Sundays at All Hallows (Sunday, March 12, 2023)

Welcome to Sundays at All Hallows. The best description of All Hallows Murray is an online gathering place for Christians and those exploring the Christian faith. The services of praise, proclamation, and prayer that are offered on this blogsite are not intended to replace those of a local church but are offered for the benefit of those who are unable to attend a local church for any reason, who may be traveling, or who wish to test the water before taking the plunge, or who otherwise may benefit from them.

DRAWING NEAR TO GOD

Call to Worship:
Open this link to hear Brian Dierksen’s “Come, Now Is the Time to Worship.”

Come, now is the time to worship
Come, now is the time to give your heart
Come, just as you are to worship
Come, just as you are before your God
Come

One day every tongue will confess You are God
One day every knee will bow
Still the greatest treasure remains for those
Who gladly choose You now

Come, now is the time to worship
Come, now is the time to give your heart
Come, just as you are to worship
Come, just as you are before your God
Come

One day every tongue will confess You are God
One day every knee will bow
Still the greatest treasure remains for those
Who gladly choose You now

One day every tongue will confess You are God
One day every knee will bow
Still the greatest treasure remains for those
Who gladly choose You now

Come, now is the time to worship
Come, now is the time to give your heart
Come, just as you are to worship
Oh come, just as you are before your God
Come, come 

Song of Praise:
Open this link in a new tab to hear Nathan Stiff and Marc Willerton’ “Praise His name (Psalm 148)”

1 Reaches of heaven, starry heights
Lights of the evening dancing in silent skies
Brilliance of morning, breaking day
O let them praise Him, praise His name

O praise His name, O praise His name
Let all His wondrous works declare His praise

2 Mightiest mountains, peaceful plains
Snowfall and fire, thundering ocean waves
Kings and their kingdoms, age to age
O let them praise Him, praise His name

O praise His name, O praise His name
Let all His wondrous works declare His praise
O praise His name, O praise His name
Let all His wondrous works declare His praise

King enthroned in majesty, all things made by His decree
Hear creation’s melody, “Praise Him! Praise Him!”
Everything with life and breath, everywhere from east to west
Every heart raised from the dead, praise Him, praise Him
Angels echo the refrain, “Jesus, Lamb for sinners slain!”
Name above all other names, praise Him

O praise His name, O praise His name
Let all His wondrous works declare His praise
O praise His name, O praise His name
Let all His wondrous works declare His praise

O praise His name, O praise His name
Let all His wondrous works declare His praise
O praise His name, O praise His name
Let all His wondrous works declare His praise

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; but if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Let us humbly confess our sins to Almighty God.

Silence

O God, our Father, we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed; we have not love you with all our heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves, Have mercy upon us, we beseech you; cleanse us from our sins; and help us to overcome our faults; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Merciful God, grant to your faithful people pardon and peace, that they may be cleansed from all their sins, and serve you with a quiet mind, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Triasgion:
Open this link in a new tab Fernado Ortaga’s setting of the Trisagion, “Holy God.”

Holy God,
holy and mighty,
holy immortal one
have mercy
have mercy on us.

Holy God,
holy and mighty,
holy immortal one
have mercy
have mercy on us.

Holy God,
holy and mighty,
holy immortal one
have mercy
have mercy
have mercy
have mercy
have mercy on us.

The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.

Let us pray.

Silence

Give us grace and courage to hope, and to risk disappointment. Teach us to pray expectantly, and when our prayers seem to fail, bring us to pray again and again; for you are our God, who acts, and will act again. Hear this prayer for your love’s sake. Amen.

HEARING GOD’S WORD

Scripture Readings

A reading from the Old Testament (Exodus 17: 1-7)

The whole Israelite community left the desert of Sin, moving from one place to another at the command of the Lord. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water there to drink. They complained to Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”

Moses answered, “Why are you complaining? Why are you putting the Lord to the test?”

But the people were very thirsty and continued to complain to Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? To kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

Moses prayed earnestly to the Lord and said, “What can I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

The Lord said to Moses, “Take some of the leaders of Israel with you, and go on ahead of the people. Take along the stick with which you struck the Nile. I will stand before you on a rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” Moses did so in the presence of the leaders of Israel.

The place was named Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites complained and put the Lord to the test when they asked, “Is the Lord with us or not?”

Silence

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s “Isaiah 12: With Joy You Shall Draw Water.”

With joy you shall draw water
from the springs of endless life
With joy you shall draw water
from the living well of God.

1 God indeed is my Saviour.
I will never be afraid,
my strength and courage is the Lord,
my Saviour and my song.

With joy you shall draw water
from the springs of endless life
With joy you shall draw water
from the living well of God.

