Koonung Heights Uniting Church
Service of Worship at Home
Lent 5 – 17 March 2024 – 10am or whenever possible
You may like to light a candle during your time of worship.
Feel free to text the Peace to other members of the congregation.
Introit: “Halle Halle” (TiS 720)
Halle, halle, halle-lujah! Halle, halle, halle-lujah!
Hallel, halle, halle-lujah! Hallelujah, hallelujah!
Candle Lighting:
As we gather to worship we light the Christ candle
as a reminder to us all that Christ is the light,
but more than any ordinary light.
Christ is the light that shines in the darkness,
the light that cannot be snuffed out,
the light that the darkness cannot overcome.
Acknowledgement of Country:
As we come together to worship,
I acknowledge the Traditional custodians of this place,
the Wurundjeri WoiWurrung People of the Kulin nations.
I acknowledge that this is land that has never been ceded.
I pay my respects to Elders past and present,
and to all future leaders and generations.
As First and Second Peoples walking together,
we commit ourselves to be people of the covenant,
listening, truth telling and seeking justice for all.
Call to Worship:
Why are you here?
I am seeking God with my whole heart,
with my entire mind,
with a fire burning in my bones.
I see it! You’re in the right place!
This is God’s house. The door is open to you.
Why are you here?
I am seeking God with my whole heart,
with my entire mind,
with a fire burning in my bones.
We see that in you! You’re in the right place.
This is God’s house. The door is open to you.
Let us worship God.
Let us learn from the Spirit.
Opening Prayer:
God of love, we come before you in prayer and thanks
for the moments you give us to enjoy your creation;
we look to the skies, we feel the earth,
we notice the breeze, the trees, the birds
and our hearts rejoice in this world that sustains us.
For this we offer you our thanks and praise.
As we come to worship,
we acknowledge our humanness
and the grace with which you welcome us into your place.
May we meet you anew here.
Amen.
We Sing: “Jesus calls us” – (TiS 477)
Jesus calls us here to meet him as, through word and song and prayer,
we affirm God’s promised presence where his people live and care.
Praise the God who keeps his promise; praise the Son who calls us friends;
praise the Spirit who, among us, to our hopes and fears attends.
Jesus calls us to confess him Word of Life and Lord of All,
sharer of our flesh and frailness saving all who fail or fall.
Tell his holy human story; tell his tales that all may hear;
tell the world that Christ in glory came to earth to meet us here.
Jesus calls us to each other: found in him are no divides.
Race and class and sex and language such are barriers he derides.
Join the hand of friend and stranger, join the hands of age and youth;
join the faithful and the doubter in their common search for truth.
Call to Confession:
Friends, when you study Peter’s story in scripture it’s almost impossible to ignore how much he loved to ask questions.
He asks Jesus:
“What does the parable mean?”
“Where are you going?”
“How many times should we forgive?”
Like a tenacious toddler, Peter was full of questions, because Peter was eager to learn.
At times I wish I was more like that.
I still have so much to learn.
So friends, let’s be like Peter.
Let’s return to Christ with the humility of a student as we pray together the prayer of confession. Let this be a moment of learning as we pray.
Prayer of Confession:
I invite you to say these words with me.
Holy God,
We long to be lifelong learners.
We long to approach you with curiosity and an open mind.
Instead, we often live as if we know best.
We forget that the disciples called you “Rabbi, Teacher.”
Forgive us for the times when we fail to be curious.
Forgive us for the times when we assume we know best.
Forgive us for the moments when we imagine that our learning is done
and that we have all the answers.
Like Peter – who was brave enough to ask,
“How many times should we forgive?” – make us brave.
Spark a desire in us to learn, and may our curiosity carry our faith into deeper waters.
With hope and humility we pray,
Amen.
Words of Assurance:
Family of faith,
when Peter asked Jesus, “How many times should I forgive?”
Jesus responded with abundance.
That abundance exists for you as well.
No matter what you have done or left undone,
no matter what lessons you have learned or are still learning,
God’s abundant grace exists for you. God’s love will never run out.
So hear and rest in this good news:
You are forgiven.
You are loved.
You are invited to serve.
Thanks be to God!
Amen.
The Peace:
May the Peace of God dwell with you:
and also with you.
