Welcome to our Sunday morning service! It’s great that you can try us out online. Why not come along to our next Sunday service in person – we love having newcomers along.
W [Applause] [Applause] This May I encourage everyone to uh take a seat at the Back good morning my name is Lydia and I am an Explorer and I would like to welcome you all today to our service at Christ Church I hope you have a wonderful time with us and can I add Lydia’s welcome and particularly I’ve met a couple of
People already if this is your first Sunday uh we’re really really delighted uh to see you this morning hello my name is Enoch and I am a Pathfinder I’m going to read psalms 117 praise the Lord All Nations exalt him all peoples for great is his steadfast love towards us and the
Faithfulness of the Lord endures us forever praise to the Lord dear heavenly father thank you for having the freedom to meet together this morning we pray that you may help us to sing your Praises guide us as we pray to you and speak to us from your word we
Want to pray for anyone who is sad or troubled that they might find comfort in your love amen thank you Enoch liia don’t go away uh our first uh hymn is a a great hym of praise and and amongst God’s numerous attributes of the fact that he’s out
Outside of time uh he is Everlasting so we’re going to sing from Everlasting to Everlasting and after that we’ll have another uh song of Praise As we sing the Lord is king So let’s stand to sing Everlasting to Everlasting you Are Everlasting Everlasting You Are Holy You are you are you are the one true Ever to Everlasting you Are Everlasting Everlasting you are God Ad upon Your you are you are the one true God Everlasting Everlasting You Everlasting ever you God Eternal Eternal Etal eternal etal Imortal Ever ever you are Everlasting Everlasting Everlasting [Applause] Everlasting Everlasting to Everlasting you are you are God you are God Sing put your TR take God still On Everything Is Again Sing The shelter the ising Everything is going to look everything everying Heavenly father just keep reminding us that you are king and you do look after everything amen amen okay thank you very much was a bump acire today right we’re going to come to the part of the service where we we just pause and we reflect uh that as the
Bible uh tells us that we are all sinners we’ve all done things that are wrong but God uh in his Mercy has given us a way out that we can uh have our sins forgiven so we’re going to say together uh the yellow uh bold
Type God Our Father we come to you in sorry for our sins for turning away from you and ignoring your will for our lives father in your mercy forgive us and help us for behaving just as we wish without thinking of you father in your mercy forgive us and help
Us for failing you by what we do and think and say father in your mercy forgive us and help us for letting ourselves be drawn away from you by Temptations and the world around us father in your mercy forgive us and help us for living as we were
Ashamed to belong to your son father in your mercy forgive us and help us may the father forgive us by the death of his son and strengthen us to live in the power of the spirit all our days amen a few uh uh images that bring back
Uh some uh uh rather happy memories I hope the first uh steps that your daughter or son uh made and then the first steps made on their own without that helping hand a lovely uh image of the Reliance of children on their parents and carers and then the first uh
Time on the bite remember that without to stabilize moms and dads we got bad backs didn’t we at the time the helping hand and the helping hand uh in the swimming pool as they jumped in as you jumped in maybe you can remember jumping into the pool can you on that first time
And Mom Dad was there to help you and those of you and I’ve not been lucky enough to go skiing uh the first time uh on the slopes they’re helping hand and you get a bit older the first driving lesson I don’t know quite whether it’s
The helping hand but uh Dad or Mom was next to you in the in the driving seat and there are other times aren’t there that we need a a helping a h maybe we’ve hurt ourselves and then uh when we’re getting older there are times uh that we
Also uh whether we’re man or female we need uh that helping hand and occasionally things go wrong in the kitchen don’t they uh this uh gentleman I think it is uh went wrong with the Sunday lunch and he was yelling out for a helping hand and a
Helping hand for this uh lady who’s got um a puncher and maybe this week some of you may’ve been making some pancakes and you’ll need a helping hand uh as you make those and finally someone in our congregation reckons I can’t do a children’s tour without mentioning Nemo
That’s quite wrong that’s a couple of talks I’ve done without him but the lovely image of that the helping hand uh of the father uh and his uh son uh in the adults later on today are looking at the passage uh from Isaiah we’re looking at the book of Isaiah and
Today we’re looking at Isaiah 41 and this amazing verse we’ll be reading for I the Lord your God hold your right hand remember those images it is I who say to you fear not I am the one who helps you The Marvelous Lord that we worship is
Someone who reaches out to us and wants to help us let’s pray thank you Jesus that you are always there to help us amen right I’m delighted to hand over to our Minister John with some important uh notices thank you great thank you Peter great to see everyone here this morning especially if
You’re new with us um if you like us to get in touch please do fill in welcome cards which you find in the pews and we’ love to um be in touch with you this week uh you can just give that to me at the end of the service um to highlight a
