Muskoka Lakes Ministry of Knox, Port Carling & Zion, Torrance
Sunday Jan 10, 2021
Message: What a Friend we have in Jesus
Reverend Glynis Faith
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Announcements
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1) Under the current lockdown requirements of the provincial government, all worship services will be online for the month of January. The Sessions will consider the provincial guidelines in February, and you will be informed if in person worship will take place.
2) Presbytery meets via Zoom Tuesday Jan 12, 2020
3) Lectio Divina on Thursday evenings from 8-9 p.m.
4) Worship services are recorded on Thursday mornings. If you have an announcement you would like included in the online service or in the printed copy of the announcements, please email them to Reverend Faith by Wednesday at noon.
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Call to Worship
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With prayers, thanksgiving, praise and hymns, we come before God. From our couches, dining tables, kitchen counters, porches or wherever we are tuning into worship today, we come joyfully as friends of Christ. We come to worship together. AMEN
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Prayer of Adoration & Confession
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Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer and Friend, we worship You for all You are, for all You do, and for all we are because of You.
By Your hand, Lord of the Universe, we have been given life.
Through Your sacrifice, Lord Jesus, we are offered salvation.
With Your guidance, Holy Spirit, we find nourishment, guidance and protection in God’s Holy Word.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit we praise you.
Blessed Trinity, we worship You. We confess our sinfulness – sins that separate us from Your Goodness and Perfection. Lord, we lay our sins at Your feet and pray for your forgiveness… ///
Smile Your blessings upon us now as we repeat the words Jesus taught us . . . Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thine will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. Forever and ever. AMEN
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Scripture
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John 15:9-17
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.
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Message
“ What a Friend we have in Jesus ”
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A good friend knows our charms and talents, as well as our faults and bad habits. That is a true indication of a good friend – someone who is there with us and for us in the joys and celebrations of life, as well as during the challenges and trials. A friend remains faithful, even when it means picking up part of our burden and helping us carry it.
“Can we find a friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share,” asks the classic hymn, ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus.’ And the answer, - “Jesus knows our every weakness, take it to the Lord in prayer.”
We enjoy friends in the good times, but we NEED them more so through the struggles of life. Oftentimes, it is through life’s struggles and pain that we learn who our real friends are, and those relationships deepen in trust, admiration and respect.
This is what makes Jesus’ conversation with us an important one to sit up and take notice of. Jesus has taken time with His disciples, to teach them and to build trust. They have walked together through the excitement of miraculous healings, adoring crowds and miraculous feedings. They have also faced the scorn and mockery of the hometown crowd and religious leaders while Jesus, their teacher and leader refuses to accept financial gratuity or promotion for anything He does.
The disciples have taken the time to get to know Jesus, and through Jesus they have witnessed the love and mercy of God in the miracles and the teachings. Through Jesus they are also made aware that material wealth and power are not His thing. Jesus is interested in an eternal friendship, not merely a temporary earthly one.
Jesus knows your every weakness, and He wants to be there with you through the challenges and struggles you face. Jesus knows your every sin – the sins of your past, present and future – yet He is still your friend, and He will help you to turn from your sins into righteousness – if you will let Him.
If you will welcome Jesus into your life, He will be there to celebrate every joy and triumph with you, and He will be there to hold your hand through loss and to encourage you when it may just seem easier to give up. Jesus is the friend who will help you find meaning in life when life’s circumstances seem stacked against you.
“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”
These words were written by a man named Joseph M. Scriven.
Joseph was born in Dublin Ireland. In his mid twenties he was engaged to be married – he had a plan – hope - dreams.// Sadly, the day before their intended marriage his bride to be drowned./ Instead of watching his fiancée walk down the aisle, he watched her lifeless body being pulled out of the lake. ///
It is exactly times like this that we NEED the comfort and support of friends – It is exactly times like this that we need to know Jesus and the peace His friendship brings. ///
Joseph packed up his belongings, leaving his mother and his life in Ireland behind, and immigrated to Port Hope, Ontario. Ten years after immigrating to Canada Joseph received word his mother was facing a crisis in her life, so he sat down and wrote her words of inspiration and love to help her through.
His mom shared the words her son had written with her friends and it was eventually published anonymously. Not surprisingly, it quickly became the popular hymn, ‘What a Friend we have in Jesus.’
