Intimations
- Morning worship online has moved to start at 10am and JAM at 11:15am on the Zoom platform.
- You may want to use some of the Engage Worship resources for daily worship during this week.
- The Messy Church At Home information is now available.
- Jam Kids Focus – Navigate Family Series Episode 4
- A worksheet to accompany the video is also available here.
- Another option for children is the Virtual Sunday School sessions which give an activity idea too.
- JAM young adults Ignite Live have a separate programme at 11:15am on the Zoom platform –parents of teenagers can get a link code by contacting Gary Torbet on garytorbet@btinternet.com
- Sunday Evening Prayer Livestream – We will be continuing the Prayer Livestream at 7.00pm tonight (Sunday). This will be another significant time of national prayer for us. Please join in and, if you don’t already do so, would you let your fellowship know about this and put it on your social media. Click here to access.
Call to Worship
28 Do you not know?
Isaiah 40: 28-31
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
We are grateful to Fiona Small for selecting the songs for worship for this service. Our opening song of praise and worship is:
We continue to worship the Lord in our second song of praise and worship: How Great is Our God, How Great Thou Art
Opening prayer
Heavenly Father once more it is a privilege and honour to come into Your holy presence today in the name of Your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. We recall the wonderful words of the apostle Paul in Romans chapter five: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.
It is incredible that though it may be a long process to gain access for an audience with our Queen Elizabeth II in the United Kingdom, we can come directly into the presence of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in the name of Jesus. What a wonderful privilege and joy! We recognise too the responsibility too of honouring You in our daily lives and come to say sorry for our shortcomings of the last week. Please forgive us once more and empower us afresh with Your Holy Spirit as we start this new week.
Help us to glorify You as we sing Your praises, read the Bible, bring our prayers and hear Your Holy Word expounded to us, in the name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Let us say together the words Jesus taught His disciples when He said:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever Amen.
Before we come to the All-age talk we will sing: I believe (The creed)
All Age talk – Alan McRobbie
It’s a story of man who really lived, his name is Phocas. He lived in the fourth century and has been respected through the years as a real precious man of God who lived in Asia Minor, which is called Turkey today. He lived in a city and he had a little cottage outside the city gate in which he grew a garden. The whole story of the man has been written down and has found its way down through the years of history.
The story goes something like this. Travellers passed his cottage garden gate almost all hours of the day and night as they went in and out of the city gate. And out of his love for others, he stopped as many of them as possible. Were they tired? Let them rest themselves, sitting in his well-tended garden. Were they in need of a friendly word? He would speak it to them as he lived for Jesus.
But then quite suddenly one day life was all changed for Phocas. Orders went out from a Roman Emperor that the Christians must be put to death. When the Roman soldiers entered the city they were under orders to find a man by the name of Phocas and take his life. About to enter the city one hot afternoon, they passed in front of Phocus’ cottage and garden by the city gate. In his innocence, Phocus treated them as though they were his warmest friends, begging them to pause a while and rest themselves. They agreed. So warm was the kindness they received that when Phocus invited them to stay the night and go on their way refreshed the next day, they agreed to do so.
As they were sitting down together Phocus asked “And why do you come into the city?” And then they told him that they would answer his question if he would regard it as a secret. Why they were the soldiers of Rome searching for a certain Phocas who was a Christian. And please, if he knew him, would he be so good as to help them find him? After all, he was a dangerous follower of this Jesus about whom the Christians talked and he must be put to death immediately.
“Oh, I know him well,” said Phocas quietly. “And by the way, he’s quite near. Let’s talk about it in the morning.” As his guests fell asleep, Phocas sat thinking. Escape? That would be easy. He had only to leave now under cover of darkness and at daybreak he could be at least 20 miles away and he knew his Christian friends would hide him. And when the threat had passed, he could reappear and once again grow his little garden.
But, the decision to run to safety or stay to die was made without struggle or delay. We can only imagine what he was thinking. Out in his garden Phocas went and began digging in the middle of the night. Was there anything he loved better than this little garden. What were his thoughts as he went on digging? Well, there was still time to run away but Jesus didn’t run. He didn’t run from going to the cross. Or perhaps he thought of his Christian friends to whom he might go for safety, would not his coming put them in danger too? And as for these Roman soldiers that now were soundly sleeping under his roof, they were, after all, only men who were carrying out orders, and if they failed to find their man, their own lives likely as not would be taken and they would die in their sins.
Deeper and deeper Phocas dug. Before the sun came up, he was done and there it was, his own little grave. Morning came and with it the waking of the soldiers. “I am Phocas,” he said calmly. And we have it written down that the soldiers stood still in amazement. They couldn’t believe it. And when they did believe it, they obviously didn’t want to put to death a man who had shown them nothing but love and kindness. But it was a duty, Phocus reminded them, that they were ordered to do. And he didn’t hate them for it. After all, death did not terrify him, his heart was filled with hope of heaven. He had nothing but the love of Christ towards them and moments later it was all over. Phocus died in the garden he loved so dearly and went to be with Jesus.
