths that few ever plumb. There are riches to be discovered there which God laid down for us before the dawn of time. Clearly none of the world’s movers and shakers ever had a clue about this, because if they had, they would have known better than to knock off the Lord of glory on that cross. But, as the prophets noted:
“Way beyond what anyone has ever seen or heard,
or even begun to imagine,
lie the things which are being prepared
for the people who love God.”
And yet, God’s Spirit has given us a preview of these very things. There is nothing that the Spirit hasn’t thoroughly explored; not even the deepest depths of God. It is usually true that “it takes one to know one”: only a human being can know what goes on in the human heart, and only the Spirit of God can truly know what goes on in the heart of God. But that is no longer the whole story for us because instead of just being on the same wavelength as the culture around us, we have been given the Spirit that comes from God and tunes us in to God, and so enables us to pick up on what these gifts God is giving us are all about. The books of philosophy and science don’t even give us a language to talk about these things. We can only say anything meaningful about them if we tune into the Spirit, for the Spirit transmits spiritual truth to those who are spiritually attuned.
Those who are not spiritually attuned don’t receive any of the gifts that God’s Spirit is offering. They dismiss them as foolish and worthless. They don’t recognise their depth or value because these things can only be picked up on a spiritual wavelength. Those who are spiritually attuned pick up everything, and yet no one else can get a clear picture of who they are or what they are on about. The prophets asked the question:
“Does anyone know what God has in mind,
or what God is up to?”
Now the answer is ‘yes’, because the Messiah has shared his mind with us.
©2011 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Matthew 5: 13-20

Jesus taught his followers, saying, “This is how you lot fit into the big picture: you are the salt without which the world would quickly go putrid. But if salt is left sitting around instead of being put to use, it soon dissolves away or gets contaminated. Then what can you do with it? It is completely useless, so it just gets chucked out.
“Or again, you are the light without which the world would be left in the dark. Your light should be as obvious as a city built on a hill. No one turns on a lamp and then hides it under the bed. They put it out in the open, front and centre, so that it can light up the whole room. That is what you should be like. Live your lives openly, reflecting God brightly, so that everyone can bask in the light of your integrity and generous love, and give due credit to God who conceived you in heaven.
“Don’t go thinking that I’ve given you licence to start ignoring what the Bible says. I’m not getting rid of it. I’m unleashing it to do what it was always intended to do. I kid you not, until the world as we know it comes to an end and everything is put right, the Bible will still be necessary, and not one dot of an “i” or cross of a “t” will be struck out of it. If you start thinking that some of the Bible’s instructions are no big deal, and start playing fast and loose with them, and encouraging others to follow suit, you’ll go straight to the bottom of the class in the culture of heaven. But if you take seriously what they are on about, and teach others to do likewise, they’ll have your name up on the honour boards in the culture of heaven. Let me give it to you straight: don’t take your cues from the experts in religious law or the devout Pharisees. Unless your integrity is way out of their league, you’ll never get within cooee of the culture of heaven.
©2011 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 mercy and justice are a light in our darkness
and your Word outlasts even heaven and earth
which you have created.
Before the ages, your wisdom destined us for glory
and you have revealed your depths to us through the Spirit.
When we failed in righteousness
and turned our worship into a mask
hiding our oppression, contempt and disregard of others,
you rejected our fasts and prayers
and sent prophets to denounce our rebellion
and call us back to your ways.
In your child, Jesus, and him crucified,
we have seen the light of the world,
and found a spring of healing that never fails.
You raised him from the dead,
and through him, gave us your Spirit.
who has begun the rebuilding of our integrity
on the ancient foundations of justice, mercy and compassion.
Therefore with .....
©2005 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We thank you that in your Son Jesus, and him crucified,
we have seen the light of the world and received your Spirit.
who has begun the rebuilding of our integrity
on the ancient foundations of justice, mercy and compassion.
©2005 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 mercy and justice are a light in our darkness
and your Word outlasts even heaven and earth
which you have created.
Before the ages, your wisdom destined us for glory
and you have revealed your depths to us through the Spirit.
When we failed in righteousness
and turned our worship into a mask
hiding our oppression, contempt and disregard of others,
you rejected our fasts and prayers
and sent prophets to denounce our rebellion
and call us back to your ways.
In your child, Jesus, and him crucified,
we have seen the light of the world,
and found a spring of healing that never fails.
You raised him from the dead,
and through him, gave us your Spirit.
who has begun the rebuilding of our integrity
on the ancient foundations of justice, mercy and compassion.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2005 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

Put an end to oppression, to contempt and to evil talk,
and God’s favour will shine on you like the morning sun.
Your wounds will be quickly healed.
God will be with you to save you,
and the Spirit’s presence will protect you on every side.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2005 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

You are the salt of the earth.
You are the light of the world.
Let your light shine before others
that seeing your justice, mercy and compassion
they may give glory to God in heaven.
And may God guide you continually;
May Christ Jesus satisfy your needs even in parched places,
And may the Holy Spirit keep you strong and well
and make your life as rich as a garden
whose springs of living water never fail.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2005 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

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

Salt in an open woundA sermon on Matthew 5:13-20 by Nathan Nettleton

What are you good for?A sermon on Matthew 5:13-20 & 1 Corinthians 2: 1-16 by Nathan Nettleton

Not One Jot or TittleA sermon on Matthew 5:13-20 & Isaiah 58:1-12 by Nathan Nettleton

Not Clever EnoughA sermon on 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 & Matthew 5:13-20 by Nathan Nettleton

Covenant Salt of the EarthA sermon on Matthew 5:13-20 by Joris Geldhof

The Salt of the Earth In Our Open WoundsA sermon on Matthew 5:13-20 by Nathan Nettleton

The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord
2029-02-02 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.

