The Day of Pentecost - Year B
2030-06-09 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.

1st Reading: Acts 2: 1-21

On the Feast Day of Pentecost all the believers were together in one place. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, there was a sound like a raging cyclone - and nothing could be heard above it anywhere in the house. And then the Holy Spirit burst in among them like a bushfire, with sparks and fireballs leaping out to engulf every one there. With fire in their guts and the Holy Spirit unleashing their tongues, they began to speak of God in languages they had never learned.
Now in Jerusalem at that time, there were faithful Jewish pilgrims from all over the world. The wild noise among the believers quickly drew a crowd. What they heard bewildered them because everyone, no matter where they were from, heard their native language being spoken by the believers. Almost unable to believe their ears, they asked:
“Don’t all these people come from Galilee? How come we can all hear them speaking our own native languages? Some of us are Parthians, some Medes, others Elamites. There are people visiting here from Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the Cyrenene occupied parts of Libya. There are immigrants from Rome, both ethnic Jews and converts. Some here are even Cretans and Arabs! But these Galileans are speaking all our languages and telling us about the extraordinary things God has done.”
They were all in a spin, unable to make head nor tail of what was happening. They kept asking one another what was going on and what it could all mean. Others though, just sneered and said, “They’ve been on the turps. They’re just a bunch of drunks.”
Peter stood up with the other eleven and addressed the crowd as loudly and clearly as he could:
“Men and women of Jerusalem, locals and visitors, listen up and I’ll let you in on what this is all about. If you think that these people are drunk, you are wrong. Think about it - the pubs aren’t even open this early in the morning. No, what is happening here was explained long ago in the words of the prophet Joel:
“This is what I will do
when time reaches its climax, God declares:
I will pour out my Spirit on everyone.
Your sons and your daughters
shall speak as prophets.
The young among you will see visions,
and the old will dream dreams.
I even have men and women among those
whose rights no one cares about,
and in those days
I will pour out my Spirit upon them too;
and they shall proclaim my justice.
I will perform miraculous signs in the sky above
and awesome wonders on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and clouds of smoke.
The sun will go black and the moon blood-red
before the dawning
of the awesome and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who cries out to the Lord
shall be saved.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

OR Ezekiel 37: 1-14 (alternative 1st reading)

The LORD took hold of me and the LORD’s Spirit carried me away and dropped me off in the middle of Death Valley. I took a look around but there was nothing to be seen but bones – old human bones, baked dry in the sun – thousands and thousands of them. The LORD questioned me saying, “Ezekiel, mortal man, can these bones come back to life?”
I replied, “Lord GOD, only you can answer such a question.”
Then the LORD told me to preach boldly to the bones, saying:
“All you dry bones, listen to what the LORD is saying to you. Though you are long dead, I, the Lord, will put breath into you again, and you will live. Muscles, ligaments, organs, veins; all these I will give you, wrapped in healthy new skin. You will have whole new bodies and I will breathe life into you. Then you will know for sure that I am the LORD.”
So I did what the LORD told me and I preached to the bones. Even while I was in full flight, the noise of rattling bones began to echo through the valley. They were coming together, linking up, one bone to another. As I watched, muscles appeared and grew. Bodies filled out with new flesh, and fresh skin was wrapped around them. But they were still lifeless.
Then the LORD told me to call to the winds, saying:
“North Wind, South Wind, East Wind, West Wind, listen to what the LORD is telling you to do. Come from everywhere and blow the breath of life into these corpses, so that they can live again.”
Again I spoke as the LORD had said, and even as I did, gusts of wind swirled among the bodies, resuscitating them before my very eyes. Rising to their feet like a finals’ crowd, they could have easily filled the biggest stadium.
Then the LORD explained to me what it all meant:
“Ezekiel, mortal man, my people are just like old dry bones. They are always whingeing that life has become one long drought and they’ve been left for dead with no reason to hope that the future might be any better. So preach boldly, Ezekiel, and tell them this:
“All you people, listen to what the LORD is promising: I am going to dig up your graves, and open your coffins. I will bring you back as my people to the promised land. When I do this for you, my people, when I restore life to your bodies, then you will know for sure that I am the LORD. My Spirit will be within you like the breath in your lungs, and so you shall live. I will once again plant your feet on your own patch of dirt. Then there will no longer be any doubt that I, the LORD, have spoken and that what I say goes.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 104: 24-34, 35b

O LORD, what a wildly fabulous world!
Working hand in hand with wisdom
you have made
an earthful of wonderful creatures.
Just look at the deep wide sea,
swarming with life beyond our imagining,
from coral to crayfish, from mussels to marlin.
Ships plough the waves,
while mythical monsters cavort in the depths.
Like seagulls at a picnic,
every creature looks to you for food.
They gather around in eager expectation,
and gorge themselves when you open your hand.
If you turned your back, they’d be panic stricken;
if you withdrew your Spirit
they would have nothing to breathe,
their bodies would quickly crumble.
But when you breathe your spirit into them,
life sprouts up fresh and fragrant again
and the earth itself is revived.
Glorious is all you do, LORD,
may you be honoured forever.
May everything created be a joy to the LORD.
One look from the LORD makes even the earth quiver;
one touch and even the mountains erupt.
With every breath I will sing to the LORD;
as long as there is life in me,
I will give honour to my God in song.
Even my unspoken thoughts I offer to the LORD,
for the LORD is a delight to me.
May wickedness be wiped from the earth,
may enemies of life no longer be found.
O bless the LORD, everything within me.
Praise the LORD!
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

2nd Reading: Romans 8: 22-27

The time of deliverance is near. After a long pregnancy, the whole creation is now groaning and shuddering in the final stages of labour. And we are not just witnesses to this birth. We ourselves, having been impregnated by the Spirit, are labouring to bring the new life within us to fruition. For then, with our bodies set free, our longing to be God’s children will be fulfilled. This joyous expectancy ensures that our deliverance will come. If there was never to be anything more than our present reality, these longings within us would be in vain. But we are eager to see a promised new reality, and this hope sustains us.
There will be times when our strength fails us and we will feel like just accommodating ourselves to the way things presently are, but the Spirit will always be there for us. Even when our prayer dries up and words fail us, the Spirit is there within us, keeping the communication lines open by turning our deepest achings and yearnings into prayers that pass wordlessly from heart to heart. And God, being of one mind with the Spirit, is able to hear the cries of our hearts because the Spirit offers them, along with the prayers of all God’s people, in a language that connects with the cries of God’s heart.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

OR Acts 2: 1-21 (alternative 2nd reading)

On the Feast Day of Pentecost all the believers were together in one place. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, there was a sound like a raging cyclone - and nothing could be heard above it anywhere in the house. And then the Holy Spirit burst in among them like a bushfire, with sparks and fireballs leaping out to engulf every one there. With fire in their guts and the Holy Spirit unleashing their tongues, they began to speak of God in languages they had never learned.
Now in Jerusalem at that time, there were faithful Jewish pilgrims from all over the world. The wild noise among the believers quickly drew a crowd. What they heard bewildered them because everyone, no matter where they were from, heard their native language being spoken by the believers. Almost unable to believe their ears, they asked:
“Don’t all these people come from Galilee? How come we can all hear them speaking our own native languages? Some of us are Parthians, some Medes, others Elamites. There are people visiting here from Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the Cyrenene occupied parts of Libya. There are immigrants from Rome, both ethnic Jews and converts. Some here are even Cretans and Arabs! But these Galileans are speaking all our languages and telling us about the extraordinary things God has done.”
They were all in a spin, unable to make head nor tail of what was happening. They kept asking one another what was going on and what it could all mean. Others though, just sneered and said, “They’ve been on the turps. They’re just a bunch of drunks.”
Peter stood up with the other eleven and addressed the crowd as loudly and clearly as he could:
“Men and women of Jerusalem, locals and visitors, listen up and I’ll let you in on what this is all about. If you think that these people are drunk, you are wrong. Think about it - the pubs aren’t even open this early in the morning. No, what is happening here was explained long ago in the words of the prophet Joel:
“This is what I will do
when time reaches its climax, God declares:
I will pour out my Spirit on everyone.
Your sons and your daughters
shall speak as prophets.
The young among you will see visions,
and the old will dream dreams.
I even have men and women among those
whose rights no one cares about,
and in those days
I will pour out my Spirit upon them too;
and they shall proclaim my justice.
I will perform miraculous signs in the sky above
and awesome wonders on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and clouds of smoke.
The sun will go black and the moon blood-red
before the dawning
of the awesome and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who cries out to the Lord
shall be saved.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 15: 26-27; 16: 4b-15

On the night that he was betrayed, Jesus said to his disciples, “I am going to send the Spirit to you from the Father. The Spirit will be your companion, your advocate and supporter, and will confirm for you the whole truth about me. You too are to speak up for the truth, because you have been with me ever since we started.
“Up until now I have always been with you, so there was no need to explain these things, but now I am going back to the One who sent me. None of you have even asked me where I am going. Instead you are just sitting there getting more and more down in the dumps with each thing I say. All the same, I’ll say it again: the truth is that you will be better off after I’ve gone. You see, the Spirit can’t come to be with you until I leave. Once I’m gone though, I will send the Spirit to you.
“The Spirit will come and show everyone just how wrong the world has been in its opinions about sin and righteousness and judgment. As the Spirit will show, people have the wrong idea about sin because they don’t trust my ways. They have the wrong idea about righteousness because they don’t know that it only comes from the Father. It won’t be any easier to see now that I’m going back to its source. They have the wrong idea about judgment because they think it’s all in the future, when in reality, sentence has already been passed on the one who steered this world into its godless ways.
“There is a whole lot more I would love to say to you, but it would all be too much for you at the moment. The Spirit will come, full of truth, and will lead you by the hand into the pathways of truth. The Spirit does not speak independently, but on my behalf. Through the Spirit, I will let you know what is going to happen and what it all means. I will be honoured by everything the Spirit says, because they are my words delivered to you. All that the Father has is mine. So now you understand why I have been saying that the message the Spirit will deliver to you is actually coming from me.”
©2000 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 pour out your Spirit on all flesh
and amaze us with your deeds of power.
In your infinite wisdom, you created the earth
and made it pregnant with new life.
You raised living creatures from the dust,
by the power of your Word
and breathed into them the breath of your Spirit.
Your Son, Jesus, taught us your truth
and, before being given up to death,
he promised to send us the Holy Spirit
to support us in both strength and weakness
as we labour with you
to bring to birth the promised fulfilment
of our deepest hopes and yearnings.
In these last days you have poured out
the new wine of the Spirit,
intoxicating us with visions and dreams,
awakening within us your marvellous gifts
and firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give you thanks for pouring out the new wine of the Spirit
in these last days,
intoxicating us with visions and dreams,
awakening within us your marvellous gifts
and firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy.
©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 you pour out your Spirit on all flesh
and amaze us with your deeds of power.
In your infinite wisdom, you created the earth
and made it pregnant with new life.
You raised living creatures from the dust,
by the power of your Word
and breathed into them the breath of your Spirit.
Your Son, Jesus, taught us your truth
and, before being given up to death,
he promised to send us the Holy Spirit
to support us in both strength and weakness
as we labour with you
to bring to birth the promised fulfilment
of our deepest hopes and yearnings.
In these last days you have poured out
the new wine of the Spirit,
intoxicating us with visions and dreams,
awakening within us your marvellous gifts
and firing our tongues with everlasting songs of joy.
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

The one who has corrupted this world
has already been condemned,
but everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord
will be saved.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out into the world,
and labour to bring forth new life.
Dream dreams, pursue visions
and speak of God’s goodness
in the words of those who would hear.
And may the God who breathed life into creation be your delight.
May Christ Jesus give hope to your dreaming,
and may the Holy Spirit, your advocate and supporter,
set your hearts ablaze with a passion for peace.
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.

Setting the Church AblazeA sermon on Ezekiel 37: 1-14 & Acts 2: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton

When the New Wine ArrivesA sermon on Acts 2.1-21; Ezekiel 37.1-14 & Psalm 104.24-35b by Garry Deverell

Loosing TonguesA sermon on Acts 2:1-21 & John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 by Nathan Nettleton

Divinely IntoxicatedA sermon on Acts 2:1-21; Romans 8:22-27 & John 15:26-27; 16:4-15 by Nathan Nettleton

Pentecost: Gifted and SentA sermon on Acts 2: 1-21 by Gilbert Joyce

Languages of ReconciliationA sermon on Acts 2:1-21 by Nathan Nettleton

Much Needed Miracles of CommunicationA sermon on Acts 2: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton

Trinity Sunday - Year B
2030-06-16 00:00 - 23:59 (Australia/Melbourne)
Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them, plus prayers and sermons based on them.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville, TN 37203-0003, USA. Used with Permission.

Isaiah 6: 1-8

I had a vision of the Lord during the year that King Uzziah died. The Lord was high above, sitting on an imposing throne. The Lord’s presence dwarfed everything else so totally that just the cuffs of his robe filled the temple. Awesome fiery creatures, known as Seraphim, were there, serving the Lord. Each Seraph had three pairs of wings. They used one pair to shield their faces, one to shield their bodies, and the third for flying. They cried out to one another saying:
“Holy! Holy! Holy!
Holy is the LORD who rules over everything.
The whole earth is full of God’s glory.”
The sound of their voices shook the place to its foundations, and clouds of smoke billowed through the temple. And I said:
“This is the end of me.
I’ll never get out of here alive.
If I so much as open my mouth
the ugliness inside is exposed for all to see,
and the same could be said of everyone I know;
yet I’ve stumbled into the presence of the Ruler of Heaven.
Here I am, naked before the all-consuming
holiness of the LORD!”
Then one of the seraphim flew right up to me carrying a pair of tongs in which it held a red hot coal – straight from the fire on the altar. The seraph touched my mouth with the glowing coal and said:
“Look! This holy fire has touched your lips.
Your sinfulness is forgiven.
Your slate is wiped clean.”
After this I heard the voice of the Lord saying
“Is there someone I can send?
Is there anyone who will go on our behalf?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me if you will!”
©2000 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

Romans 8: 12-17

The truth is, brothers and sisters, that we owe nothing to the preoccupations of our former life. We need no longer have our lives dictated by the mindless pursuit of fashionable dreams and selfish desires. After all, the attraction was fatal. But thanks to God’s Spirit, we can now be rid of all that — give it a decent burial and get on with our new lives. All those who dance to the Spirit’s tune are God’s beloved children. We were not sold into slavery where we would grovel timidly in the dust, afraid to put a foot wrong. Rather we were adopted into a family full of love and joy. Like eager children crying, “Daddy! Mummy!” we come running to God, and with loving arms, God’s Spirit gathers us up, demonstrating clearly to whom we belong. And since we are children of God, we are actually on the same footing as Christ. With him we will inherit all that has been kept in trust for God’s children. But we have to take the good with the bad, and we know the price he paid. We need to be willing to cop it on the chin with him now if we want to share the glory with him later.
©2000 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

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 loved the world so greatly that you gave your Son,
so that all who trust him may have eternal life.
Your powerful voice, thundering over the waters,
spoke into being the new-born creation.
From your holy throne, surrounded by seraphim,
you called your prophets to carry the message of life
to those who were enslaved to selfish desires.
You sent your Son, Jesus Christ, into the world
and when the enemies of life lifted him up to die,
you raised him from the grave
and made him the source of life
for all who look to him in trust and hope.
And now your Holy Spirit bears witness within us
that we are indeed your children,
born from above of water and spirit,
and destined to share with Christ
in his sufferings and his glory.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your Son
who you gave in your great love for the world,
so that all who trust him
may be born from above of water and spirit,
and have eternal life,
sharing with him in his sufferings and his glory.
©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 you loved the world so greatly that you gave your Son,
so that all who trust him may have eternal life.
Your powerful voice, thundering over the waters,
spoke into being the new-born creation.
From your holy throne, surrounded by seraphim,
you called your prophets to carry the message of life
to those who were enslaved to selfish desires.
You sent your Son, Jesus Christ, into the world
and when the enemies of life lifted him up to die,
you raised him from the grave
and made him the source of life
for all who look to him in trust and hope.
And now your Holy Spirit bears witness within us
that we are indeed your children,
born from above of water and spirit,
and destined to share with Christ
in his sufferings and his glory.
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

God did not send the Son into the world to condemn us,
but in order that the world might be saved through him.
The refining fire of God has touched you.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out and in all of life, worship the Lord.
Entrust yourself to the winds of God’s Spirit;
put to death selfish desires,
and offer yourself for God’s mission in the world.
And may God give strength to you and to all;
May Christ Jesus bless you with peace;
And may the Holy Spirit, whispering within your hearts,
give you assurance that you are God’s children.
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.

Trinity and CommunityA sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton

Stumbling into the Love Dance of the TrinityA sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton

Trying to Pin Down the Experience of GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8 & Romans 8:12-17 by Nathan Nettleton

Questioning the Integrity of GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17 & John 3:1-17 by Nathan Nettleton

Contemplating the TrinityA sermon on the Icon of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton

Does the Trinity add up?A sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton

Children of the Triune GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17 & John 3:1-17 by Nathan Nettleton

The Bible, the Trinity, and the WarA sermon by Nathan Nettleton

It matters, but you don’t have to explain it!A sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton

Trinity Sunday - Year B
2030-06-16 00:00 - 23:59 (Australia/Melbourne)
Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them, plus prayers and sermons based on them.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville, TN 37203-0003, USA. Used with Permission.

Isaiah 6: 1-8

I had a vision of the Lord during the year that King Uzziah died. The Lord was high above, sitting on an imposing throne. The Lord’s presence dwarfed everything else so totally that just the cuffs of his robe filled the temple. Awesome fiery creatures, known as Seraphim, were there, serving the Lord. Each Seraph had three pairs of wings. They used one pair to shield their faces, one to shield their bodies, and the third for flying. They cried out to one another saying:
“Holy! Holy! Holy!
Holy is the LORD who rules over everything.
The whole earth is full of God’s glory.”
The sound of their voices shook the place to its foundations, and clouds of smoke billowed through the temple. And I said:
“This is the end of me.
I’ll never get out of here alive.
If I so much as open my mouth
the ugliness inside is exposed for all to see,
and the same could be said of everyone I know;
yet I’ve stumbled into the presence of the Ruler of Heaven.
Here I am, naked before the all-consuming
holiness of the LORD!”
Then one of the seraphim flew right up to me carrying a pair of tongs in which it held a red hot coal – straight from the fire on the altar. The seraph touched my mouth with the glowing coal and said:
“Look! This holy fire has touched your lips.
Your sinfulness is forgiven.
Your slate is wiped clean.”
After this I heard the voice of the Lord saying
“Is there someone I can send?
Is there anyone who will go on our behalf?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me if you will!”
©2000 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

Romans 8: 12-17

The truth is, brothers and sisters, that we owe nothing to the preoccupations of our former life. We need no longer have our lives dictated by the mindless pursuit of fashionable dreams and selfish desires. After all, the attraction was fatal. But thanks to God’s Spirit, we can now be rid of all that — give it a decent burial and get on with our new lives. All those who dance to the Spirit’s tune are God’s beloved children. We were not sold into slavery where we would grovel timidly in the dust, afraid to put a foot wrong. Rather we were adopted into a family full of love and joy. Like eager children crying, “Daddy! Mummy!” we come running to God, and with loving arms, God’s Spirit gathers us up, demonstrating clearly to whom we belong. And since we are children of God, we are actually on the same footing as Christ. With him we will inherit all that has been kept in trust for God’s children. But we have to take the good with the bad, and we know the price he paid. We need to be willing to cop it on the chin with him now if we want to share the glory with him later.
©2000 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

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 loved the world so greatly that you gave your Son,
so that all who trust him may have eternal life.
Your powerful voice, thundering over the waters,
spoke into being the new-born creation.
From your holy throne, surrounded by seraphim,
you called your prophets to carry the message of life
to those who were enslaved to selfish desires.
You sent your Son, Jesus Christ, into the world
and when the enemies of life lifted him up to die,
you raised him from the grave
and made him the source of life
for all who look to him in trust and hope.
And now your Holy Spirit bears witness within us
that we are indeed your children,
born from above of water and spirit,
and destined to share with Christ
in his sufferings and his glory.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your Son
who you gave in your great love for the world,
so that all who trust him
may be born from above of water and spirit,
and have eternal life,
sharing with him in his sufferings and his glory.
©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 you loved the world so greatly that you gave your Son,
so that all who trust him may have eternal life.
Your powerful voice, thundering over the waters,
spoke into being the new-born creation.
From your holy throne, surrounded by seraphim,
you called your prophets to carry the message of life
to those who were enslaved to selfish desires.
You sent your Son, Jesus Christ, into the world
and when the enemies of life lifted him up to die,
you raised him from the grave
and made him the source of life
for all who look to him in trust and hope.
And now your Holy Spirit bears witness within us
that we are indeed your children,
born from above of water and spirit,
and destined to share with Christ
in his sufferings and his glory.
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

God did not send the Son into the world to condemn us,
but in order that the world might be saved through him.
The refining fire of God has touched you.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out and in all of life, worship the Lord.
Entrust yourself to the winds of God’s Spirit;
put to death selfish desires,
and offer yourself for God’s mission in the world.
And may God give strength to you and to all;
May Christ Jesus bless you with peace;
And may the Holy Spirit, whispering within your hearts,
give you assurance that you are God’s children.
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.