Few things coming up first of all today um we don’t have a 6:30 p.m service we have a 4:30 p.m. service it’s Cafe church and um Eddie’s going to be speaking to us from the next bit in Mark’s gospel and we’re going to be seeing today how the choices we make
What often feel like little choices Ripple on into eternity so why not come along 4:30 followed by a meal um together this is for all ages at 4:30 over in our church walls um we’ve got our last installment of discover we’re going through the basics of the
Christian faith and this week as we hit week number six we’re going to be looking at the end of Mark’s gospel and why Jesus had to die so it’s going to be taking us right into the heart of the Christian faith even if you haven’t been
To any before if you’d like to come along you’re very welcome 7:30 in the lanng for an hour and 15 minutes and um I can tell you more about that afterwards if you want to know more and then um we’ve been having some work parties we had some on Friday and
Um Saturday just gone this is working on our buildings and our Gardens um especially a lot of work has been done over in the the kitchen to try and expand that um there is chance to get involved as well this Friday and especially this Saturday and um if you
Would be willing to lend some of your time you don’t need to be a DIY expert or anything just willing to have a go um can you see bunny um there’s bunny she’s got a clipboard there we go can’t miss her um she would love to chat with you
Just go and say oh could I help what could I maybe do chat with bunny and she’ll let you know um we’d love to have a good number at that and that could really drive forward um various um things we’re trying to do around our buildings at the moment and then half
Terms coming up and um just to say our normal programs taking a break um during that week um but um there’s a couple things happening there’s food in school holiday so a free meal to any family who would like it um and also our Legacy holiday club a
Sports holiday club um there are details in our in on new sheet and on the back on the desk about those we’ll do see Eddie or Pam about more of those things good well that’s all I need to mention please do have a look at our new sheet
Though with info about other stuff and um I’ll hand over to Peter now to pray for our children and youth as they had out to their groups the Pathfinders this morning we’ll be looking at the story of the manner uh God uh and they’ll be learning that God will provide all their needs
And and the climbers and explorers be looking that amazing story when Jesus brought Gus’s daughter back to life again and there’ll be reminded that Jesus has the power over death so let’s pray for our young people shall we heavenly father as we look forward to what you tell us from your word in
Church this morning we pray uh that our young people and children uh might really hear you speaking to them and encouraging them uh from your word amen okay well this is where we say goodbye to our young people uh they’ll be well looked after across the road and
They’ll come back and join us towards the end of the service is oh for right we’re going to uh uh sing again and Bible tells us if we know uh Jesus uh then we know a god so let’s stand to sing Jesus God’s righteousness Revealed The Of of kingom jus GL his kingom and his [Applause] will and his glory shall majesty and power of hising has and his King and his kingdom and his kingom power and auor Jesus right J of God the of God To Jesus H his GL shall and power of His King King and his kingom and his kingom and his kingom power and authority Jesus Rightous Jus would you like to take a seat and I’m going to invite Karen Dykes to come and read uh God’s word to us and after that uh John will speak to us good morning um today’s reading is from Isaiah 41 um and all the way through to
42 and the first nine verses of 42 in your Pew Bibles I think you’ll find it on 726 so Isaiah 41 listen to me in silence o coastlands let the people renew their strength let them approach then let them speak let us draw together for judgment who stirred up one from the
East whom Victory meets at every step he gives up Nations before him so that he tramples Kings underfoot he makes them like dust with his sword like driven stubble with his bow he pursues them and passes on safely by paths his feet have not trod who has performed and done this
Calling the generations from the beginning I the Lord the first and with the last I am am he the coastlands have seen and are afraid the ends of the Earth tremble they have drawn near and come everyone helps his neighbor and says to his brother be strong the Craftsman
Strengthens the Goldsmith and he who Smooths with the hammer him who strikes the Anvil saying of the soldering it is good and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved but you Israel my servant Jacob whom I have chosen The Offspring of Abraham my friend you whom I took from
The ends of the Earth and called from its father’s Corners saying to you you are my servant I have chosen you and not cast you off fear not for I am with you be not dismayed for I am your God I will strengthen you I will help you I will
Uphold you with my right righteous right hand behold all who are incensed against you shall be put to shame and confounded those who strive against you shall be as nothing and Shall Perish you shall seek those who contend with you but you shall not find them those who
War against you shall be as nothing at all for I the Lord your God hold your right hand it is I who say to you fear fear not I am the one who helps you fear not you worm Jacob you men of Israel I am the one who helps you