Malachi 3: 1-4

The LORD who rules over everything has this to say:
“Look, I am sending my own messenger to get things ready for my arrival. Then, all of a sudden, the Lord you have been looking for will turn up in the temple. You have been longing to see the messenger who will come to put my promises on the table. Well, he’s coming alright. But will anyone be able to cope with him when he does? Will anyone be able to stand firm in his presence?
You see, he’ll be like a bush fire that clears all the debris from the forest floor, or like paint stripper that takes a surface back to bare metal. He will tear through the whole family of priests and burn away the rubbish once and for all, until they shine like pure polished gold. Then they’ll do what they are supposed to do and bring the right kind of offerings to the LORD. That way the offerings of the people of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to God again, just like they were in the past.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 84 (alternative canticle)

The place where you live is just exquisite,
O LORD, ruler of all!
With everything inside me, I long to be there;
I go all weak at the very thought of it.
I want to be there, body and soul,
singing my heart out for you, O God of life.
Even the birds find a home in your house;
there are nests in every nook and cranny
where pigeons and sparrows raise their young.
Bird song and incense rise together
to honour you, Sovereign God, ruler of all.
How privileged are those who live in your house;
joyous songs of praise are forever on their lips.
Those who have tapped into your strength
have got it made.
The highway to heaven begins within them;
a direct route to your holy presence.
They are like people who can find water in the desert;
they drink from life giving springs
that no drought can ever dry up.
They go from strength to strength,
and will see you face to face on your holy mountain.
O LORD, ruler of everything, hear my cry.
Tune in to my prayer, O God of our ancestors.
Your presence is our protection, O God;
smile upon us, your chosen ones.
A day spent in your presence
beats a thousand nights in a five star resort.
I’d rather scrub floors in your house, O God,
than rub shoulders with the rich and famous
beneath the flashing lights of greed and corruption.
O LORD our God, you are the sun that shines on us
and the shield that keeps us safe.
You shower us with generosity and honour,
and deny nothing to people of integrity.
O LORD, ruler of all,
everyone who trusts in you has got it made!
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 24: 7-10 (alternative canticle)

We hear the call:
“Wake up! On your feet!
Open the gates and form a guard of honour!
Roll out the red carpet
before the glorious sovereign.”
Who is this majestic ruler?
It is you, LORD, supreme and dynamic,
the conqueror of conflict.
We hear it again:
“Wake up! On your feet!
Open the gates and form a guard of honour!
Roll out the red carpet
before the glorious sovereign.”
Who is this majestic ruler?
It is you, the LORD who rules over everything.
This majestic ruler is you, our God.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Hebrews 2: 14-18

For Jesus to share so fully in the life experience of the children, he had to be of the same flesh and blood as them. It was only in the same flesh and blood that he could go through the same death; and it was in going through death that he destroyed the devil who wields death as his ultimate weapon. That is how he broke open an escape route for those whose fear of death robbed them of their freedom to live. Now it is quite clear that he wasn’t doing this for the benefit of the angels. Rather it was for us human beings, who follow in the footsteps of Abraham, and so he had to become one of us in every respect. Only by being totally identified with us could he have the necessary compassion and loyalty to be the high priest who offers the costly gift to God to cancel out all we have done wrong. Because he himself has survived the worst that life can dish out without giving up, he is now ideally placed to help out those whose limits are being being put to the test.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Luke 2: 22-40

Forty days after the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary went up to the Jerusalem temple to undergo the purification ritual required by the religious law. They took Jesus with them, and offered the sacrifice which the religious law required of new parents. In their case, because they could not afford much, the required sacrifice was “a pair of young pigeons or doves.” While they were at the Temple, they took the opportunity to make the ritual presentation of the baby to the Lord. This too was in line with God’s law, for it specified that “every firstborn son will be marked out as being dedicated to the Lord.”
A man named Simeon came into the temple that day at the prompting of the Spirit. Simeon was a man of deep integrity and prayer; a man clearly under the influence of the Holy Spirit. He was living in eager anticipation of the day when the sorrows of God’s people would be brought to an end, and the Holy Spirit had let him know that he would see the Lord’s chosen Messiah in person before he died. So when Joseph and Mary brought the child into the temple to do all the customary things that the law required, Simeon was there. He took Jesus in his arms, and began to praise God in prayer, saying:
“At last you are letting your servant go in peace, Lord,
just as you promised you would.
For now, with my own eyes,
I have seen your rescue operation underway.
I have seen the launch of the life you have been preparing
in the midst of the world and its peoples.
I have seen the light which will make you known to the nations,
the light which will have your people basking in glory.”
The parents couldn’t believe their ears when they heard what was being said about their child. Simeon gave them both a blessing, and spoke to the child’s mother, Mary, saying, “This child is destined to be the making or breaking of many people in Israel. He will be a sign of what God is now up to, and many people will turn against him, and thus expose what they are really made of. And as for you, his mother, it will tear your heart out.”
There was also an elderly prophet in the temple that day. Her name was Anna, and she was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was eighty four years old, and had lived as a widow ever since her husband had died after only seven years of marriage. She spent all her time in the temple, worshipping God there, day and night, with prayer and great discipline. As Mary and Joseph presented the child in the temple, Anna came up and began to speak of how wonderful God is. She spoke about the child to all those who were looking forward to the day when everything would be put right again for Jerusalem.
When the family had completed everything that the law of the Lord required of them, they headed back north to Galilee, to their home town of Nazareth. The child grew up strong and healthy, with a wise head on his shoulders, and showing every indication that God was pleased with him.
©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 have allowed us to see the salvation
you have prepared for all peoples.
You are the Lord of heaven’s might
who conquered the chaos
and brought forth the newborn earth.
You taught your people through your law and prophets
to present themselves and their offspring to you
to be purified and made holy for your service.
In your child, Jesus, you shared our flesh and blood
and became like us in every way.
As a newborn, he was presented in the temple
and designated as holy to you.
He was recognised by faithful prophets
as the one who would,
through his own suffering and death,
destroy the power of death,
and rise to be a merciful and faithful high priest
who atones for the sins of the people
and frees us from the fear of death.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your child, Jesus,
who was presented to you in your temple
and designated as the holy one
who would serve as a merciful and faithful high priest
and, through his own suffering and death,
destroy the power of death forever.
©2003 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 have allowed us to see the salvation
you have prepared for all peoples.
You are the Lord of heaven’s might
who conquered the chaos
and brought forth the newborn earth.
You taught your people through your law and prophets
to present themselves and their offspring to you
to be purified and made holy for your service.
In your child, Jesus, you shared our flesh and blood
and became like us in every way.
As a newborn, he was presented in the temple
and designated as holy to you.
He was recognised by faithful prophets
as the one who would,
through his own suffering and death,
destroy the power of death,
and rise to be a merciful and faithful high priest
who atones for the sins of the people
and frees us from the fear of death.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