You don’t have to explain it!A sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton

Trinity and CommunityA sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton

Stumbling into the Love Dance of the TrinityA sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton

Trying to Pin Down the Experience of GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8 & Romans 8:12-17 by Nathan Nettleton

Questioning the Integrity of GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17 & John 3:1-17 by Nathan Nettleton

Contemplating the TrinityA sermon on the Icon of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton

Does the Trinity add up?A sermon on the doctrine of the Trinity by Nathan Nettleton

Children of the Triune GodA sermon on Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17 & John 3:1-17 by Nathan Nettleton

The Bible, the Trinity, and the WarA sermon by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 7 - Year B
2030-06-23 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.

1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49

The Philistines were ready for war and their troops took up positions for an attack on the Judean town of Socoh.
The Philistine army had a champion named Goliath who came from Gath. He was a mountain of a man, towering over everyone around him. He was kitted out in the latest military gear with heavy bronze armour on his chest and legs and a gleaming helmet on his head. His chest armour alone was heavier than most men could lift. He carried a bronze sword strapped to his back. His spear was too thick for the average man to get his hand around and it had a head like a sharpened shot put. Another soldier walked in front of him carrying a huge shield.
Goliath strutted out from among the ranks and shouted at the Israelite army:
“Why should we waste time with a full battle? Let’s put up two men to have it out for us – winner takes all. I’m ready to represent the Philistines. Why don’t you lot in Saul’s army choose yourselves a champion to come down and take me on? If your man can kill me, then our army will surrender and our people will be your slaves. But if I win, then you’ll be our slaves. So come on, let’s see what you Israelites are made of. Send down your best man and we’ll see if he has what it takes to match me!”
Goliath’s defiant taunting threw Saul and his army into a panic. Scared witless, they couldn’t do a thing.
While all this was happening in the Elah Valley, David was back home, working on his father’s sheep station. Early one morning, at his father’s request, he left the sheep in someone else’s care and headed off to deliver some extra rations to his brothers in the army. He reached the army camp just as they were taking up their positions and sounding the battle cry. There was a stand off as the Israelite army and the Philistine army faced each other. David left the rations with the supply officer, and then ran up to the ranks to find his brothers and see how they were getting on. While he was talking with them, Goliath stepped forward from among the Philistine army, and began taunting the Israelites again. When David heard Goliath’s scoffing and saw the fear among the Israelite soldiers, he went and addressed King Saul, saying, “Your majesty, why are we letting this Philistine make our army look like a bunch of wimps. I’ll go out and deal with him for you!”
Saul replied, “You’ve got to be kidding. You’d have Buckley’s. You’re only a kid and he’s a top-gun, an elite soldier with more scalps to his name than you’ll ever have.”
But David held his line:
“Your majesty, I work sheep for my father; and whenever a lion or a bear drags off one of those sheep, I go after it and beat the living daylights out of it until it gives up the sheep. And if it makes the mistake of turning on me, I grab it by the throat and kill it. I have killed both lions and bears; and this godless Philistine will be a piece of cake. No one defies the army of the living God and gets away with it! The LORD didn’t let the lions or bears get their claws into me. The same LORD is more than a match for this Philistine.”
“All right,” said Saul, “Go and fight him, and God help you! You’ll need it.”
Saul offered David his own uniform and armour, and even his bronze helmet. But when David put on the armour and strapped on Saul’s sword, he could hardly walk. So he said to Saul, “I can barely stand up in this stuff because I haven’t trained in it,” and he took it all off. Instead he headed out carrying nothing but a hiking stick, a sling shot, and five smooth stones from the creek bed which he popped into his pockets. Out he marched, ready to face Goliath!
Goliath strutted arrogantly towards David, with the soldier carrying the shield still in front of him. When he got close enough to get a good look at David, he laughed out loud because David looked just like any other fresh-faced kid. “What do you think I am? A dog? Do you think I might heel and roll over for you if you wave your little stick around?!”
And he called down curses from his gods on David and threw every insult in the book at him. “Come on then,” he sneered, “Let’s have you. I’ll make dog meat out of you. I’ll hang you out for the crows to pick your bones.”
But David was undaunted and spoke back:
“You are so sure of yourself, trusting as you do in your fancy weapons of war. But I don’t need them, because my trust is in the LORD who commands the armies of heaven. This is the God you have insulted – the God of the armies of Israel. You’ve seen your last sunrise, Mister. With the help of the the LORD, I’ll knock you down for the count. I’ll cut off your head, and the only dog meat here will be you. The crows can feast on the carcasses of your Philistine mates. Then the whole world will know that the real God is Israel’s God. Everyone here will see that the LORD doesn’t need weapons to save his people. This battle is all over, bar the shouting, because the LORD has got your measure.”
At that, Goliath started towards David. David ran forward to meet him and reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a stone for his sling shot and let fly. He only needed one shot. It hit Goliath square on the head and cracked his skull. One small stone, and the giant fell on his face, as dead as a doornail.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

AND Psalm 9: 9-20

You, O LORD, are a safe haven for the oppressed,
a refuge when times are tough.
Your name inspires trust,
for you have never let down
those who turned to you.
We look to Zion, your home, and sing our praises,
announcing to everyone what you have done.
For you, O LORD, track down those
who spill innocent blood
and keep a record of every victim’s cry.
Give me a break, LORD.
You’ve seen how much I’ve been kicked around;
you’ve even stepped in yourself
to pull me out of danger.
I’ll never stop talking about what a hero you are.
I’ll shout it on the streets
and broadcast it on the air
until everyone knows how you saved us.
The nations that backed away from you
have fallen into their own traps:
the steel jaws they so carefully hid
have slammed shut on their own legs.
You hid nothing from them, LORD.
Your requirements were well publicised.
Judgment has come, just as you said;
the schemes of the wicked backfire on them.
This time they are their own victims!
Callous and ruthless nations
have spurned your ways, LORD,
and written their own ticket to hell.
But the deprived will not always be disregarded,
and those who dream of a day of plenty
will live to see it.
Up and at it, LORD! It’s time for action!
Don’t let these people have their way.
Call them to account for what they’ve done;
them and the nations they lead.
Put the fear of God into them, LORD;
strip them of their pretensions
so that everyone can see them
for what they really are.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

OR 1 Samuel 17:57 - 18:5, 10-16

After killing Goliath the Philistine, David was granted an audience with King Saul. He was still carrying the severed head of the Philistine when he was introduced to the King by Abner, the commander of the army. Saul asked him, “Whose people do you come from, young man?”
David answered, “I am the son of your servant Jesse, from Bethlehem.”
After David had finished speaking to Saul, he met Saul’s son Jonathan. The two were soul mates from the word go, and Jonathan loved David as much as his own life. From that day on, Saul gave David a position in the royal household and would not let him return to his family home. Jonathan bound himself to David in a formal alliance, because he loved him so much. He took off his own royal robe and put it on David, and handed over to him his own military uniform and weapons.
Saul sent David out on numerous military campaigns, and wherever he went, he was successful. As a result, Saul gave him command of the whole army. David was becoming so popular with all the people that even Saul’s closest officials approved of his promotion.
However, David’s popularity started to get under Saul’s skin. One day an evil spirit from God seized him and he lost the plot completely, raving like a madman in his house. David was there playing some soothing music for the king on his lyre, as he did each day. Saul had a spear in his hand, and in his madness he twice threw it, trying to pin David to the wall, but David managed to duck clear each time.
Saul was increasingly afraid of David, because it was clear that the LORD had given up on Saul and was now backing David. So Saul kicked him out of the house and put him in command of a thousand soldiers on the front line. David led the unit out, and before long he was back with another great victory under his belt. He had success in everything he took on, because the LORD was backing him. When Saul saw how successful he had become, he was quaking in his boots. But all the people of Israel and Judah worshipped the ground David walked on, because it was him who led them into battle and brought them safe home again.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

AND Psalm 133

What a great thing it is, LORD,
when people can get along with one another,
and live together in unity and mutual respect.
It is even more satisfying than holding the cup aloft
and dancing in the rain of champagne
on Grand Final day.
It is even more desirable than sitting by an open fire
sharing chocolates and fine wine with a loved one.
It is even more beautiful than the monsoon rains
turning the desert into a sea of wildflowers.
For you LORD created us to be one people,
committed to one another, honouring one another,
sharing the land and its blessings forever.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

2 Corinthians 6: 1-13

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.
My dear friends in Corinth, what we say is the honest truth — our hearts are wide open to you. We are not holding back on our affection for you; we are laying ourselves open to you. But you are being so stunted in your response. Your hearts are full, but you live like misers. I’m speaking to you as I would to my own children, with all the love and clarity I can muster. Open up your hearts. Live generously and expansively!
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Mark 4: 35-41

One evening, after Jesus had spent the day teaching the crowds on the shore of Lake Galilee, he said to his followers, “Let’s go. Let’s sail across to the other side.”
So they piled into the boat, just as they were, and left the crowds behind. They weren’t completely alone though, because a few other boats came with them. Suddenly a huge storm whipped up, and the waves were smashing against the boat. It was a desperate situation – they were taking on water fast, but Jesus was sound asleep with his head on a cushion at the back of the boat. His terrified followers shook him awake, yelling, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are all about to die here?” Jesus got up and began barking orders at the wind and the waves: “Calm down! Let’s have some peace here!”
Right on cue, the wind dropped to a whisper and the sea was as smooth as glass. Jesus turned to his astonished followers and said, “Why are you so gutless? Where’s your faith?”
Now they were really quaking in their boots! “Who is this man?” they asked one another, “Even the wind and the sea fall into line at his command!”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Job 38: 1-11

From the midst of a cyclone, the voice of the LORD answered Job, saying:
“Who are you to mouth off against me
when you’ve got no idea what you’re talking about?
Stand up straight like a man
and see if you can give answers when I ask the questions.
“Were you there when I laid the foundations of the earth?
If you’re so smart, tell me all about it.
Who drew up the plans and decided how big it would be?
Who held the tape measure and marked it out?
Speak up – surely you know!
What do the foundations sit on, and how far down do they go?
Who turned the first sod? Who laid the cornerstone?
Do you remember what the morning stars sang at the celebration?
It brought everyone in heaven to their feet cheering.
“Perhaps you remember who closed the floodgates
to contain the ocean
when it gushed up from the womb of the earth?
I was there. I clothed it in mist
and tucked it up in a thick blanket of fog.
I decided where it should start and finish.
I closed the gates and built the levy banks.
I said to the sea, ‘I’ve drawn a line in the sand that you must not cross.
Your powerful waves can pound to here, but no further.’”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 107: 1-3, 23-32

Thank you, LORD! Thank you for being so good.
Your rock-solid love will never end.
LORD, we freely and openly acknowledge
that it was you who got us out of trouble;
you who put us back on the right track.
You gathered us from the four corners of the globe,
from wherever we had been lost or exiled.
Some of us went to sea;
made our living sailing the ocean
Your awesome power was clear to see, LORD,
in the restless energy of the deep.
One word from you and storms whipped up;
furious waves crashed and tore at us.
Hurled to the sky and slammed back down,
our courage failed and we feared the worst.
Tossed like a cork; staggering like drunks;
nothing to do but cling on and pray.
In sheer despair, we cried out to you, LORD,
and in a flash, you came to our rescue.
You calmed the storm
and the waves fell quiet.
Overwhelming relief left us speechless
as you piloted us safely into a sheltered bay.
So let us tell you how grateful we are, LORD.
Thank you for your rock-solid love
and for the great things you do for everyone.
Let us talk you up whenever your people gather,
and sing your praises when the leaders meet.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you are a safe haven to those in trouble
and we rejoice in your deliverance.
On the day of creation, you calmed the chaos
and with a word, brought forth the earth and its riches.
You never forget the cries of the victims of oppression
or let the hope of the poor perish forever.
You have delivered those who trust in you,
defeating their powerful enemies,
not with the sword, but with the weapons of righteousness.
You sent to us your Son, Jesus the Christ,
and in him we have encountered a peacemaker
who is undaunted even in the wildest storms.
Though the waves of death crashed over him,
you raised him up and gave him the power
to subdue even the tempest of death,
and to release from its terrors all who trust in him.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your Son, Jesus the Christ,
for though the waves of death crashed over him,
you raised him up and gave him the power
to subdue even the tempest of death,
and to release from its terrors all who trust in him.
©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 you are a safe haven to those in trouble
and we rejoice in your deliverance.
On the day of creation, you calmed the chaos
and with a word, brought forth the earth and its riches.
You never forget the cries of the victims of oppression
or let the hope of the poor perish forever.
You have delivered those who trust in you,
defeating their powerful enemies,
not with the sword, but with the weapons of righteousness.
You sent to us your Son, Jesus the Christ,
and in him we have encountered a peacemaker
who is undaunted even in the wildest storms.
Though the waves of death crashed over him,
you raised him up and gave him the power
to subdue even the tempest of death,
and to release from its terrors all who trust in him.
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

Now is God’s chosen time.
Now is the day of salvation.
The Lord meets you in grace and mercy,
lifting you from the gates of death.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out, trusting in God, even in the midst of the storms.
Arm yourselves only with the weapons of righteousness
and stand firm before the enemies of life.
Put no obstacle in anyone’s way,
but in every way commend yourselves as servants of God.
And may God deliver you from all that would destroy you;
May Christ Jesus calm all that would terrorise you;
and may the Holy Spirit sustain you in patience, kindness, truthfulness and genuine love.
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.

Giving yourself away and looking after yourselfA sermon on 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 & Mark 4:35-41 by Nathan Nettleton

Against Overwhelming OddsA sermon on 1 Samuel 17 & Mark 4:35-41 by Nathan Nettleton

When the Ship is Going DownA sermon on 1 Samuel 17 & Mark 4:35-41 by Nathan Nettleton

Beyond the Limits!A sermon on Mark 4:35-41 & 1 Samuel 17 by Nathan Nettleton

Peace, be still.A sermon on 1 Samuel 17: 1a , 4-11, 19-23, 32-49 and Mark 4:35-41 by John Fowler

Proper 8 - Year B
2030-06-30 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.

2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27

David returned from a successful campaign against the Amalekite army, and during a two day break in Ziklag he received news that King Saul had been killed in battle. David composed a song of lament in memory of Saul and his son Jonathan. He called it “The Song of the Bow” and it was written down in the Book of Jashar. David gave orders to his army musicians to teach the song to everyone in Judah. The words went like this:
Israel, your most decorated soldiers
lie dead on the hills!
Your glorious heroes have been cut down!
Don’t let news of this reach the streets of Gath;
don’t breathe a word of it in Ashkelon,
or the godless Philistine women
will mock us in our misery,
gloating and dancing with joy.
A curse on Mount Gilboa
where our heroes’ blood was spilt:
may the sun never shine there,
and the rain never fall;
may it never see a flower bloom again.
Cursed be the place where Saul bit the dust,
where his polished armour
was smeared with blood.
Our great heroes never flinched under fire:
with bow in hand,
Jonathan’s aim was deadly;
with sword in hand,
Saul cut the enemy to pieces.
Saul and Jonathan, how easy it was to love them!
Like father, like son, in life and in death;
they made eagles look slow,
and lions look weak.
Women of Israel, cry your eyes out for Saul!
It was him you had to thank
for your stunning wardrobes,
your designer gowns
and your elegant jewellery.
Our finest men have fallen,
cut down in the heat of the battle!
Jonathan lies dead on Mount Gilboa.
My heart is broken for you, my brother Jonathan;
I loved you more than words can say.
Your love was my greatest delight,
more precious than the love of women.
The heroes who filled us with pride have fallen.
Their weapons, once feared,
are tossed on the scrap heap!
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 130

From the depths of despair, from rock bottom,
I cry to you, O LORD.
I beg you to listen!
Please tune in and hear what I’m asking!
If you put black marks against our names
for every failing,
Lord, wouldn’t you have to write off everyone?
But forgiveness is much more your style,
and for this we adore you.
I wait in eager anticipation for your presence, LORD.
Everything inside me yearns for you
and your promises fill me with hope.
Deep in my guts there is a hunger for you, LORD,
more pressing than a woman
waiting for the birth of her baby,
more impatient than a child
waiting for a birthday;
crossing off the days, one by one.
O People of Israel, put your trust in the LORD!
The LORD’s love never lets us down,
and is always ready to rescue us from danger.
It is the Lord who will bail us out
when we are caught in the consequences
of our own sin.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

2 Corinthians 8: 7-15

Everything you people put your hand to turns to gold. You seem to be the best at everything. You have outstanding faith. You’re articulate. You have great knowledge and insight. Your energy and enthusiasm seem boundless. Even in love you seem to outshine everyone else. So then, we are hoping that you will also come out tops in generosity, as you contribute to the relief fund for the church in Judea.
I’m not trying to force you into anything. I’m simply telling you about the generosity of others so that you’ll know where the benchmark is. I will be watching to see how your love measures up. Of course, if you really want a standard to aspire to, think about the extravagant offering of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was rich in everything, but he gave it all up for you. He accepted poverty in order to make you rich.
So if you want my advice on this matter, here it is: it is time to put your money where your mouth is. You talked big last year about how willing you were to help when you first heard about the need. Now it’s time to show that you’re not all hot air. It is time to dig deep and show everyone that you are as generous with your actions as you are with your promises. I’m not concerned about how much actually ends up in the hat when you pass it around. It’s more a question of how what you give compares with what you have. No matter how eager you are, no one expects you to give what you don’t have.
Please don’t think that I am trying to make life a bed of roses for others by putting the squeeze on you. You have got plenty at the moment, and they’re doing it tough. Next time it might be the other way around. It’s like swings and roundabouts — it all balances out after a while. As the scriptures say,
“Those with the most let nothing go to waste,
and those with the least will not go without.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Mark 5: 21-43

Jesus arrived by boat back on the Jewish side of Lake Galilee. A huge crowd gathered to meet him on the beach, and a man named Jairus – a respected leader of the synagogue – was among them. Jairus fell on his knees at Jesus’s feet and begged him repeatedly, “My precious little girl is on the verge of death. Come and lay your hands on her and make her well, so that she will live.” Jesus agreed and went with him. Much of the crowd tagged along, all jostling and pushing, trying to be near him.
Hiding in the crowd was a woman suffering from prolonged bleeding. For the previous twelve years her condition had meant that everyone treated her as defiled and contagious. She had spent all her money on doctors and healers who had prescribed everything under the sun. Despite all their remedies and promises, her problem just kept getting worse. She had heard about Jesus and was sure that he was her last chance. Unnoticed, she pushed her way through the crowd and managed to touch the edge of his coat. She was thinking to herself, “Surely even touching this man’s clothes will be enough to make me well.”
Sure enough, the moment she did it, she felt the bleeding stop. She could feel a real change in herself and she knew that she was finally free of the illness. Jesus felt something too, a sudden release of energy from within. He spun around, looking at the crowd, and asked, “Who touched me?”
“Who hasn’t?!” his followers asked incredulously. “If this crowd get any closer they’ll have to hoist you onto their shoulders, so there’s not much point in asking who touched you.”
But Jesus knew that it was something more than that and kept looking around to see who it was. The woman knew he meant her, and she knew that she was going to be found out. Shaking with fear, because she had defiled everyone she had touched, she fell at his feet and spilled out the whole story. But Jesus lifted her by the hand and said to her, “Daughter, you took a risk of faith and it has paid off for you. Welcome back to the world of the healthy! May peace, health and happiness be yours, and may your illness be gone for good.”
As he was saying this, some people arrived from Jairus’ home and said, “It’s too late. Your daughter is dead. It’s no use bothering the teacher now.”
But Jesus heard what they were saying, and said to Jairus, “Don’t give up. Trust me.”
He sent the crowd on their way and wouldn’t let anyone come with them except Peter and the brothers, James and John. When they arrived at the home of the synagogue leader, it was in a state of chaos. Everywhere there were people crying, and you could hardly move for funeral directors, neighbours, and people bearing condolences and casseroles. Jesus didn’t mince his words: “That’s enough. The child is not dead. She’s only asleep.”
But they rubbished him. They knew she was dead. Unperturbed, Jesus took charge of the situation and kicked them all outside. Taking only the child’s parents and his three companions, he went into the room where the child was laid out. He clasped her hand tenderly and said to her, “Talitha koum!” which is Aramaic for “Little girl, get up.” That was all it took – she was up and walking around, as healthy as she had been for the previous twelve years! Of course everyone there was blown away – overcome with joy and amazement. Jesus gave them strict instructions not to breathe a word of this to anybody. Then he said, “The girl’s probably hungry. Find her something to eat.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Wisdom of Solomon 1: 13-15; 2: 23-24

