WAH 20260920

Prayer:

Thank you, God, for being so generous.

Thank you for your generous love. You have created a world full of beauty, with more animals and plants than we can ever count. You have created a world full of people, who sing and giggle, talk and pray. You have created a universe full of wonder, where planets spin and stars sparkle in the skies. You have given us Jesus to show your love, who taught us that there is no limit to your grace. You have given us your Holy Spirit, to help us live as your people today. Give us grace to share the wonderful news of your love with our friends and all the world.

Thank you for your generous love.

Amen.

Lord forgive us. Forgive us and make us new. We thank you that through Jesus forgiveness is free and for all. As you make us new, make us more like Jesus, so we may live the values of your kingdom here on Earth. Amen. We pray together for our world, in which generous gifts are meanly kept by some from others, and ask to share your heart, that our poverty of spirit may be cured, and that your abundant love may flood throughout the world. We pray for the poor in every land, poor in resources and poor in spirit. We pray for those caught up in violence and war. We pray for those known to us who have particular needs We pray for our churches as they seek to live and speak of the good news you gave. Lord Jesus, you hear our prayers, and welcome our concern. You invite us to share in your work of changing the world. Give us generous hearts that we may work, and pray, and live to your praise and glory.

Amen.

Lord’s Prayer: Our father, ….

Reading: Matthew 20.1-16

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+20:1-16

Hymn:H&P no. 784/STF no. 692 - Thy hand, O Lord, has guided

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaI3cRtXqRw&list=RDIaI3cRtXqRw&start_radio=1

Message:

We hit problems if we try to deal with the story Jesus told about labourers in the vineyard through our human logic. To us, basically, the events described defy logic, they are completely unfair, they simply could not, should not, happen. We are not explicitly asked to equate God with the owner, nor Jesus with the foreman, but we can draw those parallels if we wish to do so. The whole point is to demonstrate God’s generosity, his grace, to everyone, for all time. The particular reassurance that I find in this message is that no matter how late we leave it in turning to God through Jesus, the rewards are the same, and just as great, as for those who repented and turned to Christ much earlier in their lives. It may not seem fair, it may offend our logic, but that is the great truth. The greatest thing is that God is offering us a present. But maybe we are too scared to open the present, because we simply never know what will happen! God will call unexpected people to do unexpected things in unexpected ways. God has this habit of not letting people wriggle off the hook! Even so , if you know you’ve not already really done so, are you ready to open the present? Open the present and let the love of God embrace you, open the present and let Jesus save you, open the present and let the Holy Spirit work through you, to reach the people who live around us. Start to think and act outside any limits, you try to place on yourself, or God, or Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. In God’s strength anything is possible. Anything can happen, and probably will, if you respond now to whatever you feel God is calling you personally to do today!

H&P no. 381 /STF no. 550 – Forth in thy name

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8rIMSYTIxY&list=RDz8rIMSYTIxY&start_radio=1

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