A Time for All:
I remember well the school tour we had before Elizabeth was to begin prep. The principal met us and took us around the school where we visited classrooms, the library and the gym. The whole way she chatted with Elizabeth pointing out things of interest. At the end of the tour we ended up back in her office and once we were sitting down she asked Elizabeth if there was anything else she wanted to know. ‘Yes’, said Elizabeth, ‘I want to know how I’m going to learn.’ What a question!
The principal went on to explain that Elizabeth would learn because the teacher would tell her how to do something, show her how to do it and then do it with her, just like we had seen teachers doing as we’d walked around, and any time she wasn’t sure about something she could ask.
My mind went back to this when I was thinking about the readings that we will hear later today. In the Psalm, the reader is encouraged to keep a good life by living according to God’s direction, but more than being just about what we are told, it is also about what we do. In the gospel passage Jesus is speaking with the disciples and is asked a question about forgiveness. Not only does he answer this question, but his very life shows how this is done. Peter, the one who asks the question, will be a recipient of the abundant generosity of Jesus’ forgiveness later on.
Knowing what we should do is one thing, but having Jesus model the way we should live is another. In the way Jesus dealt with others, we have an amazing example of how we are called to be in this world. This is not an easy calling, but when we try to step into this way of life, the Spirit walks with us again and again, guiding all that we do. May we hold on to that, as we try to live into this calling each day.
Let us pray:
Dear God,
It is so easy to put into words the best ways to live in community,
but it’s not so easy to put into practice.
People are messy; we make mistakes.
Give us the courage to speak up when someone hurts us or others.
Give us the courage to say we’re sorry and make amends.
Give us the courage to keep forgiving, over and over again,
and to live into our calling as your beloved children.
Amen.
We Sing: “Let me see” – (TiS 681)
Lord let me see, see more and more,
see the beauty of a person,
not the colour of the skin,
see the faces of the homeless
with no-one to take them in,
see discouragement because she’ll never win:
see the face of our Lord in the pain: Lord let me see.
Lord let me hear, hear more and more,
hear the sounds of great rejoicing, hear a person barely sigh;
hear the ring of truth, and hollowness of those who live a lie;
hear the wail of starving people who will die;
hear the voice of our Lord in the cry: Lord let me hear.
Lord let me care, care more and more,
care for those who feel the loneliness, for those who have no say,
care for friends who have no job and find it hard to face the day,
care for those with whom we sing and work and pray:
and in care Jesus Christ will be found: Lord let me care.
Lord let me learn, learn more and more,
learn that what I know is just a speck of what there is to know;
learn from listening to my neighbour when I’d rather speak and go;
learn that as we live in faith and trust we grow;
learn to see, hear and care, with our Lord: Lord let me learn.
Lord let me love, love more and more,
love the loveless and the fragile, help them be what they can be,
love the way that I would like them to be looking after me;
for to know you is to love them and be free,
and in love Jesus Christ will be found: Lord let me love.
Bible Reading: Psalm 119:9-16:
9 How can young people keep their way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
do not let me stray from your commandments.
11 I treasure your word in my heart,
so that I may not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes.
13 With my lips I declare
all the ordinances of your mouth.
14 I delight in the way of your decrees
as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
Bible Reading: Matthew 18:15-22
– Reproving Another Who Sins
15 “If your brother or sister sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If you are listened to, you have regained that one. 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If that person refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church, and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Forgiveness
21 Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
Reflection:
Teach me about the ways of the wind,
about the ways of the world,
about the ways of the heart.
Teach me about the soft crook of my lover’s arm,
and the way two souls can hold each other close.
Teach me about forgiveness, about the language of I’m sorry
and the softness of sincerity.
Teach me about abundance, about seventy-times-seven
and all the days of my life.
Teach me about joy,
about its contagious weaving and its soul-healing.
Teach me about mercy, about open hands and deep breaths.
Teach me about the dawn of time and the stars in the sky.
Teach me what matters most.
Teach me what is mine to do.
Teach this achingly curious heart
until I run out of questions
or I run out of days.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
and I will have a life well-lived.
A life well-lived. The concept of a life well-lived is one that’s been debated by philosophers, psychologists and thinkers for centuries. The term is used to describe a life that is fulfilling, meaningful and purposeful. We aim to live a life like this, a life that is well-lived, but I wonder what does that really mean?