Jesus became like us in every way,
so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest
making a sacrifice of atonement
for the sins of the people.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, for the Lord is dismissing you in peace.
Present yourselves to God
to be purified and made holy to the Lord.
Rejoice in the presence of God
who never fails to bless those who walk with integrity.
And may God be pleased with all you offer;
May Christ Jesus help you whenever you are tested;
And may the Holy Spirit purify you with refining fire
and give you honour and grace.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

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

What Now?A sermon on Luke 2: 22-40 by Nathan Nettleton

The Gift of BelongingA sermon on Luke 2: 22-40 by Alison Sampson

4th Sunday between Epiphany and Lent - Year A
2029-01-28 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.

Micah 6: 1-8

Open your ears, for this is what the LORD has to say:
If you have got a complaint, stand up and let it be heard.
Let the mountains and hills be your witnesses.
For I am calling on the mountains to hear my dispute.
I am calling on the earth itself
to take my complaint to heart.
For I, the LORD, have a dispute to settle with my people,
and I will have it out with you, my chosen ones.
When have I ever done the wrong thing by you, my people?
What have I done to make you sick of me?
Answer me that!
I was the one who got you out of the land where you were slaves;
broke you free and put you back where you belonged.
I was the one who provided you with good leaders:
Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
And don’t forget
how King Balak of Moab conspired to curse you,
and how it backfired on him
when he gave the job to Balaam.
And don’t forget, my people,
how you got from one side of the great river to the other.
Keep in mind all that I, the LORD, have done;
all the actions I have taken to get you to safety.
Having been reminded of all this,
how can we express our thanks to the LORD?
Is there anything we could ever give
that would be worthy of our God?
Should we offer our most treasured possessions
as a sacrifice on God’s altar?
Would the LORD like us to sacrifice a year’s wages,
or even hand over everything we own?
Should we sacrifice our children to pay the price;
our own flesh and blood for the sin deep within us?
Come on people! God has told us what is good.
We know what the LORD wants from us:
To make sure everybody gets a fair go;
To be passionate about caring for others;
And to stay on track with God without getting full of ourselves.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 15

LORD, who is welcome at your table?
Who can stay in the place you call your own?
You have given us the answer, LORD.
It is those who walk with integrity
and do the right thing;
those who speak the honest truth
and do not use their words to wound;
those who do not exploit their friends
or put down their neighbours.
It is those who hate corruption
and look up to those who honour you, LORD;
those who give their word
and stand by it even if it costs them;
those who lend freely, without seeking a profit,
and cannot be bribed into shafting the innocent.
You honour such people, LORD,
and anchor them on unshakable ground.
©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

Matthew 5: 1-12

Jesus found himself increasingly surrounded by crowds of people, so one day he headed off up the mountain. He sat down up there and his committed followers gathered around to hear what he had to say. This is what he taught them:
“Those who depend entirely on God for their welfare
have got it made,
because they are already at home in the culture of heaven.
“Those who are stricken with grief
have got it made,
because they will receive the ultimate comfort.
“Those who allow others to have first claim on everything
have got it made,
because the whole world will be given to them.
“Those who hunger and thirst to see the world put right
have got it made,
because they will be richly satisfied.
“Those who readily treat others better than they deserve
have got it made,
because they will be treated with extravagant mercy.
“Those whose hearts are unpolluted
have got it made,
because they will see God.
“Those who forge peace and reconciliation in places of hostility
have got it made,
because they will be known as God’s own children.
“Those who are attacked and abused for sticking to what is right
have got it made,
because they are already at home in the culture of heaven.
“When people turn on you
and do all they can to make your life a misery;
when they make false allegations about you
and drag your name through the mud,
all because of your association with me,
you have really got it made!
Kick up your heels and party,
because heaven is coming
and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams!
You are in great company,
because they were just as vicious
to God’s faithful messengers in the past.
©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 you have always shown us
what is good and what you require of us.
You laid the foundations of the earth,
and the mountains and hills witness to your justice.
You redeemed your people from the house of slavery
and called us to remember your saving acts,
that we might know your ways
and live our lives in justice, kindness and humility.
When our own wisdom and discernment
failed to bring us near to you,
you chose what was foolish, weak and despised in our eyes
to break the grip of human wisdom and strength:
Christ Jesus our Lord,
and him crucified.
Raised to new life,
he has made known to us what the wise never guessed,
that you honour not what the world seeks
but those who walk with you the way of the cross.
Therefore with .....
©2005 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give you thanks that through what was foolish, weak and despised
— Christ Jesus our Lord, and him crucified —
you broke the grip of human wisdom and strength,
honouring not what the world seeks
but those who walk with you the way of the cross.
©2002 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 always shown us
what is good and what you require of us.
You laid the foundations of the earth,
and the mountains and hills witness to your justice.
You redeemed your people from the house of slavery
and called us to remember your saving acts,
that we might know your ways
and live our lives in justice, kindness and humility.
When our own wisdom and discernment
failed to bring us near to you,
you chose what was foolish, weak and despised in our eyes
to break the grip of human wisdom and strength:
Christ Jesus our Lord,
and him crucified.
Raised to new life,
he has made known to us what the wise never guessed,
that you honour not what the world seeks
but those who walk with you the way of the cross.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2005 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

God decided, through a message considered foolish,
to save those who believe.
Through our life in Christ Jesus,
we have been put right with God,
and set free to be God’s holy people.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out into the world.
Walk with integrity.
Do only what is right.
Speak the truth with courage.
And may God reward your mercy with divine mercy;
May Christ Jesus allow you to see God;
And may the Holy Spirit lead you into righteousness and peace
and fill you with all the blessings of God’s children.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

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

Trusting a stupid weak failureA sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 by Nathan Nettleton

