WELCOME
THIS is a celebration of faith through MUSIC, READING AND PRAYER.
Our worship may be empty and rather mechanical without the presence of the Holy Spirit. So, rightly, our first song is a call to the heavens for God to open our hearts so that Jesus has full access. Sing or listen.
In Romans chapter 10, verse 17, Paul tells us that “…faith comes from hearing the Good News. And people hear the Good News when someone tells them about Christ.” We learn so much about Christ in the stories that fill the bible. From cover to cover, there are stories that deal with just about everything.
We learn especially about faith, hope and the love God. Tell people these stories!
And we know for sure from these stories the certainty expressed in this hymn.
A BIBLE READING FROM CHRONICLES
Chronicles is about God himself. It tells of a just judge who never abandons his chosen people.
The theme of covenant, fall, judgement and redemption persists throughout the book.
In today’s bible passage from the Second Book of Chronicles, a picture emerges of the most fantastic ‘church service’ taking place in the temple. Just as we are using music to praise God in our online service today, so too, did music play its part in summoning the power of God in the temple that day. What sights and sounds!
2 Chronicles 5:10-14
7-10 The priests brought the Chest of the Covenant of God to its place in the Inner Sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the cherubim. The outspread wings of the cherubim formed a canopy over the Chest and its poles. The ends of the poles were so long that they stuck out from the entrance of the Inner Sanctuary, but were not noticeable further out—they’re still there today. There was nothing in the Chest itself but the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb where God made a covenant with Israel after bringing them up from Egypt.
11-13 The priests then left the Holy Place. All the priests there were consecrated, regardless of rank or assignment; and all the Levites who were musicians were there—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their families, dressed in their worship robes; the choir and orchestra assembled on the east side of the Altar and were joined by 120 priests blowing trumpets. The choir and trumpets made one voice of praise and thanks to God—orchestra and choir in perfect harmony singing and playing praise to God:
Yes! God is good!
His loyal love goes on forever!
13-14 Then a billowing cloud filled The Temple of God. The priests couldn’t even carry out their duties because of the cloud—the glory of God!—that filled The Temple of God.
So… one hundred and twenty trumpets?
This presents us with a good opportunity to listen to (or sing along with or even clap to) an American Spiritual that became popular in the 1980s, particularly in Salvation Army meetings where there was often a band.
This rousing version, sung by both adults and children, invites each of us to be ready to take up our own trumpet so that we can join the bands of angels in heaven to praise God throughout eternity!
NOW A FAMILIAR PRAYER
The prayer Jesus taught us is reset here in the 21st century… as powerful and as resonant as it would have been to the disciples when they first heard it.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
The wonderful hymn above brings us to our knees.
What Jesus has done to free us from the constraints, the manipulations and the selfishness of our earthly lives is utterly amazing.
And so we respond…
A MOMENT TO BE STILL, to muse, to meditate
Five verses from the very well-known hymn by John Greenleaf Whittier are set out for us below.
They are quoted here to guide our thoughts now in a time set aside for personal prayer.
Over an evocative and reflective instrumental arrangement of “Dear Lord and Father of mankind”, we offer our own prayers. This great hymn speaks of repentance, discipleship, obedience and faith...
and that peace which cuts through everything in our lives and passes all understanding. Thank you, Jesus.
Let us pray…
1 Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
re-clothe us in our rightful mind,
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence, praise.
2 In simple trust like theirs who heard
beside the Syrian sea
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word
rise up and follow thee.
3 O Sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
where Jesus knelt to share with thee
the silence of eternity,
interpreted by love!
4 Drop thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of thy peace.
5 Breathe through the heats of our desire
thy coolness and thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm!
This music was composed simply because He is sovereign.
It points perfectly to the reasons we can have assured FAITH, HOPE and LOVE.
“…for where there is weakness, my power is shown the more completely.”
2 Corinthians 12, verse 9
“What have You to say to me?” says our next song. How can we know the Master’s will if we do not listen to Him speak to us individually, by name?
We celebrate in joy that we can listen, that we are ready and willing to follow His guidance with growing zeal.
A quiet, calm start soon gives way to joy and praise in His spirit.
OUR FINAL song
Our devotions today set out to “tell of His might”
and “sing of His grace.”
We hope and pray that, in some measure throughout our worship music today, we have been able both to grasp and celebrate God’s sovereignty, Christ’s place in heaven, the joy of things eternal and the redeeming power of God’s love.
This well known hymn underlines all these things in its text, which draws from Psalm 103. Written by Anglican clergyman Henry Francis Lyte in 1834, it was set to this stirring and enduring music by John Goss in 1868.
Join with us as we close with…
We close our devotions with this blessing :
“May the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the everlasting love of God and the guiding fellowship of his Holy Spirit be with us all, both now and until He comes or calls.”
Amen.
Long Lane Independent Methodist Church
If you have concerns for the physical, spiritual or mental health of family and friends, name them in prayer to God. At this time of the year, when simply living and just coping can be difficult for many folk and caring for loved ones and the vulnerable can become increasingly demanding, you can still contact Long Lane Independent Methodist Church here.
