|
ANGLICAN PARISH OF ATWELL/SUCCESS THE CHURCH OF THE TRANSFIGURATION Sunday Bulletin Third Sunday after Pentecost– 21st June 2009 |
The Storms of Life
When the rains finally came to Perth at the end of last month they came with a vengeance. Power was cut off for some time and many trees lost branches. As I rode on the train into Perth the water of the river had strong waves which were lapping at the edge of the freeway road. This was nothing compared to the extreme weather conditions of South East Queensland where whole towns were flooded after incredibly heavy deluging tropical rain. A fierce weather event can be most frightening, and the contrast between the calm and the storm is complete. From a peaceful idyllic scene there can arise fierce and unbridled destruction. Severe weather can certainly bring about great fear. This is clearly the reaction of Jesus’ disciples who found themselves in the middle of a severe storm at sea. The were afraid and even questioned whether Jesus, who was a passenger, cared about them as they felt that they were about to perish. I can imagine how vulnerable they must have felt, being in a small boat in the middle of the raging sea.
Jesus, when he was awoken, said to the wind ‘be still’ and the storm came to an end and peace and calm was restored. This shows that Jesus is really in control and that if we rely on him then the storms of life that we face can pass and once more we can be restored to a state of peace and calm. But then Jesus still through out the challenge to them; he asked them whether they had faith. I am sure they would all have answered ‘yes, we do have faith’ but when it is tested it is easy to revert to worry and even fear. It is a timely reminder for us that we should have faith and when the storms of life come around us then we can call on Jesus to bring us back to a state of peace and calm.
Fr Clive
Sentence
Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? Mark 4.41
Prayer of the day
O God our defender, storms rage about us and cause us to be afraid: rescue your people from despair, deliver your sons and daughters from fear, and preserve us all from unbelief; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Reading: 1 Samuel 17:32-49
David said to Saul, ‘Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’ 33Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.’ 34But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, 35I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. 36Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.’ 37David said, ‘The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.’ So Saul said to David, ‘Go, and may the Lord be with you!’
38 Saul clothed David with his armour; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. 39David strapped Saul’s sword over the armour, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, ‘I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them.’ So David removed them. 40Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd’s bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.
41 The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43The Philistine said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44The Philistine said to David, ‘Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field.’ 45But David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47and that all this assembly may know that the Lord does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.’
48 When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet the Philistine. 49David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.
Psalm 9:9-20
9 The Lord is a strong tower to those that are oppressed:
he is a tower of strength in time of need.
10 All who heed your name will trust in you:
for you have never forsaken those that seek you.
11 O sing praises to the Lord who dwells in Zion:
tell among the peoples what great things he has done.
12 For he that avenges blood has remembered the poor:
he has not forgotten their cry.
13 The Lord has been merciful toward me,
he saw what I suffered from my foes:
he raised me up again from the gates of death,
14 That I might tell all your praises in the gates of Zion:
that I might rejoice in your deliverance.
15 The nations have sunk into the pit they dug for others:
in the very snare they laid is their foot taken;
16 The Lord has declared himself and upheld the right:
the wicked are trapped in the work of their own hands.
17 The wicked shall be given over to death:
and all the nations that forget God.
18 For the needy shall not always be forgotten:
nor shall the hope of the poor perish for ever.
19 Arise, Lord, let no human power prevail:
let the nations be judged before you.
20 Put them in fear, O Lord:
and let the nations know they are but human.
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
As we work together with him,* we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2For he says, ‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! 3We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labours, sleepless nights, hunger; 6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8in honour and dishonour, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see – we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; 10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
11 We have spoken frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. 12There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. 13In return – I speak as to children -open wide your hearts also.
Gospel: Mark 4:35-41.
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’ 36And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ 39He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ 41And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’
Filed under: pew sheet
