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SUMMARY:Proper 9 - Year C
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Kings 5: 1-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The commander of the Syrian army was a man named Naaman. Naaman was very popular with his king\, because under his command\, the LORD had given Syria a string of military victories. Although he was a great soldier and a highly decorated commander\, Naaman suffered from leprosy. Naaman’s wife had a young Israelite girl among her servants who had come to Syria as a prisoner of war after a military raid. One day the girl said to her mistress\, “If only your husband could meet the prophet who lives in Samaria. I’m sure he would cure him of his leprosy.” \nNaaman spoke to the king about what the girl had said\, and the king gladly gave him leave to go. He also provided him with a letter of referral\, addressed to the king of Israel. \nNaaman headed off\, loaded up with money and expensive gifts of jewellery and fine clothing. Arriving in Israel\, he delivered the letter to the king. It read\, “The bearer of this letter is my trusted servant\, Naaman. I have sent him to you to have his leprosy cured.” \nWhen the king of Israel read the letter\, he was beside himself with fear; tearing his hair out over what to do. “What does the king of Syria think he’s doing?” he shouted. “Does he think I’m God or something\, that I can cure lepers at his request? It looks like he’s trying to pick a fight with me.” \nNews of this got to Elisha\, the prophet of God in Samaria. He sent a message to the king saying\, “Why are you tearing your hair out? Get a grip on yourself and send the man to me so that he can find out for himself that there is a real prophet in Israel.” \nSo Naaman and his whole entourage pulled up in the street outside Elisha’s house. Elisha sent an errand boy out to Naaman with a message\, saying\, “Go down to the Jordan River and wash yourself in it seven times. That will cure you and your skin will be as clean and clear as a child’s.” \nNaaman felt deeply insulted and drove off in a huff\, saying\, “You’d think that for a man of my standing he could have come out and talked to me himself. I thought that he would at least stand and call on the LORD his God\, and wave his hand over my skin to bring about the cure! What’s so special about their scummy Israelite river? Aren’t the two great rivers of Damascus much bigger and better? Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” \nSo he stormed off\, seething with rage. But his servants spoke up and said\, “Sir\, if the prophet had told you to do something really difficult\, you would have done it\, wouldn’t you? So surely you have got nothing to lose but your disease if you do what he said and wash yourself in the river.” \nSo Naaman relented and\, wading out into the Jordan River\, he immersed himself seven times in the water\, just as the prophet of God had instructed him. Sure enough\, he was cured instantly\, and his skin became as clear and healthy as a child’s. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 30			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I’ll be singing your praises\, every chance I get\, LORD\,\nbecause you got me out of deep trouble\nand spared me the gloating of my enemies. \nI pleaded for help\, LORD God\,\nand you stepped in and healed me. \nThey were nearly ready to pronounce me dead\nbut your brought me back\, LORD;\nyou put me back on my feet\nwhen I was about to be carried to the morgue. \nSo I’m singing your praises\,\nand I’m encouraging everyone to do the same;\nto name you with joyful thanks. \nWe manage to get you angry at times\,\nbut it blows over in a moment\nbecause your mercy keeps on keeping on.\nWe may have an evening of bitter tears\,\nbut by morning your mercy has us smiling again. \nI was guilty of taking your goodness for granted;\nI thought I had it made.\nYou had put me on top of the world\nbut I got all too full of myself.\nYou stepped aside – made me stand alone —\nand I turned to jelly! \nI realised how much I needed you\, LORD\,\nand in my panic I begged you for mercy. \n“What good is my blood to you?” I cried.\n“How will it help if I’m in the grave?\nCan a corpse sing your praises?\nWill a gravestone publicise your goodness?\nGive me another chance\, LORD.\nPlease\, LORD\, bail me out one more time.” \nAnd sure enough\, you did\, LORD.\nYou turned my tears to laughter;\nyou set my dragging feet dancing;\nyou dusted me off and dressed me up for a party.\nSo now I’m singing your praises\nfrom the bottom of my heart\,\nand no one can shut me up! \nYou are my God\, LORD\,\nand I’m eternally grateful. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Galatians 6: (1-6)\, 7-16			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	My friends\, by God’s gift you are spiritual people\, so if there are any among you who have fallen into some sin\, the rest of you should gently help them to get back on the right track. Guard yourselves against being sucked into the same mistakes\, because no one is immune to sin. If others are struggling\, don’t be slow to get your hands dirty and help out. Pitching in to help is the only thing that measures up to the instructions and example that Christ left us. If you think it’s beneath you\, you’ve fallen for your own publicity. Make a proper assessment of the value of your own contribution by taking a good hard look at yourself and asking how your work compares to your actual potential. Don’t go getting full of yourself simply because your efforts look more impressive than someone else’s. Everyone is responsible for pulling their weight according to their own ability\, not according to someone else’s ability. Those of you who have been well trained in God’s ways are therefore expected to contribute generously to the common life of the community that has taught you\, sharing all the good things that have been formed within you. \nDon’t be conned into thinking you can play God for a sucker. What you put into life determines what you’ll get back. If your investments are all in your own selfish impulses\, they’ll pay out a dividend of degradation and misery. But if you invest yourself in the ways of the Spirit\, your investment will yield rich dividends of life without limit\, guaranteed forever by the Spirit. So let’s see that we never get tired of doing the right thing. If we don’t lose patience\, but stay in for the long term\, we will be richly rewarded. Let’s take every opportunity\, then\, to contribute our energies to making the world a better place for everybody. And as a starting point\, let’s especially care for our co-workers in the community of faith. \nTake note: I am writing here in large letters with my own hand. Those who are trying to force you into adopting their customs of circumcision and the like are only after an easy way to impress everyone with their own importance. They haven’t got the guts to risk the consequences of standing firm and saying that the cross of Christ is the be all and end all. They talk big about the circumcision law\, but they don’t obey the whole law any more than we do. They are concerned only about those laws that they will be noticed for. They want you to accept circumcision so that they can boast of you as proof of their superior convert rate. God help me if I ever boast of anything other than the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of the cross\, the world is a dead thing to me\, and I’ve died to it and become completely unresponsive to its attempts to lure me into going along with its self-serving ways. The fact is that it doesn’t make the least bit of difference whether you are circumcised or not. The one thing that is of ultimate importance is the new creation that God is making of us! For all of you who accept this and live by it\, you are the the true chosen people of God\, and I pray that the riches of God’s peace and mercy will be yours. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 10: 1-11\, 16-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Taking charge\, Jesus selected a large group of his followers – as many of them as there were nations in the world – and sent them off in pairs as advance parties into all the towns and districts he was planning to pass through. \nHe gave them the following instructions: “The world is an orchard\, groaning under a bumper crop\, ripe and ready for picking; but there are hardly any workers ready to bring it in. So get in touch with the Lord of the crop\, and put in an urgent request for more workers to be sent out to do the picking. Now\, on your bikes! And keep your eyes open\, because on this job you will be like children swimming among the sharks. Travel light and live simply – no carting luggage around and no wasting time swapping travel stories with everyone you bump into on the road. If anyone invites you to stay in their home\, pray openly for God to bless their household with peace. If they are peace-loving people\, they will benefit from your prayer. If they are not\, you haven’t lost anything. Stay in the same house until it’s time to move on. As workers\, you’ve earned your keep\, so eat and drink whatever your hosts provide\, and don’t go fussing about dietary customs. No shopping around for a better place! \n“If you arrive in a town and the locals welcome you\, be gracious guests and accept their hospitality\, whether their food appeals to you or not. Heal anyone in the town who is sick\, and announce that the culture of God is close at hand among them. If you arrive in a town and the locals refuse to welcome you\, then stand in the main street and say\, ‘We are scratching your name off our map because of what you have done. The culture of God has come within reach right here\, but you’ve shut it out.’ \n“Whoever listens to what you have to say is listening to me. Those who give you the cold shoulder are giving me the cold shoulder\, and if they’re giving me the cold shoulder they are doing the same to the One who sent me.” \nSo off they went in pairs\, the whole group of them\, and when they returned they were ecstatic. “Lord\,” they said\, “when we called the shots on your authority\, even the demons fell into line!” \nJesus replied\, “Yes\, I was watching\, and I saw the satan knocked off his perch and fall out of the sky like a bolt of lightning. You see\, the world is full of snakes and sharks\, but I have given you the ability to stand against them\, and against all the power of the enemy\, and they can do you no real harm. All the same\, the most exciting news for you is not that evil will give way to you\, but that your names are on the books in the pay office of heaven.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Isaiah 66: 10-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Celebrate! Shout with joy\nall you who love Jerusalem.\nAll you who have shed tears over her\,\nit is time to share her joy.\nNow you can snuggle in close to her\,\nand be nourished at her comforting bosom.\nYou can drink deeply\nfrom her wonderful breasts. \nThis is what the LORD says:  \nI will make Jerusalem prosper like river in flood.\nThe world’s riches will overflow their banks\nand pour into her. \nJerusalem shall nurse you like a newborn;\nhold you in her arms and bounce you on her knee. \nI will comfort you there\nlike a mother comforting her own child. \nWhen you see all this\, your hearts will burst with joy.\nEven your bodies will feel rejuvenated\,\nlike grass springing up in the Autumn rains. \nIt will be clear to all that I\, the LORD\, am taking sides;\nfavouring those who serve me\nover those who oppose me. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 66: 1-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	All the earth should shout joyfully to you\, God;\nsinging your praises;\ngiving you the glory you deserve. \nThe things you have done are awesome\, God!\nWhen you take action\,\nyour enemies cringe in fear. \nYou are worshipped all over the earth;\neverywhere people sing your praises\nand speak your name with honour. \nWe want to publicise everything you have done\, God\,\nfor what you have done among us is awesome. \nYou made a dry path through the middle of the sea;\nyou took us safely through the river on foot.\nThere on the other side\, we celebrated your goodness\nand declared you to be our mighty ruler forever.\nYour eyes are always open\, watching the nations;\nlet pretentious rebels be warned! \nIf only everyone would honour you\, God\,\nand fill the world with the sound of your praises.\nYou are the one who sustains our life\nand keeps our feet on the right track. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have raised us up as a new creation\nand written our names in the book of life. \nYou created the earth in your goodness\nand its plentiful harvest feeds your creatures.\nThrough the law and prophets you revealed yourself\nas the God who heals us and makes us whole. \nWhen we had sown the seeds of destruction\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\nto sow seeds of peace\,\nbearing our burdens\nand immersing us in your healing waters.\nWhen he was rejected and nailed to the cross\,\nthe world was crucified to us\,\nand us to the world.\nYou pulled him back from the place of the dead\nand robed him in glory.\nNow you send us as labourers into the harvest\,\nto proclaim your nearness\,\nand to reap eternal life in your Spirit. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We thank you that you have raised us up as a new creation\,\nwritten our names in the book of life\,\nand sent us as labourers into the harvest\,\nto proclaim your nearness\,\nto immerse people into your healing waters\,\nand to reap eternal life in your Spirit. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have raised us up as a new creation\nand written our names in the book of life. \nYou created the earth in your goodness\nand its plentiful harvest feeds your creatures.\nThrough the law and prophets you revealed yourself\nas the God who heals us and makes us whole. \nWhen we had sown the seeds of destruction\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\nto sow seeds of peace\,\nbearing our burdens\nand immersing us in your healing waters.\nWhen he was rejected and nailed to the cross\,\nthe world was crucified to us\,\nand us to the world.\nYou pulled him back from the place of the dead\nand robed him in glory.\nNow you send us as labourers into the harvest\,\nto proclaim your nearness\,\nand to reap eternal life in your Spirit. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Our God is an awesome God\,\nwhose anger passes quickly\nand whose mercy lasts a lifetime.\nRejoice then\, for your names are written in heaven. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now\, and proclaim that the reign of God is near.\nTravel lightly\, but bear one another’s burdens\,\nand so fulfil the law of Christ.\nWork for the good of all\,\navoid temptation\,\nand pray that God will send more labourers into the harvest. \nAnd may God give you mercy and peace;\nMay Christ Jesus give you power over all that would harm you;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit produce within you\na rich harvest of joy and life. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nMission Insignificant?A sermon on Luke 10: 1-11\, 16-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nKeep it simple\, StupidA sermon on 2 Kings 5: 1-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nToo Simple to BotherA sermon on 2 Kings 5: 1-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nCrucifying the Domesticated GospelA sermon on Galatians 6:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGod’s DreamA sermon on Galatians 6:1-16 by Paul Dekar\n\n\n\nGo in PeaceA sermon on 2 Kings 5: 1-14 & Galatians 6: 1-16 by Ian Cook\n\n\n\nTaking Pride in the Cross of Jesus ChristA sermon on Galatians 6:1-16 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nBringing Satan Crashing DownA sermon on Luke 10: 1-11\, 16-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nQuestions on MissionA sermon on Luke 10: 1-11\, 16-20 by Michael Wood
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/cp09/2028-07-09/
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DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20310706T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20310706T235959
DTSTAMP:20260406T193323
CREATED:20201113T013506Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250818T031518Z
UID:10002968-1941062400-1941148799@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 9 - Year C
DESCRIPTION:Below you will find the Bible readings set for this occasion in the Revised Common Lectionary\, with our Australian idiomatic paraphrases of them\, plus prayers and sermons based on them. \n\n\n\nBible Readings (paraphrased)\n\n\n\nLections from The Revised Common Lectionary. Copyright 1992 by the Consultation on Common Texts(CCT) P.O. Box 340003\, Room 381\, Nashville\, TN 37203-0003\, USA. Used with Permission. \n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  2 Kings 5: 1-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The commander of the Syrian army was a man named Naaman. Naaman was very popular with his king\, because under his command\, the LORD had given Syria a string of military victories. Although he was a great soldier and a highly decorated commander\, Naaman suffered from leprosy. Naaman’s wife had a young Israelite girl among her servants who had come to Syria as a prisoner of war after a military raid. One day the girl said to her mistress\, “If only your husband could meet the prophet who lives in Samaria. I’m sure he would cure him of his leprosy.” \nNaaman spoke to the king about what the girl had said\, and the king gladly gave him leave to go. He also provided him with a letter of referral\, addressed to the king of Israel. \nNaaman headed off\, loaded up with money and expensive gifts of jewellery and fine clothing. Arriving in Israel\, he delivered the letter to the king. It read\, “The bearer of this letter is my trusted servant\, Naaman. I have sent him to you to have his leprosy cured.” \nWhen the king of Israel read the letter\, he was beside himself with fear; tearing his hair out over what to do. “What does the king of Syria think he’s doing?” he shouted. “Does he think I’m God or something\, that I can cure lepers at his request? It looks like he’s trying to pick a fight with me.” \nNews of this got to Elisha\, the prophet of God in Samaria. He sent a message to the king saying\, “Why are you tearing your hair out? Get a grip on yourself and send the man to me so that he can find out for himself that there is a real prophet in Israel.” \nSo Naaman and his whole entourage pulled up in the street outside Elisha’s house. Elisha sent an errand boy out to Naaman with a message\, saying\, “Go down to the Jordan River and wash yourself in it seven times. That will cure you and your skin will be as clean and clear as a child’s.” \nNaaman felt deeply insulted and drove off in a huff\, saying\, “You’d think that for a man of my standing he could have come out and talked to me himself. I thought that he would at least stand and call on the LORD his God\, and wave his hand over my skin to bring about the cure! What’s so special about their scummy Israelite river? Aren’t the two great rivers of Damascus much bigger and better? Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?” \nSo he stormed off\, seething with rage. But his servants spoke up and said\, “Sir\, if the prophet had told you to do something really difficult\, you would have done it\, wouldn’t you? So surely you have got nothing to lose but your disease if you do what he said and wash yourself in the river.” \nSo Naaman relented and\, wading out into the Jordan River\, he immersed himself seven times in the water\, just as the prophet of God had instructed him. Sure enough\, he was cured instantly\, and his skin became as clear and healthy as a child’s. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 30			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I’ll be singing your praises\, every chance I get\, LORD\,\nbecause you got me out of deep trouble\nand spared me the gloating of my enemies. \nI pleaded for help\, LORD God\,\nand you stepped in and healed me. \nThey were nearly ready to pronounce me dead\nbut your brought me back\, LORD;\nyou put me back on my feet\nwhen I was about to be carried to the morgue. \nSo I’m singing your praises\,\nand I’m encouraging everyone to do the same;\nto name you with joyful thanks. \nWe manage to get you angry at times\,\nbut it blows over in a moment\nbecause your mercy keeps on keeping on.\nWe may have an evening of bitter tears\,\nbut by morning your mercy has us smiling again. \nI was guilty of taking your goodness for granted;\nI thought I had it made.\nYou had put me on top of the world\nbut I got all too full of myself.\nYou stepped aside – made me stand alone —\nand I turned to jelly! \nI realised how much I needed you\, LORD\,\nand in my panic I begged you for mercy. \n“What good is my blood to you?” I cried.\n“How will it help if I’m in the grave?\nCan a corpse sing your praises?\nWill a gravestone publicise your goodness?\nGive me another chance\, LORD.\nPlease\, LORD\, bail me out one more time.” \nAnd sure enough\, you did\, LORD.\nYou turned my tears to laughter;\nyou set my dragging feet dancing;\nyou dusted me off and dressed me up for a party.\nSo now I’m singing your praises\nfrom the bottom of my heart\,\nand no one can shut me up! \nYou are my God\, LORD\,\nand I’m eternally grateful. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Galatians 6: (1-6)\, 7-16			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	My friends\, by God’s gift you are spiritual people\, so if there are any among you who have fallen into some sin\, the rest of you should gently help them to get back on the right track. Guard yourselves against being sucked into the same mistakes\, because no one is immune to sin. If others are struggling\, don’t be slow to get your hands dirty and help out. Pitching in to help is the only thing that measures up to the instructions and example that Christ left us. If you think it’s beneath you\, you’ve fallen for your own publicity. Make a proper assessment of the value of your own contribution by taking a good hard look at yourself and asking how your work compares to your actual potential. Don’t go getting full of yourself simply because your efforts look more impressive than someone else’s. Everyone is responsible for pulling their weight according to their own ability\, not according to someone else’s ability. Those of you who have been well trained in God’s ways are therefore expected to contribute generously to the common life of the community that has taught you\, sharing all the good things that have been formed within you. \nDon’t be conned into thinking you can play God for a sucker. What you put into life determines what you’ll get back. If your investments are all in your own selfish impulses\, they’ll pay out a dividend of degradation and misery. But if you invest yourself in the ways of the Spirit\, your investment will yield rich dividends of life without limit\, guaranteed forever by the Spirit. So let’s see that we never get tired of doing the right thing. If we don’t lose patience\, but stay in for the long term\, we will be richly rewarded. Let’s take every opportunity\, then\, to contribute our energies to making the world a better place for everybody. And as a starting point\, let’s especially care for our co-workers in the community of faith. \nTake note: I am writing here in large letters with my own hand. Those who are trying to force you into adopting their customs of circumcision and the like are only after an easy way to impress everyone with their own importance. They haven’t got the guts to risk the consequences of standing firm and saying that the cross of Christ is the be all and end all. They talk big about the circumcision law\, but they don’t obey the whole law any more than we do. They are concerned only about those laws that they will be noticed for. They want you to accept circumcision so that they can boast of you as proof of their superior convert rate. God help me if I ever boast of anything other than the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of the cross\, the world is a dead thing to me\, and I’ve died to it and become completely unresponsive to its attempts to lure me into going along with its self-serving ways. The fact is that it doesn’t make the least bit of difference whether you are circumcised or not. The one thing that is of ultimate importance is the new creation that God is making of us! For all of you who accept this and live by it\, you are the the true chosen people of God\, and I pray that the riches of God’s peace and mercy will be yours. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Luke 10: 1-11\, 16-20			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Taking charge\, Jesus selected a large group of his followers – as many of them as there were nations in the world – and sent them off in pairs as advance parties into all the towns and districts he was planning to pass through. \nHe gave them the following instructions: “The world is an orchard\, groaning under a bumper crop\, ripe and ready for picking; but there are hardly any workers ready to bring it in. So get in touch with the Lord of the crop\, and put in an urgent request for more workers to be sent out to do the picking. Now\, on your bikes! And keep your eyes open\, because on this job you will be like children swimming among the sharks. Travel light and live simply – no carting luggage around and no wasting time swapping travel stories with everyone you bump into on the road. If anyone invites you to stay in their home\, pray openly for God to bless their household with peace. If they are peace-loving people\, they will benefit from your prayer. If they are not\, you haven’t lost anything. Stay in the same house until it’s time to move on. As workers\, you’ve earned your keep\, so eat and drink whatever your hosts provide\, and don’t go fussing about dietary customs. No shopping around for a better place! \n“If you arrive in a town and the locals welcome you\, be gracious guests and accept their hospitality\, whether their food appeals to you or not. Heal anyone in the town who is sick\, and announce that the culture of God is close at hand among them. If you arrive in a town and the locals refuse to welcome you\, then stand in the main street and say\, ‘We are scratching your name off our map because of what you have done. The culture of God has come within reach right here\, but you’ve shut it out.’ \n“Whoever listens to what you have to say is listening to me. Those who give you the cold shoulder are giving me the cold shoulder\, and if they’re giving me the cold shoulder they are doing the same to the One who sent me.” \nSo off they went in pairs\, the whole group of them\, and when they returned they were ecstatic. “Lord\,” they said\, “when we called the shots on your authority\, even the demons fell into line!” \nJesus replied\, “Yes\, I was watching\, and I saw the satan knocked off his perch and fall out of the sky like a bolt of lightning. You see\, the world is full of snakes and sharks\, but I have given you the ability to stand against them\, and against all the power of the enemy\, and they can do you no real harm. All the same\, the most exciting news for you is not that evil will give way to you\, but that your names are on the books in the pay office of heaven.” \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Below are the alternative 1st Reading and Psalm themed to the Gospel lection			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Prior to the revision of the Lectionary in 1992\, the 1st reading and the psalm that responded to it were chosen to link thematically with the gospel reading. After hearing the critique of those who said that the Hebrew Scriptures\, from which the first reading is usually chosen\, should be allowed to speak with their own voice rather than just add support to the gospel reading\, the Lectionary was revised so that during Ordinary Time\, the 1st reading runs in its own semi-continuous series\, working through various books of the Hebrew Bible. The older themed series continues to be available as an alternative. \nThe weekly prayers offered here at LaughingBird Resources are based on the four readings above\, and do not draw on the themed 1st reading and psalm. \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Isaiah 66: 10-14			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Celebrate! Shout with joy\nall you who love Jerusalem.\nAll you who have shed tears over her\,\nit is time to share her joy.\nNow you can snuggle in close to her\,\nand be nourished at her comforting bosom.\nYou can drink deeply\nfrom her wonderful breasts. \nThis is what the LORD says:  \nI will make Jerusalem prosper like river in flood.\nThe world’s riches will overflow their banks\nand pour into her. \nJerusalem shall nurse you like a newborn;\nhold you in her arms and bounce you on her knee. \nI will comfort you there\nlike a mother comforting her own child. \nWhen you see all this\, your hearts will burst with joy.\nEven your bodies will feel rejuvenated\,\nlike grass springing up in the Autumn rains. \nIt will be clear to all that I\, the LORD\, am taking sides;\nfavouring those who serve me\nover those who oppose me. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 66: 1-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	All the earth should shout joyfully to you\, God;\nsinging your praises;\ngiving you the glory you deserve. \nThe things you have done are awesome\, God!\nWhen you take action\,\nyour enemies cringe in fear. \nYou are worshipped all over the earth;\neverywhere people sing your praises\nand speak your name with honour. \nWe want to publicise everything you have done\, God\,\nfor what you have done among us is awesome. \nYou made a dry path through the middle of the sea;\nyou took us safely through the river on foot.