Declares the Lord your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel behold I make of you a threshing Sledge new sharp and having teeth you shall thresh the mountains and crush them and you shall make the hills like chaff you shall winnow them and the wind shall carry them away way and the
Tempest shall scatter them and you shall rejoice in the Lord in the Holy One of Israel you shall Glory when the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue is parched with thirst the Lord will answer them I the god of Israel will not
Forsake them I will open rivers in the bare Heights and fountains in the midst of The Valleys I will make the Wilderness a pool of water and the dry land Springs of water I will put in the wilderness the cedar The Acacia the Myrtle and the
Olive I will set in the desert the Cyprus the plain and the pine together that they may see and know may consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord has done this the Holy One of Israel has created it so forth your case says the Lord
Bring your proofs says the king of Jacob let them bring them and tell us what is to happen tell us the former things what they are that we may consider them that we may know their outcome or declare to us the things to come tell us what is to
Come Hereafter that we may know that you are God’s do good or do harm that we may be dis amazed and terrified behold you are nothing and your work is less than nothing an abomination is he who chooses you I stirred up one from the north and
He has come from the rising of the Sun and he shall call upon my name he shall trample on rulers as on Mana M as the Tre Potter Treads clay treat sorry Treads clay who declared it from the beginning that we might know and beforehand what we might say is he right
There was none who declared it none who proclaimed none who heard your words I was the first to say to Zion behold here they are I give to Jerusalem a Herald of good news but when I look there is no one among these there is no
Counselor who when I ask gives an answer behold they are all a delusion their works are nothing their metal images are empty winds behold my servant who I uphold my chosen in whom my soul Delights I have put my spirit upon Him He will bring forth
Justice to the Nations he will not cry aloud or lift up his voice or make it heard in the street a bruised Reed he will not break and a faintly burning Wick he will not quench he will Faithfully bring forth Justice he will not grow faint or be discouraged
Till he has established Justice in the earth and the coastlands wait for his law thus says the god the Lord who created the heavens and stretched them out who spread out the Earth and what comes from it who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in
It I am the Lord I have called you in righteousness I will take you by the hand and keep you I will give you as a covenant for the people a light for the Nations to open the eyes that are blind to bring out the prisoners from the
Dungeon from the prison those who sit in darkness I am the Lord that is my name my glory I give to no other nor my praise to carved Idols behold the former things have come to pass and new things I now declare before they spring forth I tell you of
Them this is the word of the Lord thank you Karen please do keep your Bibles open at that page um page 426 and um let’s pray as we look at God’s word together Heavenly Father we want to pray this morning that you might speak to each of us in the situations we find
Ourselves in in life please encourage our hearts and lift our eyes to Jesus your son amen how can I know um I’m believing in the real God it’s a question we might ask if we’ve got friends who are religious and part of a different religion um I’ve
Even had Skeptics sometimes say to me you are just a Christian because you were born in a Christian country if you were born in a Muslim country you’d be a Muslim if you were born in India you’d be a Hindu if you born in Tibet you’d be
A Buddhist and it does get you thinking doesn’t it am I backing the right horse and even if you’ve never been made to think about the question in that way you will have faced the question when things turn against you can I really lean on Jesus to get me through this
Or do I really need to lean on my brother my savings my friends from school is Jesus the real God who’s got me or do I need to lean on something else how can I know that I’m believing in the real God well this was the question that the
Old Testament Church in Jerusalem was asking as they faced destruction an exile at the hands of the Babylonians uh were 700 Years BC and this destruction by the hands of the Babylonians wouldn’t happen for a hundred years but through Isaiah Christ the lord was warning his people and
Preparing them for that day because when it came it was going to be their biggest test of faith ever and this section of Isaiah chapters 40 to 55 was written to to sustain God’s people as they faced and stared at the prospect of Exile and
Babylon how can I know I am believing in the real God well our reading which Karen brought to us gives us three big answers to that question number one Our God takes our fears away uh chapter 41 opens with a court case our God calls the people of the
World summons them even from the coastlands that’s the far flung places of the world like LOF to come and listen in verse one listen to me in silence o coastlands let the peoples renew their strength let them approach then let them speak let us together draw near for
Judgment the court has been gathered to settle one question once and for all who is the real God I mean the different nations of the world all had their ideas about the gods and the Lord Our God says come let us see the evidence let’s
