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UID:10002080-1790467200-1790553599@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 21 - Year A
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				  Exodus 17: 1-7			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The whole gathered people of Israel pushed on from the Sen Desert\, making the journey in manageable stages as the LORD directed them. At the end of one stage\, they set up camp at a place called Rephidim\, only to find that there was no drinking water in the area. The people started getting stuck into Moses again and demanding that he provide them with water to drink. But Moses said to them\, “What are you taking it out on me for? Are you trying to provoke the LORD into losing patience with you?” \nBut the people’s thirst was becoming severe\, and the more desperate they became\, the more they blamed Moses. “Now look at the mess you’ve got us into\,” they said. “Is this what you dragged us all out of Egypt for: to watch us die in a parched desert\, and our children and livestock with us? \nSo Moses cried out to the LORD\, saying\, “What am I supposed to do with these people? They are nearly ready to tear me limb from limb.” \nThe LORD replied\, “Take some of the Israelite tribal leaders with you\, and go on ahead of the people. Take your hiking stick with you — the same one you used to strike the waters of the Nile. I will be waiting for you at the rock at Mount Sinai. Give the rock a good thump with your stick\, and water will come pouring out of it for everyone to drink.” \nIn full view of the tribal leaders\, Moses did as the LORD had told him\, and sure enough\, there was water for everyone. From then on\, Moses referred to that place by either of two names: Massah\, which means ‘testing’\, because the people had tested the LORD’s patience; and Meribah\, which means ‘dispute’\, because the people had questioned the LORD’s loyalty. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 78: 1-4\, 12-16			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We are keen to learn of you\, LORD;\nyour people are eager to hear what you have to say. \nWe listen to those who pass on the old stories;\nthe dark mysteries of ancient wisdom.\nThese are things we must hear and know\,\nfor the wisdom of our ancestors must not be lost. \nWe will not deprive our children of these things.\nWe will pass on the stories to the next generation\, LORD\,\nstories of the wonderful things you have done\,\nso that they know how great and amazing you are. \nOur ancestors saw the miraculous things you did\nwhen they were still doing hard labour in the land of slavery. \nYou cut a track through the sea and let them escape;\nyou made the angry waters stand aside to let them through. \nYou sent a cloud to guide them in the daytime\,\nand a fire to light the way for them at night. \nIn the parched outback\, you broke open rocks\,\nbringing drinking water flooding up from deep below.\nYou made fresh water pour from the rock;\na river of life flowing in the desert. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Philippians 2: 1-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If you have indeed experienced the encouragement of being united to Christ\, and the support that genuine love offers\, and the deep bonds of a shared life formed in the Spirit; if indeed you have any compassion and concern for me\, then make my dreams come true: get your heads tuned to the one wavelength so that you will share a common love\, a common dedication to the one cause\, and a common mindset. Don’t let yourself be driven by self-centred ambitions or empty egotism\, but keep your feet firmly on the ground and promote others ahead of yourself. To each one of you\, I would say\, don’t focus on doing what is in your own best interests\, but on what is in the best interests of others. Model your attitude on the attitude of the Messiah\, Jesus. \nAlthough Jesus was the same as God in every way\,\nhe did not think of his God-like privileges\nas something to be milked for all they were worth. \nInstead\, he laid it all aside\nand\, with no more privileges than a slave\,\nwas born as a human being. \nHaving become a human being\,\nhe was the model of humility.\nHe didn’t demand his own way\nbut let God set the agenda;\neven when it included his own death\,\nand a gruesome public death at that. \nBecause of all this\,\nGod has raised him to the status of number one\nand honoured him more highly\nthan anyone else in the universe. \nSo now\, just the mention of the name ‘Jesus’\nshould bring everyone to their knees;\neveryone who has ever lived or ever will. \nEveryone\, everywhere will honour God\nby openly acknowledging\nthat Jesus the Messiah is Lord of all! \nTherefore\, my dear friends\, there is work to do. You have always stuck to the agenda that was set for you\, so keep it up\, not only when I am around but even more when I am gone. Continue to work at living the life for which you are being saved\, and do so with such an awareness of how high the stakes are\, that it fills you with awe and makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck. For this is awesome stuff: it is God who is at work within you\, making it possible for you to set your mind on what God wants and to work for those things which are ultimately pleasing to God. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 21: 23-32			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	While Jesus was teaching the people in the Jerusalem Temple\, the chief priests and the political leaders came up and challenged him\, saying\, “What authority do you have for what you are doing\, and who authorised you to do these things?” \nJesus replied\, “I’ve got a question for you too\, and if you tell me the answer to mine\, I’ll answer yours and tell you what authority I have for what I am doing. Where did John’s authority to baptise people come from? Was it from God\, or did he just dream it up himself?” \nThey thought for a moment\, weighing up their options and saying to themselves\, “If we tell him we think God was behind it\, then he’ll want to know why we failed to get on board. But if we say that John just dreamed it up himself\, we will be in trouble with the people\, because the popular opinion says that John was a messenger from God.” \nSo they answered Jesus\, “We do not know.” \nAnd so Jesus said to them\, “Well then\, neither am I going to answer your question about what authority I have for what I am doing. Listen to this story though\, and tell me what you think. \nA man had two teenage sons. One day he said to one of them\, ‘Son\, the garden needs a bit of work. Would you give us a hand?’ The boy said\, ‘No way!’ but later he had second thoughts and went and got stuck into it. Meanwhile\, the father went to his other son with the same request. The boy answered\, ‘Sure\, Dad\, I’ll get into it in a few minutes\,’ but he never got around to it. Which of the two did what the father would have hoped for?” \nThey replied\, “The first one.” \nJesus looked at them and said\, “I kid you not; when it comes to becoming part of the culture of God\, the prostitutes and the collaborators who sell out to the occupation forces are miles ahead of you lot. Why? Because John was on the right track when he came to you\, and you didn’t believe him. But the people you had written off as moral garbage did. They took what he said seriously\, and even though you saw the difference it made to them\, your minds were set like concrete and you wouldn’t take any notice of him.” \n©2002 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				  Ezekiel 18: 1-4\, 25-32			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I received another message from the LORD: \nWhy are you repeating the old saying\, “The parents eat junk\, and their kids’ teeth rot”? I am the Lord GOD and I swear I do not want to hear this saying from any of my people ever again. Get this into your heads: I have the power of life and death over everyone\, both the parents and the children\, and it is only the person responsible for the sin who will die for it. \nYet I hear you whingeing\, “The way the Lord treats us is not fair.” Well listen up\, my people: is it my ways that are not fair? Isn’t the reality that it is your ways that are not fair? When people who have previously done the right thing turn their backs on what is right and start doing things that are corrupt\, they are making a fatal mistake. They will die because of the corrupt things they have done. On the other hand\, if corrupt people mend their ways and begin living by what I have taught and doing the right thing by others\, they will save their lives. They have woken up to themselves\, turning their backs on corruption and getting their lives back on track\, and so they will no longer be under sentence of death. And yet I hear my people whingeing\, “The way the Lord treats us is not fair.” Give me an answer\, my people: is it my ways that are not fair? Isn’t the reality that it is your ways that are not fair? \nSo\, my people\, I am telling you that I\, the Lord GOD\, will judge each of you on the basis of how you\, yourself\, live. Give up corrupt ways and get your lives back on track; otherwise corruption will be your downfall. Put behind you all the corrupt things you have done against my express instructions\, and make a fresh start. Get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why go on trudging towards death\, my people? I am the Lord GOD\, and I am never happy to see anyone die\, no matter who they are. So do an about face and live! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 25: 1-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I gladly offer you everything I am\, LORD . \nI have put my trust in you\, God;\nplease don’t let me down;\ndon’t give my enemies grounds to gloat. \nBe there for those who hang in there for you\, no matter what:\ndon’t leave them with egg on their faces.\nSave that for the two-faced scabs who deserve it. \nLet me in on your way of doing things\, LORD;\nteach me how to follow your tracks. \nSteer me along your ways of truth\, and teach me all about them.\nOnly you can save me from disaster\, God\,\nso I’ll wait for you before setting out. \nYour love and mercy have been as timeless and dependable as the rock;\nplease don’t change your mind about them now! \nDon’t keep a record of everything I’ve done wrong in the past.\nLet your unshakable love colour your view of me\,\nand keep your reputation for generosity intact! \nYou always do what is good and right\, LORD\,\nand so you patiently retrain those who do wrong. \nYou pilot a safe course for those who are not too full of themselves;\nyou give lessons on your ways to the humble folk. \n©2000 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 are at work among us\,\nconforming our will and our work to your sacred purposes. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders\,\nyou divided the waters\nand brought forth a newborn earth.\nYou rescued your people from slavery\,\nand though their faith dried up in the desert\,\nyou split the rocks and quenched their thirst\nwith waters welling up from ancient depths. \nYour child Jesus\, though one with you\,\nwas born as one of us and humbled himself\,\npassing through the ancient waters of baptism\nand following the ways of righteousness\neven to the point of death on a cross.\nTherefore you raised him to life\nand exalted him above every other power.\nNow you embrace all who in action confess him as Lord\,\nbaptising them in his name into the life of your Kingdom. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 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 give you thanks for your child Jesus who\,\nhaving humbled himself even to the point of death on a cross\,\nwas raised by you and exalted above every other power\,\nand now lives to bring life to your thirsty people\nfrom the ancient wellspring of love and consolation. \n©2002 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 are at work among us\,\nconforming our will and our work to your sacred purposes. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders\,\nyou divided the waters\nand brought forth a newborn earth.\nYou rescued your people from slavery\,\nand though their faith dried up in the desert\,\nyou split the rocks and quenched their thirst\nwith waters welling up from ancient depths. \nYour child Jesus\, though one with you\,\nwas born as one of us and humbled himself\,\npassing through the ancient waters of baptism\nand following the ways of righteousness\neven to the point of death on a cross.\nTherefore you raised him to life\nand exalted him above every other power.\nNow you embrace all who in action confess him as Lord\,\nbaptising them in his name into the life of your Kingdom. \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©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Though Christ was one with God\,\nhe humbled himself and become obedient\neven to the point of death on a cross\,\nso that we might drink deeply from the well of grace\nand know the mercy of God at work within us. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now to will and to work for God’s purposes.\nLet the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.\nBe filled with the same love\nand look to the interests of others.\nWith reverence for God\, work out your salvation. \nAnd may God quench your thirst with love and consolation;\nMay Christ Jesus strengthen you and encourage you;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit lead you on and make your joy complete. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 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\nThe Power of GodA sermon on Exodus 17:1-7; Philippians 2:1-13 & Matthew 21:23-32 by Mark Brett\n\n\n\nWellspring from the RockA sermon on Exodus 17:1-7 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGrabbing at GloryA sermon on Philippians 2:1-13 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nHey Kids! Come Work in the Garden!A sermon on Philippians 2:1-13 & Matthew 21:23-32 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nBy What Authority?A sermon on Matthew 21:23-32 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap21/2026-09-27/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://laughingbird.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/P21.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290930T000000
DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20290930T235959
