DIY Sunday Service Kit - 15/10/23. 'Religious disillusionment' - Malachi 1:1

 

Welcome to the DIY Sunday Service Kit for October 15th. 2023 when we begin our pre-Christmas short series of sermons looking at the Book of Malachi.

This has been quite a challenging week in the history of our world too, and that is reflected in our prayer calendar for the coming week, which you will find below 

But first, we begin with prayer to re-orientate our hearts towards the Lord.

Let's pray

Lord and loving Heavenly Father we thank you for the grace that you show us day by day, which allows us to come freely into your presence. 

We come to you as people whose hearts have a tendency to fall short of the mark, to wander and to push back against the authority you rightly exercise over our choices in this life.

Forgive us our wandering hearts and minds.

Wash us again from our sin.

Binds out hearts against you to you and renew us in our walk with our God, we pray for Jesus sake.

Amen.

The Psalmist  writes in Psalm 37:3-6: 

"Trust in the Lord and do good;

    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,your vindication like the noonday sun."

So let's do that as we sing

This is a new song to me, but I think it is really a rather special setting of Psalm 84

Let's pray

1. We pray for the Israel-Gaza conflict. “Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, launched one of the broadest invasions of Israeli territory in 50 years.” The attack was reportedly a complete surprise—and if so, a significant intelligence failure with echoes of the Yom Kippur War. Israel has said it considers itself at war, and has launched massive air strikes. Apparently there are still Hamas gunmen in Israeli territory, and it has fired thousands of rockets, and continues to launch them. Over 500 to 600 have been killed on both sides.

a) Israel is “bracing itself for a long conflict"; PM Netanyahu “promised that Israel will ‘return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price’” (Economist). The mobilization of reservists suggest the possibility of a response invasion of Palestinian territory. The failure to anticipate the attack may also damage Netanyahu’s government. I am presently estimating a short-term resolution of the conflict to be unlikely, and a major military action on the part of Israel to be more probable—although the conclusion of that could come in days. Over the past two decades, most “wars” between Israel and Hamas have lasted ten to twenty days.

b) The thawing of relations between Israel and Gaza is likely over. Hamas militants have shown an alternative to Gaza President Abbas’ efforts at diplomacy. They may have also derailed the diplomatic efforts between the Gulf States and Israel. The Saudis have a complicated relationship with Hamas, which has received a great deal of support from Saudi Arabia’s rival, Iran. The normalization of diplomatic relationships between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and the increasing thaw between Saudi Arabia and Israel, makes this weekend’s attacks challenging to interpret or forecast, and I’m not going to attempt it.

Let’s pray for peace, for the believers in the region (there are many Christians in the Palestine areas, for example), and for opportunities in the midst of a military crisis for the Kingdom to spread through individual families and households.

2. We continue to pray for Sudan.

a) the battle lines between the forces have hardened, and a “de facto” partition seems to have developed, with the RSF in control of Darfur-Khartoum and the SAF in control of the rest. This appears to be a recipe for ongoing conflict. Pray for justice, peace, and an end to the war.

b) with the withdrawal of most foreign nationals, and the containment of the conflict within the Sudan borders, the international community seems to not be pressing for a resolution to the fighting. Arms dealers and some countries (notably, UAE) are funding certain sides, which will only perpetuate the war. Pray for prophetic voices to speak God’s heart about the war and about feeding it.

c) a quarter of Sudan’s population is now displaced, with growing numbers living in terrible circumstances as refugees in the surrounding countries. It is doubtful that many in Sudan or outside of it have escaped familial loss, and most have been personally wounded by the violence (either physically, emotionally or mentally). Pray that in the midst of such terrible trauma many will find the Prince of Peace.

d) Aid agencies are finding it nearly impossible to operate within Sudan, and very difficult to operate even in areas on the border of it. It’s like “planning for the apocalypse.” Pray for those who are attempting to bless the refugees and bring hope and healing.

e) Refugees from South Sudan who went to Sudan, and who are now fleeing Sudan back to South Sudan, are finding a very tough situation with very little food. Pray that God will move people to be a blessing to these “poorest of the poor,” and people will obey the leading of the Spirit.

3. Pray for believers in Western Sahel. The military governments of the region continue to veer toward autocracy and dictatorship, and there are few indicators of a soon return to democracy. Most have expelled Western aid. All are experiencing a significant upsurge in attacks by radical militants. Pray for the kingdom to spread in the midst of these “rumors of war.”

4. Saudi Arabia is in the midst of tremendous change. Foreigners are able to enter more easily than ever. Women are joining the workforce in increasing numbers. The government is looking for tourists and business investment, trying to pivot off oil. In the midst of all of this, pray that God will pour out wisdom and innovative ideas for bringing Good News to the kingdom. Many are already laboring in this regard.

5. Pray for those who have been impacted by surging religious violence in Pakistan. Suicide bombers have been striking religious festivals, and there are battles on the border of Pakistan-Afghanistan. The government has decided all 1.7 million Afghani illegal refugees must return to Afghanistan. Many are frightened for their lives, but have few other options. Pray for the Gospel to spread in the midst of this time of fear and uncertainty.

6. Pray for believers in North Korea. Although there have been some signs the country is once again cracking its doors open to the outside world, it has at the same time become progressively harder for anyone to escape its grasp. Other signals suggest the winter must be faced with a less-than-sufficient harvest.

7. Pray for wise use of any opening doors in Algeria. In a bid for more tourism, the country is opening direct plane routes from France to cities in the Sahara. Might there be increasing opportunities for access?

Lord have mercy on your troubled world and lead us by your Holy Spirit to reflect the concerns and desires of your own heart for our confused and confusing world as we pray.

We ask in Jesus' Name.

Amen.

Click this pic for today's Bible reading in Malachi 1

Let's sing

The studiocam video of today's sermon is here:

Let's pray

Father we ask for patience, perseverance and prayerfulness to keep us walking with you in the light of your Word in the strength your Spirit gives.

Enable us to look for you in the events of the week that lies before us, and to live our lives in continuing daily fellowship with You ... our one true Living God.

We ask for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

Thank you for being with us here today.

Let's continue to pray for one another to be equipped and enabled to continue to walk with God through the course of this week, whatever it brings to us and to our world.

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Have a joyful, faithful week in God's presence and service!