25th October: Trinity 21
Bible Sunday
online Holy Communion from St.Oswald’s.
Morning Services
Nehemiah 8.1-4a, 8-12
Back in Jerusalem after the return from exile in Babylon, Ezra the priest calls the people together and reads the words of the Law to them. Then Ezra and Nehemiah the Governor reassure them that now is a time for rejoicing.
All the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.
So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, ‘Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.’ And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
Psalm 119.9-16
The book of Psalms is a book of Jewish poetry written in for use in worship in the Temple; it covers a wide range of subjects and emotions. Jewish poetry is distinctive, relying on ‘parallelism’, where either the two lines of each verse mirror each other, or make a contrast. This long poem delights in the joys of God’s Word.
How can young people keep their way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you;
do not let me stray from your commandments.
I treasure your word in my heart,
so that I may not sin against you.
Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes.
With my lips I declare
all the ordinances of your mouth.
I delight in the way of your decrees
as much as in all riches.
I will meditate on your precepts,
and fix my eyes on your ways.
I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
Matthew 24.30-35
As he approached Jerusalem with his disciples, Jesus warned them of what lay ahead. Looking further into the future, he described the signs of the end of time when God’s rule would be finally established on earth. He used ‘apocalyptic’ language - a word meaning ‘hidden.’ The hearer would understand the ‘coded message’ and it was used in times of great danger, eg. when invasion by Rome in Jesus’s day threatened the country. It can also be found in the book of Daniel e.g Dan.7:7-14 when Babylon was the enemy.
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see “the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven” with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.’
Collect
God of holiness, your glory is proclaimed in every age:
as we rejoice in the faith of your saints,
inspire us to follow their example with boldness and joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Post Communion
God, the source of all holiness and giver of all good things:
may we who have shared at this table
as strangers and pilgrims here on earth
be welcomed with all your saints to the heavenly feast
on the day of your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Next Sunday’s (1st) Morning Readings:
Revelation 7.9-end
1 John 3.1-3
Matthew 5.1-12
Next Sunday (1st November)
All Souls Service
There are no readings
Please remember in your prayers this week:
Those who are unable to be with us in church.
Those who are ill.
The recently bereaved
Areas of conflict: the Ukraine, the Middle East, the Sudan and too many others.
People in areas of the World afflicted by natural disasters.
Our local churches.
Our local churches.
Our Ministry Team: Dwayne, Maggie, Nigel, Rachel, Anne, Ash & Lynda.