DTSTAMP:20260408T081643
CREATED:20231113T124900Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20231113T125011Z
UID:10002081-1885420800-1885507199@laughingbird.net
SUMMARY:Proper 21 - Year A
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				  Exodus 17: 1-7			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	The whole gathered people of Israel pushed on from the Sen Desert\, making the journey in manageable stages as the LORD directed them. At the end of one stage\, they set up camp at a place called Rephidim\, only to find that there was no drinking water in the area. The people started getting stuck into Moses again and demanding that he provide them with water to drink. But Moses said to them\, “What are you taking it out on me for? Are you trying to provoke the LORD into losing patience with you?” \nBut the people’s thirst was becoming severe\, and the more desperate they became\, the more they blamed Moses. “Now look at the mess you’ve got us into\,” they said. “Is this what you dragged us all out of Egypt for: to watch us die in a parched desert\, and our children and livestock with us? \nSo Moses cried out to the LORD\, saying\, “What am I supposed to do with these people? They are nearly ready to tear me limb from limb.” \nThe LORD replied\, “Take some of the Israelite tribal leaders with you\, and go on ahead of the people. Take your hiking stick with you — the same one you used to strike the waters of the Nile. I will be waiting for you at the rock at Mount Sinai. Give the rock a good thump with your stick\, and water will come pouring out of it for everyone to drink.” \nIn full view of the tribal leaders\, Moses did as the LORD had told him\, and sure enough\, there was water for everyone. From then on\, Moses referred to that place by either of two names: Massah\, which means ‘testing’\, because the people had tested the LORD’s patience; and Meribah\, which means ‘dispute’\, because the people had questioned the LORD’s loyalty. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 78: 1-4\, 12-16			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	We are keen to learn of you\, LORD;\nyour people are eager to hear what you have to say. \nWe listen to those who pass on the old stories;\nthe dark mysteries of ancient wisdom.\nThese are things we must hear and know\,\nfor the wisdom of our ancestors must not be lost. \nWe will not deprive our children of these things.\nWe will pass on the stories to the next generation\, LORD\,\nstories of the wonderful things you have done\,\nso that they know how great and amazing you are. \nOur ancestors saw the miraculous things you did\nwhen they were still doing hard labour in the land of slavery. \nYou cut a track through the sea and let them escape;\nyou made the angry waters stand aside to let them through. \nYou sent a cloud to guide them in the daytime\,\nand a fire to light the way for them at night. \nIn the parched outback\, you broke open rocks\,\nbringing drinking water flooding up from deep below.\nYou made fresh water pour from the rock;\na river of life flowing in the desert. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Philippians 2: 1-13			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	If you have indeed experienced the encouragement of being united to Christ\, and the support that genuine love offers\, and the deep bonds of a shared life formed in the Spirit; if indeed you have any compassion and concern for me\, then make my dreams come true: get your heads tuned to the one wavelength so that you will share a common love\, a common dedication to the one cause\, and a common mindset. Don’t let yourself be driven by self-centred ambitions or empty egotism\, but keep your feet firmly on the ground and promote others ahead of yourself. To each one of you\, I would say\, don’t focus on doing what is in your own best interests\, but on what is in the best interests of others. Model your attitude on the attitude of the Messiah\, Jesus. \nAlthough Jesus was the same as God in every way\,\nhe did not think of his God-like privileges\nas something to be milked for all they were worth. \nInstead\, he laid it all aside\nand\, with no more privileges than a slave\,\nwas born as a human being. \nHaving become a human being\,\nhe was the model of humility.\nHe didn’t demand his own way\nbut let God set the agenda;\neven when it included his own death\,\nand a gruesome public death at that. \nBecause of all this\,\nGod has raised him to the status of number one\nand honoured him more highly\nthan anyone else in the universe. \nSo now\, just the mention of the name ‘Jesus’\nshould bring everyone to their knees;\neveryone who has ever lived or ever will. \nEveryone\, everywhere will honour God\nby openly acknowledging\nthat Jesus the Messiah is Lord of all! \nTherefore\, my dear friends\, there is work to do. You have always stuck to the agenda that was set for you\, so keep it up\, not only when I am around but even more when I am gone. Continue to work at living the life for which you are being saved\, and do so with such an awareness of how high the stakes are\, that it fills you with awe and makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck. For this is awesome stuff: it is God who is at work within you\, making it possible for you to set your mind on what God wants and to work for those things which are ultimately pleasing to God. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Matthew 21: 23-32			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	While Jesus was teaching the people in the Jerusalem Temple\, the chief priests and the political leaders came up and challenged him\, saying\, “What authority do you have for what you are doing\, and who authorised you to do these things?” \nJesus replied\, “I’ve got a question for you too\, and if you tell me the answer to mine\, I’ll answer yours and tell you what authority I have for what I am doing. Where did John’s authority to baptise people come from? Was it from God\, or did he just dream it up himself?” \nThey thought for a moment\, weighing up their options and saying to themselves\, “If we tell him we think God was behind it\, then he’ll want to know why we failed to get on board. But if we say that John just dreamed it up himself\, we will be in trouble with the people\, because the popular opinion says that John was a messenger from God.” \nSo they answered Jesus\, “We do not know.” \nAnd so Jesus said to them\, “Well then\, neither am I going to answer your question about what authority I have for what I am doing. Listen to this story though\, and tell me what you think. \nA man had two teenage sons. One day he said to one of them\, ‘Son\, the garden needs a bit of work. Would you give us a hand?’ The boy said\, ‘No way!’ but later he had second thoughts and went and got stuck into it. Meanwhile\, the father went to his other son with the same request. The boy answered\, ‘Sure\, Dad\, I’ll get into it in a few minutes\,’ but he never got around to it. Which of the two did what the father would have hoped for?” \nThey replied\, “The first one.” \nJesus looked at them and said\, “I kid you not; when it comes to becoming part of the culture of God\, the prostitutes and the collaborators who sell out to the occupation forces are miles ahead of you lot. Why? Because John was on the right track when he came to you\, and you didn’t believe him. But the people you had written off as moral garbage did. They took what he said seriously\, and even though you saw the difference it made to them\, your minds were set like concrete and you wouldn’t take any notice of him.” \n©2002 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				  Ezekiel 18: 1-4\, 25-32			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I received another message from the LORD: \nWhy are you repeating the old saying\, “The parents eat junk\, and their kids’ teeth rot”? I am the Lord GOD and I swear I do not want to hear this saying from any of my people ever again. Get this into your heads: I have the power of life and death over everyone\, both the parents and the children\, and it is only the person responsible for the sin who will die for it. \nYet I hear you whingeing\, “The way the Lord treats us is not fair.” Well listen up\, my people: is it my ways that are not fair? Isn’t the reality that it is your ways that are not fair? When people who have previously done the right thing turn their backs on what is right and start doing things that are corrupt\, they are making a fatal mistake. They will die because of the corrupt things they have done. On the other hand\, if corrupt people mend their ways and begin living by what I have taught and doing the right thing by others\, they will save their lives. They have woken up to themselves\, turning their backs on corruption and getting their lives back on track\, and so they will no longer be under sentence of death. And yet I hear my people whingeing\, “The way the Lord treats us is not fair.” Give me an answer\, my people: is it my ways that are not fair? Isn’t the reality that it is your ways that are not fair? \nSo\, my people\, I am telling you that I\, the Lord GOD\, will judge each of you on the basis of how you\, yourself\, live. Give up corrupt ways and get your lives back on track; otherwise corruption will be your downfall. Put behind you all the corrupt things you have done against my express instructions\, and make a fresh start. Get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why go on trudging towards death\, my people? I am the Lord GOD\, and I am never happy to see anyone die\, no matter who they are. So do an about face and live! \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Psalm 25: 1-9			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	I gladly offer you everything I am\, LORD . \nI have put my trust in you\, God;\nplease don’t let me down;\ndon’t give my enemies grounds to gloat. \nBe there for those who hang in there for you\, no matter what:\ndon’t leave them with egg on their faces.