This is a story of Christ-like love, of thinking of the needs of others before ourselves, and of the hope of heaven for those who are friends of Jesus. What do you take from the story of Phocus for how you want to live?
Our All Age Song is:
Prayers for others
In our country the United Kingdom and around the world
Lord we remember the advice of the apostle Paul in Philippians 4:6 when he wrote: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. We admit that sometimes we struggle with the first thing he wrote here as there are times when we are anxious about things that are outside our control.
Even in this past week there are those in our congregation who will have had health concerns, work struggles, and other issues on our hearts we want to bring to You. However, we recognise the appropriateness of coming with a thankful spirit for the blessings we enjoy. For most of us reasonably good health that has allowed us to go out for walks in the glorious sunshine we have had recently.
Thank you too that the numbers of people contracting the virus and of those in hospital has significantly declined. We pray that this may continue as a pattern in the coming weeks. However, we are particularly concerned for other countries like Brazil where the numbers continue to increase.
We remember too in our prayers the people in the coastal communities of India and Bangladesh that suffered last week from the cyclone that damaged or destroyed many very basic homes and other buildings in poor communities. Lord have mercy on those affected, especially the families of those who died as a result of the cyclone.
We pray too for wisdom for the United Kingdom government and the devolved administrations as the lock down starts to ease. We recognise that there will be many judgement calls that are difficult to make and we pray that the right choices will be made. We continue to pray for good health and strength and for the renewal of energy levels for the NHS and Social Care staff who have done a magnificent job in caring for those affected by this virus. We remember also others in less prominent roles that have also provided invaluable service to their communities and our country as a whole during these difficult weeks. Help us as local communities to keep working closely together to limit the hardship that may be experienced over the coming months.
In our Baptist Union of churches in Scotland:
We give thanks that as Christians, we have hope in Jesus despite the challenging circumstances of life and any stormy seas we may face. Please pray that this global pandemic would bring many people to faith in Jesus.
We pray for the Continuing Ministry Development workshops taking place online this week. Pray for those leading the workshops (‘Building The House of Mission’ and ‘Knowing My Limits’) and those connecting in with the training sessions.
Dumfries BC – They started two Alpha Courses in mid-February on a Sunday lunch time and a Thursday evening. Despite Covid19 the groups are still meeting through Zoom online. Like everyone else they are navigating their ways through these troubled times, innovating and discovering new ways doing church ministry, ministry, supporting one another as well as serving the local community.
Duncan Street BC – We pray for Duncan Street BC in Edinburgh as they seek to make
Christ known in their local community.
Dundee Central BC – We give thanks for those who have been coming to faith and are being baptised and for the appointment of their Woman’s Pastoral Coordinator Karen Keir. Pray for them also as they seek to share their faith in Christ and serve their community at this time.
Dunfermline West BC – We give thanks for the recent renovation of their main worship area and the positive response from the community. We pray that they might see fruit within the community as they reach out; also that they can create relationships where guests can come and in due course use the space they now have available. We pray particularly for the growth of children and families work within the church.
Dunoon BC – They have been doing some interesting outreach recently and have had a number of new faces in the church at services prior to lock down. We pray that the time of separation caused by Corona Virus will not put them off and that the church will provide good support for its members.
We now pray in our own congregation for:
Jim and Jan F and Jim’s son Mark who has come over from Australia; We pray for God’s peace and comfort for them and other family members at this difficult time.
John G We bring before you John and his daughters Alison and Nicola and other family members as they also go through a very tough time.
We are aware of other members who have experienced bereavements or ongoing health difficulties and pray for God’s strength for them at this time. In addition, we bring our own needs to You at this time … in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, Amen.
Bible reading
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? 13 Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord,
Isaiah 40: 12-31
or instruct the Lord as his counsellor?
14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding? 15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. 16 Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
17 Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing. 18 With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him? 19 As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. 20 A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple.
20 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? 22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. 23 He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. 25 ‘To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One.
26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. 27 Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God’? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Before we come to listen to God’s Word let us sing: ‘My Jesus, My Saviour”
The Message
Introduction
In Isaiah 39 there is a clear warning from God that one of Israel’s darkest ever days was shortly to be experienced in the Holy Land. The country would be devastated as a result of the war that would occur with the forthcoming regional superpower Babylon, now called Iraq. Did Israel still have a future as a nation, or was it all over? If you want to know what it felt like shortly after the ending of the killing and destruction in that war, read the book of Lamentations.
It is one of the most sobering of books in the Old Testament. However, in the midst of all the pain and darkness there are some wonderful verses about the faithfulness of God in hard times. Lamentations 3:19-25 took the weeping prophet Jeremiah from his deepest agonies to a place of reassurance from God.
I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall. 20 I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 21 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion;therefore I will wait for Him.’
God had a plan for their future. They were not only a people with a past history. Neither are we! God has a plan for your future and mine as well.
