ST ANDREW’S CHURCH
February 20th, 2022

LIGHTING OF THE CHRIST CANDLE

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

AGM February 27th  immediately following our Worship Service
A reminder that this month’s Loonie Offering is going to the Coldest Night of the Year. To help support or participate please see the “Recent Posts” to the right of your screen.
World Day of prayer  – will be held via Zoom. ST John’s Anglican  is the host this  year  – more details closer to the  day.

CALL TO WORSHIP
Take delight in the Lord;
For God will give us the desires of our hearts.
Trust in the Lord;
For God will give us security and strength.
Come, let us commit our ways to the Lord.
Let us worship the One who is our refuge in any time of trouble.

HYMN 374 Oh for a thousand tongues to sing

Oh for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of God’s grace.
2. Jesus, the name that charms our fears,
and bids our sorrows cease:
‘tis music in the sinner’s ears;
‘tis life and health and peace.
3. He speaks, and listening to his voice
new life the dead receive;
the mournful, broken hearts rejoice;
the humble poor believe.
4.Hear him, you deaf; you voiceless ones,
your tongues again employ;
you blind, behold your Saviour comes,
and leap, you lame, for joy.

5. My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim,
and spread through all the earth abroad
the honours of thy name.

PRAYER OF ADORATION AND CONFESSION
Faithful God, You have gathered your people in faithfulness throughout
many generations. You have offered your blessing to us through their
examples, and led the Church through many changes and challenges by
your Spirit. Draw near to us this day to guide us in these uncertain
times. Root our faithfulness in the compassion and courage we meet in
Jesus. Renew us through your steadfast love so that we may dare to trust
our future to you. All praise and honour are yours, O God, Source,
Saviour and Spirit of Life. Hear now our prayer of confession …..

UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Gracious God,
you test the mind and search the heart,
so you know the thoughts and intentions we keep hidden.
Trusting in your wisdom and mercy,
we confess the ways we have failed to love one another,
the times we looked the other way when someone needed help,
and the ways our actions betrayed your goodness.
Forgive us for missing opportunities to share your love,
and carrying grudges that keep us from offering the
forgiveness we hope for.
Renew us with your mercy
to become more merciful to others we meet,
in the example of Christ our Lord.
In Christ’s name AMEN

ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Hear and believe the good news: anyone who is in Christ is a new
creation. The old life is gone, and new life has begun. Trust that you are

forgiven by God’s generous love, and have the courage to forgive one
another for Christ’s sake.

THE PEACE

HYMN 674 In the bulb there is a flower

1. In the bulb there is a flower,
in the seed, an apple tree,
in cocoons, a hidden promise:
butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter
there’s a spring that waits to be,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
2. There’s a song in every silence,
seeking word and melody;
there’s a dawn in every darkness,
bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future;
what it holds, a mystery,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
3. In our end is our beginning,
in our time, infinity;
in our doubt there is believing,
in our life, eternity,
in our death, a resurrection,
at the last, a victory,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.

SCRIPTURE READINGS

Psalm 37: 1–11, 39–40
1 Do not fret because of those who are evil
or be envious of those who do wrong;
2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
7 Be still before the LORD
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
9 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.
10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy peace and prosperity.
The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
Luke 6: 27–38

27 “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to
those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who
mistreat you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the
other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from
them. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what
belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have
them do to you.
32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even
sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who are
good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. 34 And if
you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that
to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. 35 But
love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting
to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be
children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and
wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you
will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it
will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together
and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you
use, it will be measured to you.”

SERMON
God of wisdom, your Word brings life and hope. By the power of your
Spirit, open our minds to understanding, teach our hearts to love, and
strengthen our wills to follow Jesus, your Living Word. Amen.

We are often called to make difficult decisions.  Todays  scripture reading  is a very  complex and concentrated  bit of Jesus’ teaching .  In Luke 6:27, Jesus opens the passage with the words: “But to you who are still  listening I say…” He suggests that the people around him may be hearing his words, but not really listening. They are not attentive. Or put  the other way round: They may be listening to his preaching, but not really hearing the message and the challenge it holds for them.

It is important to keep in mind the context of Jesus’ sermon. Immediately after Jesus has selected twelve men to become his apostles, he comes down from the mountain with them, stands on a level place, and preaches the “Sermon on the Plain” to the apostles, disciples and a great multitude of people. Luke says that Jesus begins his sermon by “looking at  his disciples” (6:20). So the sermon is primarily aimed at disciples, that is, at those who are followers of Jesus.

The words of Jesus today are particularly challenging and difficult for us just as it was for the folks in front  and around Jesus . Here we are being called to a new way of living, behaving, responding to our daily, human encounters.   In order to understand what Jesus is really saying to us, we have to put aside our prejudices and assumptions and really listen

 

Jesus describes how his disciples are to live as citizens of the kingdom of God. Unlike many preachers, Jesus does not soft-peddle his message. He does not try to sugar coat what he is about to say. He does not ease into his message with a funny story aimed to set his disciples at ease. No. Jesus immediately gives his disciples what has been called “ “The Hardest Commandment.”