\nThere on the other side\, we celebrated your goodness\nand declared you to be our mighty ruler forever.\nYour eyes are always open\, watching the nations;\nlet pretentious rebels be warned! \nIf only everyone would honour you\, God\,\nand fill the world with the sound of your praises.\nYou are the one who sustains our life\nand keeps our feet on the right track. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nPrayers\n\n\n	\n\n		\n			\n				  Eucharistic Preface			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Let us lift up our hearts.\nWe lift them to the Lord.\nLet us give thanks to the Lord our God.\nIt is right to give our thanks and praise. \nIt is indeed right to give you our thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have raised us up as a new creation\nand written our names in the book of life. \nYou created the earth in your goodness\nand its plentiful harvest feeds your creatures.\nThrough the law and prophets you revealed yourself\nas the God who heals us and makes us whole. \nWhen we had sown the seeds of destruction\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\nto sow seeds of peace\,\nbearing our burdens\nand immersing us in your healing waters.\nWhen he was rejected and nailed to the cross\,\nthe world was crucified to us\,\nand us to the world.\nYou pulled him back from the place of the dead\nand robed him in glory.\nNow you send us as labourers into the harvest\,\nto proclaim your nearness\,\nand to reap eternal life in your Spirit. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Short Preface (for insertion into Eucharistic prayers with fixed prefaces)			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We thank you that you have raised us up as a new creation\,\nwritten our names in the book of life\,\nand sent us as labourers into the harvest\,\nto proclaim your nearness\,\nto immerse people into your healing waters\,\nand to reap eternal life in your Spirit. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  General Prayer of Thanksgiving			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	(Preface reformatted for use apart from communion)\n\nWe give you all thanks and praise\, O God\,\nfor you have raised us up as a new creation\nand written our names in the book of life. \nYou created the earth in your goodness\nand its plentiful harvest feeds your creatures.\nThrough the law and prophets you revealed yourself\nas the God who heals us and makes us whole. \nWhen we had sown the seeds of destruction\,\nyou sent your child\, Jesus\, among us\nto sow seeds of peace\,\nbearing our burdens\nand immersing us in your healing waters.\nWhen he was rejected and nailed to the cross\,\nthe world was crucified to us\,\nand us to the world.\nYou pulled him back from the place of the dead\nand robed him in glory.\nNow you send us as labourers into the harvest\,\nto proclaim your nearness\,\nand to reap eternal life in your Spirit. \nTherefore\, with our hearts lifted high\,\nwe offer you thanks and praise at all times\nthrough Jesus Christ our Lord\,\nwho lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit\,\none God\, for ever and ever.\nAmen. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Our God is an awesome God\,\nwhose anger passes quickly\nand whose mercy lasts a lifetime.\nRejoice then\, for your names are written in heaven. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now\, and proclaim that the reign of God is near.\nTravel lightly\, but bear one another’s burdens\,\nand so fulfil the law of Christ.\nWork for the good of all\,\navoid temptation\,\nand pray that God will send more labourers into the harvest. \nAnd may God give you mercy and peace;\nMay Christ Jesus give you power over all that would harm you;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit produce within you\na rich harvest of joy and life. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2001 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n	\n\n\n\nSermons\n\n\n\nSermons will open in new tabs from our SYCBaps church website. \n\n\n\n\nMission Insignificant?A sermon on Luke 10: 1-11\, 16-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nKeep it simple\, StupidA sermon on 2 Kings 5: 1-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nToo Simple to BotherA sermon on 2 Kings 5: 1-14 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nCrucifying the Domesticated GospelA sermon on Galatians 6:1-16 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGod’s DreamA sermon on Galatians 6:1-16 by Paul Dekar\n\n\n\nGo in PeaceA sermon on 2 Kings 5: 1-14 & Galatians 6: 1-16 by Ian Cook\n\n\n\nTaking Pride in the Cross of Jesus ChristA sermon on Galatians 6:1-16 by Garry Deverell\n\n\n\nBringing Satan Crashing DownA sermon on Luke 10: 1-11\, 16-20 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nQuestions on MissionA sermon on Luke 10: 1-11\, 16-20 by Michael Wood
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/cp09/2031-07-06/
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