Virtual Worship - Sunday 3 May 2020

Call to worship

Jesus says, “I am the gate” 
In him we come and go, and find pasture.
Jesus calls his sheep by name and leads them out 

Prayer

Lord our God, in this time of lockdown, when we are so limited in our coming and going, and some days hear our name spoken only on phone or screen, if at all; we thank you for the assurance that you call each of us by name. As we take comfort from our place in your flock, knowing that your welcome always awaits, lead us to reach out to others by name. Amen.

You might like to sing, or reflect on the words of, Hymn StF 673, which begins, “Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?” Or StF666/HP535, the 2nd verse of which begins, “Speak to me by name, O Master, let me know it is to me”.

Read John 10:1-10, first silently to yourself, then, if you can, out loud. 
Notice the difference between the voice of the stranger and the voice of the shepherd in the passage. The context sees Jesus speaking to the Pharisees, and they will have recognised themselves as the strangers to whom he refers.

A prayerful exercise for us might be to recall some of the words we have spoken this week. We give thanks for those words we have said in the accent of Jesus, and we confess those spoken as if we were strangers. Take a few moments to think this through now, remembering some of the words you have spoken….

Lord, when you have been heard in my words – thank you. When you have been far from my words – forgive me.

Read Acts 2:42-47, first silently to yourself, then, if you can, out loud. 

This passage gives us a snapshot of life in the earliest days of the church – perhaps even before the term ‘church’ was coined. The ‘they’ referred to are those who have accepted Peter’s call to repentance, and have been baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. The previous verse has told us that about three thousand were added to their number on the day of Pentecost.

Reflection

As we look through the Bible window that takes us to the first century, we sense the buzz and excitement of those three thousand believers as they respond to Peter’s preaching and ask, ‘What shall we do?’ As Peter encourages them to ‘Repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ’ and promises the gift of God’s Spirit, we rejoice in their response. A new age is dawning, and the life described in our passage reveals some of the characteristics of that age.

Before we identify some of those characteristics, however, let’s think about the age in which we find ourselves, the age of social distancing, lockdown, fear of virus, threat to livelihood and life-style. So much we have taken for granted is no longer available or possible, so many routines and rites, patterns and practices, comforts and consolations are simply closed to us. I have noticed a number of people in the last few days speaking about ‘the new normal’, expressing the sense that we have entered a new age, and suggesting that, when lockdown is lifted, we will not return to what was, but rather, enter into something new, different, changed.

Let’s think about those characteristics of the new age in Acts 2:42-47. There’s a willingness to learn, a valuing of fellowship, a commitment to prayer. There’s an openness to God, and to experiences and signs of God’s grace. There’s a deep concern for one another, expressed in tangible and amazingly generous ways. There’s a significance in meeting together when they can (in the temple courts), but perhaps more significantly a valuing of what they do at home – breaking bread, eating together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God, enjoying the favour of people, presumably neighbours and passers-by.

The heady days of post-Pentecost will not last for ever, as the visitors from around the world disperse back to their places of origin, taking their new-found faith with them, and the pressures of Jewish and Roman politics come to bear, and the disciples of Jesus discover that they are not immune to the natural difficulties (and disagreements) of any human organisation or grouping. The age will pass, but the characteristics remain a promise, or is it a challenge, to those who come after. And those characteristics, I believe, have much to say to us in our new normal, as we both experience this changed present, and anticipate what will follow.

A willingness to learn, a valuing of fellowship, a commitment to prayer. 
This season has given us opportunity to learn new skills, and revisit old ones. Time to read, talk, listen. Our fellowship has been lessened, if measured in face to face meetings and gatherings, but increased, and deepened, in conversations , messages, emails, facetime and letters. We have had time, and perhaps inclination, to pray, for some rediscovering the importance of personal devotion. An openness to God, and to experiences and signs of God’s grace. Some have become more connected to nature, with time to notice the garden and take exercise daily. We hear God in the blackbird’s song, see God in the opening flowers and greening trees. We also wonder at the miracles of devotion of health and care workers, seeing God at work in their compassion, courage, commitment. 

A deep concern for one another, expressed in tangible and amazingly generous ways. 
It has been humbling to hear some of the stories of how you are supporting one another, in all kinds of practical ways. Not least in generous giving to the foodbanks and other charities, and formal and informal volunteering bringing much needed help to neighbours known and new. 

Meeting together in the temple courts has not been possible, but we hope that, using paper, post and technology, we have ‘connected’. Although connected, our life has been much more at home, and my prayer is that we can use this hometime to rediscover who we are as God’s people, that with glad and sincere hearts as we break bread in our kitchens and at our dining tables we can prayerfully ask ‘What shall we do?’, thus shaping our response to lockdown, and the life that awaits when we emerge into the exciting days beyond.

You might like to sing, or reflect on the words of, Hymn StF 481, Stuart Townend’s version of today’s Psalm – the 23rd.

An active prayer for others. (You might like to begin by closing all your doors, and then open one with each response?)

Bidding: Jesus says, ‘I am the gate.’ 
Response: You invite us to come in, and go out, and find pasture.

We pray for those isolated in lockdown, especially those suffering physically, psychologically, spiritually…..

We pray for those in places of risk, both those with no choice, and those who bravely choose….

We pray for those facing impossible choices in places where staying safe inside means no work, money, food….

We pray for those seeking to ensure adequate provision of healthcare, and pray that adequate provision might include good PPE for all who need it….

We pray for those working to improve and increase testing, to discover effective treatment, and to develop a vaccine….

We pray for our friends and family, those locked down with us, those away from us; especially those finding life hard….

Loving God, as we offer prayers for others, especially by name, we thank you for others’ prayers for us, and the way you link us in your love, each known by you by name. As we reflect this week on the characteristics of your people in Acts 2, keep us open to your Spirit and open to one another, that we might face these days with glad and sincere hearts. Amen.

We pray, with all God’s people, the Lord’s Prayer.

You might like to sing, or reflect on the words of, Hymn StF 513, which begins, ‘Take this moment, sign and space/take my friends around/here among us make the place/where your love is found. Take the time to call my name/take the time to mend/who I am and what I’ve been/all I’ve failed to tend. (John Bell & Graham Maule WGRG)

We bless one another, those in our household and family, those we might normally be sitting with in church, those for whom we care and those who care for us, as we share the Grace:

The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, now and always. Amen. 

(CCL No 79951)