Thrash it out and and and let’s get to the bottom of this matter I’ll go first he says you can sit there and listen and once I’m done then you can summon all your energies and your strength and offer up your case if you can and so our
God sets out his case verse two who St thir up one from the East whom Victory meets every step he gives up Nations before him so that he tramples Kings Under Foot he makes them like dust with his sword like driven stubble with his b bow he pursues them and passes on safely
By pass his feet have not trod who has performed and done this calling the generations from the beginning I the Lord the first and with the last I am him he the one from the East he’s talking about here is the Persian ruler by the name
Cyrus as we look at the book of Isaiah we’ve had different superpowers in view there’s three main superpowers so a quick history lesson 8th Century BC you have the Assyrians 7th Century BC you have the Babylonians and then after them in the in the sixth Century you have the
Persians and in these chapters the Lord is speaking about Cyrus the ruler of the Persians the Babylonians will take Jerusalem into Exile but later Cyrus will rise up and take over the Babylonians and it was going to be an unheard of twist in human history Cyrus would let the people of Jerusalem go
Back home and rebuild and worship their God I mean nothing had ever happened like that before yet it’s not Cyrus who’s the master of History he is but the Lord’s tool verse four end of it verse four I the Lord the first and with the last I
Am he he’s the one who’s in charge I mean it’s what we saw last week if you were here our God is in a league of his own he alone is the creator of the world and that makes all the difference because it means only he can really take
Away our Affairs in life and so God describes how the nations react to the news which is breaking about cus Cyrus rising up at the prospect of just yet another Tyrant coming on the world stage they break into a panic frantically trying to Cobble together a solution saying
Reassuring things to each other but it’s also desperate I mean look at verse 5 to7 it’s meant to be comical the coastlands have seen and are afraid the ends of the Earth tremble they have drawn near and come everyone helps his neighbor and says to his brother be strong the Craftsman strengthens the
Goldsmith and he who Smooths with the hammer him who strikes the Anvil saying of the soldier uh soldering it is good and they strengthen it with nails so that it cannot be moved I mean they’re trying to reassure each other trying to make each other feel safe but in the end
It’s all twaddle all they can actually do is compliment each other on how sparkly their new God Idol is that they’ve made with their hands I mean it is what our fears do to us isn’t it they drive us to make Idols gods that make us feel safe whether it’s
Well I’m I’m in trouble I’m going to reconnect with my school friends or I’m going to PL my time and money into decorating my house and that’ll make me feel happy about life or whether I go shopping for new outfits or whether I go working out at the gym and get a better
Physique I you know I’ll do one of these things and I’ll apply my energy and time into it to make my feel safe and they may be good things in themselves but they’re just not actually able to take away our ultimate fears in life no part of creation can ever do that
Only the Creator can because only he is in control even over the things that we fear and so it’s at this point in the court case that it takes a break and attention switches verse eight to God’s people watching the proceedings on their TV sets at
Home now we see the point of the court case for I say it’s because it’s being live streamed to people’s homes that God wants his church to see and to be convinced that he really is the real God and only he can take away their fears you know oh God wants the people
To laugh at verses 5 to7 but he does that so that they will listen to what he says in verse 8-20 three times he tells them in these verses fear not verse 10 fear not verse 13 fear not verse 14 fear not I mean it’s striking we’ve had the nation s
Frantically making Idols to make themselves feel safe and our God though in contrast he he he reassures his people calmly that they have nothing to fear at verse 8 to9 he reminds them that he had chosen them he had taken their father Abraham from a land uh from the land of Babylon and
Made him his chosen people and if he had done that he can do it again verse 10 he promises that he will be with them fear not for I am with you be not dismayed for I am your God I will strengthen you I will help you I will uphold you with
My righteous hands I mean it’s one of those verses Christians love to have on war calendars at home and it’s a great verse to memorize but it’s far more powerful isn’t it when we see it in its original context this was given to people are about to be conquered and go into Exile
And Babylon and it’s when we are most going through something that Christ most wants to reassure us of his presence with us verse 11 and 12 he promises that all the powerful Nations that were so against God’s people will become as nothing verse 13 he will not allow
Anything to separate us from him and his love for us I mean here it’s that image which Peter opened up before an image of a parent holding the hand of their little one maybe you can remember it when you were a child there you are young it’s night time you’re out at a
Funfare and you’re holding hands with your mom or your dad and in reality of course your mom and dad have got hold of your hand far more tightly than you have of theirs that is how our god holds us at verse 15 he says he will make his