Godly Living – Why Bother?A sermon on Micah 6: 1-8; Psalm 15; Matthew 5: 1-12 & 1 Corinthians 1: 18-31 by Nathan Nettleton

Blessed are those with lots to learnA sermon on Matthew 5:1-12 & 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 by Nathan Nettleton

The Be-Jesus-like AttitudesA sermon on Matthew 5:1-12 by Nathan Nettleton

Bloody SacrificesA sermon on Micah 6:1-8; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 & Matthew 5:1-12 by Nathan Nettleton

Re-imagining the Kingdom in the time of Global TraumaA sermon on Matthew 5:1-12 by Francesca Nuzzolese

Blessed and BlessingA sermon on Matthew 5:1-12 by Nathan Nettleton

3rd Sunday between Epiphany and Lent - Year A
2029-01-21 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 9: 1-4

The day is coming when those who were in agony will be free of all suffering. The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali have long been regarded with contempt, but in the future everyone will want to be there. The land from the Mediterranean to the other side of the Jordan will be the most sought after real estate. That will even be true of Galilee where the foreigners live.
The people who lived in a dark cloud of gloom
have seen a great light break through;
those in the blackest hell-holes
have seen their whole world light up.
LORD, you have built up the nation,
and given them every reason to celebrate.
The people revel in it all,
like farmers when a drought breaks;
like children opening presents.
Finally they are out from under the thumb
of those who oppressed them.
You have broken their chains
and run the slave drivers out of town,
just as you did in days long ago.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 27: 1, 4-9

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!
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!
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 1: 10-18

Sisters and brothers, let me give this to you straight, on the authority of our Lord Jesus the Messiah. Get your act together and start working as a united team instead of breaking up into rival factions. Get your heads together and forge a common life around the shared vision and purpose. I’ve been hearing reports on the grapevine that you are all at each other’s throats! Chloe’s people have filled me in on the details about how you have been dividing up over your allegiance to various Christian leaders. Some of you make a big deal about being on side with me. Others jump up and down about belonging to Apollos. Others claim Peter. And still others try to trump you all by claiming they answer to no one but the Messiah himself. What is this?! Has the Messiah been carved up so that you can belong to just one bit or another? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were you baptised in my name? I didn’t baptise any of you except Crispus and Gaius, and the way you are carrying on, I thank God I didn’t. At least none of you can go claiming to have been baptised in my name! Come to think of it, I did baptise Stephanas and his tribe, didn’t I? But so far as I can remember I didn’t baptise anybody else. You see, the Messiah did not send me to rack up the baptism stats, but to broadcast his message. And he didn’t send me to turn his message into some highfalutin philosophy either. The Messiah’s cross is such a powerful statement; it certainly doesn’t need me or anybody else reducing it to a flaccid flow of fancy words. 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!
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Matthew 4: 12-23

When Jesus heard that John the baptiser had been locked up, he shot through, back to Galilee. Rather than settle back in Nazareth where he had grown up, he made his home in Capernaum, a coastal town at the base of the Zebulun and Naphtali hills. This shed new light on what the prophet Isaiah had said:
Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the other side of the Jordan,
on the road to the sea;
Galilee where the foreigners live.
The people who lived in a dark cloud of gloom
have seen a great light break through.
Those in the blackest hell-hole
have seen their whole world light up.
From then on Jesus got stuck into preaching. This was the guts of his message:
“Turn your lives around!
The culture of heaven is close at hand.”
One day, as he was walking along the beach at Lake Galilee, he came across two brothers: Simon, who is known as Peter, and Andrew his brother. They were setting nets in the water, because they made their living from fishing. Jesus called to them and said, “Come with me, and I’ll have you bringing in people, not fish.”
Right then and there, they gave the fishing away and followed Jesus.
As he moved on, he came across another pair of brothers: James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were on board their boat with their father, repairing their fishing tackle. Jesus called them, and straight away they left the boat and their old man and set off with Jesus.
Jesus toured all around Galilee, making speeches in the synagogues and spreading the good news about God’s reign. He also healed people of every kind of sickness and chronic disorder.
©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,
and to bring to you a joyful sacrifice,
an offering of prayer in your temple.
At the dawn of creation
you were the light that split open the darkness
and brought all things into being.
You called a people to live in your presence
and walk in the light of your law and prophets.
In Jesus the Christ you have proclaimed to us
the good news of the nearness of heaven
and called us to repent
and to follow him as disciples.
He was killed but you raised him to new life,
and although his cross is derided as foolishness,
to us who are being saved it is your power at work,
breaking the grip of our oppressors,
teaching us your truth,
healing our sicknesses,
increasing our joy
and leading us home to your house of prayer.
Therefore with .....
©2005 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We thank you for the cross of your son, Jesus,
for to us who are being saved it is your power at work,
teaching us truth,
healing our sicknesses,
increasing our joy
and leading us home to your house of prayer.
©1999 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
and to bring to you a joyful sacrifice,
an offering of prayer in your temple.
At the dawn of creation
you were the light that split open the darkness
and brought all things into being.
You called a people to live in your presence
and walk in the light of your law and prophets.
In Jesus the Christ you have proclaimed to us
the good news of the nearness of heaven
and called us to repent
and to follow him as disciples.
He was killed but you raised him to new life,
and although his cross is derided as foolishness,
to us who are being saved it is your power at work,
breaking the grip of our oppressors,
teaching us your truth,
healing our sicknesses,
increasing our joy
and leading us home to your house of prayer.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2005 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

The message of the cross is the power of God
to us who are being saved.
The Lord is our saving light,
there is nothing we need fear.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©1999 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out in response to the voice of God who calls you.
Go out to proclaim the message of repentance,
for the Kingdom of heaven is near.
Go out united in purpose
and do not be afraid when your purpose is called foolishness.
And may God be a sheltering tent above you
and a firm rock below;
May the foolishness of Christ Jesus be your wisdom;
And may the Holy Spirit be the light
that overcomes your darkness and sets you free.
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.