Not long after writing the words to this wonderful hymn Joseph met and fell in love with Miss Eliza Catherine Roche. Before the couple could be married, Catherine contacted tuberculosis and died.
Instead of falling into despair, Joseph dedicated himself to preaching and to works of charity. Following in the footsteps of his Saviour and Friend, Jesus, Joseph choose to live a humble life serving those in need.
One of his charitable works was to saw wood for people in the community that could neither do the work themselves, nor could afford to hire someone to do it for them. The story is told of a man who inquired about hiring Scriven to cut his wood and was told by one of the townsfolk, “you cannot get that man; he saws wood only for poor widows and sick people who cannot pay.”///
Good friends rub off on us. Jesus says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”
Remain in my love – follow my commands – do as I do. Good friends are always there for us and they set a good example for us to follow. Jesus is the best friend we can ever have, for His friendship is trustworthy and eternal. Following Jesus leads us into eternal life.
Although this hymn was originally published anonymously, it would later be tied back to the man who, not only penned the words, but who lived his life as a witness to the message of this hymn.
While suffering from an illness that would claim his life, Joseph was kept company by a friend who came across a manuscript copy of the now famous words. The friend asked Joseph if he had written the words. Joseph’s answer: “The Lord and I did it between us.”
His life was riddled with tragedy, yet it never shook his faith. His struggles likely contributed to his strong faith, as he turned in prayer to Jesus for strength, comfort and guidance. He may have died poor by our material standards, but he was rich in the love and respect of the people of Port Hope.
The people honoured Joseph by burying him with his feet facing Eliza’s feet, because they wanted the couple to look into each other’s face when they arose at the resurrection. Today, in Port Hope, Ontario there is a beautiful monument at his grave with the words of this hymn etched upon it.
Joseph never knew the success or popularity of the lyrics he penned, but he had a personal friendship with the One he wrote about.
Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care? Precious Saviour, still our refuge! Take it to the Lord in prayer. Do Thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer. In His arms He’ll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there.
Friends, this is not just a favourite old hymn with beautiful lyrics – these are the words of a man who knew from his own personal experiences that Jesus is the kind of friend who will teach you, lead you, cry with you, hold you, encourage you and most of all Jesus is the friend who took the cross for you.
Jesus knows your every weakness, sorrow, shame and pain – take it all to Jesus in prayer!
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Prayers of Thanksgiving & Intercession & The Lord’s Prayer
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Christ Jesus, you know our sins, our grief and our pain. You know each of us personally, and You care for us.
There is no trial or temptation we face that You will not gladly face with us. When we are discouraged, You give us hope, when we have sorrows, You wipe our tears, when we are weak, you step beside us to be our strength.
You have taught us to pray in all circumstances and to trust in You, our Lord and Friend, so we come now with our prayers.
We pray healing for the sick and strength for those recovering from illness, treatments or surgery.
We pray comfort for everyone who is mourning the loss of a loved one, whether it be a recent loss or the anniversary of losing a loved one.
We pray for people who do not know You as a friend and for those who have not learned the blessings in taking all their cares to You in prayer.
We pray for teachers and students as they return to school following an extended Christmas break.
We pray for a peaceful time of transition in the United States, and we pray especially for a time of healing for a nation that has been deeply divided.
We pray for a swift and efficient administering of the Covid vaccine.
And we thank you Lord, Jesus for listening to our prayers, as we ask all these things in Your beautiful name. AMEN
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Commission & Benediction
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Step out and live each day remembering that Jesus is Your friend – Your very best Friend, and as you do…

May the love of God, the Peace of Christ and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit go with you. AMEN
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Offering & Offertory Prayer
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Generous God, bless all we do and share in Your Name. May our gifts and our time be a blessing to Your church and our communities we pray in the Life Giving Name of Jesus. AMEN
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Support the Work of Knox and Zion in 2021
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DONATIONS TO ZION, TORRANCE
Mail cheques to Zion Presbyterian Church 1046 Torrance Rd, Torrance, ON, P0C 1M0
E-Transfers to zionchurchpc@gmail.com No security question required
Pick up ~ Please call the office (705) 765 3797 to arrange pick up

DONATIONS TO KNOX, PORT CARLING
Mail cheques to Knox Presbyterian Church Box 283, Port Carling, ON,
P0B 1J0
E-Transfers to KnoxChurchPC@gmail.com No security question required Thank you for your continued support!