People into a threshing sled it’s the 8th Century BC equivalent of a combin harvester at Harvest time you’d pour it along and it had teeth underneath and it would take um it would take the Harvest and it would grind it so to separate the chaff from the Grain and the farmer then
Would let the wind blow the chaff away and so this is what will happen to God’s enemies it’s what will happen to the enemies of God’s people so much so at the end of verse 16 they will return in joy to their God I mean the Holy One had been present
In the Temple at the Heart of the City of Jerusalem for centuries but they had chosen to ignore him but when he brings them back from Exile under Cyrus and their fortunes dramatically changeed then they will come back to him then they will see that he can do as he
Pleases and he is free to do what is right in every situation verse 17 to1 19 uses wonderful poetry to say that our God will supply all our needs in whatever Wilderness we find ourselves even in the wilderness of Exile and Babylon he will provide what we
Need all that happens verse 20 that they may see and know may consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord has done this the Holy One of Israel has created it let’s let this s in for a moment Only Our God can take away our fears
Uh if you if you’ve been a Christian for some years you you all know this truth I think that we know when we go through difficult times we can use other things to try and make ourselves feel safe but there is nothing like gathering with Christians to pray when you’re
Really going through it and what helps you when you gather together with other Christians to pray is not so much praying about your issues first and foremost but about praying and pray praising God for who he is as other Christians say our prayers out loud
Which Lift Us and and and remind us of the great vision and reality of who our God is that he is the creator of all things and all things are under his control then our fears start to melt away like nothing else I mean if we just Begin by focusing
On the reality of our then actually sometimes we can come away a bit more worried than we started praying but it’s when we focus on the reality of who our God is then our fears fade away so first up our God takes away our fears secondly Our God Alone controls
History well with verse 21 the court is back in session now Christ the lord invites or should I say challenge Alles the gods of the Nations to present their case verse 21 set forth your case says the Lord bring your proofs says the king of Jacob I mean round one of the Court
We’ve already seen that one God was challenging the Nations and ended up with the peoples of the world frantically making Idols so now he shifts the focus and challenges the god of the idols themselves and he’s asking will the real God please stand up I mean the evidence that the court
Needs to see is whether these so-called gods have Superior knowledge of world events verse 22 let them bring them and let and tell us what is to happen tell us the former things what they are that we may consider them that we may know their outcome or declare us the things
That are to come tell us what is to come Hereafter that we may know that you are God’s do good or do harm that we may do be be dismayed and terrified I mean only the real God the Creator is bigger than this world and can truly explain everything going on in
This world the meaning of world events and only he can announce ahead of time what will happen and why it’s going to happen but these Gods can’t do anything like that I mean just do something he tells them doesn’t he just do something to make us see who you are but they can’t
Do anything I mean the verdict comes in verse 24 behold you are nothing and your work is less than nothing an Abomination is he who chooses you I mean it would be a very useful thing to know the future wouldn’t it if we could predict the
Weather we would know when to book our holidays if we could predict the football results then we would know not to support Manchester United if we could predict the national lottery we’d be very rich but it’s not something in our power and it’s not something in the
Power of these gods of the Nations either but our God he can announce the future and he can explain the meaning of world events verse 25 I stirred up one from the north talking about Cyrus again and he has come from the rising of the
Sun and he shall call upon my name and he shall trample on rulers on us as on mortar as the Potter Treads clay who declared it from the beginning that we might know and beforehand that we might say he is right there was none who declared it none who proclaimed it none
Who heard your words I was the first to say to Zion behold they are and I give to Jerusalem a Herald of good news Cyrus you see would be the immediate answer to the Babylonian exile that God had announced at the end of chapter 39 but here’s the thing the Babylonian
Exile is not going to happen for a 100 years and Cyrus is not going to come for 160 years now perhaps this prophecy here seems a bit vague I mean haven’t there been people like Nostradamus who have said things and predicted things well flick on a few pages to the
End of chapter 44 to the very last verse and you’ll see that Cyrus is named have a look at this verse okay chapter um where are we up to chapter 44 and verse 28 is God speaking who says of Cyrus he is my shepherd and he shall fulfill all
My purpose saying of Jerusalem she shall be rebuilt and of the temple your foundation shall be laid this is Cyrus’s name 160 years ahead and what he would do he would let Jerusalem rebuild now back in chapter um 41 that bit in verse 25 he shall call upon my name it
