"Open Our Eyes" Jan Richardson [www.textweek.com]
I was at St Luke's UCA Belmont for their 8am and 9.45am worship services yesterday at the end of a long and tiring week or so... including the 'wrestle' with the story and themes for this 4th Sunday of LENT. I haven't had much sleep this week but I'd also been to Merriwa and back on Friday and the Workshop 1/2 day at Rutherford Saturday and out for family dinner Saturday night!!
HERE'S WHAT TRANSPIRED AT 8AM
5TH SUNDAY FAV. HYMN medley
LITURGY Good News for Celebration adapted from “Be Our Freedom Lord” Terry Falla
We gather today, the 4th Sunday of LENT,
To worship God
We look to see where God has been active
in our world and our lives
The work of the Creator is visible
Let us respond with praise
The example of Jesus is apparent
Let us respond with obedience
The wind of the Spirit is blowing
Let us respond with joy
The word of God is calling
Let us worship in Spirit and truth
OPENING PRAYER adapted Jonny Baker from CMS
and Grace, London
God of justice, peace and righteousness
You are with us always
Breathe your breath,
your Spirit of prophecy,
your energy,
your enlivening,
your imagination on us.
Wake us up, open our eyes, Unplug our ears
That we might hear
That we might see
That we might grieve
That we might dream
That we might follow the ways of your
extraordinary kingdom.... + a bit
We own up to saying and doing the wrong
thing
We own up to staying silent or not doing
what we know is right
God hear our prayers of ‘owning up’ in a
moment of silent prayer…
God hear our prayers,
Amen
God promises when we own up, we are
forgiven,
Our challenge is to live as free people,
without guilt holding us back…
HYMN “Sing Praise and Thanksgiving” TiS 107
AHB 25
WELCOME/INTRO
Welcome to worship, an opportunity to
reflect on God’s calling to us
And to celebrate God’s seeking to recreate
& reconcile the whole creation
It’s good to be with you… + a few random comments...
BIBLE READINGS
1 Samuel 16: 1-13 John 9: 1- 34 Local volunteer
REFLECTIONS
HYMN “You Servants of God” TiS 215 AHB 144
OFFERING + PRAYER
LOCAL CHOIR
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE local volunteer
HYMN “Your Hand O God has Guided” TiS 456
AHB 389
Stay standing for the SENDING OUT/BLESSING from I forget where sorry, probably re: worship
May the God of this world
Be in your seeing
May Christ who looks on us with love
Enable us to share compassion and grace
May the Spirit who perceives what is
And what may yet be
Bless you and sharpen your vision
Amen
SUNG BENEDICTION “May the Feet of God Go
With You” TiS 779
As I reflect on this leadership experience I note:
- Curating this style of worship was different to elsewhere when I'm a deliberate 'change agent' in a similar service
- One genuine positive was that here a group singing with energy is so different to a group struggling to give voice
- Other than that I was struck by the way in which in this style you get almost no feedback other than silent or sung participation plus facial expressions right through until the end of the time... that's not a new experience, I was just tuned in to it because it was a new surrounding
- Then come the 'unreliable' feedback interactions shaking hands at the door [all positive comments, some with context and reference to particular aspects, much appreciation and some discussion on the central idea explored]
This is worship [giving God worth, responding and seeking to be fuelled for your following Jesus], it is always a humble privilege and big responsibility to lead, and I always include stuff to stretch or challenge the group even when it's not my brief to do so... BUT it's very hard to participate in
Here's a 'version' of what I REFLECTED
From John 9: 1-34
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the
light of the world.” 6 When he [JESUS] had said this, he spat on the ground and
made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, 7 saying to him,
“Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed
and came back able to see.
1. LET ME ASK YOU, what are the key themes
of John’s gospel?
- That Jesus is the Son of God, that Jesus
is God
- John tells stories and uses different
imagery to explore this
- There’s an invitation to believe in Jesus
Christ
- And that invitation promises abundant
life, which John writes about c.f. K of G
- Much is also made of John’s use of light
and darkness
4 We must work the works of him who sent me
while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the
world, I am the light of the world.”
IN the last few weeks we’ve been invited
into the story of:
Nicodemus, the Jewish teacher
who senses something in the signs and
visits Jesus at night
AND
Jesus meets the un-named woman from Samaria
at the well,
in the light of the midday sun
These things are CRUCIAL to the story AND
part of the FABRIC OF THE GOSPEL
2. Those stories,
and this one involving mud and spit, are
SUBVERSIVE STORIES
- A story that’s power sneaks up on you
- A story turning expected ideas and wisdom
upside down
- a story that comes from ‘the wrong
people’
- In this case it’s also reinforced,
he is not blind because of anything he or
his parents have done…
3. THE NEIGHBOURS aren’t sure…
8 The neighbours and those who had seen him
before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?”
9 Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like
him.” He kept saying,
“I am the man.” 10 But they kept
asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called
Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’
Then I went and washed and received my sight.”
They take him to the Pharisee, the
religious teacher,
HE is immediately unimpressed that whoever
this man is,
Whoever Jesus is, he is not OF GOD, he
doesn’t even observe the Sabbath
[making mud from your spit was a
provocative piece of activism]
“Give glory to God! We know that this man
is a sinner.” 25 He answered,
“I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know,
that though I was blind, now I see.”
4. An opportunity for a response of faith…
17 So they said again to the blind man,
“What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a
prophet.”
He is brought back a second time and both
he and his parents
“state the obvious”… he was blind, now he
can see…
- This is the Kingdom of God, breaking out
from the edges
- From those who are not supposed to know
- With a message of LIFE for those who
would hear it
5. I WONDER what God is trying to say to us
today…
- Where is God’s activity in the world that
we might join, or pray for?
- WHO DO WE SAY JESUS IS…?
- How is Jesus, the living revelation of
God, alive in our communities and stories?
- How do we make space as the people of
God, for those beyond ourselves?
-WHO IN YOUR COMMUNITY, NEEDS Compassion,
love, hope NOT JUDGEMENT?
- John’s writing would have reassured some
listeners, those who also felt shunned from the synagogue community…
- God’s love, Jesus healing and abundant
life in God’s Spirit won’t be contained
- For us as communities of faith,
theologian BILL LOADER reminds us,
we need to know… “when it comes to
conflicts, wherever rules matter most
and people come second, we live in
darkness”
AND JUST MAYBE, IN OUR OWN STRUGGLES
GOD IS WITH US… WE JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO
SEE IT
And as a community relating to others, TO
BE IT…
AMEN
In it’s own way this connects with the
story in Samuel,
Of the unexpected DAVID being anointed as
Saul’s successor
He had to be sent for… to be considered…
God continues to offer up surprises…
