Prayer of Approach



Lord Jesus, you triumphed on Easter, you defeated sin and death, you brought us life, but as we move farther away from the Easter event we fall back into step in our old ways.  Enliven in our hearts the continued joy of Easter We need you, to keep coming to us, to keep intruding into our lives, to keep calling us forward to be your people. Amen 

     I can remember when I was a wee lad playing with the flowing water in the ditch, floating stick boats building dams, and the water always finding its way around. God in the Spirit is like a flowing stream always finding the way around always trying to move us forward despite the obstacles that we may find.

I would say that in the last year I have begun to wonder that I am a historian.  History is important in that it carries a lot of wisdom and lessons.  There is a tension between history and the what the future might bring.  What was what we know against what we don’t know and what might be.  Our story of faith is not static, it moves forward. The disciples could have stayed behind looked doors but they didn’t  After the encounter on the road of Damascus Paul could have turned around and gone back to Jerusalem but he continued forward. 

Like Paul and Disciples we are offered a choice. When the Holy Spirit reaches for our hand to lead us forward do we grasp it or do we bat it away.   

 Each time we take that hand,  each time we allow the spirit to act in our midst. We move forward in our faith, in our understanding of God and what it is to be a community of faith.

  Our God is not some noble principle locked up in doctrine. (not for any lack of trying on our behalf)  Our God lives, moves intrudes evokes, prods calls. When we worship a living Lord, and God we must be ready to be grabbed, bumped and jerked. It is not always a smooth ride. 

God breaks into our world whenever. Jesus does not make an appointment. (although I am holding that the Holy Spirit has me booked in for inspiration and insight at 3:00-3:30 am)  Look at how and where the disciples encounter Jesus this morning.  In the Morning while fishing. Or in the middle of the night on the Road to Emmaus. Or the Middle of the afternoon on the Road to Damascus.  On highway six around 4:48pm.   Not just at a traditional historic time  on a Sunday Morning. God calls you in Christ to do his work. Think about this tomorrow . The risen Christ comes to you seeks you, reveals himself to you, and then gives you his work to do. “Follow Me” are Jesus last words to disciples on the beach,  which were Jesus first words to them some three years before. Those word “follow me”  are the words to invite us to walk this path. They are the words that will lead us when this path is finished and we begin the next path   

In Paul we see a  person become a Christian, not by his own decision, discovery or desire. Paul is called, chosen by the action of the living Christ. Next to the Easter event Paul’s conversation on the Road is the most significant Christian event.  His relationship to Christ was Christ’s idea before it was Paul’s 

Perhaps not to the extent that Paul encountered Christ, we to share a similar place in that as Jesus said You didn’t ‘choose me, I chose you. 

That is why you are here. You are part of something bigger than you. Each of you come with a historic connection to a community of faith.   For the most part we don’t have a Damascus road encounter. I know that I was brought up United Church and it has always been a part of my life.  However it is not to say that these things don’t happen. 

.  Every once in a while we perhaps may find a moment when we can see clearly that God is there meeting our needs. And Perhaps there will be moments when we will change the direction we are going. 

Freedom is the result of change. 

We had our dessert buffet and concert last night at Freelton Strabane. One of the songs that was performed was by Serena Ryder  called What I wouldn’t do.   Sure we can listen to it as a pop song. Not really sacred or church music it’s a love song. But if you let the Spirit spin you out to the dance floor and hear it in a new way. Because what is it that God sings to our hearts but a love song sung in Christ.  God is singing.  I’ll carry the weight  I’ll do anything for you My bones may break But I’ll never be untrue. We can sing Oh the things I never noticed Opened my ears to the chorus You have made me listen careful
And you gave me the light

 Open yourselves to the spirit. Instead of digging our heals in. We are challenged to let the scales fall from our eyes and be open to the gift of the spirit. God’s love is like an ocean That always takes us home
Whispering wind is blowing Telling us that We are not alone For it is in the gift of the spirit that we are often reminded that truly we are not alone. 

Prayers of the people 

Hear our prayer we humbly offer

Grant to us your peace O God

Hear our prayer we humbly offer

Grant to us your peace O God. 

Lord hear we are, the excitement of the Easter time is past and we sit and wonder “what now” You call us to walk this Easter Road, but there are times that we look at the road gone by and think how nice it would be if that is how it is now. We just find our mile marker at time and sit down and hope that something interesting will come by. Then you take us be the hand and help us to move forward. Change Lord scares us. Help us not to be afraid.  Help us not to doubt our faith but take strength from our faith which has been the guiding light in our lives.   That light of faith is so needed in your world today.  We pray that the strength of your presence be with those who long for peace, who long for security, who for wholeness in their lives again. We pray for those who journey in illness of body and soul. May your Spirit move on them giving them the strength to face at times what is the unknown.  We pray for those people who are a part of our lives who we hold their names in our hearts.  Beyond the shadow of the tomb we know that you will be with us in the inbreaking light of your presence like the first rays of each new day.  Here our prayers as we offer you the great prayer that binds us as one saying Our Father. 

Offering

 One: We rejoice in remembering this day  God has given us the gift of eternal life. Let us bring our offering to God in Joy and thanks giving in gratitude for what we have received.

Offering received

Offering  (tune 122)

All glory , laud and honour

to you redeemer king.

To you we bring our gifts, 

our voices join and sing

The multitude of blessings

 you give us each new day

Our praise and prayer and offerings

before you we present.

Offering Prayer

  For sight when we are blind, hearing when we are deaf, and the assurance of your touch when we have ceased to feel, we give thanks, Sovereign God. We would extend to others all that we have received from your hand. Use these offerings of gratitude in our midst and far beyond the reach of our imagination. Amen