Don’t get too clever about itA sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 by Nathan Nettleton

The Way Less TakenA sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 by Garry Deverell

This Foolishness is our only HopeA sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 & Matthew 4: 12-23 by Nathan Nettleton

Anyone for Fishing?A sermon on Matthew 4:12-23; Isaiah 9:1-4 & 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 by Nathan Nettleton

Repent! Change Everything!A sermon on Matthew 4: 12-23 by Nathan Nettleton

2nd Sunday between Epiphany and Lent - Year A
2029-01-14 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 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 40: 1-11

I hung in there waiting for you, LORD,
and at last you bent down and heard my cry.
I was in deep trouble,
bogged up to my ears and sinking fast,
but you pulled me out.
You put me back on solid ground;
gave me a safe place to stand.
You gave me something to sing about, God;
I’m singing your praises like I’ve never sung before.
Everyone will be amazed at the change;
they’ll say, “Only God could have done that!”
Those who put all their eggs in your basket
have got it made, LORD;
those who do not devote themselves to anything less,
no matter how popular or persuasive it is.
You are in a league of your own, LORD God;
nothing and no one comes within a bull’s roar of you!
I can’t keep track of all the amazing things you’ve done
or all the generous plans you’ve made for us.
I could talk about them till the cows came home
and still have barely scratched the surface.
You are not looking for gifts from us, LORD;
nothing we own is any use to you;
Your generosity and mercy are not for sale;
but you have given us ears and asked us to listen.
So I am giving you my “Yes!”
I’ll make your book my own and live by it.
Doing what pleases you will be my greatest delight,
for you are my God and I’m taking your ways to heart.
When all your people gathered,
I spoke up about how you had bailed me out.
I gave them the full story; I left nothing out;
you know this is true, LORD.
I have made no secret of the help you gave me;
I have put it all out in the open.
I have told everyone how you saved my life
and how we can trust you completely.
I have put it all on the public record
and kept nothing to myself
about your rock-solid love or dependability.
Be my mother forever, LORD;
never running out of tenderness or compassion;
your loyalty fierce and your love unshakable;
protecting me and keeping me safe.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 1: 1-9

I, Paul, was chosen by God and called to be a special ambassador of the Messiah Jesus, and one of my partners here in this work is Sosthenes.
We write to you who gather as God’s church in the city of Corinth — you who are being made whole in union with the Messiah Jesus. You have responded to the call to be God’s own people, together with everyone everywhere who actively identifies themselves with Jesus the Messiah; our Lord; their Lord; your Lord.
We greet you as God’s own children and wish you all the best – God’s love and peace, given through the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.
I am forever thanking my God for you, especially when I think about what God’s extravagant generosity has brought about in you since you entered into the life of Jesus the Messiah. Since you linked up with him your lives have become so much richer in every way; but most notable is the richness of your knowledge and of the things you have to say. Indeed, the truth about the Messiah has become more and more strongly a part of who you are, and of all you have to offer. Now, it seems, you are not short of anything. All the spiritual gifts are in action among you as you live in eager expectation of the grand finale when our Lord Jesus the Messiah takes centre stage. God is with you and will make you tough enough to hold the line until the end, so that you can stand with your heads held high on the great day when our Lord Jesus brings everything to completion. Jesus is the Messiah, our Lord, and God’s Son; and it was into his shared life that you were called by God, who is worthy of all our trust, and who will never let you down.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 1: 29-42

One day, while John was preaching and baptising, he saw Jesus coming towards him. Pointing him out to the people, he cried out:
“Here he is; God’s own sacrificial lamb who takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I was talking about when I said that after me would come one who is way out of my league because he was ‘number one’ before I was even on the scene. I didn’t know him personally; but I did know that the whole point of my job – baptising people in water – was to get the people of Israel ready for his arrival on centre stage.
“With my own eyes I saw the Spirit swoop down from the sky like a kookaburra, settling on him and sticking with him. I would not have known him myself, but the One who sent me out here to baptise with water told me that when I saw the Spirit swoop down and stick with someone, that would be the one who baptises with Holy Spirit. That’s what I heard; that’s what I saw; and so that’s what I’ve told you, under oath: this is the One, the Son of God.”
The next day, John was back on the job with two of his followers. Seeing Jesus walk past, he spoke up again, saying, “Look! There he is; God’s own sacrificial lamb!”
Hearing this, his two followers got up and took off after Jesus. When Jesus realised that he was being followed, he turned around and asked them, “What are you looking for?”
They responded, “Where do you live, Rabbi?” (‘Rabbi’ is the Hebrew word for ‘Teacher’).
Jesus replied, “Come and see for yourselves.”
So they went with him and saw where he was staying. Since it was already about four in the afternoon, they spent the rest of the day with him. One of the two who had followed him after hearing what John said about him, was a man named Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. The first thing he did after spending this time with Jesus was to go and find his brother. He said to Simon, “We have found the Messiah!” (The Hebrew word ‘Messiah’ means ‘the anointed one’ – the same as the Greek word ‘Christ’).
He took Simon to meet Jesus. Jesus took one look at him and said, “So you are Simon, the Son of John. Well, from now on you will become known as Peter, which means ‘solid rock’.”
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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 the Holy One,
the great redeemer of your people.
From the womb of chaos you pulled a newborn earth.
Even before they were born you called your people by name
to be a light to the nations,
surrounding them with your maternal love
and hiding them from danger.
You have revealed to us your chosen servant
— the one in whom you are glorified —
your child and our Lord, Jesus the Messiah.
When he was killed, you raised him to new life,
and through him you have taken away the sin of the world.
By your grace, all who call on his name
are baptised with your Holy Spirit
and enriched with every spiritual gift
as we await the day when his glory
will be revealed as the light of salvation to all nations.
Therefore with .....
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We thank you for your Son, Jesus the Messiah,
through whom you have taken away the sin of the world.
By your grace, all who call on his name
are baptised with your Holy Spirit
and enriched with every spiritual gift
as we await the day when his glory
will be revealed as the light of salvation to all nations.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
for you alone are the Holy One,
the great redeemer of your people.
From the womb of chaos you pulled a newborn earth.
Even before they were born you called your people by name
to be a light to the nations,
surrounding them with your maternal love
and hiding them from danger.
You have revealed to us your chosen servant
— the one in whom you are glorified —
your child and our Lord, Jesus the Messiah.
When he was killed, you raised him to new life,
and through him you have taken away the sin of the world.
By your grace, all who call on his name
are baptised with your Holy Spirit
and enriched with every spiritual gift
as we await the day when his glory
will be revealed as the light of salvation to all nations.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2005 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

