20th September 2020 – Rev Arnold Dixon 

Philippians 1.21-30

Paul explains his personal struggles to the Philippians. He says that their struggles are like his. He wants to appear encouraging and commends them for their approach to life in the faith.

 

This week's resources explore:  knowing and choosing your path, and sticking to it when it is difficult.

 

Call to worship

The Lord our God is great and to be highly praised.
We come to worship.
The Lord our God is great beyond our understanding.
We come to worship.
The Lord our God is loving and full of mercy.
We come to worship.
Amen

All hail the power of Jesus' name:  Sing/ Read /pray /proclaim the words or listen to this version Click on the Link Here:  https://youtu.be/5WVSyGBBfi8

 

A gathering prayer

Lord God,
we all belong to your kingdom
and we bring our different lives and experiences
to worship you today, the true and living God.
Amen

 

A prayer of approach

Lord God of all that has been,
all that is and all that will be,
we have all been born and one day we all will die,
but today is a day when all of us are here,
here to worship and praise you.
Accept, O God,
all that we bring and all that we offer,
in the name of Christ.
Amen

 

A prayer of confession

Almighty God,
we don't always know how we got to where we are,
and we certainly don't always know where we are going;
we don't always choose the right path,
and we certainly don't always follow it;
we don't always deal well with the struggles of life,
and we don't always give thanks for the joys of life either;
we don't always think of the effects that our choices
cause to others, near and far.
We are too often selfish,
wanting what we want no matter what the cost to others.
Almighty God, forgive us, reassure us
and cradle us within your forgiveness.
Amen

 

A prayer of praise and thanksgiving

We praise you, Lord, for all that you are,
for the creation that is yours,
for its beauty and wonder, its diversity and richness.
We praise you for your presence and comfort
that swaddle us in your purity and enrich us with your abundance.
We praise you for your steadfastness
that perseveres with us, faltering disciples and failing followers.
We praise you that, day by day, you amaze and enrich us
and reveal yourself in new and unexpected ways.
We praise you that you are the same yesterday,
today and for ever – and yet forever new.
O Lord our God, you are indeed,
from the depth of our being,
highly to be praised.
Amen

 

All I once held dear:   Sing/ Read /pray /proclaim the words or listen to this version

Click on the Link Here:    https://youtu.be/BxJUT0vhBLc

 

Today's Reading:    Philippians 1.21-30

21  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  22  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!  23  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;  24  but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.  25  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,  26  so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Life Worthy of the Gospel

27  Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel  28  without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.  29  For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,  30  since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

 

Fight the Good Fight:  Sing/ Read /pray /proclaim the words or listen to this version

Click on the Link Here:  https://youtu.be/Bgl4SoI-5sk

 

Sermon:  Knowing and choosing your path

• ‘It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities' (Dumbledore speaking to Harry Potter, in JK Rowling's  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ).
• Paul's abilities are well known, yet still he's wrestling with a life-and-death choice, torn between accepting death (to be with Christ) and staying faithful to his vocation: supporting his fellow Christians, it may be hard for us to understand fully how choosing to live is less appealing to Paul, but it is clear that his choice is based not on selfish motives, but on a desire to help those who need him. Do we find it hard to make difficult choices? What helps us to make good decisions? Perhaps Paul's focus and emphasis on serving others can help to guide our choices too.
  
• ‘Stand, oh stand firm – and see what the Lord can do'. This song from Cameroon was written when Christians in southern Africa were suffering under apartheid. Paul encouraged the early Christians to stand firm in the face of opposition, something that is easier to say than to do. We may know what our Christian calling is, but still face many obstacles or indeed outright opposition. Paul offers some pointers to help us stand firm: be positive (v.25); be united and in solidarity (v.27); don't let yourself be intimidated (v.28). How can we support each other? What encouragement and advice can we give friends who are battling?
  
• Paul writes that a good life is a productive one, involving ‘fruitful labour' (v.22), ‘progress and joy' (v.25). What are the signs of fruitful labour (for Christ) in our congregation? Who is doing it? How can we encourage and support and celebrate it with joy? But do not think only in terms of church. What kind of fruitful labour happens outside the church doors? And how do we support and celebrate that?
  
• There's an apparent contrast in this letter: a sense of joy, pride and strength, against agonising choices, intimidation, and suffering. Do you think the Philippians were surprised that following Jesus involved struggle? Are we? Do we hope that God will take all our suffering away? And if (when) we are suffering, through life circumstances or for our faith, does it help to hear that Paul suffered too? There are no easy answers here, no facile solutions. But there is the solidarity of sharing with someone who has been there. How can we stand shoulder to shoulder with people who are suffering today? And how do we find joy in the middle of that.
  
• There's a theme running through all this week's readings about the thorny path. Like Jonah and the labourers, we may feel perplexed and angry at what seems to us to be unfair. God's generosity goes beyond human justice. And, as Paul notes, following God is not always comfortable. God never promised that it would be. Is verse 16 reassuring in the light of our own calling?
• However whatever we are called upon to do we can have the confidence that Christ is right in the middle of it with us, and even when the prospect of things don't look good we must still have the determination follow him for only as we do will we truly bear fruit for God's Kingdom and it will be fruit that lasts forever.

Be Still for the Presence of the Lord:  Sing/ Read /pray /proclaim the words or listen to this version

Click on the Link Here:  https://youtu.be/Y5S_-zhHfDA

 

Prayers of intercession

Response after each bidding :  God, be with them.

Eternal, ever-living, ever-present God,
in the struggles and joys of this day, we pray:
for those who are overburdened, weighed down, demoralised,
fearful or desolate because of what life has thrown at them…
For those engulfed in pain and anguish, facing illness and death…
For those troubled in mind and spirit, who find no peace or calm…
For those alone and lonely, without friend or comfort…
For those frightened and bewildered, who see no direction
or purpose in their lives…
Eternal, ever-living God,
bless them all in this and every hour,
in this and every step of life's journey.
Amen

 

O happy day that fixed my choice:  Sing/ Read /pray /proclaim the words or listen to this version Click on the Link Here: https://youtu.be/8IRR49sWFgo

 

The Lord's Prayer

Thy Kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive them that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

The power, and the glory,

For ever and ever.

Amen

 

A sending out prayer

Lord, give us a way to go,
a path to follow,
a purpose to fulfil
and meaning to our deeds.
Amen

 

A personal prayer

In trial and tribulation, God of comfort, be near me.
In loss and devastation, God of grief, grieve with me.
In uncertainty and confusion, God of the way, show me a path.
In want and in need, God of provision, provide for me.
In times of sluggishness and laziness, God of patience, wait for me.
In comfort and in joy, God of love, let me not forget you.
Amen