God is not the author of death.
God created all things so that they might live.
Death never brings a smile to God’s face.
The natural way of the earth is to generate life.
The forces of nature are not destructive or poisonous.
The kingdom of death does not govern the planet.
A life lived in truth and integrity is immune to death,
because God created us for life without limit;
permanent and incorruptible, just like God.
But the devil got jealous and screwed it all up.
His greed and envy infected the world with death,
and for those who side with him, it will prove fatal.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Lamentations 3: 23-33 (canticle)

Your love and loyalty never die, LORD.
Your generous mercy never runs dry.
They are created new every morning
and you are as trustworthy as the solid rock.
So I keep telling myself that you are all I need
and that I can still trust you to come through for me.
You are good to those who hang in there for you, LORD;
to those whose hearts continue to search for you.
The life for which you save us, LORD,
is worth patiently waiting for.
It is a good thing to shoulder unfair burdens
while we are still young;
to put up with solitary confinement
if that is what the LORD has imposed;
to eat dust
without giving up hope;
to turn the other cheek with courage
and cop the insults that are dished out.
I can’t believe
that the Lord will write us off forever.
The Lord might be dishing out grief to us now
but not willingly.
The Lord’s rock-solid love
will pour forth compassion for us
for the Lord does not take pleasure
in causing trouble or pain.
©2014 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

OR Psalm 30

I’ll be singing your praises, every chance I get, LORD,
because you got me out of deep trouble
and spared me the gloating of my enemies.
I pleaded for help, LORD God,
and you stepped in and healed me.
They were nearly ready to pronounce me dead
but your brought me back, LORD;
you put me back on my feet
when I was about to be carried to the morgue.
So I’m singing your praises,
and I’m encouraging everyone to do the same;
to name you with joyful thanks.
We manage to get you angry at times,
but it blows over in a moment
because your mercy keeps on keeping on.
We may have an evening of bitter tears,
but by morning your mercy has us smiling again.
I was guilty of taking your goodness for granted;
I thought I had it made.
You had put me on top of the world
but I got all too full of myself.
You stepped aside – made me stand alone —
and I turned to jelly!
I realised how much I needed you, LORD,
and in my panic I begged you for mercy.
“What good is my blood to you?” I cried.
“How will it help if I’m in the grave?
Can a corpse sing your praises?
Will a gravestone publicise your goodness?
Give me another chance, LORD.
Please, LORD, bail me out one more time.”
And sure enough, you did, LORD.
You turned my tears to laughter;
you set my dragging feet dancing;
you dusted me off and dressed me up for a party.
So now I’m singing your praises
from the bottom of my heart,
and no one can shut me up!
You are my God, LORD,
and I’m eternally grateful.
©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 no matter how deep we sink in sin and despair,
you hear our cry for mercy and lift us to life.
From the depths of chaos you pulled the newborn earth
and filled it with love and beauty.
When we tore apart the glory of your creation
and left innocence slain upon our battlefields,
you continued to reach out to the grieving world
with a love more wonderful than any other.
Your surpassing generosity took flesh in Jesus Christ,
who, though he was rich,
gave up everything
so that we might lack nothing.
When he was killed, you raised him,
and hope dawned over the dark night of grief.
From him radiates the energy that heals us,
and at the touch of his hand
the outcasts are reconciled
and the dead awake to fullness of life.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your Son, Jesus,
for no matter how deep we sink in sin and despair,
he comes to us and at the touch of his hand
the outcasts are healed and reconciled
and the dead awake to fullness of life.
©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 no matter how deep we sink in sin and despair,
you hear our cry for mercy and lift us to life.
From the depths of chaos you pulled the newborn earth
and filled it with love and beauty.
When we tore apart the glory of your creation
and left innocence slain upon our battlefields,
you continued to reach out to the grieving world
with a love more wonderful than any other.
Your surpassing generosity took flesh in Jesus Christ,
who, though he was rich,
gave up everything
so that we might lack nothing.
When he was killed, you raised him,
and hope dawned over the dark night of grief.
From him radiates the energy that heals us,
and at the touch of his hand
the outcasts are reconciled
and the dead awake to fullness of life.
Therefore, with our hearts lifted high,
we offer you thanks and praise at all times
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

If the Lord recorded our sins, no one could survive,
but God’s capacity for forgiveness is awesome.
The Lord will bring mercy and grant full pardon.
In Jesus Christ we are lifted to life.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out, among the outcast and the grieving,
and speak the word of life and hope.
Do not fear, but trust in God’s word.
Watch for the Lord with eager expectation,
and be generous with all God has given you.
And may God respond to your every cry with mercy;
May Christ Jesus take you by the hand and lift you to life;
and may the Holy Spirit build you up in faith, in speech,
in knowledge, in passion and in love.
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.

The Table of GriefA sermon on 2 Samuel 1:1,17-27 & Psalm 130 by Nathan Nettleton

Are You Worth More Than a Touch?A sermon on Mark 5: 21-43 by Nathan Nettleton

Revulsion and Contagious LoveA sermon on Mark 5: 21-43 by Nathan Nettleton

The God of WinterA Winter Solstice sermon on Mark 5:21-43; 2 Samuel 1:17-27 & Psalm 130 by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 9 - Year B
2030-07-07 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.

2 Samuel 5: 1-5, 9-10

After David had been king of Judah for some time, the leaders of the tribes of Israel came to meet with him at Hebron. They addressed him, saying:
“Look, we are family – your own flesh and blood. For a long time, even though Saul was officially our king, it has been you that we all looked up to, and you that we took our marching orders from. The LORD promised that it was only a matter of time before you would rule Israel and be the caretaker of all God’s people.”
During this meeting at Hebron, the tribal elders of Israel negotiated a deal with David and signed it in a sacred ceremony, with the LORD as their witness. As part of the deal they crowned David king of Israel, pouring sacred olive oil on his head to show that he was the chosen one.
David was thirty years old when he became king, and his reign lasted forty years. For the first seven and a half years, while based in Hebron, he only ruled over Judah. Then for a further thirty-three years he ruled over both Israel and Judah from his new capital in Jerusalem. The fortified centre of Jerusalem had held out against David, but he eventually captured it and moved in, declaring it to be the city of David. He had the city rebuilt around it starting from the landfill area on the east side.
David’s position was becoming stronger all the time, because the LORD, the ruler of everything, was on his side.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 48

Great is the LORD – worthy of our highest praise —
and great is the city where God lives.
The mountain of God’s presence
is a spectacular sacred site,
a source of joy for all the earth.
On Mount Zion stands the city of the great Ruler.
There in God’s sheltering presence
we have been given a place of safety.
Rulers of nations, despots and tyrants,
united to overthrow God’s dominion,
but one look at God’s sure defence
and their arrogant plans were blown.
In sheer panic, they took off in all directions.
They were as shaken as a woman in labour,
or a storm-tossed ship smashed on the reef.
We had heard of God’s great city,
and now we have seen it with our own eyes
The LORD who rules over everything
will see that this city stands firm forever.
O God, here in your holy Temple,
we meditate on your unfailing love.
Your reputation, O God, spreads throughout the earth,
and wherever you are named,
people shout for joy.
Your rule of justice has the last word everywhere.
Let Mount Zion celebrate,
and every city and town throw a party
because God’s decisions
bring justice and righteousness.
Come, let us walk around the holy mountain.
Let us examine our God from every angle.
Count up the towers of safety.
Inspect the sheltering places
within the presence of God.
Pass all this on to your children
and your children’s children
so that they too will know that this is our God.
This God is our God forever and ever,
the God who will lead us in peace
for all time to come.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

2 Corinthians 12: 2-10

There was a certain person — a Christian person who I know well — who fourteen years ago was swept up into the heights of heaven. I’m not sure whether this was a physical experience or an ecstatic vision. Only God really knows.
As I say, God only knows whether or not it was a whole-body thing, but this certain person was snatched up into Paradise, and there he heard things that are too wonderful for words, things that he dare not repeat to a living soul. Now if you want to hear about such amazing things, then I’m willing to talk freely about this certain person, but I don’t want to go blowing my own trumpet. Of course if you want me to talk about weaknesses I could talk about myself all night!
Mind you, there is no reason to think I’d end up with egg on my face if I did talk big about my own experiences. It would be the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but don’t get me started! I’d rather let my actions do the talking for me. Let me be judged simply by the value of what I teach and what I do. Any spectacular revelations I may have experienced in the past should not inflate your opinion of me.
And believe me, God has seen to it that they haven’t given me an over inflated opinion of myself. To balance them out and keep my feet firmly on the ground, I have been given a special gift — a real thorn in the flesh, a condition that torments me and causes great anguish in my body. Satan used it to try to derail me, but it is probably what has kept me on track. Of course I couldn’t see that at first. Three times I put everything else aside and gave all my time and energy to seeking the Lord for healing and deliverance. But the Lord said to me, “My generous love is enough for you. Your weakness clears the deck and opens you to my strength.”
So then, if it means that Christ’s strength will be all the more active in me, I will gladly wear my weaknesses like a badge of honour. Indeed, given the opportunity to talk about them, you can’t shut me up! So nowadays, what ever comes my way — failure, bad-mouthing, tough times, harassment, tragedy —I take it all in my stride and just allow Christ to come to the fore. You see, it is when I am at my weakest that I find the greatest strength.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Mark 6: 1-13

Jesus returned to his Nazareth, his hometown, and his closest followers went with him. On the Sabbath he gave a public lecture in the local synagogue. Many of those who attended were surprised and impressed by what he had to say. “Who would have guessed that a local lad would have done so well?” they said. “Where did he pick up such wisdom? And look at the miraculous things he does with just a touch of his hands!”
But the next minute they were getting their noses out of joint. “Who does he think he is? Mr Big-shot! He’s just a carpenter – Mary’s boy – no better than any of us. We know his brothers – James, Justin, Jude and Simon. His sisters all live here, and they’re no different from us.” So they ended up resenting him.
Jesus responded to all this, saying, “It’s always the way. Prophets are appreciated everywhere except at home among the friends and relations they grew up with.”
There was very little he could do there. He laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them, but that was about it. He couldn’t get over how stubborn and skeptical they were, so he moved on and did a teaching tour through the neighbouring towns.
Jesus called his chosen twelve together and sent them out in pairs. He commissioned them to deal with any spirit of evil they might encounter. He gave them orders to travel lightly and live simply – no carting luggage around or buying things along the way. He told them, “If anyone invites you to stay in their home, do so until it’s time to move on. No shopping around for a better place! And if you arrive somewhere and they refuse to welcome you in or hear what you have to say, just move on. Turn your backs and walk away. Scratch their names off your map and forget them.”
So they hit the road. Everywhere they went they preached with enthusiasm, calling people to turn their lives around and get back on track. They flushed out numerous demons, and healed a lot of people of various illnesses, anointing them with oil and praying that God would make them whole.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Ezekiel 2: 1-5

A voice spoke to me and said, “Ezekiel, young man, stand up on your feet and listen to what I have to say to you.”
When I heard this, a spirit moved inside me and stood me up on my feet, and I heard the voice speaking to me. The voice said to me:
“Young man, I am sending you to my people. They are a nation of scabs who turned against me. Just like their ancestors, they have repeatedly done the wrong thing by me and they are continuing to do so. This latest generation is the most callous and pigheaded yet. I am sending you to them, and it is your job to announce whatever the Lord GOD has to say to them. Maybe they will listen, maybe they won’t, because they are such a defiant mob. Either way, they will be left in no doubt that there has been a prophet among them.”
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 123

It is to you that we look for help, LORD;
to you who rules from the throne of heaven!
When people are injured,
they look to the doctors for help;
when they lie in hospital,
they look to the nurses for compassion;
and in the same way
we look to you, the LORD our God:
we depend on your kindness and care.
Treat us with compassion, LORD, treat us with compassion.
We’ve endured more than our fair share of contempt.
We have had an absolute gutful
of being put down by the arrogant
and treated like dirt by those who’ve got it easy.
©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,
— joy of all the earth —
for your grace is sufficient for us,
and your strength is always there in our weakness.
You created the heavens and the earth and all that live in them
and gave yourself to us to be our guide forever.
You gave your people great leaders, like David,
to shepherd them in peace and righteousness.
Your son, Jesus, came teaching with astounding wisdom
and bringing freedom and healing at the touch of his hands.
Like the prophets he was not honoured in his own town,
and was crucified by his own nation,
but you raised him from the dead,
displaying your perfect power in his weakness.
Now he has entrusted us with his mission
of casting out evil and proclaiming your steadfast love
from the holy mountain to the ends of the earth.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your son, Jesus,
whose trusted your perfect power in his weakness on the cross,
and who has entrusted us with his mission
of casting out evil and proclaiming your steadfast love
from the holy mountain to the ends of the earth.
©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,
— joy of all the earth —
for your grace is sufficient for us,
and your strength is always there in our weakness.
You created the heavens and the earth and all that live in them
and gave yourself to us to be our guide forever.
You gave your people great leaders, like David,
to shepherd them in peace and righteousness.
Your son, Jesus, came teaching with astounding wisdom
and bringing freedom and healing at the touch of his hands.
Like the prophets he was not honoured in his own town,
and was crucified by his own nation,
but you raised him from the dead,
displaying your perfect power in his weakness.
Now he has entrusted us with his mission
of casting out evil and proclaiming your steadfast love
from the holy mountain to the ends of 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.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

Jesus Christ sent out his apostles to call us all to repentance.
God has promised that all who turn to Christ for mercy
will receive forgiveness for sin,
for in our weakness, God’s strength is sufficient.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, and wherever people will hear you,
proclaim the life-changing love of God.
Do not fear your weakness,
for when you are weakest, Christ’s strength is known.
Travel lightly, live simply,
and honour those who welcome the gospel.
And may God be your protection and safe haven;
May the power of Christ Jesus dwell in you;
and may the Holy Spirit be your guide forever.
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.

Don’t Count on ApplauseA sermon on Mark 6:1-13 by Nathan Nettleton

Shoot the MessengerA sermon on Mark 6:1-13 by Nathan Nettleton

“Trusting God” for People who Have EverythingA sermon on Mark 6: 1-13, 14-15, 21-23 & 2 Corinthians 12: 2-10 by Andrew Woff

Making the Covenant – Making the ChurchA sermon on 2 Samuel 5: 1-5, 9-10 by Nathan Nettleton

The Stumbling Stone SermonA sermon on Mark 6:1-13 by Samara Pitt

Thorns, Warts and AllA sermon on 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 & Mark 6:1-13 by Nathan Nettleton

When Churches Picket Each OtherA sermon on 2 Corinthians 12:2-10; Mark 6:1-13 & 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 10 - Year B
2030-07-14 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.

2 Samuel 6: 1-5, 12b-19

David called up thirty thousand top soldiers, the cream of Israel’s army, and led them up to Baalah in Judah to collect the sacred Ark of God. The Ark bore the name of the LORD who rules over everything, and the gold cherubim on its top were recognised as God’s throne on earth. They removed the Ark of God from the house of Abinadab, secured it on a new cart, and set off down the hill with it. Abinadab’s two sons, Ahio and Uzzah, were at each end, steering the cart which carried the Ark of God. A crowd of Israelite people accompanied them, forming a joyful procession, all singing and dancing in honour of the LORD. David led them with great enthusiasm, and they were accompanied by all sorts of musical instruments.
They parked the Ark of God in the house of Obed-edom for a while after an accident, but eventually they were ready to set out again and bring it to the city of David. It was a huge celebration. This time the Ark of God was carried on the shoulders of some chosen men. Each time they had taken six paces, they would stop and David would sacrifice a bullock and a prime-beef yearling. Bare chested and with only a linen cloth round his waist, David danced with uninhibited joy and great energy to honour the LORD. To the sounds of trumpets and loud cheering, David and all the people of Israel brought the Ark of the LORD up into Jerusalem.
As they came through the city gates, David’s wife Michelle was watching from a window. She was the daughter of Saul, and when she saw King David making such a display of himself, leaping around in his dance, she was disgusted.
David had set up a special marquee for the sacred Ark of the LORD, and they carried it in and set it in its place. David led the people in worship, offering animal sacrifices to the LORD by burning them on an altar. When the offerings were over, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD who rules over everything. He sent them all on their way with gifts of food. Every man and woman in Israel was given a platter laden with bread, roast beef, and fruit cake. So, with the celebrations over, everyone headed home.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 24

The whole planet belongs to you, LORD —
the earth and everything that lies in it,
grows from it, or walks on it.
You raised the land above the seas,
and secured its foundations in the depths.
Who will be granted a permit
to climb your sacred mountain, O God?
Who may scale the summit to your holy presence?
Those who have played a straight bat,
acting with integrity,
not selling themselves out to delusions,
or playing fast and loose with the truth.
Your rich goodness will come their way, LORD,
and you will declare them innocent
and set them free.
These are the people who take no shortcuts
in their search for you.
Their greatest hunger is to know you,
the God of their ancestors.
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

Ephesians 1: 3-14

Blessed be God! All praise and honour be to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! God has gathered up all the spiritual blessings of heaven and given them to us in our union with Christ. This followed on from decisions that God had made even before laying the foundations of the world. Way back then, God was anticipating our arrival and laying down plans for us. God was getting ready to immerse us in divine love so that we would emerge ready, willing and able to dedicate our lives totally to God.
God set the wheels in motion for us to be adopted as his own children. This was to be done through Jesus Christ, because God takes great delight in doing such things through him. God wanted his beloved Son to get all the credit for the boundless love that was being lavished on us. Christ paid the ultimate price, shedding his own blood in his endeavour to reclaim us for God’s family. Given how often we’d turned our backs on God, he could easily have given up on us, but he was so extravagant in his love and reckless in his generosity that he just forgave us for everything and put his life on the line to save us.
God, who can see and understand perfectly what we could never comprehend, has let us in on the mystery of the divine plan. God took great delight in opening this up and giving us a preview in Christ. This is how it will unfold when the time is right: God will unify all things into one perfect communion in Christ, reconciling everything, from the depths of the earth to the farthest reaches of heaven.
In Christ we are identified as God’s beneficiaries and our future is secured. God’s plans always find a way, and right from the word go we have been a part of those plans. This was to ensure that we, being the first people to throw in our lot with Christ, would be able to live lives that clearly reflected the wonderful goodness of God. It didn’t stop with us though — you’re in on this too! The message of God’s rescue mission reached you, and once you realized it was fair dinkum and put your trust in Christ, you became part of him, just like us. At that moment your future was signed and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Now you know it will be delivered! Everything planned for God’s people will be yours — a life overflowing with the glory and splendour of God.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Mark 6: 14-29

The word was getting around about Jesus, and soon even King Herod had heard what was being said. Everyone had an opinion. Some people thought he was a reincarnation of John the baptiser and that that explained his miraculous powers. Others were of the view that he was Elijah or one of the other great prophets of the past. Herod was backing the John the baptiser theory. “It’s John for sure,” he said. “I had his head cut off, but he’s come back anyway, and more trouble than ever.”
It had been on Herod’s orders that John had been arrested, chained and put in prison in the first place. He had done this at the insistence of Herodias. She had been the wife of Herod’s brother Philip, but she had left him and married Herod. She had it in for John because he had been publicly denouncing their relationship as adultery. Although Herodias simmered with murderous rage against John, she couldn’t touch him because Herod held him in an almost superstitious awe. He was convinced that John was a unique holy man, and he was afraid of what might happen if he didn’t protect him. Herod took a perverse pleasure in listening to John speak. Everything John said aggravated him, and yet he kept coming back for more.
But it was only a matter of time before Herodias got her chance. On his birthday, Herod threw a huge birthday party and all the silver-tails and top brass were there – everybody who was anybody in Galilee. Herodias had a very attractive and alluring daughter who came in to the party and danced for the men. Herod and his guests were so mesmerised by her charms that the king said to her, “Anything you want, I will give you. Just ask!” He was so entranced by her that he shot his mouth off without thinking. “I swear I will give you whatever you ask, even half my kingdom.”
The girl went out and consulted her mother. “What should I ask for?”
Herodias had no hesitation. “The head of John the baptiser,” she said.
Intoxicated by this thought, the girl raced back to the king and placed her order. “I want the head of John the baptiser. I want it served up on a platter, right here, right now.”
That took the wind out of his sails quick smart, but he could hardly go back on his word in front of all his guests. It was lose face or lose John, so he caved in and gave the order. The executioner was sent for and John was dragged out of his cell and beheaded. His head was then carried in on a serving platter, and presented to the girl. She in turn gave it to her mother.
When the gruesome news reached John’s followers, they came and collected his body so that they could give him a decent burial.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Amos 7: 7-15