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Jesus asks to be taken seriously about these rules. There is adequate proof in the letters that Peter and Paul write to Christian communities much later, that echo these words of Jesus

 

Jesus begins  inverse  6:27a, “But I  tell you who hear me, Love your enemies.” Jesus’ disciples must have been taken aback. What? Love our enemies? How in the world do we love our enemies?   In English we have one word for love. However there are several words for love in Greek. Jesus is not asking for natural affection, nor for romantic love, nor for the love of friendship. He is speaking of agape,  Agape is different from all other loves. It is a love based on a deliberate, willful choice toward another and empowered by God.

Agape love is a deliberate love, rooted in the will – a love by choice.”  Someone  stated “Agape love is a deep, continuous, growing and ever-renewing activity of the will superintended by the Holy Spirit.”

But what about enemies? Who are the enemies we are to love? The Greek word for enemies denotes the inner disposition from which hatred and  hostility arises, In other words, an enemy could anyone “that is antagonistic to another.” An enemy could be a demeaning boss, an abusive family member, a divorced spouse, an angry neighbor, or even a friend who has grown distant because of a disagreement.

So how do we show love  to those  we  really  wish we could  avoid  First, we love our enemies by enduring insults. Jesus says, “If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also.”

Some scholars say that Jesus is referring to an insult here and not to being struck on the jaw. In the ancient world if a person wanted to insult someone, he slapped the other person with the back of his hand on the opposite cheek. So, a right-handed person would slap another person on the right cheek when he wanted to insult him.

Now unlike Jesus, I have included a possibly funny story  found on the internet –  which  during my research  I saw in three instances The story is told of an Irish boxer who got converted and became a Christian  evangelist. One day as he was setting up his tent for meetings, some local toughs came and began heckling him. One of them took a swing at the preacher and hit him on the cheek, knocking him down. He got up and pointed to his other cheek and said, “Jesus told me to offer you this one also.” So the guy clobbered him, knocking him down again. The boxer, turned preacher, rose slowly to his feet, took off his jacket, and said, “Jesus gave me no further instructions.” Pow!

We might not make such a silly mistake, but how do we apply Jesus’ teaching? It seems that many Christians simply ignore the words of the Lord, preferring to avoid people who might demand of us sacrifice and service. Why does Jesus raise the bar so far above our reach?

Jesus is not commenting about physical violence, but is telling his disciples to endure insults for his name’s sake.  For example  – General Robert E. Lee was once asked his opinion of a fellow officer who was widely known as one of Lee’s greatest detractors. The general responded that he thought the man a very fine officer. “But General,” his questioner replied, quite perplexed, “I guess you don’t know what he’s been saying about you.” “Oh, yes I do,” replied Lee. “But I was asked my opinion of him, not his opinion of me.”

Another question is: what did Jesus mean when he said, “Judge not, and you will not be judged”? Does Jesus mean that judgments should never be made?

Well, as soon as I put the question this way, I suspect  many reasonable people will back off and acknowledge that sometimes judgments must be made. But when? And how?

We need to acknowledge that there is a legitimate place for judging others. For example, Jesus is not ruling out the legitimate place of judging others in the civil arena or church courts. Judges must render verdicts in courts of law, elders must decide discipline cases in the church, managers must judge their employees’ performance, teachers must assess their students, and so on. Later in this very sermon, Jesus himself calls his disciples to judge people by their fruit (6:43-45).

It is important to keep in mind that Jesus is not speaking against all forms of judging others. It is irresponsible not to judge others whenever we are in a position of authority to make moral or theological decisions.

On the other hand, there are times when Christians are called not to judge others, and this may be part of what Jesus means in this verse. Before making any judgments, we need to consider whether it is really our place to judge. We need to ask ourselves what our role is. If it is not our place to judge – as it often isn’t – then we should keep our opinions to ourselves. Otherwise, we run the risk of overstepping our bounds, or even putting ourselves in the place of God, who alone has the right to judge.

So, there are times when we must not judge others and there are times when we must judge others. In our text, Jesus really is addressing the attitude of our hearts. Jesus is opposing judgmentalism. A judgmental person is someone whose judgment is unwarranted or improper. What is commanded is an attitude that is hesitant to condemn and quick to forgive.

Jesus now switches to the positive. Forgiveness is promised to those who forgive. Forgiveness always helps us because it sets us free from fear and guilt and it sets us free from anger and bitterness so that we can get on with life. It is a transforming gift from God. What are the words Jesus concludes this beatitude with? “Be merciful just as your Father is merciful.” The Greek word for beg is better rendered as “ask.” Jesus was not talking about giving to panhandlers, or to people who will use what is given for evil purposes, but about giving to those who have legitimate material needs.

Surely Jesus calls us to err on the side of generosity. However there are limits to what we can give or should give. There may be times when it is more loving not to give, because giving will hurt rather than help the person. We think of times when we do not give to our children because we know that what they are asking for may not help them but rather hurt them.

