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

The Seventeenth Sunday of Pentecost – World Communion Sunday

October 2^nd 2011

Welcome & Announcements

 

Call to Worship Give Thanks

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

Opening Praise: NBoP 803 Come, ye thankful people come 52 sog

BoP 567

Responsive Reading  – Psalm 19 [sel. 1-9] [BoP 622]

¹ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork.

² Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.

³ There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

⁴ Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

⁵ Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

⁶ His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

⁷ The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

⁸ The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

⁹ The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

¹² Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

¹³ Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Children’s story –

Children’s Hymn: NBoP 373 Jesus, loves me this I know 59 sog

BoP 378

Scripture Readings:

OT – Exodus 20:1-20

¹And God spake all these words, saying, ²I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. ³Thou shalt have no other gods before me. ⁴Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: ⁵Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; ⁶And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. ⁷Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. ⁸Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: ¹⁰But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: ¹¹For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

¹²Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. ¹³Thou shalt not kill. ¹⁴Thou shalt not commit adultery. ¹⁵Thou shalt not steal. ¹⁶Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. ¹⁷Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

¹⁸And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. ¹⁹And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. ²⁰And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

KJV

¹And God spoke all these words:

²“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

³“You shall have no other gods before me.

⁴“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. ⁵You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

⁸“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. ¹¹For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹²“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³“You shall not murder.

¹⁴“You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵“You shall not steal.

¹⁶“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

¹⁸When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance ¹⁹and said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die.”

²⁰Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

NIV

Epistle – Romans 7:7-12

⁷What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. ⁸But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. ⁹For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. ¹⁰And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. ¹¹For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. ¹²Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. KJV

⁷What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “Do not covet.” ⁸But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. ⁹Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. ¹⁰I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. ¹¹For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. ¹²So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

NIV

 

Hymn of Illumination: NBoP 549 For the bread that you have broken 543 new book

BoP 357 For the bread which Thou hast broken

Scripture Readings:

Gospel – Mark 7:9-13

⁹And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. ¹⁰For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: ¹¹But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. ¹²And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; ¹³Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. KJV

⁹And he said to them: “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! ¹⁰For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ ¹¹But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God), ¹²then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. ¹³Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

NIV

Sermon: Commands of grace

Did you know there was a day when the ten commandments were a part of our laws? Our legal system, and most western democratic legal systems use the ten commandments found in the bible as the basic tenants of law.

These ten commandments are not the only laws found in the bible. In fact, when questioned, Jesus does not name the ten commandments as the highest laws mentioned in scripture, but instead two other laws:  To love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your souls and with all you mind, and to love you neighbour as yourself. Jesus says that all the other laws depend on those two similar laws.

But it is not a huge jump between the two highest laws identified by Jesus to step into the commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai. They make more sense when connected together, and they are but a part of a whole collection of laws that were given by God and developed in the midst of a people learning to be God’s people.

It was these commandments, these laws, which distinguished God’s people – the Israelites – from all the nations of the world; in their own time and throughout history.

So what distinguished you? If the laws given to the nation of slaves who came out of Egypt made all the difference for them, what in you calling yourself a Christian makes you so different from your neighbour who calls themselves an atheist, and agnostic,  or just non-religious.

Is there something in the way you live your life that lets people recognize that you are different? Is there something that you recognize about yourself that allows you to see and say that you believe in Christ?

It began as a philosophical movement over a hundred years ago, and it grew as populations moved and shifted across the globe, as cultures mixed and blended in ways that had never been seen before in world history.

We are taught from a very young age that it is important to ‘blend in’. This is more than just getting along with each other, this is an end to individuality. Presently there is a growing counter culture that tells our youth to stand out, and be distinguishable from the crowd. I mean there was a day not so long ago when it was seen as ideal that everyone would eventually look a certain way, dress an appropriate way, cut their hair a certain way, drive certain styles of vehicles, work at certain kinds of jobs, and in other words get along with each other. But truly, YOU are not getting along with anybody if you are ceasing to be yourself.

The life we share in Christ is not meant to remove our distinguishing characteristics, it is meant to bring them together in a fellowship that would be otherwise impossible. Be get along by Christ’s love. The law was meant to draw God’s people together, but the people corrupted that law and made it a point of contention; of competition.

The ten commandments:

Not to set other gods above God,

And like the first  you must worship idols or in any way put anything in life in front of your love for God.

Not misusing the name of the Lord your God,

Remembering the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

Honouring your father and your mother

Not murdering.

Not commit adultery, and that means not breaking the best promises that bind us together.

Not stealing, and that is a whole lot more than not robbing banks, or stealing candy from the corner store.

Not give false testimony, not lying against each other against your neighbour. And ‘not lying’ does not simply mean you say nothing to each other, which is the way this is often practiced. It means telling the truth. It means making it a point to speak to each other and to speak the truth when you do.

Not coveting your neighbour’s house.

Not desiring and want your neighbour’s spouse, or anything that belongs to the people around you whether it is their job, their retirement, or wanting your family to be like their family. We often forget that this means celebrating what we have, and seeing the wonderful things that God has given us, because that kind of celebration is the true opposite of jealously coveting someone else’s possessions

Not so long ago shops were closed on Sundays. And not so long ago expressions like OMG were frowned upon. There was a day when most children were expected to respect and even perhaps honour their parents in the way they lived their lives. There was even a time when wanting what others had and lying, cheating, and stealing to get it were actually recognized as character flaws, instead of lifted up as ambition.

The commands of God are the same as Christ in this, they were and remain a means to grace. A way to share God’s love and forgiveness with each other.