Might sound a bit odd a pagan ruler calling on God’s name but when you see what happens in the book of Ezra what would happen 160 years later it all makes sense the book of Ezra begins with this letter from Cyrus thus says Cyrus King of Persia the
Lord the god of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah Mak sense Cyrus says he’s acting because Christ of Christ the Lords now let’s just think about this
For a moment Isaiah is writing this in the 700s Cyrus and the things which he’s talking about are going to happen in the 500s this is like say is embar Kingdom Brunell in the middle of the 1800s saying that there would be a man called Putin who would rule Russia and invade
Ukraine 200 years ahead of time I mean it was just so ridiculous in Isaiah’s day I mean the Persians weren’t a force to be reckoned with at all at that point superpowers didn’t let their peoples go home and rebuild this is what one expert on the Bible writes there is nothing like the
Prophecies of Exile here in Isaiah in in in either the Egyptian or the Babylonian literatures this is unparalleled and the reason it’s here is because our God is behind world events uh whatever the gods of the Idols are they are they are not above this creation they’re part of it and so
They’re controlled by cause and effect well the conclusion of the court case comes in verse 29 behold they are all a delusion their works are nothing their metal images are empty wind Our God Alone controls history only our God is free Only Our God can do what he
Pleases Only Our God knows the beginning from the end I wonder if we got our hearts around this I mean some people today will say that history world events is just random there’s no meaning in it or it’s just one event leads to another is that what
You think others say that history goes in Cycles history keeps repeating itself is that what you think others say that history is the story of human progress is Unstoppable we are getting more and more advanced and better and better is that what you think this court case shows us that history
Really is his story Our God Alone controls history third and lastly and where it’s all going Our God triumphs in his servants how can I know I’m believing in the real Gods well the ultimate answer comes in chapter 42 verse one behold my servant whom I uphold my chosen in whom
My soul Delights I have put my spirit on him he will bring forth Justice to the Nations I mean it’s the unexpected twist in Isaiah our God is The Sovereign creator of the whole universe and yet he chooses to reveal himself in a Meek servant this the first time we meet him
In the book of Isaiah by this title there’s four servants songs in chapters 40 to 55 and this is the first one about him and as he’s introduced we learn that all of God’s plans and purposes for this world will be fulfilled in him again again in
These verses it is said that this servant will establish justice and righteousness now of course we’ve seen him already predicted in the book of Isaiah we know he’s coming because it’s already been announced that there will be a king from David’s Royal Line the Messiah who will bring Justice and
Righteousness and will be filled with the spirit like this servant is but now as he’s introduced with this new title the emphasis shifts onto how he the Messiah the servant will be the opposite of all the rulers of the superpowers of the world I mean all the rulers of the
Ancient world claim to bring Justice and righteousness across their empire of course in reality they were Violent Men Who did things in violent ways and it’s the same today even dictators today claim to be for world peace I mean they fight Wars as special military operations against terrorists but God’s servant is so
Different he’s so different verse two he will not cry aloud or lift up his voice or make it heard in the street I mean tyrants love the sound of their own voices I heard this week that the ven uan president Hugo Chavez I think this
Is 2007 spoke live to his Nation for 8 hours live with no breaks or adverts on the T this was the Cuban president uh Fel Fidel Castro bro spoke to the UN General Assembly for four and a half hours nonstop Colonel Gaddafi could only manage 85
Minutes but let me say with this Sur there’s nothing like that there’s no you know arrogant or proud self-promotion I mean rulers in the ancient world would have gone on and boasted and bragged about all kinds of stuff but not this one and rulers in the ancient world
Would have used military force to get their way Bloodshed and violence but God’s servant will be the opposite verse three a bruised Reed he will not break and a faintly burning Wick he will not quench he will Faithfully bring forth Justice instead of trampling on the weak and vulnerable this servant will come
With gentleness maybe you feel pretty broken maybe you feel like that bruised Reed maybe you feel like that that Wick of an oil lamp which is just a glow about to go out maybe you feel like that well know that this servant comes with a gentle and lonely heart he comes meeting broken
People like you where you are at and championing your calls I mean it’s in this way that he will bring to Justice and righteousness World Peace this is how he’s going to do it and it will come I mean he might be gentle and lonely but he is not weak
Verse four he will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established Justice in the earth and the coastlands wait for his law and one writer said God’s answer to the oppressors of the world is not more oppression nor is his answer to arrogance more arrogance rather in quietness humility and