Some believe that a life well-lived is one that is filled with accomplishments, achievements and accolades. It’s about how many certificates or trophies you have on your wall, or about how much money is in the bank. Others believe that a life well-lived is a life that is centred around relationships, love and compassion. Family and friends are what is most important. For others, a well-lived life is one that is focused on personal growth, self-improvement, and self-discovery above all else.
This might lead us to believe that a well-lived life is simply subjective and varies from person to person, but I think we might see a deeper truth in our texts for today. In the small section of Psalm 119 we heard, the psalmist reminds us of the steps to living the life God wants – a life where the focus is on obedience to God and his law. In the gospel, we hear Jesus speak about the forgiveness and reconciliation needed for all to live well, and the necessity of abundant forgiveness to make this a reality.
Many of us tend to feel negative when we hear mention of the law, both culturally and theologically. We are often ambivalent about laws with a ‘you’re only guilty if you get caught’ attitude. We complain about too many rules and regulations and we prize our freedom to do what we want. Yet the fact that our democratic society has laws is one of the things that guarantees our liberties in many ways. It is the same with God’s laws and the psalmist is reminding us to focus on the beauty and blessing of those. The reason that God gave the law was in order to bring joy to people by telling them how to live as liberated people. This is why the psalmist can enthusiastically proclaim ‘I delight in the way of your decrees as much as in all riches’. (Psalm 119:14) For the psalmist joy can be found in obedience to God’s law and a life lived in this way will be pure – a well-lived life.
Peter would have known of these Psalms, and I think that as he journeys with Jesus, he is immersed in a well-lived life. Last week Peter had a difficult encounter with Jesus, and since then he has witnessed Jesus being transfigured high on a mountain. He has heard a declaration from God about who Jesus is, and has heard Jesus continue to speak of his death and resurrection. The disciples are now in Capernaum, and Jesus is teaching about sin and forgiveness. While Peter is often all or nothing – either resisting Jesus or drawing closer to him in earnest, in this scripture we see a version of Peter who is hungry to learn. His posture is humble and open – he wants to absorb Jesus’ teachings like a sponge. So when Jesus has explained the pathway for reconciliation and forgiveness, necessary to repair community, Peter asks a question.
Acknowledging how little we know can be a mark of mature faith. Peter is keen to know more and he asks what appears to be a straightforward question … ‘Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ (Matthew 18:21). Peter has obviously thought about this, as he offers a possible answer within his question. Forgiving someone seven times might seem generous, but Jesus responds in a way that is so much bigger, expressing infinite, abundant forgiveness.
Jesus’ expansive answer to Peter, emphasizes the abundance of forgiveness. Peter learns that abundant grace is about letting go of rigid limits (‘seven times’)and discovers that embracing the limitless possibilities of forgiveness is what can lead to wholeness for the community. ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.’ (Matthew 18:22) In Jesus’ discussion with the disciples he tells them that those who refuse ‘to listen even to the church,’ should be treated like a ‘gentile and a tax collector.’ We can easily wipe those who don’t want to admit they have wronged us, particularly if that wrong was significant. Yet based on how Jesus treated Gentiles and tax collectors, two groups who were considered to less worthy, I wonder what kind of treatment he is intending? Peter would have witnessed Jesus’ acceptance of those on the outer, some of Jesus’ disciples, Peter’s travelling companions, were tax collectors as was the writer of Matthew’s gospel.
Forgiveness is a two-sided coin – sometimes we are asked to give it and other times we desperately need to receive it. Despite which side we are on, Jesus description of the steps to reconciliation, given in Matthew 18 make a lot of sense. In her mandala artwork entitled Seventy-seven Times, Rev Lauren Wright Pittman provides a bird’s eye view of a person walking through this process of reproval, forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration.
In the centre, a person is standing alone, isolated, with their arms crossed in a closed-off posture. Jesus suggests that we ‘point out the fault when the two of us are alone’, and in the second ring of the mandala, there are pairs of people shaking hands, finding common ground, or at least attempting to. If this doesn’t work, then you are to bring more people (one or two more) together to provide counsel and witness. In the third ring of the mandala, two people are engaging with the closed-off person, sharing a way forward. In the next ring hyacinth flowers—which represent sorrow, regret, and forgiveness—stretch, bloom, and grow, bringing beauty into the now open arms of the people in the last ring of the mandala, who are embraced and woven into the community. The person from the centre goes from being alone and closed-off to embraced and open.