God gave me a vision. I saw the Lord holding a plumb line against a wall to see whether it was straight. As I looked, the LORD said to me, “Amos, what do you see?”
I answered, “A plumb line.”
Then the LORD said:
“I am using this plumb line
to show how crooked my people Israel have become.
I will not turn a blind eye again.
The private shrines of Isaac’s descendant will be flattened.
Israel’s so-called sacred sites will be scorched earth.
I will declare war on the royal family of Jeroboam.”
Amos was getting into hot water over his preaching. Amaziah, the priest at the shrine in Bethel, sent a message to Jeroboam, the King of Israel, saying, “Amos is sowing the seeds of rebellion right in the heart of Israel. All his talk of doom and gloom will paralyse the nation. Have you heard what he is saying about you?
‘Jereboam will be killed,
and the people of Israel
will be marched off into exile in a far off land.’”
Amaziah also tried to send Amos away himself, saying, “Hey preacher-man, get out of town! Buzz off back to Judah where you came from and ply your trade there. Harangue them with your prophesies, but don’t open your mouth here in Bethel again. This is the royal chapel – the King’s worship place – and we don’t need your kind around here.”
But Amos answered back, “I am no professional preacher; nor was I raised to be a preacher. I was happy making my living droving cattle and cutting timber. But the LORD called me in from the bush and said, ‘Go and preach to my people Israel.’
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 85: 8-13

We are eager to hear all you have to say, LORD God,
for your words bring peace and wellbeing
to those who stick with you
and leave behind their foolish ways.
Surely for all who respect you,
the life you saved us for is within reach.
Our land will be ablaze with your presence.
What a life it will be!
Love and loyalty will link arms;
justice and peace will become lovers.
Faithfulness will sprout and reach for the sky;
integrity will beam down on the earth.
You will give us every good thing, LORD,
and the land will give bumper crops.
Justice and integrity will spring up as you approach,
lining the road to welcome you among us.
©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 in Christ you are gathering all things into one communion
and adopting us as your own beloved children.
Every created thing is yours,
for you founded the earth
and gave life to all who live on it.
Even before that, you chose us
and planned for our inclusion into your life
of wholeness, holiness and glorious splendour.
With all wisdom and insight
you made known to your people the mystery of your will.
Though tyrants have opposed your truth,
cutting down your prophets,
and crucifying your Son, Jesus Christ,
you have not left us to death's powers.
When you raised Christ from the dead,
you opened the ancient gates to us
and sealed us with your promised Holy Spirit,
so that we might enter your resurrection life,
leaping and dancing,
and receive every blessing of heaven.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for Christ,
your crucified and risen Son,
in whom and through whom
you are gathering all things into one communion
and adopting us as your own beloved children,
just as you planned before the foundation of the world.
©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 in Christ you are gathering all things into one communion
and adopting us as your own beloved children.
Every created thing is yours,
for you founded the earth
and gave life to all who live on it.
Even before that, you chose us
and planned for our inclusion into your life
of wholeness, holiness and glorious splendour.
With all wisdom and insight
you made known to your people the mystery of your will.
Though tyrants have opposed your truth,
cutting down your prophets,
and crucifying your Son, Jesus Christ,
you have not left us to death's powers.
When you raised Christ from the dead,
you opened the ancient gates to us
and sealed us with your promised Holy Spirit,
so that we might enter your resurrection life,
leaping and dancing,
and receive every blessing of heaven.
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

In Jesus Christ we have redemption
and the forgiveness of our sins,
for in the richness of his grace
Christ determined to save us
even at the cost of his own life-blood.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out, and live lives that glorify God.
Act with integrity.
Do not sell yourself out to delusions
or give your word deceitfully.
Stand up for the truth and rejoice in the Lord.
And may God give you all the blessings of heaven;
May Christ Jesus gather you into his family;
and may the Holy Spirit deliver you safely
into the rich destiny prepared for God’s people.
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.

Giving GloryA sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14 by Nathan Nettleton

Isn’t that a bit extreme?A sermon on 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 14-22 & Mark 6:14-2 by Nathan Nettleton

Wow!A sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14 by Nathan Nettleton

The Liturgy of The DanceA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:15; 12b-19 and Mark 6:14-29 by Garry Deverell

Origin and DestinyA sermon on Ephesians 1:3-14; 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12-19 & Mark 6:14-29 by Nathan Nettleton

Nothing to be embarrassed aboutA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 14-22 and Ephesians 1:3-14 by Alison Sampson

The Children of the KingA sermon on Mark 6:14-29 and Ephesians 1:3-14 by Alison Sampson

A Caveful of CompassionA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:1-19; Ephesians 1:3-14 & Mark 6:14-29 by Nathan Nettleton

The Things UnsaidA sermon on 2 Samuel 6:15; 12b-19 and Mark 6:14-29 by Craig Bartlett

Baying for BloodA sermon on Mark 6:14-29 by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 11 - Year B
2030-07-21 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.

2 Samuel 7: 1-14a

King David made himself at home in his new palace and, thanks to the LORD, there was no trouble from Israel’s enemies for some time. One day the King consulted Nathan the prophet, and said to him, “It doesn’t seem right for me to be living it up in a palace built of the finest materials while the sacred Ark of God is still in a tent. It’s as though God was sleeping rough!”
Nathan replied, “The LORD is with you, so go ahead and do whatever you think should be done.”
But Nathan had spoken too soon. That same night, the LORD gave him a different message to pass on to King David. This is what it said:
David, I am the LORD and you are my servant, so listen to what I have to say to you. What makes you think that you are the one to build my house? I’ve been on the road with nothing more than a tent ever since I led the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. I didn’t need a house then and I don’t need one now. You’re not the first caretaker I’ve appointed for the tribes of Israel, and you won’t be the last, so think about it – have I ever gone whingeing to any of them and demanded a fancy house?
Now listen to me, and listen good. I am the LORD who rules over everything. I made you what you are today – the leader of my people. If it wasn’t for me you’d still be cleaning up after the sheep. I’ve never let you down, wherever you’ve gone. Whenever enemies have attacked you, I’ve dealt with them, right before your eyes. Thanks to me, you will be known as one of the most famous people who ever lived.
I have chosen a place for my people Israel, a place where they can put down roots, a place to call their own. They won’t need to be looking over their shoulders all the time, because there won’t be any more trouble from the barbarians who have plagued them for so long. For the first time since the days when I sent the legendary heroes to bring justice to my people, Israel will be at peace.
What’s more, I the LORD give you my word that I will make you the foundation stone of a great house. I will see to it that by the time your number’s up and you’re buried alongside your ancestors, you will have fathered your own successor. Yes, a son of yours will be king. I will back him all the way, anchoring his kingdom and establishing his dynasty forever. He is the one to whom I shall give the privilege of building my sacred temple. I will be a father to him, and he shall be my son.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 89: 20-37

Long ago, in a vision, you spoke to your faithful people, saying:
“I have crowned a great hero.
Among you, my people,
I found one fit for the throne.
My search ended with my servant David.
Pouring holy oil on his head,
I have set him apart as the chosen one.
He’ll always be able to look to me for strength;
when he needs some muscle,
I’ll be there to back him up.
The enemy will not get under his guard,
the wicked will never drag him down.
I’ll knock flat those who oppose him;
despise him and you answer to me!
My love for him is unshakable;
I’ll be faithful to him for ever.
On my say so, he’ll rule supreme and unchallenged.
I will put everything in his hands,
from coast to coast with all that lies between them.
He will cry out to me, ‘Oh, my Father, my God,
you are the rock I cling to for safety!’
I will make him number one in all the world,
he’ll outrank even the superpowers.
Forever and always, I will be true in my love,
and the covenant we’ve made
will never be broken.
I will see that his family name always has an heir,
and guarantee his throne to his descendants
as long as night follows day.
If his children turn their backs on my ways
and step off the paths I’ve marked out;
if they tear up the instructions I’ve given them
and go against my clear directives,
they’ll pay for it.
They’ll cop the maximum sentence for their crime.
I’ll make them lie in the bed they’ve made.
But even then I won’t take back my love,
and the vows I made to David will still ring true.
There is no way I would break my promise
or try to take back what I’d already said.
I have given my word, once and for all,
and staked my whole reputation on it.
I will never lie to David.
His family tree will be an unbroken line
and his dynasty as sure as the sun.
It shall be as fixed as the orbit of the moon,
as dependable as the lights in the night sky.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Ephesians 2: 11-22

Always remember where you came from, or you’ll begin to take what God has done for granted. Don’t ever forget that you were once outsiders, and were treated as such by those who had always been insiders. Back then you had no contact with Christ and you were foreigners to his people, Israel. You knew nothing of the rich heritage of promises and mutual responsibility that shaped Israel’s relationship with God. You knew nothing of them and you had no access to their benefits. In the world, but alienated from God — your situation was hopeless. But Christ Jesus has changed all that. No matter how far away you were, through his own blood, sweat and tears, Christ has brought you right into the centre of things.
Christ placed his own body in the gap so that now, through our common link to him, our two separate groups may unite as one. With his own hands he has torn down the barricades of ignorance, suspicion and hostility that divided us. We used to relate to God on the basis of the law, with its detailed regulations and prescriptions, but Christ has done away with all that. He saw that the law had divided humanity in two, since not everybody had access to it, and he wanted to create one united world. This unity would not be in the law, but in Christ himself, in his own body. Christ set out to make peace — offering himself to us both equally, suffering on the cross for us both equally — so that in him we might find one shared basis for reconciliation with God. If that’s not enough to eradicate the hostility between us, nothing will!
So with that agenda in mind, Christ came preaching peace to both of us — to you foreign outsiders and to us Jewish insiders. Now we are all equal, because we all have access to God in exactly the same way — through Christ, in one Spirit. It’s a whole new ball game. You will never be homeless exiles again. You have been granted citizenship in the province of God and you have the same rights of access as any of the saints.
Perhaps you could think of it this way. God is constructing a wonderful temple using every kind of material that comes to hand, regardless of its origins. The foundations are the apostles and prophets and all they did and said. Now all of us are being added, one at a time, with Christ Jesus himself as the central pillar that holds he whole structure together. With every part inseparably linked to him, the whole structure grows day by day into a holy temple dedicated to the Lord. So there you are. United in Christ we become a place where God’s Spirit is proud to live.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56

After travelling through the villages preaching, Jesus’s chosen ambassadors returned and met up with him again. They filled him in on everything they had been doing and teaching on the road. Jesus said to them, “It’s time to put your feet up for a bit. Let’s head off to a deserted beach somewhere and get some well earned rest.”
They certainly needed it. With all the coming and going of people wanting this and that, they hardly even had time to take proper meal breaks. So off they went. They piled into the boat and headed off by themselves for a secluded beach. It was no use though. Several people saw them leaving and managed to figure out where they were headed. Word travelled faster than the boat, and by the time they pulled ashore a crowd was already gathering from the nearby towns. Walking up the beach among the growing crowd, Jesus could feel his heart going out to them. They were like a ship without a rudder, so despite himself, he went straight back to teaching.
Much the same thing happened the next day. They had crossed back over in the boat and pulled ashore at Gennesaret. They had barely secured the boat and climbed onto the jetty when someone recognised Jesus and a buzz went through the town. All over the region people were rushing off to their sick friends or relatives and bringing them to wherever they heard Jesus had gone. There were stretcher crews coming from all directions. The story was beginning to repeat itself everywhere he went. City, town or outback road station – if the grapevine said that Jesus was there, there would be people queuing up in no time, bringing the sick for his attention. Day and night they came, all reaching out to him for help, begging for the chance to even just touch the sleeve of his coat. And all who did so were healed.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Jeremiah 23: 1-6

This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says:
The writing is on the wall for you leaders of my people. You are supposed to be like shepherds, keeping an eye on my flock and seeing that they are kept united and safe. But you have butchered them and scattered them. You have driven them off and left them defenceless. But I can assure you that I, the LORD, have been keeping my eye on you! I will see that you get what you deserve for your crimes against my people.
I will bring back what’s left of my people; bring them home from the lands where I sent them when they fled as refugees. Back home where they belong, they will regain their strength and flourish once again. I, the LORD, will raise up new leaders for them who can be trusted to care for them like real shepherds. My people will no longer have any reason to fear or despair, and none of them will be lost.
You can be sure that the time is coming when I, the LORD,
will raise up a true king from the family of David;
one who will rule with wisdom and do the right thing;
who will bring justice to the land and set things right.
As long as he reigns the land will be secure
and my people will enjoy peace.
Whenever his name is mentioned, people will say,
“Ah! The LORD has put everything right!”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 23

You, LORD, are my guide in the wilderness;
there is nothing more I could need.
You set up camp in places of beauty and shelter;
you lead the way on secluded tracks
beside creeks of cool clean water.
I feel my spirit breathing freely again;
your reputation puts me at ease;
I leave the navigating to you, and follow.
Even if we hike through a perilous valley,
where crows keep a menacing watch,
fear will still not get the better of me.
As long as I stick with you
I know I’ll make the distance;
with a knife and a bit of rope
you seem able to tackle any challenge.
You cook up a feast for me,
as those who wanted to feed on me watch, frustrated.
You pamper me like an honoured guest
and constantly top up my glass.
My life feels charmed, each and every day.
Love, mercy and all good things
keep falling into my lap.
I’m with you for life, LORD,
where you go, I’ll go;
where you live, I’ll live.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you draw all things together in Christ
and build us up as a holy temple to your glory.
You created the world and made it your dwelling place.
When you led your people out of oppression
you travelled with them like a homeless refugee.
You made a covenant with your servant, David,
anointing him to shepherd your people
and promising peace to those who followed your ways.
Your Son, Jesus, came,
filled with compassion for all who were without hope.
Though he preached peace and healed the sick and broken,
he was ensnared and killed by your enemies.
You raised him from the dead,
and, in him, you prepared a new covenant
— open to all people, near and far —
a covenant that breaks down every wall of hostility,
and reconciles us to you as one people.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your Son, Jesus, who came to us
showing compassion and healing our brokenness.
In him you break down every wall of hostility,
drawing all things together
and building us up as a holy temple to your glory.
©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 you draw all things together in Christ
and build us up as a holy temple to your glory.
You created the world and made it your dwelling place.
When you led your people out of oppression
you travelled with them like a homeless refugee.
You made a covenant with your servant, David,
anointing him to shepherd your people
and promising peace to those who followed your ways.
Your Son, Jesus, came,
filled with compassion for all who were without hope.
Though he preached peace and healed the sick and broken,
he was ensnared and killed by your enemies.
You raised him from the dead,
and, in him, you prepared a new covenant
— open to all people, near and far —
a covenant that breaks down every wall of hostility,
and reconciles us to you as one people.
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

Though we have abandoned God’s ways,
God’s love and faithfulness will not be withdrawn.
In Christ Jesus there is forgiveness and healing.
At the cost of his own blood, he has reconciled us to God.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out, remembering all God has done for you.
Break down the walls of hostility,
proclaim peace,
have compassion for all,
and don’t forget to take time for yourself also.
And may God be with you wherever you go;
May Christ Jesus heal you and replenish you;
and may the Holy Spirit encircle you and strengthen you.
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.

Our Future Belongs to GodA sermon on 2 Samuel 7: 1-14a; Ephesians 2: 11-22 & Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56 by Nathan Nettleton

Seeking HealingA sermon on Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56 by Nathan Nettleton

Exiles and asylum seekersA sermon on Ephesians 2:11-22 by Ian Cook

Demolishing Sacred BuildingsA sermon on 2 Samuel 7:1-14a & Ephesians 2:11-22 by Nathan Nettleton

Jesus – Sledge Hammer ChampionA sermon on 2 Samuel 7:1-14a & Ephesians 2:11-22 by Nathan Nettleton

Silence and RelationshipsA sermon on Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56 & Ephesians 2: 11-22 by Jeff Wild

Salvation in an Age of TribalismA sermon on Ephesians 2:11-22 by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 12 - Year B
2030-07-28 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.

2 Samuel 11: 1-15

The onset of spring seems to arouse powerful men, and military campaigns were usually undertaken after the winter ended. One year, King David sent out the Israelite army under the command of Joab and his officers. They decimated the Ammonite army and marched on their capital city, Rabbah.
David himself had his feet up in Jerusalem while his troops laid siege to Rabbah. Late one day, after an afternoon siesta, David wandered out onto his rooftop balcony. Looking down into the homes of his neighbours, he spied a woman undressing to take a bath. He couldn’t take his eyes of her beautiful body. His lust got the better of him, and he sent a servant to check out who she was. The servant reported back, saying, “Your Majesty, her name is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam. She is married to Uriah the Hittite who is presently serving in your army.”
David was unperturbed and hastily arranged for his guards to grab her and bring her to him. She was escorted into the palace and left alone with the King. He had sex with her and then sent her home again. If he wanted to get away with it, he had picked the wrong time of the month. A few weeks later he received a message from Bathsheba saying, “I am pregnant with your baby.”
David hatched a scheme to cover his tracks. He contacted Joab and arranged for Uriah the Hittite to be sent as a courier with military reports for the palace. When Uriah arrived, David made a great show of asking him all about the war and how Joab and the troops were getting on. Then he said to Uriah, “You’ve earned some leave. Go home, enjoy a night with your wife, and I’ll send you back in a day or two.”
Uriah left and David even had the palace kitchen send food and wine around to his house. But Uriah didn’t go home to his wife. He spent the night in the barracks of the palace guard. When David heard about it in the morning he sent for Uriah and said, “I gave you some leave, Soldier. You’ve been on a tough assignment. Why didn’t you go home?”
Uriah replied, “It wouldn’t be fair to my mates. They’re all out there in tents – the whole army, Joab and the other commanders, and even the sacred Ark. How could I go home to eat and drink and sleep with my wife when they’re still roughing it? On a stack of bibles I swear to you, I couldn’t do it.”
David was getting desperate. He said to Uriah, “I need you to stay here another day and then tomorrow you can take a delivery back to Joab.”
So Uriah hung around in Jerusalem as instructed. David invited him to dinner and made sure that his glass was never empty. By the time Uriah left that evening, he was quite drunk, but he still didn’t go home to his wife. He slept on a stretcher in the barracks again.
David had only one card left. In the morning he sent Uriah back to the front with a dispatch for Joab. It included a royal order saying, “Send Uriah to attack the enemy’s strongest defence post. Then, pull back the rest of the troops so he’ll be stranded and killed.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 14

Heartless, mindless scum kid themselves
that there is no God.
They are corrupt and callous.
The things they do would make you sick.
There is not an ounce of good among them.
The LORD scans the human race, one at a time,
looking for any who are still wise;
for even one who still has a heart for God.
But it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack!
They’ve all lost the plot.
Everyone is caught up
in their own perverse ways.
Every last one of them.
Don’t they know where all this will get them?
They never look to the LORD for anything;
they chew up God’s people and spit them out.
But it will soon be their turn to cringe in fear,
because God sides with those who play straight.
If you think you can trample
the dreams of the battlers,
Watch out! The LORD will be there for them.
We can hardly wait to hear the songs of freedom
as justice marches down from God’s mountain!
What a day it will be
when the LORD redistributes the wealth
and God’s people are compensated
for their suffering!
Our ancestors will rise up with joy!
The streets will fill with singing and dancing!
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Ephesians 3: 14-21