Simplicity he will take all of the evil into himself and return only Grace that is power what we need to see is that the reason he can act with gentleness like this and still have power like this is because God’s holy spirit is on him already in Isaiah we’ seen the proud and
Arrogant king of Assyria I am more powerful than your God he’s boasted my my strength and power I’ve conquered all the world no one can stand against me it was about me me me it was all about me exalting myself above God it’s the heart the problem of sin it’s the problem of
The human heart from the very beginning and it’s why the world’s such a brutal place but this servant will be the opposite because he says no to human strength and yes to God’s strength verse one God puts his Spirit on him is why the servant is able to bring world peace and
Righteousness and so these verses as we read them they drive us forward to the coming of Jesus at his baptism God speaks words from Heaven almost a quotation of verse one you are my son in whom I am well pleased and at that moment God’s holy spirit comes down onto
Jesus giving him power and strength for his mission is why in Matthew’s gospel chapter 12 Matthew quotes these words from the beginning of Isaiah 42 and says it’s talking about Jesus you see what we are to see here in Isaiah 42 is that the Sovereign Creator who is bigger than everything chooses to
Triumph over evil and to save his people forever through his Meek and lonly and gentle servants verses 5 to9 he speaks to his servant notice how much the stresses that he is at work through his servant thus says God the Lord who created the heavens and stretch them out and spread
Out the Earth and what comes from it who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it I am the Lord I have called you the servant in righteousness I will take you by the hand and keep you I will give you as a
Covenant for the people and a light for the Nations to open up the eyes that are blind to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon from the prison those who sit in darkness I am the Lord that is my name my glory I give to no other nor my
Praise to carved Idols behold the former things have come to pass and new things I now declare before they spring forth I tell you of them our God the real God the creator of all things reveals himself ultimately in his servant and the Triumph of his
Servant how can I know I’m believing in the real God the ultimate answer is to look at Jesus he must be the real God because he is the complete opposite of how this world Works he must be from above this world I mean look at how Jesus came
Meeting us in our Brokenness despite us rejecting him look at how gentle and lonely of heart he was despite his incredible power look at how he washed his disciples feet despite being their Master look at how he triumphed over evil on the cross the despite us killing
Him look at how he will return in power to bring God’s new world forever Jesus is compelling isn’t he it’s in him that we see God’s committed love for us he will be made a covenant verse six for the people that is where God’s committed love is to be seen in this
Servant it’s in him that God is glorified it’s in him that God is revealed it’s in him that we are convinced that we are backing the right horse will the real God please stand up he has in his servant Jesus of Nazareth amen shall we stand to sing oh my soul arise
And bless your maker Soul arise and Bless for your master and your friend to tend Mery worship the Jesus king all PR overwheling all all heaven for his purch me forever at the cross of J I will sing for all my days take till I I know he is with me when I I know he is strong I is
To on the rock of Jesus in me the Sal that you are My see to work of Mak me all like Jesus and I sing All bre Till one day I’ll see as he sees me face to face the The the will be over there with my preious Jesus my preious Jes Please do uh take seat we going to invite Andrew up to lead us at prayers let us pray Heavenly Father we thank you for this morning we thank you that you are indeed The Sovereign Lord We Gather today in Humble Adoration of your grace your majesty your Dominion your
Power father we thank you that you control all things that is through the heart of Kings or servants it is like a stream of water in your hand and you turn it wherever you will and in your wisdom of your word through your servant Isaiah you remind us of your supreme
Power and the senselessness of idolatry father we thank you that you are Beacon of redemption the plan for it for justice and salvation for all nations and that we see that through Jesus amen father we thank you for the vibrant enthusiasm of the children of courton school
Assemblies and we thank you for Peter and we thank you for Liz who have been earnestly working with them Father we hear for their excitement of reading Bible stories and bringing the your word to life in their hearts we thank you for the joy and the excitement of them learning about you as
A testament of your Living Word and active among us and we are grateful for the continued welcome support of the head of the school who is a reflection of her grace in our community father we ask to open our hearts to receive your word with joy and
Understanding may your the seeds of your word swn in our hearts and in the hearts of your children in the school community be nurtured by your Holy Spirit bringing forth a harvest of faith hope and love we pray for for growth in your service that we too may be vessels of
Your love and grace to those around us we thank you for the encouragement received from the staff member from that school who though not regularly present in the assemblies witness joy and spiritual nourishment in these gathered children her testimony is a remind of the impact of your word touching Our Lives stirring our
