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Jesus’ Baptism and journey in the wilderness
Service led by Julie and Lin
For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel:
In returning and rest you shall be saved;
in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.
Grace, mercy and peace
from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ
be with you
All and also with you.
Opening Prayer
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Saying sorry to God
In the wilderness we find your grace;
you love us with an everlasting love.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
There is none but you to uphold our cause;
our sin cries out and our guilt is great.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Heal us, O Lord, and we shall be healed;
restore us and we shall know your joy.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Absolution
Almighty God,
who forgives all who truly repent,
have mercy upon you,
pardon and deliver you from all your sins,
confirm and strengthen you in all goodness,
and keep you in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
The Collect
Heavenly father,
Your Son battled with the powers of darkness,
And grew closer to you in the desert:
Help us to use these days to grow in wisdom and prayer
That we may witness to your
Saving love
In Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Old Testament Reading: involves one of these
and a man called
It can be found in Genesis 9:8-17
So can you put the story together using these pictures
Worship song WAYMAKER
Gospel Reading:
Praise to you, O Christ, King of eternal glory.
Blessed are those who have endured temptation;
they have stood the test and will receive the crown of life.
James 1.12
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark
Glory to you, O Lord.
Mark 1:12-15 read by Leonard on zoom
12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness.
13 He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ.
The Talk
OT Reading is about Noah and the great flood. This idea of washing away sin and corruption and in this case just leaving Noah and his family and ark full of the animals, to start the world off again, was to restart life off on a good footing with God. It is an account of extremes extreme corruption and also extreme punishment. But it is also an account of hope- the hope that is given in the covenant between God and Noah- that never again will God send such extreme punishment – shown in the beauty of the rainbow-God’s promise.
We are in the season of Lent and hope is also found in our gospel reading.
Today’s gospel is from Mark. Reading Mark’s gospel is a great gospel to start someone on their journey of Christian faith. It is the shortest of all the gospels and it packs a punch.
It is as though Mark was trying to write a journal on Jesus’ life and just getting down all the most important bits and moving quickly on to the next bit. There is a sense of pace in Mark’s gospel.
So who is this Jesus? From John’s gospel we know
• The Word was with God
• The Word was God
• The Word became flesh
• God came to this world in the person of Jesus
• Jesus was fully divine AND fully human and these were inseparable.
• So did Satan really believe he could tempt God?
Between the readings in Matthew Mark and Luke, we have the perfect picture of the Jesus in John’s gospel.
This period in the wilderness was a time of reaffirmation for Jesus as to his identity and relationship with God and with God’s plan.
Here we meet Jesus in his humanity and in this humanity Jesus was tempted:
to turn stones into bread- he was as hungry as you or I would be 40 days without food
To show Satan that yes God would protect him by sending his angels so he would not hurt himself- he would not test God. He had no doubts.
To turn the world back to God by a show of power and kingship.
Jesus of course did not give in to these temptations.
We meet Jesus in his divinity at his baptism by John- the first part of our reading. Jesus did NOT need to be baptised but went to be baptised anyway. He joined with humanity- although he was sinless.
And during this we read of the extraordinary revelation- the Spirit of God descending like a dove and the voice from heaven…
“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased”
It is here that all three members of the Trinity are present, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Although it is the Spirit who sends Jesus into the wilderness to face his temptations, we are not told that the God’s Spirit ever leaves him. By facing these temptations Jesus identified with humanity.
Being tempted to sin, is not a sin in itself- but giving in to temptation or causing others to become tempted is. Sin ultimately breaks our relationship with God and also our relationship with each other.
Jesus said “Blessed are the peacemakers- for they shall be called the children of God”
As children of God, we are called into a relationship of reconciliation-and reconciliation is hard at times!
But we have help. Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted. In his strength we can call on him for help.
By the power of his sacrifice on the cross, we have been given the chance for relationships to be healed once more, with God and with each other. Sin and temptation never have the last word- love and forgiveness do!
Let us declare our faith in God.
We believe in God the Father,
from whom every family
in heaven and on earth is named.
We believe in God the Son,
who lives in our hearts through faith,
and fills us with his love.
We believe in God the Holy Spirit,
who strengthens us
with power from on high.
We believe in one God;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Our Prayers led by Margaret
The Peace
Since we are justified by faith,
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has given us access to his grace.
The peace of the Lord be always with you
and also with you.
Let us offer one another a sign of peace.
Holy Communion
The Lord is here
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Almighty God, good Father to us all,
your face is turned towards your world.
In love you gave us Jesus your Son
to rescue us from sin and death.
Your Word goes out to call us home
to the city where angels sing your praise.
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and God of might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest
Father of all, we give you thanks
for every gift that comes from heaven.
To the darkness Jesus came as your light.
With signs of faith and words of hope
he touched untouchables with love and washed the guilty clean.
This is his story.
This is our song:
Hosanna in the highest.
The crowds came out to see your Son,
yet at the end they turned on him.
On the night he was betrayed
he came to table with his friends
to celebrate the freedom of your people.
This is his story.
This is our song:
Hosanna in the highest.
Jesus blessed you, Father, for the food;
he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and said:
This is my body, given for you all.
Jesus then gave thanks for the wine;
he took the cup, gave it and said:
This is my blood, shed for you all
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this in remembrance of me.
This is our story.
This is our song:
Hosanna in the highest.
Therefore, Father, with this bread and this cup
we celebrate the cross
on which he died to set us free.
Defying death he rose again
and is alive with you to plead for us and all the world.
This is our story.
This is our song:
Hosanna in the highest.
Send your Spirit on us now
that by these gifts we may feed on Christ
with opened eyes and hearts on fire.
May we and all who share this food
offer ourselves to live for you
and be welcomed at your feast in heaven
where all creation worships you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
Blessing and honour and glory and power
be yours for ever and ever. Amen.
As our Saviour taught us, so we pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.
We break this bread to share in the body of Christ.
Though we are many we are one body because we all share in one bread.
Jesus, Lamb of God
have mercy on us.
Jesus bearer of our sins,
have mercy on us.
Jesus, redeemer of the world,
grant us peace.
Song: You Are my hiding place
Prayer of Spiritual Communion
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits you have given me,
for all the pains and insults you have borne for me.
Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally,
I ask you to come spiritually into my heart.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know you more clearly,
love you more dearly,
and follow you more nearly, day by day. Amen
The Blessing
Christ give you grace to grow in holiness,
to deny yourselves, take up your cross, and follow him;
and the blessing of God almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always.
Amen.
Notices for next week
Birthdays
Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Please join your family at home for refreshments after the service