Peter’s encounter with Jesus serves as a poignant reminder of the profound lessons embedded in forgiveness. Forgiveness is a boundless wellspring of grace. Repair is vital, both within ourselves and in our relationships with others. This story encourages us to embrace the transformative power of forgiveness and work toward reconciliation and healing. It inspires us to open ourselves to the expansive grace of God. By doing so, we can create a world where forgiveness mends what is broken, and where the beauty of repair shines through, illuminating our shared humanity. May we all live into this.
Amen.
We Sing: “Love your neighbour and forgive” – © Words: Anna Strickland. Music: Richard Redhead
‘Love your neighbour and forgive’
Words so simple yet so hard
We have wounds because we’ve lived
Calluses enfold our hearts
Jesus reaches out to touch
Wounds and hearts that hold too much.
Sounds of bombs and bullets ring
War is all we’ve ever known
Pacifists are framed as weak
We rely on might alone
Jesus paves the path of peace
Even as the threats increase.
Love is risky, peace is faint
And forgiveness feels naïve
All are sinners, all are saints
And we all God’s grace receive
So we follow mercy’s way
Softening our hearts to grace.
Prayer for Others (prepared by Ray Michelle)
Happiness is your gift, Lord, and yet how hard it can be to celebrate this when all around there is so much suffering and pain.
It is all over our smart phone screens, on our TV screens, on the front pages of our newspapers, on our streets right in front of us.
We pray for those affected by Domestic violence, those impacted by senseless taking of life.
How we long for a world where the Good News of your love is known across the globe and true happiness is for all.
We pray for war torn countries where peace seems distant. Bring compassion and an end to hate.
We know it’s possible for diversity to live together when we respect each other and this we pray for.
We pray for the ravaged earth, lands plundered and tired out. Bring renewal and less greed.
We pray for the dying and bereaved, hearts worn and sore. Bring love and peace.
Hold the moment for each person on our minds – those terminal, or recently passed, those experiencing firsts also.
We pray for the lonely souls stuck in a spiral of emptiness. Bring comfort and companionship.
May we search out those that are lonely yet hide it believing it to be shame or embarrassment.
We pray for the angry and hurting caught in a circle of bitterness.
Bring forgiving and gentle hearts. and help those that cannot let go when they have not been asked to forgive.
We pray for the struggling and starving crying out for help and nourishment, may each plate of food be received with food and not just words.
Bring action from those in power. Help us, too, to find ways that we can help, as often we can be the answer to our prayers. Pray for all those unwell, on line, that need our care and prayer.
Guide us to a place where the gift of happiness is within reach of all your beloved children.
Together we share the prayer that unites us
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name;
Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the Kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen.
We Sing: “Help us accept each other” – (TiS 648)
Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us;
teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace.
Be present, Lord, among us and bring us to believe
we are ourselves accepted and meant to love and live.
Teach us, O Lord, your lessons, as in our daily life
we struggle to be human and search for hope and faith.
Teach us to care for people, for all – not just for some,
to love them as we find them or as they may become.
Let your acceptance change us, so that we may be moved
in living situations to do the truth in love;
to practice your acceptance until we know by heart
the table of forgiveness and laughter’s healing art.
Lord, for today’s encounters with all who are in need,
who hunger for acceptance, for righteousness and bread,
we need new eyes for seeing, new hands for holding on:
renew us with your Spirit;
Lord, free us, make us one!
Blessing:
Beloved wanderer,
as you leave this place,
may you carry your curious heart on your sleeve.
May you look for God in every face.
May you find the courage to get out of the boat,
and to speak your faith,
and to forgive abundantly.
You are called. You are blessed.
You always belong to God
so go in peace, trusting in that good news.
Amen.
Thanks to all those who have assisted in preparation for this liturgy with encouragement, prayers and conversation. I have also utilised the following resources: Sanctified Art (A Wandering Heart), Ministry Matters, www.workingpreacher.org and Fig Tree Worship.