Because of the overwhelming goodness of all God has done for us in Christ, I fall on my knees in gratitude. I pour out prayers of thanks and praise to the God who conceived us, to this God in whom every people of every place find their life and their true identity.
I offer up prayers for you too. God overflows with rich and vibrant life, and I’m praying that through God’s Spirit this overflow will be channelled into you, to put new steel into every fibre of your being. I pray that through your trust in Christ, he may put down roots in your heart, and that you may put down roots in his love. You can’t have your feet on any firmer ground than that!
I’m also praying that you and all God’s beloved people might somehow be able to fathom the astonishing extent of the mysteries God has opened to us, even though they stretch from the depths of the earth to the outer reaches of the galaxy, from horizon to horizon, and from here to eternity! And finally I’m praying that you will be intimately acquainted with the love of Christ — a love that goes far beyond anything we can get our heads around. For it is that love that will pump you full of life, the rich and vibrant life of God.
So now, credit where credit’s due — all glory to God. It is God whose Spirit, working powerfully within us and through us, is capable of things beyond our wildest dreaming — things so extraordinary we’d have never even thought to ask for them. So all the accolades belong to God.
In the church, glory to God!
In the messiah, Jesus, glory to God!
In every generation, glory to God!
In every age, from now to forever, glory to God!
And so say all of us!
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 6: 1-21

Shortly before the annual Passover, a sacred Jewish festival, Jesus took a trip over to the other side of Lake Galilee. As usual, a sizable crowd followed him. Indeed, every time he helped a sick person, people said it was a sign, and growing numbers began to follow his every move. After beaching the boat, Jesus headed up the hill with his closest followers. As they sat down, they looked back and sure enough, there was the crowd coming up to join them. Jesus put a question to Philip: “Where can we buy bread to feed all these extra guests?”
He actually knew what he was going to do, but he wanted to see how far he could stretch Philip’s thinking. Philip replied, “Even if there was a bakery out here, you’d need to take out a mortgage to pay for a slice each!”
Another of the disciples, Simon Peter’s brother Andrew, spoke up: “There is a lad over here with five bread rolls and a couple of fish. It’s a drop in the ocean for this mob though.”
Jesus said, “Get everyone to sit down,” and they did. The grassy clearing where they sat was quite spacious, and it needed to be — there were close to five thousand people there. Jesus took the bread rolls, and after giving thanks to God, he began handing them out among the people sitting on the grass. He did the same with the fish, and somehow there was enough to go around. More than enough in fact. When everyone had eaten their fill, he sent his disciples to gather up the leftovers, saying, “Don’t let anything go to waste!”
Having started with only five bread rolls, they gathered up twelve shopping bags full of bits that people couldn’t eat! When it began to dawn on people what he had done, they started saying, “It’s a sign! He’s got to be the great prophet who God promised to send into the world.”
Jesus realised that they were getting carried away and that if he wasn’t careful they’d be starting a revolution and proclaiming him king, whether he liked it or not. Discretion seemed the better plan, so he slipped off and went bush by himself.
That evening his disciples went back down to the lake. Jesus hadn’t come back but darkness had fallen, so they loaded the boat and pushed off toward Capernaum. A squall blew up and they’d been pushing through rough waters for about an hour when they saw Jesus walking across the waves, not far from the boat. It scared them half to death, but Jesus called out to them, “Look who I am. There’s no need to be afraid!” They pulled themselves together and were keen to bring him on board, but suddenly the boat ran aground — in the exact place they had been heading for!
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

2 Kings 4: 42-44

During the famine, a man arrived from Baal-shalishah, bringing a sack of food as the required offering to God from the first fruits of his harvest. He gave the offering to Elisha, as God’s representative. The sack contained twenty loaves of barley bread and some fresh ears of grain. Elisha told his servant to give it to the hungry people outside so that they could eat. But his servant said, “There’s a hundred people outside. How am I supposed to give this to them without it seeming like a cruel joke?”
But Elisha stood his ground, saying, “Give it to the people and let them eat. It will be enough for them all and they’ll have some left over. We have the LORD’s word for it.”
So the servant handed it out to the people. They all ate and there was some left over, just as the LORD had promised.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 145: 10-18

LORD, everyone and everything will thank you, their creator,
and all who are loyal to you will sing your praises.
As your people, we will promote the glory of your reign,
and broadcast the news of your power for good.
We will tell everyone about the great things you have done
and about the magnificent splendour of your reign.
You will reign forever and ever, LORD,
your rule is in place for all generations to come.
Everything you say can be relied on, LORD,
and everything you do is generous and loving.
When people fall, you put them back on their feet;
when people are crushed, you stand them tall again.
Everyone looks to you for what they need,
and you meet their needs when the time is right.
You open your hands
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
Justice marks everything you do, LORD,
and generous love colours your every deed.
When honest hearts cry out to you, LORD,
you are right there alongside them.
You satisfy the desires of those who respect you;
you hear their cries and rescue them from death.
You watch out for those who love you, LORD,
and wipe out corruption when it threatens.
Your praises will be always on our lips, LORD,
and with all who live,
we will single out your name for the highest honour
forever and ever.
©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 we are overwhelmed
by the length and breadth, height and depth
of your mysteries, your glory, and your love for us in Christ.
You brought forth the earth and the heavens,
and from tiny fragments you created a rich abundance
to nurture and strengthen all who look to your hand.
You have given yourself generously to your people,
despite their eagerness to crown every new hero
and corrupt themselves before idols
of wealth, sex and power.
In your Son, Jesus,
you have given us the saviour we longed for.
Though he was crucified by the corrupt,
you raised him to life and he comes to us again,
striding over chaos and death,
dispelling our fears with a love beyond comprehension,
strengthening us in our inner beings,
and bringing us safely to the land of our destiny.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your Son, Jesus,
who comes to us, striding over chaos and death,
feeding us with your abundance
and making known to us
the length and breadth, height and depth
of your mysteries, your glory, and your love for us in Christ.
©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 we are overwhelmed
by the length and breadth, height and depth
of your mysteries, your glory, and your love for us in Christ.
You brought forth the earth and the heavens,
and from tiny fragments you created a rich abundance
to nurture and strengthen all who look to your hand.
You have given yourself generously to your people,
despite their eagerness to crown every new hero
and corrupt themselves before idols
of wealth, sex and power.
In your Son, Jesus,
you have given us the saviour we longed for.
Though he was crucified by the corrupt,
you raised him to life and he comes to us again,
striding over chaos and death,
dispelling our fears with a love beyond comprehension,
strengthening us in our inner beings,
and bringing us safely to the land of our destiny.
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

With a love that surpasses knowledge,
Christ comes to us saying, “Trust in me. Do not be afraid.”
Though we have nothing to offer but our broken selves,
he brings forth an abundance of mercy beyond our imagining.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out into the world.
Seek God, and the wisdom of God.
Hide yourself from the corruptions of power and adulation.
Entrust whatever you have to Christ
for with him, there will always be more than enough.
And may God strengthen you in your inner beings.
May Christ Jesus dwell in your hearts through faith.
and may the Holy Spirit plant your roots deeply
in the abundant richness of God’s love.
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.

Is Gratitude a Performance Enhancing Drug?A sermon on Ephesians 3:14-21 by Nathan Nettleton

Paul’s PrayerA sermon on on Ephesians 3:14-21 by Alan Marr

Abundance & CorruptionA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton

Taking By ForceA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton

Confronting a RapistA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton

Bread That Breaks RulesA sermon on John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton

Toxic ChosennessA sermon on 2 Samuel 11: 1-15 & John 6: 1-21 by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 13 - Year B
2030-08-04 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.

2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a

The news that Uriah had been killed in battle reached his wife, Bathsheba, and she went into mourning. When the customary time of mourning was over, King David arranged for her to move into the palace. She became his wife, and a son was born to them. But David’s actions had put him off side with the LORD.
The LORD sent the prophet Nathan to speak to David. Nathan addressed the King saying:
Consider this case, your Majesty. Two men lived on neighbouring properties. One of them was filthy rich. He owned huge mobs of sheep and cattle, and plenty of land to graze them on. The other man was dirt poor. He rented his land and owned only one small lamb. The lamb was like a pet to him and his children. It even used to eat at their table and sleep on the end of their bed. People used to joke that he treated the lamb like one of his daughters. One day the rich man had a guest from out of town. He was too stingy to butcher any of his own animals to prepare a meal for his guest, so he sent a servant over the fence to steal the poor man’s lamb. He had the lamb roasted and carved up for the evening meal.”
David was so outraged he nearly exploded! He thumped the table and said, “I swear by God, such a cruel and callous crime will not go unpunished. Hanging’s too good for a man like that! I order that he be made to pay compensation at four times the value of what he stole.”
Nathan looked David straight in the eye and said, “You are the man! You stand condemned by your own words! Now listen to what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to you:
I chose you to be king of Israel. When Saul was trying to kill you, I rescued you. I gave you his throne and his wives and made you king over both Israel and Judah. If that wasn’t enough, you should have said so. I would have gladly given you whatever you asked for. So why do you spit in my face now? Why have you rejected what I taught you and committed such a horrible crime? You murdered Uriah the Hittite so you could get your hands on his wife. He was fighting for you against the Ammonites – he shouldn’t have had to guard his back against you! And now the cat’s out of the bag. Your despicable behaviour will sow seeds of violence and betrayal that will tear apart your family generation after generation. Watch your back. Rebellion will come from within your own family and I’ll hand over your wives to the rebel before your very eyes. He’ll have sex with them right out in the open. Your crime was hidden away where no one could see, but your humiliation will happen in public where everyone can see.”
David cried out to Nathan, saying, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 51: 1-12

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.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Ephesians 4: 1-16

I am still in this detention centre, locked up for the Lord, but you are free to live out the life God has called you to. It’s a high calling, but on bended knee I beg of you — live up to it. Give it everything you’ve got! Don’t let your zeal make you aggressive though. In all your dealings, stay humble, gentle, patient. Even when things get rocky among you, hang in there with each other. Don’t let your love give up. In the Spirit you are one people, held together in peace. Put every effort in to making sure that that vision is a lived reality and not just a pious ideal.
This unity is evident in everything. The Spirit is one; the body into which we have been incorporated is one; and the quest we are called to is one. We have only one Lord; we share one faith; and we all came into it through the one baptism. We are all children of the one God, who surrounds everything, permeates everything, and embraces everything.
That doesn’t mean we’re a bunch of clones though. In his extraordinary generosity, Christ takes care to give us each the gifts that are just right for us. As the scriptures say,
“When he rose to the heights
he took confinement itself a prisoner,
and handed out gifts to the people.”
Now, when you think about it, it becomes clear that if he ‘rose to the heights’ he must first have come down to the earth — right down into the depths of the earth. He who plumbed the depths and he who rose to the heights are one and the same, and he fills everything in the universe with his presence.
It was he who ‘handed out gifts to the people’. He gifted some to be apostles and some to be prophets; others to be missionaries; and still others to be pastors and teachers. All these gifts are given for the task of equipping everyone in the church for the work of ministry. In this way the church, as the body of Christ, can grow strong and healthy. The work continues until we are all truly one — united by the shared experience of knowing and trusting the Son of God. That’s our destiny — full maturity — the realisation of our quest to live up to our role-model, Jesus Christ.
So it’s time immaturity became a thing of the past. We’ve been as gullible as little children, easy prey to those who offer sugar-coated deceptions. Racketeers and snake-oil merchants are always offering yet another new gimmicky life-change plan for those who fall for one scam after another. It’s time we grew up! It’s time we had the guts to face the truth, and to speak it with love. That’s what it will take for us to grow to be like Christ, to be part of Christ. We’ve got to let him call the shots. He is like the brain, which communicates through the nervous system to keep every organ and muscle functioning harmoniously. Only with every part answering to him will the conditions be right for the body to grow strong and robust, bulked up in love.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 6: 24-35

When the crowd who Jesus had fed realised that he and his disciples were gone, they piled into the boats and headed across to Capernaum to look for him.
When they tracked him down on the far side of the lake, they questioned him, “Rabbi, when did you arrive here?”
Jesus took them to task, saying, “If the truth be known, you’re not looking for me because you saw signs of God in what I did, but simply because you got a free meal out of me. You’ll never satisfy your real hunger with a belly full of food, no matter how much effort you put into it. Put your energy instead into finding the life-giving food that will never stop nourishing you. The New Human will give it to you, and he has been guaranteed by God the Father.”
Hearing that, they asked, “What do we have to do to get in on what God’s doing?”
Jesus replied, saying, “This is all God asks: that you stake everything on the One he has sent.”
But they began beating around the bush, saying, “Show us a sign. What proof can you give us so that we’ll know it is right to commit ourselves to what you say? Show us what you can do. Moses brought down bread from heaven for our ancestors to eat in the desert. It says so in the scriptures.”
Then Jesus set them straight: “If the truth be known, Moses wasn’t the one who gave you the bread from heaven. It is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. The bread that God is offering you is the real stuff — bread direct from heaven that gives life to the world.”
“We’ll take it, Sir!” they said. “Give us this bread from now on.”
Jesus said to them, “It’s me. I am the bread of life. Anyone who comes on board with me will never hunger or thirst again. Put your trust in me and you will always be satisfied.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Exodus 16: 2-4, 9-15

Once they were on their own in the outback, the Israelite people began to lose their nerve and worry about how they were going to survive, and the whole crowd started whingeing and criticising Moses and Aaron. The people were saying, “We would have been better off waiting for the LORD to kill us back in Egypt. At least there was always a pot of stew on the boil there, and as much bread as we could eat. But you two have dragged us out into the scrub so that you can starve us all to death out here.”
Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to make bread fall from the sky like rain for you. Each day the people are to go out and collect enough for that day only. I am going to test out the people to see whether or not they will do what I tell them. They are not to stockpile it.”
Then Moses said to Aaron, “Give this message to the whole Israelite congregation: ‘Draw close to the LORD, for the LORD has listened to your complaints.’”
And even as Aaron was addressing the gathered people, they looked out across the desert and witnessed an awesome display of the LORD’s glory in the clouds.
The LORD spoke to Moses and said, “Because I have listened to the people’s problems, I want you to give them this message: ‘At sundown you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have plenty of bread. Then you will know for sure that I am the LORD your God.”
That evening, an enormous flock of game birds came in and settled all over the camp where the people could pick them off with ease. Then in the morning, the ground was covered in dew, and as the dew dried, it left a layer of fine flaky stuff on the ground. It looked like a light sprinkling of snow on the desert floor. When the people saw it, they had no idea what it was and began to ask one another, “What on earth is this stuff?”
Moses told them, “This is the bread that the LORD has provided for you to gather up and eat.”
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 78: 23-29

LORD, when our ancestors were wandering in the outback
you gave orders to the sky,
and opened the storerooms of heaven;
you rained down manna for them to eat,
the grain of heaven as a gift to them.
Mere human beings ate the bread of angels,
for you sent them all the food they could eat.
You set the wind blowing in the sky,
gusting from south and east with your power;
and on the wind you sent more food still;
game birds coming in like wind-blown sand,
falling thick on the ground around the camp,
meals-on-wings landing on their doorstep.
The people stuffed themselves happily, LORD,
because you had given them just what they were craving.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you have sent us bread from heaven
to give life to the whole world.
You are above all and through all and in all,
and by your word all things were created.
You fed your people with manna from heaven,
and even when they defied you,
if they turned from their callous ways,
you fed them again with your wisdom and truth.
In your Son, Jesus Christ,
you have offered yourself to us as the bread of life
that we might be nourished and built up
as one body in the bond of peace.
Though he was murdered by those he fought to save,
you raised him from the depths of the earth
to fill the whole universe with his gifts
and baptise all things into one body,
held together by one spirit, under one Lord.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your Son, Jesus Christ,
in whom you offer yourself to us as the bread of life
that we might be nourished in truth
and baptised into one body,
held together by one spirit, under one Lord.
©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 you have called us to the one hope;
one Lord, one faith and one baptism.
You are above all and through all and in all,
and by your word all things were created.
You fed your people with manna from heaven,
and even when they defied you,
if they turned from their callous ways,
you fed them again with your wisdom and truth.
Your Son, Jesus Christ, came among us
doing your works
and speaking your truth in love
that we might be bound together
as one body in the bond of peace.
Though he was murdered by those he fought to save,
you raised him from the depths of the earth
to fill the whole universe with his gifts
and baptise all things into one body,
held together by one spirit, under one Lord.
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

God, in tender mercy, does not cast us aside,
or withdraw the Holy Spirit from us,
but saves us, washing away our sin
and cleansing us from our guilt.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out from here and live lives worthy
of the one calling which we all share.
In humility, gentleness and patience,
speak only what is true and loving
and so grow into the unity that is ours in Christ.
And may God the creator reshape your hearts;
May Christ Jesus, the bread of life, sustain you always;
and may the Holy Spirit unite you in the bond of peace.
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.

Love that Body!A sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton

Bread and CircusesA sermon on John 6:24-35 & 2 Samuel 11:26 – 12:13a by Nathan Nettleton

Grow UpA sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 & John 6:24-35 by Nathan Nettleton

Confronting the AlmightyA sermon on 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a, Ephesians 4:1-16 & John 6:24-35 by Nathan Nettleton

A Question of RepentanceA sermon on 2 Samuel 11:26-12:13a by Nathan Nettleton

Thank God for Painful People!A sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton

The Spirit of Oneness and OneingA sermon on Ephesians 4:1-16 by Karen Quah

Proper 14 - Year B
2030-08-11 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.

2 Samuel 18: 5-9, 15, 31-33

King David’s army, led by Joab and his officers, was preparing for battle against the Israelites who had rebelled with Absalom. David briefed them before they marched out, saying, “Absalom is still my son, so for my sake, capture him unharmed.” He gave these orders to the commanders, and all the troops heard what he said about Absalom.
With that, they headed out against the Israelite army. The battle was fought in the Ephraim forest and it spread out on several fronts. David’s men defeated the Israelite army that day, but it was a horrible bloodbath. Twenty thousand men died in the carnage and the dangerous forest terrain claimed as many victims again.
Absalom ran into a patrol of David’s men, led by Joab. He was pushing through a narrow track on his mule alone. As he passed under a great oak tree, Absalom’s thick hair got caught in the low branches and dragged him off the back of the mule which continued on its way. Absalom was left hanging in mid air, unable to get up or down. The patrol found him hanging there and they killed him. Joab thrust the first spear in and then ten of his men surrounded him and finished Absalom off.
An Ethiopian runner was sent to David to report on the outcome of the battle. He said to David, “Your Majesty, I bring you good news! The LORD has set things right for you today, making you safe from those who rebelled against you.”
The king said to the messenger, “What about Absalom? Is he okay?”
The Ethiopian answered, “May all your enemies and anyone who wishes you harm, my king, meet the same fate that Absalom has met today.”
The king was distraught. He disappeared into the nearest room, overcome with grief. Through his tears he cried out over and over, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son, Absalom! If only I could have died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son!”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 130

From the depths of despair, from rock bottom,
I cry to you, O LORD.
I beg you to listen!
Please tune in and hear what I’m asking!
If you put black marks against our names
for every failing,
Lord, wouldn’t you have to write off everyone?
But forgiveness is much more your style,
and for this we adore you.
I wait in eager anticipation for your presence, LORD.
Everything inside me yearns for you
and your promises fill me with hope.
Deep in my guts there is a hunger for you, LORD,
more pressing than a woman
waiting for the birth of her baby,
more impatient than a child
waiting for a birthday;
crossing off the days, one by one.
O People of Israel, put your trust in the LORD!
The LORD’s love never lets us down,
and is always ready to rescue us from danger.
It is the Lord who will bail us out
when we are caught in the consequences
of our own sin.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2

Recognising that we are all parts of the one body, let’s give up all pretence. It’s time to come out from behind our masks and get fair dinkum with one another. No doubt there are times when it’s right to get angry, but make sure your response is right too. Justifiable anger doesn’t justify vengefulness, bitterness or any other sin. And when you’re angry, deal with the issues as soon as you can. Dragging it out just gives the devil a chance to get his foot in the door.
Those who’ve been stealing to make ends meet need to change their ways. It’s time they applied their skills to some honest trade and hopefully before long they will have enough to give something to others in need.
And all of you, watch your mouths. Don’t allow any venom or malice to pass your lips. Instead let every word be constructive and generous. Talk up what is good. That way what you have to say will be welcomed as a gift.
You are now identified as God’s people — the signs of the Holy Spirit mark you out as those destined for life when the day of freedom finally comes. So don’t go causing any grief to the Holy Spirit or making God ashamed to be associated with you. There are some things you should quit completely — resentment, vindictiveness, mudslinging, and any underhanded or malicious behaviour. Try living up to these labels instead — big-hearted, compassionate, tolerant. Try to be as generous in forgiving each other as God was with you. Children learn by imitating the parents they love. Take a tip from them and model yourself on what you’ve seen of God in Christ. Or in other words, live a life of love — love that doesn’t stop at anything. Christ’s love for us cost him everything, and there is no more pleasing gift anyone can give to God than a love that is willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of others.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 6: 35, 41-51

