Song
‘Hallelujah’, courtesy of Emu Music. If you have problems connecting, also try this link at YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMuWbTwKknc&list=RD7-99REFRxgI&index=30
Jesus says: “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Prayer
Let us pray.
We thank you God for being with us each and every day, and especially being present with your people when we worship you and hear your word. We ask your blessing upon us here today. Be swift to answer the prayers of our hearts and receive from our hands all that is due to you. Be present with us and help us to honour you and learn from you and to love you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love one another in the way that Jesus loves us. We ask it in his name. Amen.
From the Bible
The Bible reading for today is from the Gospel of Matthew. There is also a dramatic reading from the Lumo group below the words (which has slightly different verses numbers: Luke 11:1-24).
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
At that time Jesus said,
“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Message
The message is brought to you by Rev. John Humphries from Project Reconnect. Carrying burdens can make us very tired and weary. Focusing on the way of Christ in love, grace and forgiveness is a better burden for us all to carry. Forget passing ugly rocks around!
What did you hear about the way we carry burdens in our lives? What burdens might you carrying that Jesus might help you with? How can we as a church, help each other our burdens better? What burdens are our wider community carrying and how might we connect with themand help them carry that burden? How might Jesus be at work in lightening the load in our community?
Before a time of prayer you may like to spend some time in silence sitting still. Close your eyes lightly. Sit relaxed but alert. Simply be still and open to God. You may prefer to do this while listening to the ‘Optional reflective music’ below.
Optional reflective music
The reflective music is, ‘Come to me’, by Christopher Grundy. If you have problems connecting, also try this link at YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_otg7S0jvp4
Prayers for others and blessing
The ‘prayers for others’ and ‘blessing’ are led by Ros and Keith Robinson in the following video at Vimeo.
Song
‘Indescribable’, by Chris Tomlin. If you have problems connecting, try this direct link to YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM5YReFSm0I
Postlude
‘I heard the voice of Jesus say’, by Horatius Bonar. If you have problems connecting, try this direct link to YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74kyfROS4q8
Resources
The sermon is from ‘Project Reconnect’, which can be found at:
https://projectreconnect.com.au/2023/06/12/9th-july-2023-year-a-pentecost-6-jesus-swaps-heavy-for-light