\nSave that for the two-faced scabs who deserve it. \nLet me in on your way of doing things\, LORD;\nteach me how to follow your tracks. \nSteer me along your ways of truth\, and teach me all about them.\nOnly you can save me from disaster\, God\,\nso I’ll wait for you before setting out. \nYour love and mercy have been as timeless and dependable as the rock;\nplease don’t change your mind about them now! \nDon’t keep a record of everything I’ve done wrong in the past.\nLet your unshakable love colour your view of me\,\nand keep your reputation for generosity intact! \nYou always do what is good and right\, LORD\,\nand so you patiently retrain those who do wrong. \nYou pilot a safe course for those who are not too full of themselves;\nyou give lessons on your ways to the humble folk. \n©2000 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 are at work among us\,\nconforming our will and our work to your sacred purposes. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders\,\nyou divided the waters\nand brought forth a newborn earth.\nYou rescued your people from slavery\,\nand though their faith dried up in the desert\,\nyou split the rocks and quenched their thirst\nwith waters welling up from ancient depths. \nYour child Jesus\, though one with you\,\nwas born as one of us and humbled himself\,\npassing through the ancient waters of baptism\nand following the ways of righteousness\neven to the point of death on a cross.\nTherefore you raised him to life\nand exalted him above every other power.\nNow you embrace all who in action confess him as Lord\,\nbaptising them in his name into the life of your Kingdom. \nTherefore with ..... \n©2002 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 give you thanks for your child Jesus who\,\nhaving humbled himself even to the point of death on a cross\,\nwas raised by you and exalted above every other power\,\nand now lives to bring life to your thirsty people\nfrom the ancient wellspring of love and consolation. \n©2002 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 are at work among us\,\nconforming our will and our work to your sacred purposes. \nIn the first of your mighty wonders\,\nyou divided the waters\nand brought forth a newborn earth.\nYou rescued your people from slavery\,\nand though their faith dried up in the desert\,\nyou split the rocks and quenched their thirst\nwith waters welling up from ancient depths. \nYour child Jesus\, though one with you\,\nwas born as one of us and humbled himself\,\npassing through the ancient waters of baptism\nand following the ways of righteousness\neven to the point of death on a cross.\nTherefore you raised him to life\nand exalted him above every other power.\nNow you embrace all who in action confess him as Lord\,\nbaptising them in his name into the life of your Kingdom. \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©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Declaration of Grace / Absolution			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Though Christ was one with God\,\nhe humbled himself and become obedient\neven to the point of death on a cross\,\nso that we might drink deeply from the well of grace\nand know the mercy of God at work within us. \nSisters and Brothers\,\n  your sins are forgiven;\n    be at peace. \n©2002 Nathan Nettleton LaughingBird.net \n\n\n			\n	\n		\n\n		\n			\n				  Commission & Benediction			\n		\n\n		\n		 \n \n	Go now to will and to work for God’s purposes.\nLet the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.\nBe filled with the same love\nand look to the interests of others.\nWith reverence for God\, work out your salvation. \nAnd may God quench your thirst with love and consolation;\nMay Christ Jesus strengthen you and encourage you;\nAnd may the Holy Spirit lead you on and make your joy complete. \nWe go in peace to love and serve the Lord\,\n   In the name of Christ. Amen. \n©2002 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\nThe Power of GodA sermon on Exodus 17:1-7; Philippians 2:1-13 & Matthew 21:23-32 by Mark Brett\n\n\n\nWellspring from the RockA sermon on Exodus 17:1-7 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nGrabbing at GloryA sermon on Philippians 2:1-13 by Nathan Nettleton\n\n\n\nHey Kids! Come Work in the Garden!A sermon on Philippians 2:1-13 & Matthew 21:23-32 by Alison Sampson\n\n\n\nBy What Authority?A sermon on Matthew 21:23-32 by Nathan Nettleton
URL:https://laughingbird.net/occasion/ap21/2029-09-30/
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