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Anyone who comes on board with me will never hunger or thirst again. Put your trust in me and you will always be satisfied.”
Because of this, people began to grumble about him. They objected to him claiming to be the bread that came from heaven. They muttered to one another saying, “What does he take us for? We know who he is - Jesus, Joe’s lad. Is he forgetting that we know his mum and dad? How does he expect us to take him seriously when he says, ‘I have come from heaven’?”
Jesus answered them:
“Don’t go getting all worked up over me. The One who sent me is responsible for drawing people to me — otherwise no one would come. I’ll always be there for those who do come - each and every one of them. Even on the last day, I’ll be there, raising them to new life. One of the prophets put it this way, ‘Every last one of them will learn directly from God.’ So everyone who really tunes in to God and takes in what they hear will recognise who I am, and come to learn from me. Everyone wants to learn from an eyewitness and the only person who has seen God is the one who came from God. No one else has. Let me set you straight on this: whoever has faith has life — life without limit.
I am the bread of life. Sure, your ancestors ate manna in the desert, but they still died. Now it’s different. Now the real bread has come from heaven and you can eat it and be protected from death forever. I am the bread — living bread — straight from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live life without end and without limit. The bread that I’m offering is my own flesh, and I give it for the life of the world.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

1 Kings 19: 4-8

Fearing for his life, Elijah went off-road and pushed on alone into the scrub. After a day of that, he was in utter despair. He collapsed under the only tree for miles that offered any shade and spilled his guts, saying, “I can’t take any more, LORD. Just kill me now! I’m as good as dead anyway.”
Exhausted, he fell asleep where he lay. Suddenly someone tapped him on the shoulder, saying, “Get up and eat.”
Elijah looked around and there, just near his head, was a cake of damper bread and a full water bottle. He ate and drank and then went back to sleep. The messenger of the LORD came to him again, tapping him on the shoulder and saying, “Get up and eat, or you’ll never survive the journey ahead.”
So Elijah got up and ate and drank his fill. That meal gave him the strength to push on for forty days and nights until he reached Mount Sinai – God’s own mountain.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 34: 1-8

I will speak up in your favour, every chance I get, LORD.
Every time I open my mouth, I’ll sing your praises.
Everything I’m proud of is your doing, LORD;
the news of your goodness puts a smile on the face of the helpless.
I’ll put the spotlight on you, LORD;
and gather a crowd to spread the word.
When I pounded on your door, LORD, you opened up;
you calmed my fears and put my mind at rest.
Those who look to you light up with joy;
their faces never grow dark with shame.
When I had nothing, I cried out, LORD, and you answered;
you got me out of some serious trouble.
You station your angels to watch over those who trust you;
they watch us, guard us, and get us safely through.
May everyone taste for themselves how good you are, LORD;
may everyone find shelter in you and be happy.
©2000 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 sent us the bread of heaven.
You created the heavens and the earth,
and all your creatures draw their life from you.
Even when we have rebelled against you,
you have never left us hanging in fear
or crying from the depths.
In love and mercy you hear our yearning prayers
and mark us out for the day of redemption.
You sent to us your Son, Jesus Christ,
the bread of life for our deepest hunger,
and you drew us to him that we might learn from him.
When the world turned against him,
he gave himself up, in the fullness of love,
a fragrant offering and sacrifice to you
for the life of the whole world,
so that we and all who trust him
might feed on him and have life without limit.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your Son, Jesus Christ,
who gave himself up as a fragrant offering
for the life of the whole world,
so that we and all who trust him
might feed on him, the bread of life,
and have life without limit.
©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 yu have drawn us to yourself in Christ,
and will raise us to life on teh last day.
You created the heavens and the earth,
and all your creatures draw their life from you.
Even when we have rebelled against you,
you have never left us hanging in fear
or crying from the depths.
In love and mercy you hear our yearning prayers
and mark us out for the day of redemption.
You sent to us your Son, Jesus Christ,
the bread of life for our deepest hunger,
and you drew us to him that we might learn from him.
When the world turned against him,
he gave himself up, in the fullness of love,
a fragrant offering and sacrifice to you
for the life of the whole world,
so that we and all who trust him
might have life without limit.
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

If the Lord recorded our sins, no one could survive,
but God’s capacity for forgiveness is extraordinary.
The Lord will bring mercy and grant full pardon.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out and imitate God, living in love.
Put your hope in God’s Word
and let your own words be truthful and constructive.
May sin rouse your anger,
but never let anger cause you to sin.
Don’t allow any room for evil.
And may God always hear your voice.
May Christ Jesus raise you to new life;
and may the Holy Spirit nourish you for the life of love.
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.

Taking off our MasksA sermon on Ephesians 4:25-52 by Sylvia Sandeman

The Bread You Feed OnA sermon on John 6:35, 41-51 & Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2 by Nathan Nettleton

The Way of the CrossA sermon on 2 Samuel 18: 5-9, 15, 31-33 and John 6: 35, 41-51 by Alison Sampson

Covid, Canceling, and a Culture of KindnessA sermon on Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2 by Nathan Nettleton

Putting our lives where our mouths areA sermon on Ephesians 4:25 – 5:2 by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 15 - Year B
2030-08-18 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.

1 Kings 2: 10-12; 3: 3-14

King David died and was buried in Jerusalem. He had ruled over Israel for forty years; seven years from Hebron, and then thirty-three from Jerusalem. David’s son Solomon inherited the throne, and he had a firm grip on the kingdom.
Solomon honoured the LORD and lived as his father David had taught him. In addition he offered sacrifices and burned incense at some of the sacred sites in the hills. The most important of these sacred sites was at Gibeon and Solomon offered more than a thousand sacrifices on the altar there.
One night, while he was staying over in Gibeon, the LORD God appeared to Solomon in a dream. God said to him, “Solomon, what would you most like me to give you?”
Solomon answered God, saying:
You always loved my father, your servant David. Your love was solid and unshakable, because he was good and honest and did what was right by you. As a sign of your love and loyalty to him, you gave him a son to inherit his kingdom. So here I am, LORD God. I am your servant, and you have made me king in place of my father, even though I’m little more than a boy and have no idea how to conduct myself properly. I am your servant and you have given me the job of ruling your chosen people, even though they are a great nation and there are more of them than anyone can count. So then, what I would most like you to give me is a sharp mind to rule justly and to be able to pick the difference between right and wrong every time. Without such a gift, no one could ever hope to rule your people.
The Lord was most impressed with Solomon’s request, and said to him:
You could have selfishly asked me to give you a long life, or to make you the richest man on earth, or to wipe out your enemies. But instead you have asked me for the wisdom to make the right decisions for my people. You have chosen well and I will give you exactly what you have asked for. You will have more wisdom and insight than anyone else who has ever lived or ever will. And to top it all off, I will also give you what you could have asked for, but didn’t. All your life you will be extraordinarily rich, and you will be greatly honoured by everyone. No other king will be able to hold a candle to you. And if you do things my way and play by the rules I have given you, much as your father did, then I will give you a long and healthy life.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 111

Wow! More power to you, LORD!
We can’t thank you enough.
With all who stand for justice
our hearts burst with gratitude.
The things you do are fantastic, LORD,
and those who see and understand
never tire of exploring them.
Your works are magnificent, majestic,
and their integrity will never be eroded.
You have a reputation for doing amazing things,
and all of them generous and merciful.
You nourish those who honour you
and you are always true to your word.
You have left your people in no doubt
about your power;
you have given them the whole world on a plate.
Everything you put your hands to
is faithful, fair and trustworthy,
as is everything you say.
What you say goes, now and forever,
and no one can afford to ignore it.
You rescue your people and bring them home safe,
for you have committed yourself to them
for all time.
The mere mention of your holy name
makes us go weak all over!
Wisdom is born when your awesome presence
knocks us to our knees
and those who never lose sight of that
have got their heads on straight.
Awestruck, we give you honour and respect for ever.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Ephesians 5: 15-20

When it comes to the way you live, watch your step! Don’t go acting without thinking. Use your heads and live wisely. Make the most of your time, because these days, evil never stops trying to seduce us. So don’t be naive and stupid. See to it that you get the will of the Lord clear in your heads. And if you’re going to go getting yourselves “under the influence”, make sure its the influence of the Spirit and not of the wine! It will still get you singing! Sing together often — psalms, hymns and spiritual songs — offer them as a toe-tapping gift to the Lord, and when you’re not together, do the same thing in your hearts. As children filled with gratitude and wonder, give thanks to God — all the time and for everything. Mention the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when you do, as a reminder of where our gratitude comes from.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 6: 51-58

Jesus said, “I am the living bread — straight from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live life without end and without limit. The bread that I’m offering is my own flesh, and I give it for the life of the world.”
This got the people all worked up and they began arguing among themselves, saying, “What is this bloke talking about? He can’t serve a meal of his own flesh, can he?”
Hearing this, Jesus said to them:
Let me set you straight on this. Unless you swallow the New Human — consume him flesh and blood — you’ll be lifeless. Those who do consume me are nourished by my flesh and blood and have life without limit. I’ll be there for them on the last day, raising them to new life. You see, my flesh and blood are the real stuff — true food and drink. What you eat and drink becomes a part of you, but when you consume my flesh and blood, not only will I become a part of you, but you’ll find yourself in me, becoming a part of me. The God who conceived me is the source of my life and has sent me, serving me up to you. In much the same way, I will be the source of life for whoever digests me. Do you see then? This is the real bread which has come from heaven. It’s not like what your ancestors ate in the desert. They still died. This is different. Those who eat this bread will live life without end and without limit.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Proverbs 9: 1-6

Wisdom has established herself in the neighbourhood;
her house has seven rooms, a place for everyone.
She has laid her table for a great house-warming feast;
the meat is roasted, the wine is poured,
her servant-girls are ready to wait on the guests.
On the busiest corner in town she makes her invitation,
“Is life a riddle to you? Then come with me!
Do the concerns of each day
leave you scratching your head?
Come over to my place and we’ll chew the fat.
Share my bread and wine and things will fall into place.
The time has come to turn the corner,
to grow up, to embrace life.
Think before you act
and walk with understanding.”
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 34: 9-14

May the people you have chosen treat you with respect, LORD;
for those who do never want for anything.
Even fearsome sharks go hungry sometimes,
but people who entrust themselves to you never miss out.
When the children gather, I’ll teach them to trust you, LORD;
this is the message I’ll pass on to them:
“Do you hunger for life;
do you want to know the secret of a long and happy life?
Don’t vilify anyone with what you say,
and let every word that passes your lips be the honest truth.
Give evil a wide berth, and embrace goodness instead.
Seek peace, and work hard to maintain it.”
©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,
in the company of those who live with integrity,
for you have given yourself to us as flesh and blood
and become the bread that nourishes us for eternal life.
Your righteousness was established before time began
and all you have created reflects your honour and majesty.
You made a covenant with your people
and gave yourself generously to all
who seek your wisdom and walk in your ways.
In your great and steadfast love,
you have come to redeem your people,
offering us life in your Son, Jesus.
Though his blood was poured out
and his flesh sent to the grave,
you raised him up to new life,
and now he offers himself to us
as the bread of heaven,
so that all who eat and drink of him
might live forever as one with him.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your Son, Jesus,
who you raised to new life,
and who now offers himself to us
as the bread of heaven,
so that all who eat and drink of him
might live forever as one with him.
©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,
in the company of those who live with integrity,
at all times and for everything
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Your righteousness was established before time began
and all you have created reflects your honour and majesty.
You made a covenant with your people
and gave yourself generously to all
who seek your wisdom and walk in your ways.
In your great and steadfast love,
you have come to redeem your people,
offering us life in your Son, Jesus.
Though his blood was poured out
and his flesh sent to the grave,
you raised him up to new life,
and now he offers himself to us
as the bread of heaven,
so that all who eat and drink of him
might live forever as one with him.
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

The Lord is gracious and merciful
and comes to us to redeem us.
Christ Jesus offers himself to us, forgiving our sins
and promising to raise us to life on the last day.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out, nourished by the bread of heaven,
and take care to walk in the ways of wisdom.
Discern carefully between right and wrong.
Understand what the will of the Lord is.
Feed on Christ and be filled with the Spirit.
And may God give you a wise and discerning mind;
May Christ Jesus fill you with life in all its fullness;
and may the Holy Spirit overflow in you
in songs of joy and praise forever.
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.

On Political WisdomA sermon on 1 Kings 2: 10-12; 3: 3-14 & Psalm 111 by Mark Brett

The Violence of CommunionA sermon on John 6:51-58 by Nathan Nettleton

BreadA sermon on John 6:51-58 by Alison Sampson

Cannibalism and CommunionA sermon on John 6:51-58 by Nathan Nettleton

The Wounded BodyA sermon on John 6: 51-58 and Matthew 5: 3-10 by Alison Sampson

Drunk and Disorderly for JesusA sermon on Ephesians 5:15-20 by Nathan Nettleton

Filled with the SpiritA sermon on Ephesians 5:18 by Joel Sierra

Singing our Way into LifeA sermon on Ephesians 5:15-20 by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 16 - Year B
2030-08-25 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.

1 Kings 8: (1,6,10-11), 22-30, 41-43

The sacred Ark of the Covenant had been kept on Mount Zion in the City of David. When King Solomon was ready to move it into the newly completed Temple, he called all the elders and tribal leaders of Israel to come to Jerusalem for the occasion. The priests carried the sacred Ark into the Temple and placed it in the most holy place, beneath the wings of the cherubim in the inner sanctuary. No sooner had they placed it there than a dazzling cloud filled the Temple. The awesome presence of God was so overpowering that no one could bear to stay inside. Even the priests had to make a hasty exit.
Outside, Solomon stood in front of the altar of the LORD and, with his hands raised high, he led the gathered people in prayer. He prayed:
“O LORD, God of Israel, you are one of a kind! No other god in the universe is like you. Your love is rock-solid and you never forget the alliance you have made with those who follow you whole-heartedly. You made an alliance with my father David, and today you have proven true to your word. Everything you promised him you have now put in place.
O LORD, God of Israel, you promised my father that his descendants would occupy the throne of Israel forever, so long as they stuck to your ways and kept nothing hidden from you. May this be true, O God, for my father David was your servant. May you always back up your promise to him.
But, how could you possibly live on earth, O LORD my God? You could hold the entire universe in your hand, so how can we expect this little temple I’ve built to have enough room for you! But today I ask you to listen to my prayer, for I am your servant. Hear me and answer me, O God. This place bears your name because you have chosen it as the place for people to worship you. So keep your eye on it, O LORD, twenty four hours a day. Whenever I turn towards this place to pray, lend me your ear. I am your servant, and these people belong to you, so any time one of us faces this Temple and prays, hear us from your heavenly home and forgive any offence we have caused.
And don’t stop with just us – foreigners will no doubt hear about you too. Attracted by your reputation and by news of the awesome things you do, they will come from all sorts of far flung places to live among your people and offer their prayers within sight of this Temple. When they do, listen to them from your heavenly home and answer their prayers. That way everyone on earth will hear of you and give you the same respect that your people Israel do. They will know that this Temple which I have built carries your authority.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 84

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

Ephesians 6: 10-20

If I could say one last thing to you, it would be this: toughen yourselves up by drawing strength from God. Equip yourself with everything God offers, because you’ll need it to detect and survive the guerrilla tactics the Devil will use against you. What we’re up against here is not simply human opposition. This is a life-and-death struggle against the corrupt spiritual forces and cosmic powers of evil that are responsible for the destructive chaos which is presently threatening to engulf the world. So arm yourselves with everything God gives you so that you’ll be ready and able to hold your ground when all hell breaks loose.
It’s time to stand up and be counted. Kit yourselves out in truth, righteousness, peace, faith and salvation, and you’ll be ready for anything. Truth is like a belt on which everything else hangs. Justice and righteousness protect your heart like a bullet-proof vest. Your passion for spreading peace will get you through the hard miles like a sturdy pair of boots. Faith is like a riot shield that protects you from the fire bombs and anything else the evil one throws at you. God’s salvation is like a good helmet — even if you do get knocked down, it will keep your head in one piece! And finally, when it is time to go on the attack, there is one indispensable weapon — the word of God — the same weapon the Spirit used to bring us to our knees.
And speaking of being on your knees, none of this armoury will be any use at all unless you are putting some serious time into prayer. Pray long and hard with the Spirit as your partner and mentor. Keep your eyes and ears open and keep plugging away in prayer for all your comrades in this holy quest. Remember me in your prayers too. I might be an ambassador bearing God’s message, but my opportunities are rather limited here in the detention centre! So for the opportunities I do get to speak, pray that I’ll know exactly what to say and that I’ll have the guts to come out with the whole thing, the whole wondrous mystery of the good news in Christ.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 6: 56-69

While teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum, Jesus said:
“Whatever you eat and drink becomes a part of you, but when you consume my flesh and blood, not only will I become a part of you, but you’ll find yourself in me, becoming a part of me. The God who conceived me is the source of my life and has sent me, serving me up to you. In much the same way, I will be the source of life for whoever digests me. Do you see then? This is the real bread which has come from heaven. It’s not like what your ancestors ate in the desert. They still died. This is different. Those who eat this bread will live life without end and without limit.”
When the people who had been following Jesus heard him say these things, many of them began to say, “Who can stomach what this man teaches? It is too tough by far.”
Jesus got wind of their complaints and said to them:
“Are you ready to throw in the towel over this? How would you react if you saw the New Human entering heaven? After all, that’s where he came from. Real life comes only from the Spirit. Without it you’re nothing. Everything I’ve said to you is life-giving and backed up by the Spirit. But for some of you, that will make no difference — you’ve already put the shutters up.”
Jesus could tell, right from the start, that some wouldn’t have a bar of him once they knew what he was on about. He also knew who would betray him. He spelt it out to them, saying, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: like a Father taking his children where they could not go alone, God is drawing people to me. Otherwise, no one would come.”
This was the last straw for many of those who had followed him. They cleared off and wouldn’t have anything further to do with him. That prompted Jesus to put the question to the twelve: “What about you? You’re free to join them if you want to give up on me too.”
Simon Peter answered for them: “Lord, who else could we turn to? Your words have opened our eyes to life without limit. You have won our trust and we are convinced that you are God’s Holy One.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Joshua 24: 1-2a, 14-18

Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel together at Shechem. He called a meeting of their leaders — the tribal elders, the clan chiefs, the judges, and the civil officials — and they gathered under the authority of God. Joshua addressed them, saying:
“The LORD, the God of Israel, wants you to hear this. Treat the LORD with due respect, and be absolutely fair dinkum and rock-solid in your commitment to doing all that the LORD asks of you. Have nothing more to do with any of the other objects of devotion that your ancestors worked for back in those days, or when they were in Egypt. Put yourselves wholly at the service of the LORD. But if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, then you can make up your own minds what you are going to devote yourselves to: the ignorant ways of your ancestors back there in the dark ages; or the trivialities of the culture around you here. But I have made up my mind for myself and for my family; we will devote ourselves to the LORD.”
When Joshua finished his speech, the leaders replied, saying:
“There is no way we would turn our backs on the LORD and devote ourselves to other gods. It was the LORD who broke us free from slavery and did such spectacular things before our very eyes in the land where we had been oppressed. As we travelled, the LORD looked after us every step of the way and kept us safe from hostile nations. It was the LORD who made room for us by driving out the nations who were occupying this land. Therefore we will serve the LORD, for the LORD is our God.”
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 34: 15-22

O LORD, you keep a protective eye on those who play a straight bat;
you’re never out of earshot if they need you.
You grit your teeth and stand against evil though,
and you erase from history those who spread it.
When good honest people need help, you’re there for them, LORD;
you get them out of whatever trouble they’re in.
You are especially close to the broken-hearted;
when hope is crushed, you come to the rescue.
Your people endure as much suffering as anyone else, LORD,
but you ensure that they make it through.
Like a vigilant bodyguard,
you see that not a bone is broken.
Evil is lethal to those who drink their fill of it;
those who despise the straight and narrow will stumble to destruction.
But you, LORD, are always ready to bail out those who serve your cause;
no one who runs to you for safety will be handed over to death.
©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for you are the giver of honour and grace
and we are eager for your presence with us.
The heavens and the earth cannot contain you
for you have created them and hold them in your hand.
And yet you dwell among your people
and allow even the birds of the air
to nest in your courts and honour you with their song.
You have sent your Holy One, Jesus Christ,
to speak to us your word of Spirit and life.
Though the forces of evil and death consumed him,
he rose from the grave
proclaiming your gospel of peace.
Now he nourishes us with his body and blood
and arms us with truth, righteousness and salvation
that we might stand firm against the corrupt spiritual powers
that would tear down all who seek you with integrity.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your Holy One, Jesus,
who nourishes us with his body and blood
and arms us with truth, righteousness and salvation
that we might stand firm against the corrupt spiritual powers
that would tear down all who seek you with integrity.
©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 you are the giver of honour and grace
and we are eager for your presence with us.
The heavens and the earth cannot contain you
for you have created them and hold them in your hand.
And yet you dwell among your people
and allow even the birds of the air
to nest in your courts and honour you with their song.
You have sent your Holy One, Jesus Christ,
to speak to us your word of Spirit and life.
Though the forces of evil and death consumed him,
he rose from the grave
proclaiming your gospel of peace.
Now he nourishes us for eternal life
and arms us with truth, righteousness and salvation
that we might stand firm against the corrupt spiritual powers
that would tear down all who seek you with integrity.
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

The Lord is steadfast in love
and hears the prayers of all who come seeking mercy.
God reaches out to us in Jesus Christ
forgiving our sins
and nourishing us for life without limit.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out, and make known the mystery of the gospel.
Keep alert and pray at all times.
Draw strength from God’s power
and so stand firm against all that would corrupt you.
And may God arm you with truth and righteousness;
May Christ Jesus give you words of Spirit and life;
and may the Holy Spirit draw you near to God’s presence
and bless you with 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.