Jesus Christ is the lamb of God
who takes away the sin of the world.
His grace will strengthen us to the end
so that we may be blameless
on the day of his glory.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now and celebrate God’s justice.
Take the Lord’s teachings to heart
and commit yourselves to pleasing God.
Boldly declare God’s truth and care
and let others know that you have found the Messiah.
And may God’s maternal love surround you;
May Christ Jesus move you to trust in the Lord;
And may the Holy Spirit enrich you with all spiritual gifts
and strengthen you to the end.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

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

I will give you as a light to the nationsA sermon on Isaiah 49. 1-7, Psalm 40. 1-11 & John 1. 29-42 by Garry Deverell

The promotionA sermon on Isaiah 49. 1-7 by Jude Waldron

Lamb of GodA sermon on John 1. 29-42 by Nathan Nettleton

“Jesus Christ the Lamb of God”A sermon on John 1. 29-42 by John Fowler

Come and See Where You BelongA sermon on John 1. 29-42 by Nathan Nettleton

Come and See, Listen and LearnA sermon on Isaiah 49. 1-7, Psalm 40. 1-11 & John 1. 29-42 by Nathan Nettleton

The Feast of the Baptism of our Lord - Year A
2029-01-07 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 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 29

LORD God, like your angels in heaven
we speak of you in glowing terms,
for your glory and strength deserve rave reviews.
We give you a huge rap, LORD;
we put up you name in lights
and hold a huge ticker tape parade
but it still falls short of the worship you deserve.
Your voice, LORD, rings out like thunder;
resounding over the waters,
drowning out even the waves of the sea.
Your voice echoes with power;
it would bring anyone to their knees.
Your voice, LORD, shatters the Ironbark tree,
and splinters the Mountain Ash like match sticks.
Your presence makes Mount Bogong jump like a calf;
Uluru like a rock wallaby.
Your voice, LORD, strikes fire from stone.
The sound of your voice convulses the wilderness;
the Simpson Desert shudders in labour.
Your voice, LORD, is like a cyclone,
howling through a rainforest,
stripping the leaves from the trees.
We all gather to worship and cheer with all our might;
for you rule forever, LORD,
and neither surging flood
nor tidal wave can undermine you.
Give strength to your people, LORD!
Bless your people with peace!
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Acts 10: 34-43

Peter addressed the gathered people saying:
“Now it is all perfectly clear to me — God does not play favourites! Whoever you are and wherever you are from, if you take God seriously and do the right thing, God will welcome you with open arms! Jesus the Messiah preached God’s message about a peace deal to the people of Israel, but clearly it did not stop with them — he is Lord of all! No doubt you have heard the news about Jesus of Nazareth, because since it sparked off in Galilee, it has spread like wildfire all over Judea. The story began after John started calling everyone to turn their lives around through baptism. God singled Jesus out then and there, charging him with the Holy Spirit’s power. From then on, Jesus travelled around working for good and helping people out from under the devil’s thumb and back onto their feet. God was with him in all this. We saw it all ourselves; everything he did in the Judean backblocks and in the city of Jerusalem. They strung him up on a post and killed him, but three days later God raised him to life and let us see him. Not everybody got to see him, but God had picked us out to be the ones who would know first hand what had happened. We got to spend time sharing meals and a few drinks with him after he was brought back from the dead. He gave us the job of getting his message out to the people and going public with the fact that he is the one who God has appointed to make the final assessment of everybody on earth, past and present. You don’t have to take our word alone on this; all the prophets back us up. Everyone who puts their trust in Jesus receives pardon for their sins on his say so.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Matthew 3: 13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He presented himself to John and asked to be baptised. At first John wouldn’t have a bar of it, saying, “You’ve got it all back to front. It is me that needs to be baptised by you.”
But Jesus insisted, saying, “For now, it is the right thing to do. Baptise me, for it is good for us to do everything that God asks of anyone.
So John gave in and baptised Jesus. As he came up from the water, he saw the sky suddenly opening up and the Spirit of God coming down like a diving kookaburra and taking hold of him. And a voice filled the air, saying, “You are my Son; the love of my life. You fill me with pride.”
©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 and through you all righteousness is fulfilled.
When your voice first thundered over the seas
you created the heavens and spread out the earth.
You breathed the Spirit of life into us
and called your people to be a light to the nations.
When the time came to declare new things among us
you gave us your servant, Jesus the Christ,
your chosen one in whom you are well pleased.
You anointed him with Holy Spirit and with power
and sent him to open eyes long blind
and to release those imprisoned in darkness.
When he was put to death,
you raised him on the third day,
making the earth shudder with the birth pains of new life,
and raising with him all those who have died with him
in the waters of baptism.
Therefore with .....
©2004 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We thank you for Jesus Christ,
your chosen in whom you are well pleased,
whom you anointed him with Holy Spirit
and raised from the dead,
making the earth shudder with the birth pains of new life,
and raising with him all who have died with him
in the waters of baptism.
©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 and through you all righteousness is fulfilled.
When your voice first thundered over the seas
you created the heavens and spread out the earth.
You breathed the Spirit of life into us
and called your people to be a light to the nations.
When the time came to declare new things among us
you gave us your servant, Jesus the Christ,
your chosen one in whom you are well pleased.
You anointed him with Holy Spirit and with power
and sent him to open eyes long blind
and to release those imprisoned in darkness.
When he was put to death,
you raised him on the third day,
making the earth shudder with the birth pains of new life,
and raising with him all those who have died with him
in the waters of baptism.
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.
©2004 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

All the prophets testify about Jesus Christ
that everyone who believes in him
receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now as a light to the nations.
Honour the Lord;
preach what you know of the risen Christ,
and fulfil all righteousness.
And may God strengthen you and bless you with peace;
May Christ Jesus bring forth justice for you and among you;
And may the Holy Spirit alight on you
and affirm you as God’s beloved ones.
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 are we Baptised?A sermon on Matthew 3: 13-17 by Nathan Nettleton

Repenting Like JesusA sermon on Acts 10:34-43 & Matthew 3: 13-17 by Nathan Nettleton

Do We Really Want Baptism?A sermon on the Baptism of Jesus by Margie Dahl

Baptised: for better or for worseA sermon on Matthew 3: 13-17 & Isaiah 42: 1-9 by Nathan Nettleton

The Feast of the Holy Name
2029-01-01 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.