We need to pick up these commandments again and recognize again how they draw us closer to God and also how they bring us together. We need to feel again the grace that comes from God’s commandments to us, not as rules and regulations, but as supports to lift us up and draw us in strength together as the church God calls us to be.

So Christ has come, and we together with the whole Church come together today to celebrate the fulfillment of God’s law, and experience the grace in that fulfillment. Christ has come, and though we break the laws of God, God’s commanding grace shines in the fulfillment of God’s law through Christ Jesus God’s only Son, our Saviour, who died that we might dwell in sin no longer, and who is raised that we might stand together in glory fulfilling our purpose in God today and forever. May God be praised. Amen.

 

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession

God’s Tithes and our gifts

Doxology (NBoP 830; BoP 603)

Offertory Prayer

The Lord’s Supper

Today we recognize together with the whole of the Church:

The Lord Jesus Christ chose to humbly walk with us.

He has come to dwell with us, to be with us in our lives.

Through Christ we pray; In faith in Him our lives are healed; and through Him our sins are forgiven.

Jesus gave us the witness of his own words and actions, that we might speak and act, seeking understanding and purpose in God.

The only begotten Son of God has come, and facing the curse of our He sin conquered death, that we might know the Full measure of God’s love.

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might; heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest!

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper:

This is the joyful feast of the people of God! Even though it takes place of the shadow of the cross, we celebrate in the light of the resurrection.

We come to this table at Christ’s invitation, given in the grace of the Loving Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. The institution of this sacrament belongs to Jesus the Christ, for it is the memorial of Christ’s life, death, and the new life we share in Him.

In the words of the Apostle Paul, we declare this sacrament of our faith to draw from this truth:

“the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, ²⁴and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”

Yet the Apostle Paul also gives us this warning:

He says,

²⁷Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. ²⁹For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.

[1 Corinthians 11:23-29]

This holy meal is a gift to all who confess with heart, and mind, and soul, the living and eternal Christ Jesus is Lord; who by God’s grace and the Holy Spirit’s power, gives us the understanding to know God in faith. Let us then, offer God our confession of faith as we together declare . . .

 

Confession of faith: [BoP 619; ref NBoP 539]

I believe in God the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, and suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the Holy Catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. AMEN

Communion prayer:

Lord God of all mercy, we bring to this table our souls, humbled by your grace in all its signs. Our spirits are in need of the cleansing that can only come through Christ.

Lord, hear our prayer and set us free.

Hear our cry for mercy, for we lift our eyes to the cross and see the cost of our salvation. Know our cry for peace as we lower our eyes in shame

Lord, hear our prayer and draw us together in peace.

O Lord, this is your table, and we come seeking your presence; let nothing separate the Lord God and His people.

Lift the gifts of your Holy Spirit – humility, goodness, kindness, self control, knowledge, perseverance, and most of all love  – as signs to the world of our faith; as we seek to be more like Christ.

Lord, this bread is made from the grain that you caused to grow and this cup is filled with the fruitfulness of the vine you have sustained. You brought them to this table and now, O Lord, we pray that by your blessing this bread and cup will be renewed as a blessing in their use in the special purpose you have for us in this sacrament.

Help us understand, that in Jesus we must finally see that we are made for more than ordinary purposes.

Let feel the support of the communion of faith in the Church, as we are gathered with all who confess faith in Christ and seek His presence in their life.

O Father in Heaven, by your Holy Spirit, let us be drawn together with you because of Jesus, our Saviour and Lord; who was begotten, who was born, who lived and died, and who is risen, and who is coming again.

In Jesus name we pray, Amen

The Holy Communion of the Lord’s Supper

We are gathered by God to this table with the whole Church. We are gathered with all who proclaim Christ, name Him Lord, and in communion with all who rejoice before God in glory.

In accordance with the teaching and direction of the good news in Jesus Christ, we do this:

The Lord Jesus – on the night he was betrayed – took bread, and after giving thanks to God, he broke it and said: “Take, eat, this is my body that is broken for you. This, you do, in remembrance of me.”

Bread distributed to all

When we break the bread it is the sharing in the body of Christ                                                                                                                 1 Corinthians 10:16

We eat the bread together

In the same way also Jesus took the cup, After they had sup, and said: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do so in remembrance of me”

The cup is shared

In remembrance, let us share the cup of the new covenant.

We drink the cup together

This bread and this cup are a proclamation; by them we declare the power and purpose of the Lord’s death until he comes.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Loving God, thank you for the assurance of this sacrament of faith, and all the blessings we have received in Jesus Christ, our Lord. We rejoice that we are renewed in our spiritual bond to the whole of your Church through Christ’s sacrifice, here recalled. O God, give us the grace to carry his words into the world in the way we live our faith, as we are lifted up in all manner of being, because of Christ, through the Holy Spirit in your love:

Jesus, Lamb of God, have mercy on us

Jesus, bearer of our sins, have mercy on us

Jesus, redeemer of the world, grant us your peace.

Amen

Now, go out into the world in peace. Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God through him

 

Commissioning Hymn: NBoP 802 For the fruits of His creation 39 sog.

BoP 570

Benediction

Dismissal: ‘Midst prayers of thanks [tune of Before the throne of God above]

‘Midst prayers of thanks our praises ring,

Before the world we gladly sing,

For we are saved by giving hands

Of Christ who died that we might stand.

Our great thanksgiving is our lives

In daily service lifted high

Souls in devotion testify

We thank you Lord, you paid the price

We thank you Lord, you paid the price