That is not to say that there is a kind of quid pro quo as if God owes forgiveness to any person who forgives another. No, what Jesus is teaching is that “true Christians can and do forgive. This is not to say that they do not struggle with forgiving, or that they are free from battles with bitterness or hatred, or that they are never so hurt and in such emotional shock that they are unable to respond with forgiveness, but it is to say that they work at forgiving and ultimately do forgive.”

Jesus calls his disciples to do more than forgive. They are to give. It is one thing to forgive a person for what that person did to you, but it is another thing altogether to go a step further and do something to bless that person.

This is of course what Jesus has done for us, isn’t it? He has not only forgiven us, but more than that he blesses us on a daily basis far more than we deserve. Now he calls his disciples to give the people who wronged us more grace than they deserve.

Many Christians feel that service must lead to evangelism in order to be good. But in Luke 6, Jesus promises no such result. In fact, he specifically commands that we love our enemies, do good to those who persecute, and lend to those who cannot repay, expecting nothing in return. Mercy—at least in this passage—mercy is not a means to another end; it is an end in itself.

These commandments, if you like—that are summarized in verse 31 refereed to by many as The Golden Rule.  Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Let us remember that Jesus sees us as we really are. He bore God’s judgment and condemnation in our place. He forgave us and gave his life for us. He calls his disciples not to follow blind guides but to follow him. He calls us to abandon hypocrisy.  We are called to  do all of this out of love for him who has made it possible for us to enter the kingdom of God. Amen.

HYMN 760 Where cross the crowded ways of life

1. Where cross the crowded ways of life,
where sound the cries of race and clan,
above the noise of selfish strife,
we hear your voice, O Son of Man.

2. In haunts of wretchedness and need,
on shadowed thresholds, dark with fears,
from paths where hide the lures of greed,
we catch the vision of your tears.
3. From tender childhood’s helplessness,
from woman’s grief, man’s burdened toil,
from famished souls, from sorrow’s stress,
your heart has never known recoil.
4. The cup of water given for you
still holds the freshness of your grace;
yet long these multitudes to view
the sweet compassion of your face.
5. O Saviour, from the mountain side,
make haste to heal these hearts of pain;
among these restless throngs abide,
oh tread the city’s streets again;
6. Till human hearts shall learn your love,
and follow where your feet have trod;
till glorious from your heaven above,
shall come the city of our God.

OFFERING
God is the source of all goodness. Through our offering, we express our
thanks for every good thing we enjoy, and we share good things with
those in need. Be generous, as God is generous, so that the world may
know that God is good.

DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him all creatures here below

Praise him above ye heavenly host.
Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost

OFFERTORY PRAYER
God of generous love, we bring our gifts with grateful hearts, for we
have received so much through your kindness. Bless our gifts, and use
them to touch lives in situations we cannot even imagine with your love.
Make us a blessing in our community for the sake of Christ, our Friend
and Saviour. Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
God of all life and each life: You created us and set us in relationship
with each other
in families and neighbourhoods, in communities and countries, in
cultures and nations.
Today we give you thanks for all the gifts of home life and community
celebration
which bring meaning and encouragement to our lives. Thank you for the
blessings we know
through the contributions of those who have gone before us. Help us
offer what we can
to sustain the wellbeing of our community and country ,so that all who
make it their home will find security and dignity: God of the whole
human family,
Hear our prayers for your world.
, February 20 (World Day of Social Justice) We give thanks and pray
for human rights defenders and organizations, like KAIROS, which
support them.
God of our faith and our future, there are so many pressures we face
today, so many problems without simple solutions. Draw near to anyone
who is struggling in economic difficulty,and all those burdened by
challenges to their health and happiness. Guide us all through the
changing face of the pandemic, and support all those who are finding the
stress overwhelming.

Ease any conflict in homes and workplaces and inspire solutions that
express mutual respect and deeper understanding.Help us share with
others the hope we find in your presence.
God of mercy and forgiveness, You call us to live together in peace and
unity. We pray for our neighbourhoods and the nations of this world.
Where people are divided and bitterness turns into resentment, how us
how to work for reconciliation.
Where violence and fear turn neighbour against neighbour, or nation
against nation.
Equip leaders to work for justice that will bring peace. Help us build a
world where children enjoy a future filled with good health and
happiness.
God, our hope and our help, lend your Spirit to equip our congregation
with skill and resilience
to weather the challenges the pandemic has brought for our life together.
Strengthen friendships, new and old, and make us a source of
encouragement and connection to each other.Help each one find a place
and a purpose in our mission and ministry
for it is as your children that we pray together in the words Jesus taught
us:

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom
come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead
us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

HYMN 290 Immortal, invisible God only wise

1. Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes;
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
2. Unresting, unhasting and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
3. To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish like leaves on the tree,
and wither, and perish; but naught changeth thee.
4. Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all laud we would render: oh help us to see
’tis only the splendour of light hideth thee.

BENEDICTION

CLOSING SONG