Numbers 6: 22-27

The LORD told to Moses to pass on the following instructions to Aaron and his sons for their work as priests:
“These are the words of blessing you are to use when you bless the Israelite people:
May the LORD set you up for life and look after you;
May the LORD smile upon you and be generous to you;
May the LORD keep an eye on you
and give you a life in which all is well.
With these words you will remind my people who they belong to, and I will bless them.”
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 8

Our LORD and ruler,
all over the world
the mere mention of your name sets hearts pounding!
Your glory fills the universe!
The gurgling of babies makes more sense
than the clever arguments of your enemies.
The innocent chatter of children
silences the venomous talk of your opponents.
When I gaze at your handiwork in the night skies
— the moon, the stars, the milky way —
the whole cosmos under your control;
I can’t help but wonder why you bother with us.
Why do you care so much for mere human beings
when we count for so little in the scheme of things?
And yet, for reasons known to you alone,
you created us almost on a par with yourself
and decorated us with the highest honours and glory.
You have even entrusted us with power over your precious creation;
you placed the future of all life in our hands:
sheep and cattle;
emu and kangaroo
insects, reptiles, birds, and sea creatures;
air, land and water and the planet itself.
Our LORD and ruler,
all over the world
the mere mention of your name sets hearts pounding!
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Galatians 4:4-7 (alternative)

When the clock had run down and the time was right,
God sent a rescuer,
God’s own Son;
born to a woman in the usual way,
growing up under the thumb of the law,
just like the rest of God’s people.
God sent him into such circumstances
so that he could get everyone else out of them;
paying the price of our freedom
and giving us the opportunity
to be adopted into God’s family.
Because you are now God’s children,
the Spirit of God’s child, Jesus,
has been sent into your hearts;
the Spirit who makes us as eager for God
as children running into their parents’ arms
crying, “Daddy! Mummy!”
So you are no longer at the beck and call
of those things which once dictated your every move;
now you are God’s own children,
and as God’s children, you will receive from God
all that has been kept in trust for God’s children.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Philippians 2: 5-11 (alternative)

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 2: 15-21

When the angels went back to heaven, the shearers were left sitting there looking at one another, gob-smacked. “We’d better go and check this out,” they said. “Let’s go into town and see if we can see what’s happened, what the Lord has let us in on.”
So without messing around they headed straight into Bethlehem, and sure enough, they tracked down Mary and Joseph and saw the baby lying in the feed trough. When they saw all this, they began telling everyone what they had heard about this child. People could hardly believe their ears when they heard what the shearers were saying. But their words were precious to Mary and she repeated them over and over in her mind, wondering what would become of it all. The shearers headed off towards their camp again – a rowdy mob, singing and shouting in the streets about how fabulous God was because of everything they had seen and heard. Everything had been just the way they had been told it would be.
Mary and Joseph followed the law and custom of their people and held a ceremony for the baby boy when he was eight days old to circumcise him and name him. They named him Jesus – the name which God’s messenger had given him before he was conceived in the womb.
©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,
joining with the whole world
in telling of the greatness of your name.
From the moment you created and named every living thing
your handiwork has been a source of awe and wonder.
Like the moon and stars you set in place,
your face has shone upon us and blessed us with peace.
In the fullness of time you sent your Son,
born of woman and named by angels,
so that we too might be adopted by you,
and through your Spirit, the treasure of our hearts,
live worthily of the name you have given us.
Therefore with .....
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We thank you for sending your Son,
born of woman and named by angels,
so that we too might be adopted by you,
and live worthily of the name you have given us.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We join with the whole world to give you thanks and praise, O God,
and telling of the greatness of your name.
From the moment you created and named every living thing
your handiwork has been a source of awe and wonder.
Like the moon and stars you set in place,
your face has shone upon us and blessed us with peace.
In the fullness of time you sent your Son,
born of woman and named by angels,
so that we too might be adopted by you,
and through your Spirit, the treasure of our hearts,
live worthily of the name you have given us.
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.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

When the fullness of time had come,
God sent his Son, born of a woman,
born under the law,
in order to redeem those who were under the law,
so that we might receive adoption as God’s children.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, glorifying and praising God
for all you have heard and seen.
You have been named as God’s adopted children:
Live worthily of the glory with which God has dressed you.
And may God bless you and keep you.
May Christ Jesus make his face to shine upon you
and be gracious to you.
And may the Spirit smile upon you and give you peace.
We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Sermons

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

Exchanging GiftsA sermon on Galatians 4: 4-7 by Nathan Nettleton

New Years Day
2029-01-01 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.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

Things happen in their due season; there is a right time for everything that happens on earth:
a time to be born,
and a time to die;
a time to sow the seed,
and a time to harvest the crop;
a time to end a life,
and a time to rehabilitate;
a time to demolish,
and a time to create;
a time to cry,
and a time to laugh;
a time to grieve,
and a time to party;
a time to throw caution to the wind,
and a time to play it safe;
a time to make love,
and a time to keep your pants on;
a time to keep searching,
and a time to write off the loss;
a time to hold on to what you’ve got,
and a time to let it go;
a time to share another’s pain,
and a time to urge them to move on;
a time to keep your mouth shut,
and a time to speak your mind;
a time to love,
and a time to hate;
a time to fight;
and a time to make peace.
But in the end, what difference does it make what we do? I have observed everyone working hard at the jobs that God has given them. God sets things up so that there is a proper time and place for everything, but we forget too quickly and fail to learn the lessons of history. We see what has happened and what is happening, but we can’t make sense of the connections or see what God is doing in it all. So I figure that there is no point in losing too much sleep over it. The most important thing is for people to be happy and to enjoy their lives for as long as they live. What’s more, there is nothing wrong with eating and drinking and finding satisfaction in our work. They are God’s gifts to us.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 8

