Prayer:

Lord we thank you that we can worship you at any time and in any place. Sometimes on our own, sometimes with others, today through the technology that allows us to share in this way. Bless us as we worship you. Accept our thanks for this past week, for all we have done, for those who have helped us and those we have helped. Bless us as we seek to serve you better.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord who taught us to pray saying; Our father who art in Heaven...

Reading:

The gospel set for this Sunday is Matthew ch 18 v 21-35 and the theme is 'The Meaning of forgiveness'  

Prayer:

Lord we praise you for your Word  in Scripture, bless us now as we think on your word.

Message:

Thank God for Parables, they showed that Jesus wants us to fully understand his teaching in a way that is relevant to us and our lives. This story is quite dramatic, the unforgiving servant has acted in a selfish and thoughtless way. He has been forgiven for his debts and spared an unpleasant punishment for him and his family. Now when his servants are in debt he refuses to forgive . Such is his arrogance and inability to empathise. Of course we know the meaning of the parable don't we. It is reminding us that as God forgives us our many sins, so we too must forgive those who may do us wrong.

Simple isn't it? Or is it?  How easy is it to forgive someone who has really upset or offended us, someone whose deeds have caused us or our loved ones harm and hurt. Put it in that context, I would find difficulty forgiving anyone who hurt me or those I love. Yet the Christian way is not always easy, we are challenged to do God's will, challenged to be different, to make sacrifices. We see so many examples of people and nations unable to forgive, always determined for retribution to get their own back.

When will we or they ever learn?  

God loves us in an amazing way, we possibly find it hard some times to understand how great that love really is. He gave us his Son Jesus to be our Saviour to show us how to love. He went to a cross to take away our sins.  

Is it asking too much that we, who follow Jesus, should be like him, should love in such a way that forgiving others becomes the norm, we can't be anything other that forgiving. Well that gives me something to consider and a challenge to continue to face and a way of loving to continue to embrace. Are you thankful that God forgives you and me, and are we prepared to forgive?

We know we are not on our own, we have the power of the Holy Spirit to help us in all our living, thanks be to God

Amen.

Prayers:

Lord God we thank you that you forgive us when we know we have done wrong, when our unkindness has upset other people, our lack of forgiveness caused others to feel hurt. Lord give us the love to forgive and to care to support those who need us and to love those who are sometimes unlovely. We pray today Lord for Peace, in our own lives and in the life of your World. We pray for all those people who help others to repair broken relationships. May we also be prepared to listen and support those who are going through difficult times, often because of other people's cruelty and uncaring ways.

We pray for those people we love and we name them before you Lord. We pray for those who we know to be ill at this time in body , mind or spirit. We pray for those who heal and who care. We think of people who may have become our enemies, who maybe we don't see any more, we pray that broken relationships in our lives maybe restored by love.

So hear these our prayers for we offer them in the name of Jesus 

Amen.

Hymn:

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind, forgive our foolish ways.