2 Give thanks and praise the name of God,
Sing out to all the earth
the wondrous deeds that God as done,
our Saviour and our song.

With joy you shall draw water
from the springs of endless life
With joy you shall draw water
from the living well of God.

3 Shout with joy, O Zion,
for dwelling in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel,
your Saviour and your song.

With joy you shall draw water
from the springs of endless life
With joy you shall draw water
from the living well of God.

A reading from the New Testament (John 4: 5-42)

In Samaria he came to a town named Sychar, which was not far from the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by the trip, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

A Samaritan woman came to draw some water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink of water.” (His disciples had gone into town to buy food.)

The woman answered, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan—so how can you ask me for a drink?” (Jews will not use the same cups and bowls that Samaritans use.)

Jesus answered, “If you only knew what God gives and who it is that is asking you for a drink, you would ask him, and he would give you life-giving water.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “you don't have a bucket, and the well is deep. Where would you get that life-giving water? It was our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well; he and his children and his flocks all drank from it. You don't claim to be greater than Jacob, do you?”

Jesus answered, “Those who drink this water will get thirsty again, 14 but those who drink the water that I will give them will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give them will become in them a spring which will provide them with life-giving water and give them eternal life.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “give me that water! Then I will never be thirsty again, nor will I have to come here to draw water.”

“Go and call your husband,” Jesus told her, “and come back.”

“I don't have a husband,” she answered.

Jesus replied, “You are right when you say you don't have a husband. You have been married to five men, and the man you live with now is not really your husband. You have told me the truth.”

“I see you are a prophet, sir,” the woman said. “My Samaritan ancestors worshiped God on this mountain, but you Jews say that Jerusalem is the place where we should worship God.”

Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the time will come when people will not worship the Father either on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans do not really know whom you worship; but we Jews know whom we worship, because it is from the Jews that salvation comes. But the time is coming and is already here, when by the power of God's Spirit people will worship the Father as he really is, offering him the true worship that he wants. God is Spirit, and only by the power of his Spirit can people worship him as he really is.”

The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah will come, and when he comes, he will tell us everything.”

Jesus answered, “I am he, I who am talking with you.”

At that moment Jesus' disciples returned, and they were greatly surprised to find him talking with a woman. But none of them said to her, “What do you want?” or asked him, “Why are you talking with her?”

Then the woman left her water jar, went back to the town, and said to the people there, “Come and see the man who told me everything I have ever done. Could he be the Messiah?” So they left the town and went to Jesus.

In the meantime the disciples were begging Jesus, “Teacher, have something to eat!”

But he answered, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

So the disciples started asking among themselves, “Could somebody have brought him food?”

My food,” Jesus said to them, “is to obey the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do. You have a saying, ‘Four more months and then the harvest.’ But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested! The one who reaps the harvest is being paid and gathers the crops for eternal life; so the one who plants and the one who reaps will be glad together. For the saying is true, ‘Someone plants, someone else reaps.’ I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work.”

Many of the Samaritans in that town believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I have ever done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they begged him to stay with them, and Jesus stayed there two days.

Many more believed because of his message, and they told the woman, “We believe now, not because of what you said, but because we ourselves have heard him, and we know that he really is the Savior of the world.”

Silence

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

What Jesus Teaches Us about Planting and Reaping

As I was glancing over the reading appointed for this Sunday from the Gospel of John, these words caught my eye.

In the meantime the disciples were begging Jesus, “Teacher, have something to eat!”

But he answered, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”

So the disciples started asking among themselves, “Could somebody have brought him food?”

“My food,” Jesus said to them, “is to obey the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do. You have a saying, ‘Four more months and then the harvest.’ But I tell you, take a good look at the fields; the crops are now ripe and ready to be harvested! The one who reaps the harvest is being paid and gathers the crops for eternal life; so the one who plants and the one who reaps will be glad together. For the saying is true, ‘Someone plants, someone else reaps.’ I have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work.”

I concluded that God was drawing my attention to this passage because he wanted me to talk about it.

We may wonder how it fits with John’s account of Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob and his account of how the Samaritans of the town of Sychar came to believe in Jesus.

When the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, they transported a large part of its population to other parts of their vast empire. This was their usual practice when they conquered a nation. They uprooted its people and resettled them somewhere else. However, they did not remove entire population. They left some Israelites to work the land. They resettled people from other parts of the Assyrian Empire in the conquered territory. This was one of the ways the Assyrians kept a conquered people from rebelling against their new overlords. The people who were resettled in the kingdom of Israel would adopt the religious beliefs and practices of the remaining Israelites and intermarry with them. Their descendants were the Samaritans.