Our LORD and ruler,
all over the world
the mere mention of your name sets hearts pounding!
Your glory fills the universe!
The gurgling of babies makes more sense
than the clever arguments of your enemies.
The innocent chatter of children
silences the venomous talk of your opponents.
When I gaze at your handiwork in the night skies
— the moon, the stars, the milky way —
the whole cosmos under your control;
I can’t help but wonder why you bother with us.
Why do you care so much for mere human beings
when we count for so little in the scheme of things?
And yet, for reasons known to you alone,
you created us almost on a par with yourself
and decorated us with the highest honours and glory.
You have even entrusted us with power over your precious creation;
you placed the future of all life in our hands:
sheep and cattle;
emu and kangaroo
insects, reptiles, birds, and sea creatures;
air, land and water and the planet itself.
Our LORD and ruler,
all over the world
the mere mention of your name sets hearts pounding!
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Revelaton 21: 1-6a

I, John, had another extraordinary vision. I saw a completely revamped heaven and a radically reconstructed earth. The first heaven, the first earth and the sea were all but a memory. Then I saw Jerusalem, the city dedicated to God, now made completely new. She was coming down the aisle from heaven itself, from God, and she looked sensational, like a bride on her wedding day. I heard a loud voice coming from heaven’s throne. It said:
“See, God has moved in and set up home among ordinary people.
God will live with them and be their God,
and the people will gladly belong
to the God who lives right in their midst.
God will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be abolished forever;
pain and grief and tears will be things of the past.
All these things have been made obsolete.”
Then the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new – absolutely everything!”
“Write all this down,” he said, “because these words can be depended on. They are the truth.”
This is what he said: “The job is done! I am the whole story, from A to Z. I am the beginning and I am the end.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Matthew 25: 31-46

While speaking to his followers, Jesus said, “The day is coming when the New Human will turn up in all his glory, accompanied by all his angels, and he will be crowned as king. He will sit down on the judgment seat, and all the nations of the world will be summoned to appear before him. Like a quality controller sorting out the good fruit from the rejects, he will carefully sort the nations into two groups, one on his right side and one on his left. Then the King will say to the group on his right side:
‘Welcome, you who have been given the thumbs up by my Father. Ever since the foundation of the world, there has been a kingdom ready with your name on it. Come now, and inherit it; because
I was hungry and you lot fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I came seeking asylum and you made me welcome,
I didn’t have a stitch to wear
and you lot gave me clothes,
I was diseased and you took care of me,
I was in detention and you visited me.’
Then those compassionate nations will ask him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When were you a refugee and we welcomed you, or in detention and we visited you? When did we find you without clothes or sick and do something about it?’
And the King will reply, ‘The fact is, you did these things for people who were regarded as the dregs of society, but who I love as my nearest and dearest; and each time you helped one of them, you were helping me.’
Then he will say to the nations on the other side:
‘You lot have been written off. Get out of my sight! A time of fire has been ignited by the devil and his agents, and you will be swallowed up in it with them; because
I was hungry and you lot didn’t give me a bite,
I was thirsty and you gave me nothing,
I came seeking asylum and you wouldn’t let me in,
I didn’t have a stitch to wear
and you lot left me to freeze,
I was diseased and in detention
and you turned your backs and wouldn’t come near me.’
They too will ask, ‘Lord, when was it that we failed to take care of you? We don’t recall seeing you hungry or thirsty or seeking asylum or naked or sick or in detention.’
But he will answer, ‘The fact is, you failed to do these things for those who were regarded as the dregs of society, and each time you turned your backs on them, you were turning your backs on me.’
And with that, those nations will be gone, swallowed up in the time of punishment. But the nations who did the right thing by others will enjoy life without limit.”
©2023 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,
and with the whole earth we tell of the greatness of your name,
for you are the God who makes all things new.
The moon and the stars are your handiwork,
and the earth and its inhabitants reflect your glory.
You have created us, dressing us in glory undeserved,
and entrusted the charge of the earth to our hands.
You have created a time for everything under heaven:
a time for remembering,
and a time to set plans for the future;
a time for prayer
and a time to act with courage and compassion;
a time for sacrifice
and a time to enjoy the fruits of our toil.
In Jesus Christ, you have made your home among us,
and gathered our times into your time,
so that we might live the life of the kingdom
which you prepared for us from the foundation of the world.
Therefore with .....
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We thank you for gathering all our times into your time,
so that we might live the life of the kingdom
which you prepared for us from the foundation of the world.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

General Prayer of Thanksgiving

(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)

We give you all thanks and praise, O God,
and with the whole earth tell of the greatness of your name,
for you are the God who makes all things new.
The moon and the stars are your handiwork,
and the earth and its inhabitants reflect your glory.
You have created us, dressing us in glory undeserved,
and entrusted the charge of the earth to our hands.
You have created a time for everything under heaven:
a time for remembering,
and a time to set plans for the future;
a time for prayer
and a time to act with courage and compassion;
a time for sacrifice
and a time to enjoy the fruits of our toil.
In Jesus Christ, you have made your home among us,
and gathered our times into your time,
so that we might live the life of the kingdom
which you prepared for us from the foundation of 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

In Jesus Christ, God makes all things new.
The former things have disappeared.
God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, and embrace the new time which God has given us.
Recognize Christ in friend and stranger,
and as Christ has been gracious to you,
so be gracious to those in need.
And may God dwell with you as your God.
May Christ be your food and drink
and give you pleasure in your work.
And may the Spirit be your beginning and end
and hold all your times in her loving embrace.
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.

When I was hungry, what did you do?A sermon on Matthew 25: 31-46 by Nathan Nettleton

When I joined your church, you burned me out!A sermon on Matthew 25: 31-46 by Nathan Nettleton

Icons on Street CornersA sermon on Matthew 25: 31-46 by Nathan Nettleton

Will the Sheep Plead for the Goats?A sermon on Matthew 25: 31-46 by Nathan Nettleton

Judging NationsA sermon on Matthew 25: 31-46 by Nathan Nettleton
