A Christian Church, A Family of Faith

The Bass River Pastoral Charge

The Presbyterian Church in Canada

St. Mark’s, Bass River; St. James, Beersville; St. Andrew’s, Clairville & Zion, West Branch

Organists: Heather Morton, Marly Sutherland, Rodney Girvan, Dolly MacDonald, Shanece Wilson

Minister: Rev. Alexander [Sandy] D. Sutherland; B.A., B.Th. M.Div

Manse #: 506-785-4383 Cell #: 506-521-0705 Email: thebrpc@gmail.com Twitter: thebrpc

Bulletin Announcements:  Cathy Little @ Fillmore Trucking #785-1083

www.pccweb.ca/brpc

ORDER OF SERVICE

Seventh Sunday of Pentecost

July 24^th 2011

Welcome & Announcements

Memorial Services

July 24^th at  3 pm – Harcourt Heritage Chapel [ol’ St. Andrew’s Presbyterian]

July 31^st at 2:30pm – St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Clairville

August 7^th at 2:30pm – St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church, Bass River

August 28th at 2:30 pm – St. James’ Presbyterian Church, Beersville

 

Call to Worship God forgave my sin [Freely, Freely]

Prayer of Approach & Confession & The Lord’s Prayer (NBoP 831; BoP 605)

Opening Praise: NBoP 746 What a friend we have in Jesus

BoP 431

Responsive Reading  – Psalm 126 [BoP 662]

¹ When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

² Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.

³ The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

⁴ Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.

⁵ They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

⁶ He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

KJV

Children’s story – Romans 8:38, 39 – Really, Really sure

Children’s Hymn: NBoP 347 There were ninety and nine

BoP 393

Scripture Readings:

OT – Genesis 29:15-28

¹⁵And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? ¹⁶And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. ¹⁷Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured. ¹⁸And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. ¹⁹And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. ²⁰And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. ²¹And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her. ²²And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast. ²³And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her. ²⁴And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid. ²⁵And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? ²⁶And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. ²⁷Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years. ²⁸And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also. KJV

P_____

After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, ¹⁵Laban said to him, “Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.”

¹⁶Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. ¹⁷Leah had weak^£ eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful. ¹⁸Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, “I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.”

¹⁹Laban said, “It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.” ²⁰So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

²¹Then Jacob said to Laban, “Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her.”

²²So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. ²³But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her. ²⁴And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant.

²⁵When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, “What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?”

²⁶Laban replied, “It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one. ²⁷Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.”

²⁸And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

NIV

Epistle – Romans 8:26-39

²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

²⁹For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

³¹What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? ³²He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? ³³Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. ³⁴Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. ³⁷Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. ³⁸For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, ³⁹Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

KJV

P_____

²⁶In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. ²⁷And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

²⁸And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ²⁹For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

³¹What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

NIV

Hymn of Illumination: NBoP 682 Just as I am

BoP 394

Scripture Readings:

Gospel – Matthew 13:34-51

³⁴All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: ³⁵That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. ³⁶Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. ³⁷He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; ³⁸The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; ³⁹The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. ⁴⁰As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. ⁴¹The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; ⁴²And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

⁴⁴Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. ⁴⁵Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: ⁴⁶Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. ⁴⁷Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: ⁴⁸Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. ⁴⁹So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, ⁵⁰And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. ⁵¹Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

KJV

P___

³⁴Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. ³⁵So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables,

I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”^£

³⁶Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

³⁷He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, ³⁹and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

⁴⁰“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴²They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

⁴⁴“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

⁴⁵“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

⁴⁷“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. ⁴⁸When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous ⁵⁰and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

⁵¹“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

NIV

 

Sermon: It’s like heaven

Summer is that time of the year when perhaps, more than any other time, we go looking for that perfect day. Oh there are those perfect days of springtime, and those days of perfection in the autumn, and for those who either snuggle by fires or brave the white stormy trails there can even be the occasional perfect winter’s day. But summer seems to be the days we were made for. When most people imagine heaven, it is summertime.

And we search near and far for those perfect days and places. Sometimes we travel all over creation – it seems – looking for the perfect place to have a perfect day, for others it is a matter of getting everything in order and working well on the home front and that is our idea of a perfect day.

There is a saying, “Perfection is mine”, saith the Lord.” It is a true, God is perfect, that phrase though is not a quote from any bible we’ve ever had in the church. The closest passage to that expression is found in the book of Matthew chapter five verse forty-eight. Here we have Christ’s own which read, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” See that essentially the old phrase, especially given who is talking, but maybe there is a better sense the old expression.

No, God’s word is focused more on a slightly different application of the term perfection. The bible tells the long history of a people seeking after perfection. And we might first think that God would stand before the people and say, I am perfect, so worship me. But God does not just stand before creation and His people and say ‘Worship me because I am perfect!’. That’s the distinction between the pagan gods, the foreign gods and the one and true God. God calls on His people through the ages, on us to love Him; dearly and deeply, and when we love God we draw closer to God’s perfection; and in the process of doing all of that, we become perfected.

