Worship at Home Revd John Howard-Norman

Call to worship:  Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved. (Psalm 80:3)

Hymn: StF 175  Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness

https://youtu.be/R9ezWKe_3B0?si=wsyU3ApGwbFjMht9

Prayer of adoration and confession

Gracious God, we offer you our praise today, for you did not choose to remain remote from human affairs, but for the sake of your love for the world you had made, entered into our existence through the life of your Son, Jesus Christ, sharing our joys and sorrows, our laughter and our pain. Through him you offer us the hope of eternal life and a restored relationship with you.

Forgive our hesitant witness to Christ, and our reluctance to say “Yes” to your purpose for our lives. Confident of your forgiveness, help us to prepare joyfully for the coming of your Son. Amen.

Bible reading: Luke 1:39-55

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

And Mary said,

‘My soul magnifies the Lord,

   and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,

for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.

   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for the Mighty One has done great things for me,

   and holy is his name.

His mercy is for those who fear him

   from generation to generation.

He has shown strength with his arm;

   he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

   and lifted up the lowly;

he has filled the hungry with good things,

   and sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel,

   in remembrance of his mercy,

according to the promise he made to our ancestors,

   to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Reflection

For a moment, put yourself in the place of Mary. A somewhat scary supernatural being has just told her that she will miraculously conceive and give birth to the Son of God. And she said “Yes!” Did she imagine the encounter? Was it all a dream? It seems so impossible! And if it does happen what then? What future does she have as an unmarried mother? What would people think? Oh, the disgrace!

Mary recalls that the Angel (for that’s what it was) said that her much older cousin Elizabeth would also give birth to a son. A plan begins to take shape in her mind. She would make the long journey to where her cousin lives, and see for herself whether the Angel spoke the truth. For if Elizabeth is pregnant, then that would suggest that everything else she was told by him must also be true. God would give her son the throne of King David, and his kingdom would never come to an end. The thought of it took her breath away!

When Mary arrives at her cousin’s home, she calls out a greeting. When the child that Elizabeth is carrying - (who will one day be known as John the Baptist), hears her voice, he leaps for joy in his mother’s womb, and Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, and she joyfully exclaims to Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb”.  Elizabeth’s joy is taken up by Mary as she sings what we have come to know as the Magnificat. A song that proclaims the fulfilment of God’s purposes that are being worked out through these two mothers and the children they are bearing. 

In so many ways, the meeting of these two expectant mums, could be seen simply as a domestic scene that is replicated whenever those facing the joys and challenges of motherhood seek mutual support and encouragement from each other  - but of course what makes this scene so extraordinary is what God is doing through them. Perhaps in many ways your life up until now has seemed very ordinary, and not the least bit special. I suspect Mary felt that way until her life was turned upside down by God. An ordinary girl, growing up in an ordinary village called Nazareth. 

God is still working out his eternal plan of salvation for the world he loves. And whether or not you know it, you have a part in God’s plan. God’s kingdom, of which Mary sings, was inaugurated on Earth with the birth of his Son. However, God’s kingdom is still not yet fully present. We only have to look at the mess the world is in, to know that to be true. As the Angel came to Mary with a message that brought hope to the world, be assured that God has a message for you. You just need to open your heart to receive it! 

God longs to fulfil his extraordinary purpose for your life, but God won’t do so against your will. There’s no doubt that saying “Yes” to God will turn your life and your world upside down, as it did Mary’s. But it’s only with your “Yes” that God’s love can be born in your life, and the Christ Child of Bethlehem can reign in your heart.  May you be granted the grace to say, Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Hymn: StF 186  Tell out my soul the greatness of the Lord!

https://youtu.be/vz-FkqobgXY?si=jpZgZjofPXGAG_sB

Prayers of intercession: 

We pray for our world where so often the powerful exploit the weak; a world where money talks and personal integrity is cheap. Open our ears to hear the cries of the poor and our hearts to respond. 

Your kingdom come, your will be done.  

We pray for your church, that we may be faithful witnesses to your love in Jesus, and that the light of your Son would shine brightly in your people. 

Your kingdom come, your will be done. 

We pray for those who are sick, anxious or afraid at this time. Grant them the wholeness they seek, and the knowledge of your love in Jesus. 

Your kingdom come, your will be done. 

We make these prayers in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, 

Amen.

We say together the Lord’s Prayer…

Hymn: StF 188 There’s a light upon the mountains

https://youtu.be/AOCqAlA9m04?si=rKUXEOOv-hbTpEcz

Blessing

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord lift up his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord look on you with kindness, and give you peace.

Amen.