It is not surprising that the people who had been resettled in the kingdom of Israel would adopt the religion of the Israelites rather than introducing their own religion. In their eyes the God of Israel was the god of the land and therefore they would seek his favor as the new occupants of the land.

The Samaritans have what is known as the Samaritan Pentateuch which consists of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, the Christian Old Testament, and contains the account of God’s deliverance of the people of Israel from Egypt and the Law which God gave the people of Israel through Moses, the set of rules ordering the way that they were to behave toward God, toward each other, and toward foreigners in their midst. These five books also contain the promise that God would someday send te people of Israel a prophet like Moses. Like the Jews, the Samaritans had messianic expectations.

The Samaritans differed from the Jews in their belief that Mount Gerizim, not Mount Zion in Jerusalem, was the place God had chosen for a holy temple dedicated to him. They also believed that the Jewish religion had become corrupted during the Judeans' captivity in Babylon. Their own beliefs and practices were the purer form of the religion of the people of Israel. These beliefs and their mixed ancestry were a sore spot with the Jews.

While Jesus may be alluding to how his disciples are benefiting from the religious instruction others had given to the Jews among whom they are laboring, he may also be alluding to the teaching that the Samaritans had received from others, from their own elders and teachers.

Jesus’ quoting of the saying, “‘Someone plants, someone else reaps.’ ,” and his comments about its implications, “ have sent you to reap a harvest in a field where you did not work; others worked there, and you profit from their work…,” merits our attention.

Many Samaritans believed when they heard the testimony of the woman to whom Jesus had spoken at the well of Jacob. Many more Samaritan believed when they heard Jesus himself. The woman sowed and she reaped what others had planted. Jesus planted and reaped. He may also have reaped what the woman and others before her had planted. It is something to keep in mind when we tell people about Jesus and some respond to our words, but others do not. We are sowing. If someone whom we are telling about Jesus responds, we very likely reaping what others have planted. While some may come to faith the first time they hear about Jesus, others may not come to faith until they have heard about him several times. When we tell them about Jesus, we may be watering a seed that someone else has planted. A Christian whom that person meets later in life may be the one who reaps the harvest.

Whether a person comes to faith is not our doing. It is God’s. It is a work of God’s grace, the power of the Holy Spirit working in that person. We are the instruments of God’s grace. God uses our words and actions to accomplish his purposes. But the final outcome is solely God’s doing.

Among the implication of these truths is that we must be prepared to not only to tell people about Jesus but to disciples them if they respond, to instruct them in the Christian faith and way of life and to model that faith and way of life for them. Depending upon the circumstances, we may also need to be prepared to baptize them and to give them further instruction.

While some Christian traditions limit the administration of the sacrament of baptism to an ordained minister, the Bible does not prescribe that such a minister administer the sacrament. A lay person may administer the sacrament provided that they do it with the right matter, water, and the right intention. It is, however, desirable that the baptism be performed in front of witnesses and if at all possible, in front of the whole congregation of the faithful.

While it may come as a surprise to some Christians, the followers of Jesus are expected to take a far greater role in pointing people to Jesus and discipling those who believe than many do now. Pastors and elders are not the only ones who expected to labor in the Lord’s fields, in the Lord’s vineyard. All Christians are expected to labor there, to plant, to water, and to reap.

What may be the main reason that churches are experiencing poor attendance in our day and time is that we have failed to take this responsibility with the proper seriousness and to carry it out with the expected diligence. We are called to meet not only people’s physical needs, but also their spiritual needs. We are not only to nourish their bodies with bread but also to nourish their souls with the Bread of Life. To that end we may also need to meet their emotional/relational and directional needs, providing them with companions and guides on their journey of faith.

One thing to bear in mind. We do not plant, water, and reap alone. The Holy Spirit works in us and through us. The Holy Spirit works in the person whom we are pointing to Jesus. The Holy Spirit also works in the person in whom God has aroused and awakened faith and whom we are discipling. We may plant the seed, but God germinates the seed and makes it grow. God causes the plant to reach the stage where it is ripe for harvesting.

The members of our church family, young and old, are fellow laborers in God’s fields, in God’s vineyard. When God called us to be a follower of Jesus, God did not call us to be a solitary disciple. God called us to be a part of a congregation of the faithful, a company of believers, a member of the Body of Christ in particular locality, in a particular area or neighborhood. God called us to share our lives with others, to work side by side with them wherever God would have us labor together. We are to be like the Samaritan woman who having encountered Jesus went to tell her family, her relations, her friends, her neighbors, and all who would listen to her. We are to be like Mary Magdalen who upon encountering her risen Lord ran to tell the others, and was the first, yes, the first to proclaim the good news.