Too Much to StomachA sermon on John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton

When all hell breaks looseA sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 by Nathan Nettleton

Not Against Enemies of Blood and FleshA sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 & John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton

No tenemos lucha contra sangre y carneA sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 & John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton

‘The words I have spoken are spirit and life’A sermon on Ephesians 6:10-20 & John 6:56-69 by Garry Deverell

Biting off more than you can chewA sermon on John 6:56-69 by Nathan Nettleton

With or Without a TempleA sermon on 1 Kings 8:1,6,10-11, 22-30,41-43 by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 17 - Year B
2030-09-01 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.

Song of Solomon 2: 8-13

I await the voice of my lover!
I see him coming, running through the alpine bush,
leaping rocks and logs,
as surefooted as a wallaby,
muscles rippling like a mountain thoroughbred.
Look, now he arrives, there by the garden wall,
his eyes scanning the windows,
searching the balcony,
eager to catch a sight of me.
My lover calls out for me alone, saying:
“Come now, my darling, my lovely one,
come away with me.
The outdoors will welcome us,
for the cold wet winter has released its grip.
Wildflowers explode with colour
and the air is filled with song;
Bellbird calls ring through the bush
like the summons to a wedding.
Berries and grapes ripen with promise
and every flower adds it fragrance
to the wafting breeze.
So come, my darling, my lovely one,
come away with me.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 45: 1-2, 6-9

My heart overflows with words of delight;
a song of love bursts forth for the king;
my voice as charmed as the poet’s pen.
You, my king, are a man of unsurpassed beauty.
Every word that passes your lips is generous and inspiring.
God’s richest blessings are yours forever.
Your throne is God-given, and will never be shaken.
Your royal power is wielded for justice.
You have a passion for integrity
and a loathing for corruption.
Therefore God has chosen you above all others,
crowned you with joy like no other has known.
Rich and exotic fragrances cascade from your royal robes,
and your palace is alive with music and dancing.
The daughters of kings wait on you, hand and foot;
and on your arm is your chosen bride in a gown of liquid gold.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

James 1: 17-27

Genuine no-strings-attached generosity is found only in God, and everything that is really worth having comes as a gift from the God who lights up our darkness. There is nothing two-faced about God — nothing fickle or shifty, nothing hidden in the shadows. We were conceived by God’s own love and desire and, with the Word of Truth as midwife, God gave birth to us and held us up for all to see, just as besotted parents always show off their precious newborn children.
My beloved friends, let me spell out some crucial wisdom: listening is your number one priority when you interact with others. Listen long and hard before you do anything else. There will be time to speak later, and if there is to be anger, see that it comes last of all when you’re sure you’ve got everything perfectly clear. Anger, by itself, never gives birth to the sort of active integrity God desires.
Think of yourselves as a garden in need of attention. Clear away the putrid garbage and all those noxious weeds that choke off any desirable thing that tries to get established. Pull them out roots and all. Then, like well prepared soil, welcome what God plants in you. Let the seed of God’s Word send down roots deep inside you, saving you from ruin and restoring you to rich fruitfulness.
When the Word is sown in you, don’t let anything stop it bearing fruit in your actions. Don’t let it go in one ear and out the other while kidding yourself that you’ve heard it. Hearing the word and then failing to act on it is about as ridiculous as taking a good look at yourself in the mirror and then still walking out the front door with gravy on your chin! If, on the other hand, you carefully look into the ways of God — the laws of freedom — and consistently put them into practice instead of just filing them away for later reference, then you will find God backing you up at every turn, making everything you do fruitful and satisfying.
There are those who think of themselves as being the epitome of true religion, and yet they can’t even control their own tongues. They are deluding themselves and their religion is not worth a zack. The religion that really shows us to be God’s children — the religion that is free of any fault or hypocrisy — is this: care for those who no one else cares for, and don’t allow yourself to be corrupted by the callous ways of the world.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23

A group of religious lawyers and members of the devoutly religious Pharisee party had come from Jerusalem and were keeping a close eye on Jesus and his followers. They noticed that some of them were eating their meals without first washing their hands in the customary way. The Pharisees, like most Jewish people, observed strict purification rituals before eating. There were numerous rules spelling out the required ways of washing, not only for people’s hands, but for the food and the cooking utensils as well. Careful observance of these traditions was believed to protect people from defilement, and the religious types wouldn’t have dreamed of taking any shortcuts. So, when they saw what was going on, they spoke to Jesus and demanded an explanation. “Why do your followers spit in the face of our ancestors by flouting the rules they passed down to us? Look they are eating with defiled hands!”
Jesus said to them, “Isaiah hit the nail on the head when he spoke about you. He saw right through your hypocrisy when he wrote this:
‘These people mouth all the right words,
but their hearts aren’t in it.
Their worship is just one big sham.
They invent rules to suit themselves
and then teach them as the word of God.’
“At the end of the day, you lot are more concerned about your own rules and traditions than you are about what God really wants of people.”
Having said that, Jesus turned and spoke to the crowd again, saying, “Listen up, and try to get this clear in your own minds. The things that really pollute people are not the things that they put into their mouths, but the muck that spews out from within them.
“If you are looking for the cause of evil, look inside yourselves. Evil intentions are conceived in the human heart, every one of them: lechery, disregard for people’s rights, murder, sexual betrayal, unbridled greed, callousness, deceit, promiscuity, jealousy, vilification, conceit, senselessness. All these things bubble up from inside people. They don’t get in from the outside. And these are the things that really pollute your lives.”
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Deuteronomy 4: 1-2, 6-9

Moses addressed the people, saying:
"Listen up, people of Israel. I am laying down the law on how you are to live. Get these things clear in your heads and put them into practice. That way you will have life and be able to make yourselves at home in the land that is being given to you by the LORD, the God of your ancestors. The directions I am spelling out to you are from God, and you must not go adding new rules of your own, or cutting out bits that don’t suit you. Follow everything the LORD your God is asking of you, just as I have told you. Follow these instructions consistently and you will become known for your wisdom and good judgement. Other nations will hear of the standards you live by and say, “What a great nation: you can back their judgement every time.” Our God is always there for us when we cry out for help. Can any other nation boast of that? And these directions that God has given us today cover everything we could possibly need to know. Does any other nation have anything as good as that?
"But take care and keep a close eye on yourselves. Don’t forget the things you have seen God do. Don’t forget them as long as you live. Pass on the stories to your children and to your children’s children."
©2012 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

Prayers

Eucharistic Preface

Let us lift up our hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise, O God,
for there is nothing deceitful or shadowy in you
and every good and perfect gift comes from your hand.
Your throne endures forever and ever,
and in your passion and desire
you conceived the entire universe.
You gave birth to us through the word of truth,
and gave us first place among your creatures.
Through your servant Moses your holy law was given,
and through your Son, Jesus,
it was cleansed of all that obscured its truth.
Though he was opposed and killed
by those who honoured you in word but denied you in deed,
you raised him from the grave,
bringing all the world back to life.
Now he seeks us out like an ardent lover
to restore in us a passion for righteousness
that brings forth purity and truth
in both word and in action.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for every good and perfect gift
that comes from your hand,
and especially for your Son, Jesus,
who seeks us out like an ardent lover
to restore in us a passion for righteousness
that brings forth purity and truth
in both word and in action.
©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 there is nothing deceitful or shadowy in you
and every good and perfect gift comes from your hand.
Your throne endures forever and ever,
and in your passion and desire
you conceived the entire universe.
You gave birth to us through the word of truth,
and gave us first place among your creatures.
Through your servant Moses your holy law was given,
and through your Son, Jesus,
it was cleansed of all that obscured its truth.
Though he was opposed and killed
by those who honoured you in word but denied you in deed,
you raised him from the grave,
bringing all the world back to life.
Now he seeks us out like an ardent lover
to restore in us a passion for righteousness
that brings forth purity and truth
in both word and in action.
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 Christ has delivered us by the Word of Truth,
setting us free from the judgment of the law
and planting his word within us,
to save us from all that would pollute us.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out, and be doers of the Word.
Cleanse your hearts of all pollution,
be quick to listen and learn,
welcome the Word that God implants in you,
and bring it to birth in acts of righteousness and compassion.
And may God pour grace upon you and bless you forever;
May Christ Jesus reveal to you the truth of God’s ways;
and may the Holy Spirit fill your life with passion and love.
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.

When The Bible Makes You BlushA sermon on the Song of Songs by Nathan Nettleton

Modern Sex and Ancient Purity LawsA sermon on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 & Song of Solomon 2:8-13 by Nathan Nettleton

Disgusting!?!A sermon on Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23 by Nathan Nettleton

You Are Not DefiledA sermon on Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23 by Alison Sampson

Hot Sex & HypocrisyA sermon on Song of Songs; Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23; & James 1:17-27 by Nathan Nettleton

Love and GrubbinessA sermon on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 & Song of Songs 2:8-13 by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 18 - Year B
2030-09-08 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.

Proverbs 22: 1-2, 8-9, 22-23

Given the choice between a good reputation
and triple-A credit rating,
take the good reputation.
Respect will earn you what money can’t buy.
God created everybody equal;
and at the end of the day,
the rich and the poor both answer to the same God.
Anyone who invests in injustice
will reap dividends of disaster,
and angrily throwing their weight around
won’t get them out of trouble.
If you really want to maximise your returns,
open your hands, open your table,
share what you have with those in need.
Don’t rip off the poor just because they’re easy targets,
and don’t use the law to take advantage of them
just because you can afford better lawyers.
If you do, you’ll find God rising to their defence,
and if you’ve stomped them into the mud,
the LORD will stomp you into the mud.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 125

Those who put their trust in you, O LORD,
are like Mount Dandenong:
solid, calm and dependable.
Like the mountain watching over the city,
so you, LORD, watch over you people,
offering protection, now and forever.
Where people are committed to playing straight,
you will not let injustice dominate.
If it did, even trustworthy people
might let evil through their guard.
O LORD, may good things come
to those who have stayed true,
to those who have integrity
and goodness in their hearts.
But as for those who have embraced the ways of corruption,
be it on their own heads if they are swept away
when you bring evil to its final end.
May all your people enjoy peace, O LORD.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

James 2: 1-10, (11-13), 14-17

Sisters and brothers, if you really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, how come you still play favourites? If people walk into one of your meetings and you make a fuss of the ones dressed up to the nines and looking a million dollars, ushering them to the best seats in the house, while at the same time turning up your nose at those dressed like battlers, down on their luck, telling them to stand out in the foyer, aren’t you practising apartheid, segregating God’s children? You’re as crooked as a judge who bases your sentence on the length of your skirt!
Get this straight in your minds, dear friends. God has turned the world’s opinion polls upside down. Those who have been deprived of what the world values have a huge head-start in the faith stakes. Their names are at the top of the list of those who God has chosen to inherit the riches of the kingdom. All who love God have an equal share in God’s promises, but you’re insulting some of them by means-testing your welcome. And just think about it — it’s the fat-cats who cut your wages and increase your hours, isn’t it? It’s the silvertails who use their fancy lawyers to bleed you dry. Aren’t they the ones who even make a mockery of Christ by invoking his name to baptise their positions of privilege?
It is quite simple to do the right thing — just fulfil the basic law of God’s realm, as spelt out in the scriptures: “Love everyone else as you love yourself.” But if you show favouritism to the young and beautiful or the wealthy and powerful, then you are violating that law and you stand convicted by it. It will show you for what you are — a sinner. You see, you can’t pick and choose when it comes to the law of God. You can’t claim exemption from one law on the grounds that you’ve kept the rest. You can’t pretend that because you’ve never had an affair you should be regarded as a model of virtue and excused one little murder. God ruled out both sexual betrayal and murder, and either one puts you outside the law of love. See to it that everything you say and do is consistent with the law of love which sets us free, for your living of it sets the tone for how you’ll be judged by it. If you’ve been harsh and intolerant in your judgment of others, you can be sure of copping the same yourself. Mercy and generosity however will outbid judgment every time.
Brothers and sisters, what’s the good of claiming to be a person of faith if you never put love into action? Do you think a head full of theoretical faith is enough to save you? You’ve got to be kidding. Think about this: if someone you know has barely got a stitch to wear or a scrap to eat, and you walk past saying, “Praise the Lord, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and fail to offer even a coat or a sandwich, what good is that? You’ve been worse than useless. Faith that doesn’t express itself in compassionate action is obviously dead — rotting, putrid and no use to anyone.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Mark 7: 24-37

Jesus moved on to the district around the city of Tyre, and stayed in a house where he didn’t think anyone would be able to find him. He stuck out like a sore thumb though, and the word got around in no time. He’d barely had time to take the weight off his feet when there was a woman bowing and scraping before him, begging for help. She wasn’t even Jewish, but came from the part of Syria known as Phoenicia. She had a daughter who was deeply disturbed by some demonic force, and she begged Jesus to set her free from it. But Jesus said to her, “First things first. You can’t snatch food out of the children’s mouths and throw it to the dogs.”
But she didn’t give up. “Sir, even dogs know to sit under the table when the children are eating because there is always plenty of scraps for them.”
Jesus was won over. “You’re absolutely right! Your words have carried the day. Go home. The demons are gone. Your daughter is free.”
So she hurried home and sure enough, her daughter was relaxing on the bed and the demonic torment was completely gone.
Jesus moved on again, leaving the district of Tyre and heading back towards Lake Galilee via Sidon. As he passed through the district of the Ten Towns, some people begged him to stop and lay a healing hand on a man who was stone deaf and had such a severe speech impediment that he could hardly make himself understood. Jesus took the man aside, away from the eyes of the crowd. In the customary way, Jesus put his fingers in the man’s ears and then spat on his finger and touched the man’s tongue as he prayed for him. Looking heavenward, Jesus gave a deep groan and said, “Effatha!” which is the Aramaic word for “Open up.”
And it happened, just like that. The man’s ears began to hear perfectly and his speech became steady and clear.
Jesus gave them strict instructions to keep this to themselves, but he was wasting his breath. The more he tried to hush it up, the more energetic the grapevine got! Everyone was just so blown away by the things he did, that they told anyone who would listen. “You should see the things he can do – wonderful things. He even restores hearing to the deaf and the power of speech to the dumb!”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Isaiah 35: 4-7a

Encourage those who are fearing the worst;
tell them not to give in to their fears but to hang in there.
Assure them that God is at hand;
coming to pay back oppressors what they deserve;
coming to rescue you, to set you free!
What a day that will be!
Eyes long blind will open to colour and light!
Ears long deaf will hear music and laughter!
Legs long paralysed will dance like brolgas!
Tongues long tied will sing like lyrebirds!
For reviving rains will fall on dry dusty land,
and rivers will flow in the desert.
Hard-baked salt pans will become inland lakes,
and cool water will gush up between scorching rocks.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 146

You are the best, LORD!
With all my heart I sing your praises.
I will never stop talking you up;
I won’t stop spruiking your goodness till the day I die.
There is no one but you that we can depend on, LORD;
not experts, not leaders, no one.
No human being can give what we most need;
no matter what their plans and schemes promise,
the minute they’re gone, their promises die with them.
But we hit the jackpot when we look to you for help, LORD;
when we put all our hopes in you – the God of our ancestors.
You are the one who made earth and sky,
who poured out the seas and filled them with life.
You are true to your word no matter what;
when people are ground into the dirt, you bring about justice;
when people are left to starve, you come with food.
You, LORD, set the prisoners free.
You, LORD, open the eyes of those who can’t see.
You, LORD, put the downtrodden back on their feet.
You, LORD, love those who do the right thing.
You, LORD, keep a caring eye on the asylum seekers.
You stick up for those who have no one else to stick up for them,
but you make the schemes of the corrupt backfire on them.
Take charge forever, LORD,
rule from your sacred Mountain for all time.
You’re the best, LORD. We’re with you all the way!
©2000 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 embrace your people now and forever
and promise the Kingdom to all who love you.
The universe came into existence at your command
and rich and poor alike have you as their maker.
Through Moses you taught your people
to provide for the welfare of those in need,
and through the prophets you thundered against our injustice
and called for repentance in word and deed.
In your son, Jesus Christ,
your love and healing mercy
reached beyond the bounds of our prejudice
and demonstrated your compassion
for all who are needy, afflicted or vulnerable.
Though he was killed by those who sow injustice,
you raised him to new life
that he might sow in us the seeds of faith,
filling our communities with love and justice
and bringing forth a rich harvest of good works.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your son, Jesus Christ,
through whom your love and healing mercy
reached beyond the bounds of our prejudice,
and who is now sowing in us the seeds of faith,
that we might bring forth a rich harvest of good works.
©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 you embrace your people now and forever
and promise the Kingdom to all who love you.
The universe came into existence at your command
and rich and poor alike have you as their maker.
Through Moses you taught your people
to provide for the welfare of those in need,
and through the prophets you thundered against our injustice
and called for repentance in word and deed.
In your son, Jesus Christ,
your love and healing mercy
reached beyond the bounds of our prejudice
and demonstrated your compassion
for all who are needy, afflicted or vulnerable.
Though he was killed by those who sow injustice,
you raised him to new life
that he might sow in us the seeds of faith,
filling our communities with love and justice
and bringing forth a rich harvest of good works.
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

When we fail to keep even one point of God’s law,
we become accountable for all of it,
but God’s mercy triumphs over judgment,
setting us free and giving us a faith that is active for good.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go now, and invest your lives in the works of faith.
Make a name for yourselves for generosity and compassion.
Fulfil God’s holy law
by putting love into action as eagerly for others
as you would for yourselves.
And may God be your defender and provider;
May Christ Jesus dispel all that disturbs or disables you;
and may the Holy Spirit make you rich in faith
and loving and merciful in action.
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.

Was Jesus a racist?A sermon on Mark 7:24-37 by Nathan Nettleton

A Prayer-shaped Investment StrategyA sermon on Proverbs 22 & James 2 by Nathan Nettleton

Be OpenA sermon on Mark 7:24-37 by Nathan Nettleton

Poverty, borders, and the Meaning of FaithA sermon on James 2:1-17 & Mark 7:24-37 by Nathan Nettleton

Coming Out From Under the TableA sermon on Mark 7:24-37 by Nathan Nettleton

A Contagion To Open Up ToA sermon on Mark 7:24-37 by Doug Morrison-Cleary

Playing FavouritesA sermon on James 2:1-17 & Mark 7:24-37 by Nathan Nettleton

The Feast of the Holy Cross
2030-09-14 00:00 - 23:59 UTC
Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them, plus sermons based on them.

Bible Readings (paraphrased)

Lections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003, Room 381, Nashville, TN 37203-0003, USA. Used with Permission.

