DIY Sunday Service Kit 02/07/2023 - Unresolved Guilt

 

Welcome to the DIY Sunday Service Kit for July 2nd. 2023.

This week we begin a short series entitled: 'IRrelevant' which addresses the way the common malaissaes of our culture are resolved by the Christian faith, the faith that this culture seeks to dismiss as irrelevant. And we begin that today with a look at the problem (and Biblical cure) of unresolved guilt.

But first ... I wonder, when we set out to worship, whether you ever stop and think:'What am I trying to do here?'

It's always a good idea to give our aims and objectives a quick check up when we go into church or sit down to the DIY Sunday Service Kit online ...because it helps us make sure we're doing the stuff we're here to do!

It just occurs to me that this song from Rend Collective has a lot of help to offer us with setting our objectives as we set out to worship God. What do you think? Let's see how they lead our prayers as we set out on using this DIY SSK today ...

Let's pray

Dear Lord and loving Heavenly Father we ask for your help and for your presence with us today as we seek to worship you.

Help us to overcome the things that would hinder or distract us as we seek you now. 

Please build your Kingly rule in our hearts and in our lives, equip us more fully to live in the faith you reveal to us and to serve you in your kingdom so that we might faithfully play our part in the fulfilment of your plans and purposes.

We ask for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Here's a quick taster of where our Bible ministry is going to take us today

Let's pray today for our world, 

    the communities in which we live, 

        and for ourselves

• We pray for our world

... for France, torn today by a sense of economic injustice in working class and immigrant communities, by a disatisfaction with what's seen as government injustice in the marginalisation of under-privileged communities, leading to violent protest triggered by perceived unjust treatment by the police and legal authorities.

The French Ministry of the Interior said 994 people were arrested across France on Friday night alone.

Amnesty International, the International Federation of Human Rights and the Council of Europe — the continent’s main human rights body — are among organisations that have cited excessive use of force by French police and this has gone on over a long period of time.

Let's pray for peace with justice for our continental neighbours

... for Darfur and South Sudan

Violence between the culturally Christian settled farmers and culturally Moslem travelling cattle herders in Darfur has been taking place for over 20 years, but recent escalation of the conflict has seen in excess of half a million people fleeing as refugees since April.

Egypt had received the highest number of refugees but has recently closed its borders to refugees without visas ... which are not easy to get if you are a displaced person.

Chad, itself doubled, has received the next highest number and the UNHCR reports serious difficulties with getting aid to these people.

The main countries of refuge are poor countries with significant  internal problems of their own, and now that the rains are arriving, the logistics of delivering aid is getting complicated.

The UNHCR working with the international refugees say: "Those fleeing Sudan arrive exhausted after days or sometimes weeks on the road, shocked by the violence they have witnessed and in need of food, medical care and relief items."

Nearly two million people are also displaced within the country as fighting is now taking place not only in the South but also in Khartoum and in the Kordofan region.

Let's pray for peace with justice and the provision of food and clean water, good health services and safety for the refugees.

• We pray for the communities in which we live

On 8th. July a small group of Llandeilo residents has organised the first ever 'Llandeilo Pride' event.

This event has the keen support of the Mayor this year is being promoted like this in an article that appears to have been written by him on the Llandeilo Hub website:

"Às you know, Llandeilo has a rich history of running very successful festivals and events to draw people into the town to spend money in our independent, family-run businesses. A small group of local residents and business owners are proposing to set up Llandeilo’s first LGBTQ+ Pride event and we hope to rely on your support."

The South Wales Guardian reports: "There will be a street party on Market Street at 12.50pm which will officially open Pride in Llandeilo. This will be hosted by drag artist Tina Sparkle.

There will be a number of children’s activities at Eve’s Toy Shop and Hengwrt between 1pm and 4pm before the party moves to the White Horse at 3pm for a performance from Demi Morcom ...Mayor Christoph Fischer, who is openly gay and the second mayor of the town to be so, said: “It is a weekend not to be missed. The support has been overwhelming, and the committee has worked hard and very efficiently to bring all parts of the community together in support of Llandeilo Pride!"

• Let's pray that believers in Llandeilo will be wise and godly in their responses and that the Lord will bring many people to a Biblical faith in Him in the town.
• Let's pray for those in the town who are Same Sex Attracted followers of Christ but who are living as celibate because they see homosexual acts as sinful and nothing to be proud of, that the Lord will strengthen and bless them next weekend in particular.
• And let's pray that the Lord will have mercy on many in the town of Llandeilo, building His Church there for His greater glory.

• We pray for ourselves

Let's pray for a greater clarity in our own understanding of the Lord's will for our lives

Let's pray for a greater desire for God Himself as we live out our individual callings before Him day by day

Let's pray for the salvation of those in our families who don't yet enjoy the good things of God

And let's pray that the Lord will daily increase our likeness to Himself, making us daily more and more the people he would have us be.

Lord, we ask you to hear our prayers, and to answer us from your Holy Heavenly throne, in Jesus' name.

AMEN.

Let's read the Bible ... click the pic.

Here's the studiocam video of the sermon

Thank you for being with us here today.

We've been addressing some pretty 'real' issues today that may well have hit home with many of us.

Please, therefore, don't be anguished in silence in response to anything raised here today but take the opportunity to reach out so that we can talk and pray through together any unfinished business with any of this. 

The God of the Bible wants to establish us in the glorious liberty of the children of God, not sink us beneath a weight of guilt and shame ... so if turning to Him isn't comforting today, or if His Cross and Resurrection don't feel as if they're quite covering it, please don't just sit there feeling burdened down. 

And if it IS comforting you, and His sacrifice for our sins really IS doing it for you today, you can always share that for the encouragement of all of us! If you're happy to, I would be happy to share your joy with everyone in next week's DIY SSK ... anonymously if you prefer.

You can contact us using text or WhatsApp or by phone (please text first to make sure I'm free to answer) on 07748 644958.

God bless you - have a GREAT week!

(Offering bag link below as usual. Thanks.)