WORSHIP AT HOME  OCTOBER 18 2026

[originally  5 .10.2025 .]  DAVE ELLIOTT

'A difficult question and a challenging answer'

HYMN StF 594 H&P 617  'Lord Jesus Christ' a hymn reminding us of Jesus the centre of our lives.

PRAYER

 Loving God, giver of every special gift and of life itself, we thank you for our World. We delight at this time of Autumn in the richness of colours in the countryside, in our gardens and in our town. We thank you for friends and family, for those who care and those for whom we care. Lord, be with us in this time of worship that our minds may be focussed on learning more of your will for each one of us. Through Jesus Christ our Lord who taught us to pray saying: Our Father  

Our Father who art in heaven.…

READING:  Matthew  22: 15-22.

PRAYER:Thank you Lord for your word in Holy Scripture, bless us now as we think on that word. Amen

ADDRESS: Matthew shows us again how the Pharisees and others in Authority wanted to catch Jesus out. Why did they have so much opposition to Jesus?  Was it because he challenged them and their status and their belief? Maybe he told some home truths. The tax collectors were unpopular as they would collect more than they should have done as they were paid little or nothing for their role in the Roman administration. So here is Jesus really challenged, should we pay Tax to Caesar?  If Jesus says no he could be seen as being against the Herodian supporters of Rome, if he says yes he could be seen as being against his own followers. Yet what he does is remind us all that we do have a duty to obey authority, but more than that our allegiance is to God.  

In our lives we may sometimes feel as Christians we need to challenge authority as many Christians have done in the past at their own cost. Do we stand up for what we believe is God's will,  even if it may make us unpopular? How do we decide what is the 'right' thing to do in controversial situations? How do we give to God what is God's?

I think the message Jesus is giving us here is to see God at the centre of our lives. As the coin bore the mark of the Emperor, so we bear the mark of God our Creator. It is to him, we owe our allegiance and so in our worship and in our living we put God at the centre. God can and does use lots of different ways to make his will happen there are times when God calls us in certain situations to work for him in building the Kingdom. Yes we need, as Christians to be good, honest citizens in every way we can. But, we need to ensure that what is always our priority is the will of God, whatever that may entail, whatever risk or sacrifice we may have to make. Amen

PRAYERS

Lord, forgive us when we lose sight of your will, when we are carried away by our own thoughts and opinions, by what we may think is the right thing to do. Help us to turn to you to help us do the right things. Lord we are glad you forgive us and let us have a fresh start. We pray today for your world, we are so aware of the wars and the natural disasters, and we commend to you all who are suffering and all who have lost loved ones. We sometimes feel powerless in these situations, but we turn to you in faith and in hope.  

Bless all those who are important to us, that we may be there to help and to care. We pray for all who are ill at this time, in body, mind or spirit and for those who heal in our hospitals, hospices and homes. Lord help us to spread your love in every way we can. Accept these our prayers in your name Amen

HYMN StF 319 Christ triumphant ever reigning or H&P 74 At the name of Jesus