Numbers 21: 4b-9

As they travelled, the people began losing the plot and mouthing off against God and Moses. They were whinging, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt if we are just going to die out here in the desert? There is no food. There is no water. And we can’t stand this lousy stuff we’ve got to eat.”
At that, the LORD let loose some dangerous snakes among the people. The snakes had a fiery venom and many people were bitten and died. The people came to Moses and pleaded with him, saying, “We were wrong to mouth off against the LORD and against you. Please ask the LORD to get rid of the poisonous snakes that are plaguing us.”
So Moses prayed for the the people, and the LORD spoke to him, saying, “Make a statue of a poisonous snake, and set it up on a pole where the people can see it. Whenever anyone is bitten, they are to look at the statue of the snake, and they will survive.”
So Moses made a snake out of bronze, and set it up on a pole. Whenever anyone was bitten by one of the snakes with the fiery venom, they would fix their gaze on the bronze snake, and they would live.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 98: 1-5

We sing like we’ve never sung before, LORD,
because you have done fantastic things.
With your sleeves rolled up you got stuck in
and came out on top.
Your victory has made the headlines, LORD,
now the whole world can see that you were right all along.
You have never defaulted on your rock-solid love,
or your loyalty to your chosen people.
From one end of the earth to the other,
everyone has seen your victory.
With all the world, LORD, we raise a noisy celebration,
singing our lungs out and shouting your praise.
The bands strike up in your honour, LORD,
filling the air with festive music.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

OR Psalm 78: 1-2, 34-38 (Alternative Psalm)

We are keen to learn of you, LORD;
your people are eager to hear what you have to say.
We listen to those who pass on the old stories;
the dark mysteries of ancient wisdom.
When your anger cut down our ancestors, they sought your mercy;
they pleaded with you and promised to mend their ways.
They remembered that you are as solid as rock;
that you are the greatest; the one who puts things right.
But they were all words and no action,
trying to pull the wool over your eyes with sweet talk.
They were fickle and two-faced;
they did not stick to the terms of their alliance with you.
And yet you remained compassionate;
you continued to let them off the hook
and refrained from wiping them out.
Over and over you swallowed your anger
and chose not to let your fury have its day.
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

1 Corinthians 1: 18-24

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!
©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

John 3: 13-17

Jesus said:
“No one has ever gone up and stood face to face with God. The only one who has done that is the New Human, the one who came from God in the first place. You know the old story from the desert: the one about Moses lifting up the hand-made snake so that the people could look at something that would help them to focus their trust in God. Well, the New Human is going to be lifted up for much the same reason. Everyone who looks up to him in trust and hope will receive life without limit.
“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

Sermons

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

Eating from the Tree of LifeA sermon for the Feast of Holy Cross by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 19 - Year B
2030-09-15 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.

Proverbs 1: 20-33

Wisdom shouts aloud in the streets.
Wherever people gather, her call rings out.
On the station steps at rush hour she sets up her soap box;
over the roar of the traffic she raises her voice, crying:
“Are you thick-headed people determined to stay brainless forever?
Is taking the mickey out of others the only thing you enjoy?
How long will you mindless morons turn your backs
on every opportunity to learn anything?
Listen up, and let me set you straight;
I’m ready to let you in on my thinking;
I’ll happily teach you everything I know.
But I’m at my wits end with you.
You don’t answer my calls;
you look away when I hold out my hand.
Whether I offer advice gently or scream blue murder,
it makes no difference. You still take no notice.
So how do you expect me to be there for you?
Why shouldn’t I turn my back when trouble come your way?
Why shouldn’t I just laugh when it hits the fan?
Your turn will come.
You’ll be looking up at rock bottom,
with the broken pieces of your life
falling through your fingers.
Why is it only then that anyone ever calls for me?
They reach out for me in desperation, but it’s too late.
They’d already told me where to go, and I’d gone.
They spat in the face of knowledge
and thumbed their noses at the LORD.
They wouldn’t have a bar of any suggestions from me
and they laughed in my face when I tried to set them straight.
So they’ve made their own beds,
now they’ll have to lie in them.
They bit off what they wanted,
and now it will stick in their throats.
Those who are stupid enough to wander off the path
get run over in the street.
Those who never think ahead
still have their feet up when the fire comes through.
But if you listen to me,
you’ll be in safe hands.
You can relax
without a care in the world.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 19

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

OR Wisdom of Solomon 7:26 - 8:1

The Spirit of Wisdom is like a polished mirror,
reflecting bright light onto everything God is and does.
In her we see a crystal clear image of God’s goodness.
Although there is only one of her,
there is no limit to what she can do.
Without needing to change, she is always fresh,
and she renews and refreshes everything she touches.
Agelessly passing from one generation to the next,
she embraces those who dedicate themselves to God.
Making a home in their hearts,
she nurtures their friendship with God.
She enables them to pass on God’s word to others,
for God’s greatest delight is in those
who are at home with wisdom.
The beauty of Wisdom outshines the sun,
and the stars in the sky look pale by comparison.
She is more illuminating than light itself,
because light is regularly subdued by the dark of night,
but there is no evil that can ever get the better of Wisdom.
She stretches out her arms and embraces the whole earth.
She uses her strength to set everything right for the benefit of all.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

James 3: 1-12

Sisters and brothers, don’t all go rushing off to set yourselves up as teachers. In the final evaluation, the required performance indicators will be much tougher for those of us who are teachers. None of us measure up perfectly. We all make mistakes, both in what we say and what we do. If you never got anything you said wrong, you’d be perfect, you’d have your whole life completely under control. It only takes a leash to keep a dog under control. A captain can control a huge ocean liner by turning one little rudder. In the same way, the tongue has an impact out of all proportion to its size. One little word can make a world of difference — for good or for bad!
One careless spark can start a bushfire that will rage out of control from here to the border. One careless word can be just as explosive. The tip of your tongue carries a destructive payload. One word dropped in the wrong place and all hell breaks loose — inflaming hostilities, blackening reputations, incinerating trust. Before you know it, your whole life is a smouldering ruin. People manage to tame all kinds of animals — wild horses, eagles, even crocodiles — but the tongue can never be broken in. It is like a coiled snake, unpredictable and deadly.
Blessings and curses can come out of the same mouth. One minute we are pouring out praise to the God who conceived us, and the next minute we are spitting out venom at someone made in God’s own image. Brothers and sisters, it’s not right. If we couldn’t turn on a tap without knowing whether we were going to get fresh water or sewerage, we’d never put up with it. You don’t go to an apple tree and find lemons, do you? And you don’t go to lemon tree looking for strawberries. If you’re an infested swamp, it’s no use anyone coming to you looking for fresh clean water.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Mark 8: 27-38

Jesus and his followers made a trip out to the villages in the district of Caesarea Philippi. As they talked on the way, Jesus asked them, “What do people make of me?”
“Some say you are John the baptiser,” they reported. “Others reckon you are Elijah or some other prophet from the past.”
“Well, what about you?” he asked them. “Who do you think I am?”
It was Peter who spoke up. “You are the messiah – God’s anointed one.”
Jesus warned them to keep that opinion to themselves and not to breathe a word of it to anyone.
Then he began to fill them in on what was going to happen to him. “The New Human is going to be put through the wringer. He’ll be done over by the politicians, the priests and the religious lawyers. They’ll have him executed, but after three days he’ll rise to life.”
He didn’t beat about the bush on this – he spelt it out as clear as you like. But Peter would have none of it. He pulled Jesus aside and gave him a piece of his mind. Recognising that his followers were losing the plot, Jesus made an example of Peter, saying, “Get out of my face, you satan! You’ve got no idea what God is on about. You’re just pursuing the same things as everyone else.”
Then he called everyone to gather round – his followers and the whole crowd – and he said to them, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to hand over the keys, sign their own death warrant, and then do as I do. If you try to hold on to control of your life you’ll end up losing the lot. But if you let go, even if you pay the ultimate price for your commitment to me and to our message, you’ll gain real life. What’s the point of getting control of the whole world if getting it kills you. There’s no trade-in on a burned out soul. There are some who find it embarrassing to be associated with me and with what I’m on about, when they’re hanging around with their deceitful and easily distracted peers. If they don’t sort themselves out, they’ll find that when the New Human arrives, full of the glory of God and surrounded by the angels, he’ll be too embarrassed to associate with them.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Isaiah 50: 4-9a

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

Psalm 116: 1-9

I love you, LORD!
How could I not love you
when you always respond to my cries?
You are always ready to listen to me,
so I will bring my needs to you as long as I live.
Once death was closing in on me;
the grave’s icy fingers had me in their grasp;
Tormented and desperate, I cried out to you,
“Please, LORD. Help me! Save my life!”
You are so generous, LORD;
you do the right thing by us
whether we deserve it or not.
You side with the nobodies,
and you bailed me out,
when I hit rock-bottom.
I can let go of my fears and calm my mind;
your goodness and love keep me safe.
You saved my life, LORD;
you dried my tears;
you supported me when I stumbled.
I can stand before you with my head held high;
I’m back on my feet in the land of the living.
©2003 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 yours is the eternal Spirit of Wisdom
who renews everything and gives life to all.
The heavens and earth are your handiwork,
and you have made all people in your own likeness.
Through the law and prophets you revealed your wisdom,
and all who listen are safe in your care.
When we refused your counsel
and failed to offer you our respect,
you came to us in your anointed one, Jesus,
to be our rock and our redeemer.
Taking up the cross
and suffering rejection as one of us,
he was killed and cast into the pit of hell.
But after three days, you raised him to life,
lighting a fire of renewal that will never go out,
and he now calls us to take up the cross
and follow him on the road to resurrection.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your anointed one, Jesus,
who suffered rejection as one of us,
and who now lights a fire of renewal that will never go out,
as he calls us to take up the cross
and follow him on the road to resurrection.
©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 yours is the eternal Spirit of Wisdom
who renews everything and gives life to all.
The heavens and earth are your handiwork,
and you have made all people in your own likeness.
Through the law and prophets you revealed your wisdom,
and all who listen are safe in your care.
When we refused your counsel
and failed to offer you our respect,
you came to us in your anointed one, Jesus,
to be our rock and our redeemer.
Taking up the cross
and suffering rejection as one of us,
he was killed and cast into the pit of hell.
But after three days, you raised him to life,
lighting a fire of renewal that will never go out,
and he now calls us to take up the cross
and follow him on the road to resurrection.
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

No one knows all their faults
and none of us have brought sin under complete control.
But Christ is not ashamed to identify with us.
In his own suffering love, he offers us his life.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out with your minds set on the things of God.
Take up your cross and follow Jesus.
See to it that the words of your mouths
and the thoughts of your hearts
are acceptable to God and enlightening to all.
And may God make the holy Word known to you;
May Christ Jesus lead you in the ways of sacrificial love;
and may the Holy Spirit set you ablaze with divine wisdom.
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.

Being Part of the SolutionA sermon on Mark 8:27-38 by Nathan Nettleton

That’s not a cross!A sermon on Mark 8:27-38 by Nathan Nettleton

Wisdom for a time of madnessA sermon on Proverbs 1.20-33; Psalm 19; James 3.1-12; Mark 8.27-38 by Garry Deverell

Holy GossipA sermon on James 3:1-12 by Alison Sampson

A Matter of IntegrityA sermon on Mark 8: 27-38 & James 3: 1-12 by Nathan Nettleton

Who do you say that I am?A sermon on Mark 8:27-38 by Adam Couchman

Wisdom CallsA sermon on Proverbs 1.20-33 & Mark 8: 27-38 by Nathan Nettleton

Proper 20 - Year B
2030-09-22 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.

Proverbs 31: 10-31

How fortunate is the man who marries a gifted woman;
Her love is as precious as life itself.
He entrusts himself to her
and she doesn’t let him down.
Generous of spirit and never vindictive,
she will be good to him all her life.
She is creative and diligent;
not afraid to get her hands dirty.
With the taste of a seasoned traveller,
she shares her love of varied cuisine.
She is up early each morning,
seeing that everyone in her household
gets their day off to a good start.
She conducts her business with confidence;
buying and selling, and overseeing production.
She dresses appropriately for her work,
ready to roll up her sleeves and get stuck in.
She knows what her labour is worth,
and will work late to get the job done.
She puts her shoulder to the wheel
and makes the most of her many skills.
The goods she produces are widely sought;
they fetch top dollar in the shops.
She’s quick to help anyone facing hard times;
a generous friend to those in need.
She doesn’t panic when storms hit;
all her household are well prepared.
She doesn’t waste money on appearances,
but presents herself with colour and flair.
Her strength and dignity are what people notice first,
and she approaches the future with joy and enthusiasm.
She and her husband are respected about town,
and admired for their leadership in the community.
People seek out her opinions and value her wisdom;
her advice is caring and considerate.
She keeps an eye on the interests of all her household,
and doesn’t indulge in laziness.
Her children have nothing but good to say about her,
and her husband is always singing her praise:
“There are some wonderful women in the world,” he says,
“but you are the cream of the crop!”
Charm can mask the truth,
and beauty may be only skin deep.
The woman who is worthy of admiration and acclaim
is the one who knows who she is before God.
She deserves full credit for all she has achieved;
her accomplishments speak for themselves.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 1

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

James 3:13 - 4:3, 7-8a

Do any of you rate yourselves highly for wisdom and understanding? Well, let’s see you live it then. It is the quality of your life that will prove that your actions are the offspring of a wise and gentle spirit. If the things you do reveal that inside you’re always comparing yourself to others and scheming to get one up on them, then the more you boast about your wisdom, the more apparent it will be that you are deluded. Any wisdom you might have would clearly not be from God. It would be nothing more than rat-cunning, deviousness. The devil himself specialises in that sort of wisdom. Whenever people are set on being number one without regard for anyone else, mayhem and inhuman behaviour follow, as sure as night follows day. The wisdom that God gives is a very different matter. For starters it is not contaminated by any ulterior motives. It cultivates peace among people, being gentle and willing to let others get their way. It is so full of the fruits of generosity, forgiveness and love that it could never find room for even a shred of prejudice or hypocrisy. Those who invest in peace — not just hoping for it but really working for it — will reap rich dividends in a life of wholehearted integrity.
Why do you think these vicious conflicts keep erupting among you? Can’t you see that they are detonated by the greedy desires simmering within your hearts. You want something you don’t have and you fuel the hunger until you’re ready to kill for it. You covet something that you know can never be yours, but you let your craving blaze out of control, igniting spot fires all over the place. If you really want something, ask God for it. But you could never do that could you, because there’d be no way to word the request without exposing the naked selfishness that’s driving you.
What can you do? Let God’s desires have their way with you. Dig in against the devil, and he’ll be sent packing. Get alongside God, and God will get alongside you.
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Mark 9: 30-37

Jesus and his group moved on and travelled through Galilee. He was keeping their location secret because the things he was teaching his closest followers were for their ears only. “Soon the New Human will be betrayed,” he told them, “and handed over to a hostile mob. They will kill him, but three days after his murder, he will rise up, alive again.”
His followers, however, could not get their heads around any of this, but they couldn’t bring themselves to ask him to go over it again.
They arrived home in Capernaum and after settling back into the house, Jesus hit them with a question: “You blokes sounded like you were having a bit of a barney back there on the road. What was it all about?”
The silence was deafening! None of them were willing to own up, because they had been arguing over status – which of them was number one. Jesus sat down and called the twelve to gather round. He said to them, “Whoever wants to be number one must take a place at the bottom as the servant of everyone else.”
He called over a small child, and right there in the midst of them, gathered the little one up into his arms and said, “Anyone who welcomes little tackers like this as though they were gold-medalists is welcoming me. And those who welcome me are not just welcoming me – they are welcoming the One who sent me.”
©2000 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection

Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures, from which the first reading is usually chosen, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative.
The weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm.

Wisdom of Solomom 1:16 - 2:1, 12-22

Those who shun God are getting in to bed with death.
You can see it in everything they say and do.
They yearn for death like an absent lover.
They have signed up to a partnership with death
because they seemed to be made for one another.
Listen to their thinking, and see how screwed up it is.
They say,
“Life’s a bitch and then you die.
Here today and gone tomorrow, and there is no cure for death.
Down you go, and no one ever comes back.
And then they say,
“These holier-than-thou do-gooders are such a pain.
Let’s knock off the next one we see.
They are always in our way,
stopping us from getting what we want,
calling us sinners and law-breakers,
and lecturing us about being a disgrace to our upbringing.
“They claim to know God
and they make themselves out to be the Lord’s children.
“They make everything we think look bad.
We’re sick to death of the sight of them
because they are so different from everyone else
and their way of life gets up our nose.
“They look down on us
and avoid our ways like the plague.
They reckon that do-gooders will die happy
and that God will call them his children.
“Let’s grab the next one we see
and make an example of him.
Let’s see if his puffed up words about dying happy
hold up when put to the test.
“If this do-gooder is such a child of God,
he can expect God to help him, can’t he?
Let’s see if God can rescue him
when we get our hands on him.
“Let’s see what happens to his patience and gentleness
when we humiliate him, torture him,
and make him fear for his life.
“Let’s kill him slowly and humiliate him as he dies.
Then we’ll see whether his ‘divine protection’
is half as good as he says it is.
So that’s how corrupt people think.
You can see how how screwed up it is.
The lures of evil have sucked them in,
and blinded them to everything else.
They have never know what God is on about.
They have never tasted the fruits of living right.
They have never glimpsed the prize in store
for those with a clean record.
©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

OR Jeremiah 11: 18-20

The first I knew of the plot against me
was when the LORD tipped me off about it.
Until then I was like a lamb trotting to its fate,
knowing neither shearer nor slaughterer.
In my blissful ignorance I never guessed
that they were plotting my downfall, saying,
“Let’s cut him down in his prime
and make sure he never breeds.
Let’s rid the world of him
and erase all memory that he ever lived!”
But you are the LORD who rules over everything.
Your investigations uncover our motives
and your judgements get it right every time.
I have put my case in your hands.
Hit them with everything they deserve!
©2012 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Psalm 54

Pull rank to save me, God;
use your influence to clear my name.
Hear my prayer, God;
lend an ear to what I have to say.
Arrogant mongrels have got me in their sights;
they spit in the face of everything decent
and now they are plotting to kill me.
Look at them! They couldn’t care less about you, God!
But you are there for me, God; for sure you are.
You, Lord, are my bodyguard.
When enemies come, you’ll turn their evil back on them.
I know you can be relied on. Finish them off!
I will offer you my worship and bring my gifts to say thank you.
I will put your name up in lights, LORD, for you are the best.
You have bailed me out of every crisis
and with my own eyes I’ve seen my enemies fail.
©2012 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 wisdom and humility
are the source of true greatness
and you draw near to all who draw near to you.
Like a woman planting a garden,
you set out and tended the newborn earth,
and like one who sets food before her family,
you nourished us with the fruits of the earth
and the wise teachings of your Word.
In every age you have revealed your wisdom
to the humble and insignificant ones
and hidden it from the arrogant and violent.
In your Son, Jesus, you showed us
that true greatness is known in servanthood,
and that the way of wisdom is found in childlike simplicity.
Betrayed into hostile hands and killed,
he rose again and called us to follow him,
putting aside selfish ambitions
and walking in the ways of peace, mercy and humility.
Therefore with .....
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

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

We give thanks for your Son, Jesus,
through whom you showed us
that true greatness is known in servanthood,
and that the way of wisdom is found in childlike simplicity,
putting aside selfish ambitions
and walking in the ways of peace, mercy and humility.
©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 your wisdom and humility
are the source of true greatness
and you draw near to all who draw near to you.
Like a woman planting a garden,
you set out and tended the newborn earth,
and like one who sets food before her family,
you nourished us with the fruits of the earth
and the wise teachings of your Word.
In every age you have revealed your wisdom
to the humble and insignificant ones
and hidden it from the arrogant and violent.
In your Son, Jesus, you showed us
that true greatness is known in servanthood,
and that the way of wisdom is found in childlike simplicity.
Betrayed into hostile hands and killed,
he rose again and called us to follow him,
putting aside selfish ambitions
and walking in the ways of peace, mercy and humility.
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

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw near to God
and submit yourselves to God’s ways
and God will draw near to you in mercy.
Sisters and Brothers,
your sins are forgiven;
be at peace.
©2003 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net

Commission & Benediction

Go out, clothed in strength and dignity.
Submit yourselves to God and resist the devil.
Delight in the Lord’s teaching,
open your hands to the poor,
and let your actions arise from the wisdom of God.
And may God draw near to you and strengthen you;
May Christ Jesus teach you the ways of simplicity;
and may the Holy Spirit fill you with wisdom
and make your fruitful in peace and righteousness.
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.

Getting Put in your PlaceA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton

Winning, Losing and Child’s PlayA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton

The Kingdom as Kids’ StuffA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton

Snapshots of WisdomA sermon on Psalm 1; Mark 9:30-37; James 3:13 – 4:3, 4:7-8a; & Proverbs 31:10-31 by Léon van Ommen

Missing the PointA sermon on Mark 9:30-37 & James 3:13-4:8 by Nathan Nettleton