It does not matter what gender we are, what age we are, or what our walk of life is, all believers are called to undertake the same task, to carryout the mission that Jesus entrusted to his disciples before he ascended into heaven. “Go” he told them. “Leave this place and make disciples of all peoples. Baptize them and teach them to obey my commandments.” We are to carry on what Jesus began. Jesus has promised not just the first disciples but all his followers to be with them to the end of the age. We can trust his word.

Silence

Song of Response:
Open this link in a new tab to hear Simple Hymns “Glory to the Father Give.”

1 Glory to the Father give
God in Whom
We move and live
His children’s prayers
He deigns to hear
How their songs
Delight His ear
Oh glory to the Father give

2 Glory to the Son we bring
Christ our Prophet
Priest and King
Oh children raise
Your sweetest strain
To the Lamb
For He was slain
Oh glory to the Son
We bring

Glory to the Father
Up above
Glory to the Son
Who came for us
Glory to the Spirit
Who dwells
In those You love
Glory
To the Father Spirit Son

3 Glory to the Holy Ghost
Who reclaims
The sinner lost
His children’s minds
May He inspire
And touch their tongues
With holy fire
Oh glory to the Holy Ghost

Glory in the highest be
To the blessed Trinity
For the Gospel from above
For the word
That God is love
Oh glory in the highest be

Glory to the Father
Up above
Glory to the Son
Who came for us
Glory to the Spirit
Who dwells
In those You love
Glory
To the Father Spirit Son

Glory to the Father
Up above
Glory to the Son
Who came for us
Glory to the Spirit
Who dwells
In those You love
Glory
To the Father Spirit Son

Glory
To the Father Spirit Son

PRAYING FOR GOD’S WORLD

Concerns and Prayers:
A short pause for silent prayer may be made after each response. The bidding in brackets [ ] may be omitted.

Let us implore the all-holy and ever-blessed Trinity to show mercy and grace to us and to all people.

O God the Father, have mercy upon us:
O God the Father, have mercy upon us.
O God the Son, have mercy upon us:
O God the Son, have mercy upon us.
O God the Holy Spirit, have mercy upon us:
O God the Holy Spirit, have mercy upon us.

Stretch out your hand upon us, O Lord, and save us; raise us up and defend us.

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for the peace that comes from above, and for the salvation of our souls.

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for the peace of the whole world, and for the welfare and unity of the Church of God.

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for the conversion of those who do not yet believe or have fallen into error.

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for our country, for this place [or city], for this district, and for all that live in it.

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for all Christian people throughout the world.

Lord, have mercy.

[Let us pray for all Christian princes and governors, especially our Sovereign Lord, King Charles.]

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for all in authority in this land, especially those in this county [or city or place].

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for all who minister in Christ's Church, especially for N. our pastor.

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for all who are traveling by land, sea, or air.

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for steadfastness in the faith for our brothers and sisters in other lands.

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for all who are sick or suffering, in mind, body, or state of life.

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for quiet, peaceful lives, free from temptation and sin, and for a joyful reunion with all our loved ones in heaven at life’s end.

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray that we may faithfully represent Christ in the world and to the world.

Lord, have mercy.

Let us pray for the faithful departed.

Lord, have mercy.

(Other biddings may be added here.)

Lord, you have given us grace to agree in these prayers, and you have promised that when two or three ask together i your name you will grant their requests. Fulfil now, Lord, our desires and prayers as may be best for us. Grant us in this life, knowledge of your truth and in the age to come, life eternal. Amen.

And now as our Savior Christ taught us, we are bold to say:

Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

GOING OUT TO SERVE

Closing Song:
Open this link in a new tab to hear James Seddon’s “Tell All the World of Jesus.”

1 Tell all the world of Jesus,
our Saviour, Lord and King;
and let the whole creation
of his salvation sing:
proclaim his glorious greatness,
in nature and in grace,
creator and redeemer,
the Lord of time and space.

2 Tell all the world of Jesus,
that everyone may find
the joy of his forgiveness
true peace of heart and mind.
Proclaim his perfect goodness,
his deep, unfailing care,
his love so rich in mercy,
a love beyond compare.

3 Tell all the world of Jesus,
that everyone may know
of his almighty triumph
defeating every foe.
Proclaim his coming glory,
when sin is overthrown,
and he shall reign in splendour
the King upon his throne!

Benediction:
May the Lord bless us and keep us,
May the Lord make his face to shine on us and be gracious to us,
May the Lord look on us with kindness and give us peace. Amen.