And Jesus explains what the final perfection of humankind will be like. Jesus had told the story to the crowd of a planted field, and how a farmer let it grow despite the weeds in the field. Jesus explains the process that we go through to be the ones of God’s choosing, growing to our full potential. It is interesting in the way that many people view Christian faith that Jesus does not talk about a dramatic transformation in salvation, but simply in being recognized as what God planted. According to this parable at least it would seem that our perfection is less about becoming something different than it is about realizing who we really are.

And that can be a really hard process. I mean how many people are going to tell you who you really should be, and what you should really be like. I can give you the caution, that anyone who encourages you to be just like everyone else, or only like a specific understanding of a person, you should be wary of that person or that group. I mean, even we as the Church call on the followers to be like Christ, but then many go on to really miss the point on being Christ-like.

You are most Christ-like when you are yourself, the true self who God created you to be. Christ Jesus himself struggles to be who God intended, even though the world around him – even his own disciples – were encouraging to be something/someone else. That is a lot harder work than fitting into some cookie-cutter mold of Christianity. There are Christians out there who in order to attempt to express their faith put on clichéd expressions, and an accent that they use for no other part of their life. If I was to stand be fore you and suddenly slip into a Scottish brogue, does that make me more of a Christian speaker, or even more Presbyterian.

Heaven is that place and that time in human existence when we get to step away from all the false expectation, and all the distractions that lead us down dark paths of unhappiness. Christian singer, Michael Card, focuses it this way; he says: “The way of wisdom is living, as the path to peace is forgiving.”

Are you really alive if you have been living a lie? If you are a father and you are trying to be anything but a father [a laborer, a professional, an academic] are you going to be happy, No of course not. If you are at a place in life when you are a grandmother and you are still trying to mother you children are you going to be content? Not likely.

Heaven is that final place, that end goal, the place of perfect reward when we get to be ourselves. In heaven, at long last we are gathered together as God’s children in joy and celebration before God  just as we would love to be. And that journey to heaven should be a joyful event. Yet there ‘Christians’ out there would look so dire and so bleak and so stern that no one could imagine heaven to be a place of anything but the hard labour of worshiping a distant and remote God. We are gathered together to worship a loving God who draws us close. If our worship and the practice of our faith is sending a different message out into the world, then we really need to change what we are doing and how we do it.

You are in the midst of being made perfect. You are being made perfect through the lessons of faith you learn not only here during worship, but especially as you live each day in faith turning to God for direction each day and through the hours of the day.

It’s like heaven when you get to be yourself. When you can be with those people who accept you for who you are. It’s like heaven when you can honestly say in public, “ I am a Christian!” [Let’s try it, out loud now . . .] I am a Christian!

It’s a warm feeling to be that authentic. And even though each of us live that faith in different ways, practice different professions, work in different labours, we are brought together to be a kingdom in the faith that calls us all to be who God made us to be in all our diversity.

And no, we are not perfect, but we are called to perfection; and that can be a hard process at times, but we are offered perfection with a promise, a covenant that is already fulfilled in Christ as we live our lives in glory to before Him, and in God’s Holy Spirit that inspires the church to be true even in a world filled with the weeds of deception.

So this week I am encouraging you to take the time to feel as though you are already in heaven, to celebrate God’s perfection and seek God’s kingdom in all that you do. You have been given a promise and the assurance of that promise is Christ. Receive it, receive God’s kingdom, and rejoice.

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession

Pray for the families of those effected by the violence in Norway, and for that nation as it grieves.

For families of those killed by the violence in Grand Prairie, Texas.

For those effected by the crash in British Columbia

Lord we pray for all who have suffered the tragedies of evil, and for peace and strength for those who seek to come to terms with violence and suffering in their own lives.

Lord, we pray for our soldiers return from the battlefield after doing their best to serve in building a nation and helping those who were afraid to help themselves. Lord, may they be welcomed home, and able to set aside the ghosts of war.

God’s Tithes and our gifts

Doxology (NBoP 830; BoP 603)

Offertory Prayer

Commissioning Hymn: NBoP 574 With the Lord as my guide

1. With the Lord as my guide
I will walk through the desert,
rest by the water, run in the wind.
With the Lord by my side
I will stand on the mountain,
drink from the fountain of love deep within.

2. With the Lord as my guide
I will see all the talents,
accept the balance of who I am.
With the Lord by my side
say yes to the calling,
fear not the falling, trust in God’s plan.

3. With the Lord as my guide
I will work with my sister,
care for my brother, bend with their pain.
With the Lord by my side
we will rise up together,
strengthen each other, courage regain.

4. With the Lord as my guide
I will rise in the morning,
praise for the dawning beauty of day.
With the Lord by my side
I will sing, sing forever,
always a lover, seeking God’s way.

 

Benediction

Dismissal: Holy Spirit on Us Fall [see back of bulletin]