New Years Day
2029-01-01 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
