Call to Worship Adapted from Daniel Commerford

 

Return to the Lord your God,
for God is gracious.
Confess to the Lord your God,
for God is merciful.
Repent to the Lord your God,
for God is slow to anger.
Praise the Lord your God,
for God abounds in steadfast love.
Worship the Lord your God.
Together, let us worship God!

 

Scripture Reading – Matthew 5:21-22 NIV

 

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

 

Song – “Brother” by The Brilliance

 

Scripture Reading – Matthew 6:24 NIV

 

 

Prayer for Others Adapted from Ann Siddall

 

People of God, as we come to prayer
let us remember that we do not
have to twist the arm of a reluctant God
to seek good things for this world,
nor find ways to persuade a distant God
to come near and listen to us.

 

Let us remember that as we pray
we kneel alongside Jesus Christ,
in the presence of God,
with the help of the Spirit.

 

So let us bring to mind now
those people who are in need of our prayers:
those who are ill, or anxious;
those who are lonely or sad;
those who are despairing or defeated;
those who are hungry or homeless;
those whose relationships are breaking apart;
those who are bullied or abused;
those who cannot find work;
and those who are over-worked.
In silence now, let us make our own specific prayers
for those on our hearts and minds today.

 

(silence)

 

In the presence of God,
alongside Jesus Christ,
with help from the Spirit
may we go into this week
to live out our prayers through our lives.

 

Amen.

 

Scripture Reading – James 4:1-12 NIV

 

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

 

Video Sermon

 

Prayer – Response to the Word

 

O God, send your Spirit upon us and light our path,
that we may travel the road you have prepared for us.

 

Having heard your scriptures proclaimed,
and your word revealed,
enable our hearts and minds to more fully understand
your goodness and your grace.

 

Help us break free from ideas that no longer bring life,
that we may embrace the life-giving work of your Spirit.

 

Challenge us to forsake paths that ask little of us,
and help us resist the evils and temptations of this world,
that we may truly follow the way of kingdom living. Amen.

 

Song – “Jesus Strong and Kind”

 

Benediction Adapted from Nathan Nettleton

 

Go out, clothed in strength and dignity.
Submit yourselves to God and resist all evil.
Delight in the Lord’s teaching,
open your hands to the poor,
and let your actions arise from the wisdom of God.

 

And may God draw near to you and strengthen you;
May Christ Jesus teach you the ways of simplicity;
and may the Holy Spirit fill you with wisdom
and make you fruitful in peace and righteousness.

 

We go in peace to love and serve the Lord,
In the name of Christ. Amen.

 

Questions for Reflection

 

Do you think God wants us to pray for our enemies? What would it feel like for you to pray (and mean it) that God would bless your enemies?

 

NT Wright asks, What are some patterns or values of the world that are easy to drift along and accept without much thought, that might actually be in conflict with a biblical perspective?

 

How do you distinguish between standing up for godly principles on the one hand, and ungodly anger or zealotry on the other?

 

How and when are you most tempted to judge other people? What might you do to combat this?

 

How easy or hard would it be for you to completely surrender every aspect of your life to God? Are there areas you’d have a harder time letting go of? If so, why?

 

Do you feel God calling you to repentance in any area of your life? What might repentance look like?