14th July 2024 10.30am – 7th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist

The Readings

Romans 12.9-16

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honour. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.

Matthew 28.16-20

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’

Scripture Quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Sermon
By The Revd Canon Dr Alan Billings.

In our service this morning we are celebrating two sacraments – Baptism and
the Eucharist – as our Lord told us to do.

Baptism is a once in a lifetime sacrament. The Eucharist we celebrate every
Sunday.

I’ve said the word ‘sacrament’ a couple of times. Let’s pause for a moment
and think about what it means to speak about ‘sacraments’.

When I was a little older than Zoë and Asrai here – about a hundred years
ago – when I was about 12 years old, I was taught in the Sunday School I
went to, something called the Catechism. The Catechism was a series of
questions and answers about Christian faith and life which you learnt by
heart. The teacher would ask the question and you would recite the answer,
exactly as set out on the page.

The first question was dead easy. It was: What is your Name? You said your
name.

The second question was trickier. It was: Who gave you this Name? And the
answer was, My godfathers and godmothers in my Baptism.

A later question was: What meanest thou by this word Sacrament?

And the answer was: I mean an outward and visible sign of an inward and
spiritual grace.

An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.

There are then two parts to the sacrament.

A sacrament has an outward and visible sign – something you can see that is
external to you – something visible. In the case of Baptism that’s water. No
water, no baptism.

In the case of the Eucharist it’s the bread and wine. Something we can see.
But in each case, what is external also has an inward aspect. It affects us,
spiritually, emotionally. Or to use Christian language, we make way for the
Holy Spirit to come to us.

One way of understanding why Jesus gave us sacraments might be this.

Last week I went to visit three of my grandchildren who live near Winchester
– in the deep south. I took each of them a small present. The present had no
great monetary value. It was an outward and visible sign of my grandfartherly
love for them. What they received outwardly was a little gift. As they did so,
what they received inwardly was that love. It was a sacramental act – the
present was an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace.
Of course, I didn’t have to take a present. I could just have said ‘Love you’.

But we human beings are not pure spirits. We are embodied creatures,
material, physical creatures, and sometimes we need that bodily
reassurance. This is why we give presents or bestow kisses or hugs. We are
material, embodied beings. This is surely why our Lord gave us these two
sacraments.

So, we shall baptise Toby and his and Rayna’s two daughters, Asrai and Zoë.
They will receive the outward and visible sign – water – of God’s inward and
spiritual grace – his abiding love for them.

Wherever life may take them and whatever may befall them, they will meet
that future as baptised Christians. No one can take that from them. We pray
that knowing that will be their anchor through all the days and years ahead.

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

In the power of the Spirit and union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.

Jesus, light of the world,
bring the light and peace of your gospel to the nations.
We pray that the hearts of those who look to violence may be turned to peace, and swords beaten into ploughshares.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, bread of life, give food to the hungry and nourish us all with your word.
We pray for all those whose lack food, shelter, warmth and safety.
May we work for a just sharing of resources.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, our way, our truth, our life,
be with us and all who follow you in the way.
We give thanks for Zoë, Asrai and Toby, baptised this morning, and for Jacob, to be baptised this afternoon.
Deepen our appreciation of your truth and fill us with your life.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, Good Shepherd who gave your life for the sheep,
recover the straggler, bind up the injured, strengthen the sick
and lead the healthy and strong to new pastures.
We give thanks for all who care for and heal others.
May we share in a ministry of loving service to those in need.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy, hear us.

Jesus, the resurrection and the life,
we give you thanks for all whom we have loved and who have shaped our lives and our faith.
Raise us with them to eternal life.
Jesus, Lord of your Church,
in your mercy, hear us.

Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

St Marys Walkley

The Church on the Road: inclusive, eucharistic, a safe place to be with God

14th July 2024 10.30am – 7th Sunday after Trinity – Eucharist