Hearts towards you and father we ask that you continue to strengthen us to guide us as instruments of your will and may actions reflect your love and may Our Lives be a Testament of the power of transformation of your grace in all things we seek for Glory of
Your name and to walk in the path of Jesus our Lord Amen in Jesus we pray let us continue in prayer we think of our Sovine King Charles Lord God our refuge and strength in this moment of concern and reflection we bring before you our King Charles who has recently been faced with
The diagnosis of cancer we lift him up to you Lord seeking your healing your touch upon his body and your peace to Encompass his mind and spirit may your grace be a constant reminder to him of the healing and hope that is found in you and we pray for the royal family
During this time that they may find comfort and strength in one another but more than ever in you surround them with your love and support and guide them through the uncertainties that lie ah head and may they experience your presence in a tangible way drawing close to each other and to
You and Lord we pray for King Charles’s Faith Journey his belief in you his walk with you that it may not waver but grow stronger in the face of this adversity may this trial serve to deepen his Reliance on you finding peace in the truth of your word and the promise of your
Faithfulness let his heart be steadfast trusting in Jesus the author and perfector of our faith who knows our sufferings and Carries our burdens and we ask you for wisdom for the medical team attending to him that they may be guided by your hand in every decision and action grant them skill and
Knowledge and compassion as they care for him and let their efforts be crowned with success may this time of trial bring about a testimony of your healing and power and Sovereign will let King Charles’s journey be a Beacon of Hope and Faith not only to
Those who are close to him but to all who look upon his life may we all be reminded of the preciousness of life and the importance of placing our trust and hope in in you our King and healer amen and finally father in your presence we find comfort
And peace even in the darkest valleys of her lives and today we hold our hearts in our hearts those who are walking through the shadow of loss and grief we lift up Jennifer and her family Delina and her family each of them navigating the Deep Waters of Sorrow following the departure of their
Loved ones Lord wrap them up in your love which heals the Brokenhearted and binds up their wounds may they find peace in the memories of shared strength in the community around them and hope in the promise of eternal life with you we also remember before you all those
Who are mentioned in our prayer sheet who are struggling with health issues as well as those who are suffering in silence unseen but deeply known by you in their pain uncertainty weakness be their Rock their healer their comforter provide them with the care they need surround them with support fill them with peace
That surpasses all understanding may your spirit work within us encouraging those who are downtrodden providing strength to those who feel weak and offering hope to those who are losing sight of it we trust in your loving care and provision for it is in the name of Jesus
Christ Our Lord and Savior we pray amen and we draw to close uh our prayer time by the church of England’s prayer for today some of these prayers are quite ancient but full of uh some amazing truths oh God whose blessed son was revealed so that he might
Destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and hires of eternal life Grant the that we who have this hope May purify ourselves as he is pure so that when he shall appear in power and great Glory we may be made like him in his
Eternal and glorious Kingdom where he lives and reigns with you the father with you the Holy Spirit one God now and forever amen and our final hymn follows on from that prayer of reigning Jesus shall reign let’s stand to [Applause] sing pass from his [Applause] Kingom the to L his ET Rest to our King praise ring through Etal J And Hiset And there bless on his name to our Kest praise Rising through Eternal days just that shall Jesus shall rise and bring blessing and to Angels Again praise through Etal and [Applause] Greatful King be praise Rising Through just a great for Jesus okay please do uh take a seat familiar words like alterations in Southern and and a newish tune right before we have our final prayer may I invite you not to rush off uh please stay around and have a cup of coffee and enjoy Fellowship uh with us
If you are new please do make yourself known uh to us um and thank you for all involved to in the service today those doing the coffee at the back uh for our music group and those on the teken are they’re not back yet so they must be
Having a good time our Sunday School uh leaders across uh the road so two uh final prayers let’s pray father first of all thank you for all the things that you give us and we pray for the gifts that we have given back uh to you this week we pray that uh they
May be used to tell others that Jesus does indeed Reign amen and father as we uh leave here as we uh face a new week thank you that you have reminded us that you are the one true God and we pray that that amazing Truth uh might be an encouragement to us this
Week and it may make us implore us to share uh that good news uh with others and now may the blessing of God the Father Almighty God the son and God the Holy Spirit uh be with us all and with all those whom we love amen and a final reminder if anyone
Would like prayer uh there will be someone uh in the Vester