Are you thinking? Have I got a future other than this lock down? I am not sure how many more months I could cope with it. For other people there are health issues that dominate their thinking; in some cases family struggles, or relationship tensions, but no matter who you are, at some point in time, you will face real struggles and wonder what lies ahead of you, of if there is anything ahead of you! In all these and many more similar scenarios this Bible passage reminds us that God has plans for His people. He has plans for you and me if we have put our faith and trust in Him.
As individuals, as families and as a church family, we need constantly to be reminded of this fact. Your life is not random or a chance existence. Instead, you are a child of the King of Kings who loves you and cares for you and wants the best for you. However, that does not mean we get what we want or even are necessarily praying for. Do you need to be reassured about your future? Isaiah 40 is one of those passages of Scripture that provides such guidance and teaching on God’s provision for you and for me.
1. Encouragement for God’s people (Isaiah 40:1-11)
(a)The blessing of forgiveness (Isaiah 40:1-2) Comfort, comfort My people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
The context of Isaiah 40 was the past sinful failures of Israel as a nation. She had not lived up to her promises to be faithful to the God who had blessed her in many ways. Turning to other gods of the nations around them and making lifestyle choices that violated the covenant promises agreed in the time of Moses and the exodus from Egypt would inevitably have consequences. We must not forget that the inevitable consequence of their wrongdoing, exile in Babylon and the destruction of the city they loved was still to take place, but God was already planning for their restoration and new start. As a loving heavenly Father He wants the best for His children.
There are times when He answers ‘no’ to our prayers because He can see the unforeseen difficulties we might face if we obtained what we wanted. Sometimes looking back we get a glimpse of why we were spared potential heartache had a relationship continued or a job opportunity been realised or some other scenario unfolded. At the time we could only see the immediate negative response to our request and struggled to understand why God might have seen things differently. We can only accept and live with our present disappointments when we have complete trust in the God of all comfort who loves and cares for us more than we love ourselves.
(b)The comfort of God’s presence (Isaiah 40:3-5) 3A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’
From the declaration of comfort and encouragement Isaiah now speaks about the future about how God can make a way through the most difficult of circumstances. The imagery is of preparation for a royal visit to a community so no expense is spared. All kinds of up grading of roads and buildings takes place, in fact everything is attended to in order to ensure that the short visit goes as smoothly as possible.
The obvious benefit to the community is that some facilities have been upgraded that will be of benefit long after their visitors have departed. The message here is that God will do what it takes to ensure His people get back home after their time away in exile. The exile for them, lock down for us or whatever difficulty you are experiencing will not be a permanent thing because His promises to His people are guaranteed. God will be glorified through the fulfilment of His guarantees to Israel. God will be glorified too through our lives also.
(c)The reliability of God’s Word (Isaiah 40:6-8) 6A voice says, ‘Cry out.’ And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’ ‘All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. 7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God endures for ever.’
These verses in continuing this train of thought remind us very clearly that God keeps His promises. His inspired Word is entirely trustworthy and true. We can depend totally on it. Everything else in life is transitory. Each of us can tell our own stories of changes; both in our own lives and in the communities where we live or have lived. Yet this passage gives us this wonderful assurance. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God endures for ever (Isaiah 40:8). We can trust it 100% Praise God!
(d) The certainty of the final outcome (Isaiah 40:9-11) You, who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’ 10 See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and He rules with a mighty arm. See, His reward is with Him, and His recompense accompanies Him. 11 He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart; He gently leads those that have young.
The last part of the opening section of Isaiah 40 proclaims in pictorial language the certainty of God’s triumph in the work He has planned for us to do. It seems extraordinary that restoration to their homeland is not portrayed in the military language of conquest, but in the pastoral language of a shepherd caring for His flock. God’s kingdom expands through evangelism and is lived through social action by people who are motivated by His love in their relationships with one another and other people with whom they interact. In secular eyes and Islamic ones the way of Jesus as described in the Bible seems foolish, but in this glorious vision of God’s plans for the future, both then and now, we can be assured of His triumph in and through the people who follow Jesus, ordinary people like you and me.
2. The greatness of our God (Isaiah 40:12-31)
(a)He created the universe! (Isaiah 40:12-17) 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? 13 Who can fathom the Spirit of the Lord, or instruct the Lord as His counsellor? 14 Whom did the Lord consult to enlighten Him, and who taught Him the right way? Who was it that taught Him knowledge, or showed Him the path of understanding? 15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; He weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. 16 Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. 17 Before Him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by Him as worthless and less than nothing.
Who can guarantee that all this can happen when this little nation has been brushed aside by the forces of superpower armies like trees and buildings in a raging flood? No mere earthly ruler even begins to fit the description! Isaiah 40:12 has the answer. Only one person, the Creator of the Universe who spoke and brought the world into being and who upholds it by the Word of His power can do it. The same point was made near the end of the book of Job when the subject of the book raised so many ‘why’ questions about what had happened in his life. We are creatures. He is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. This verse speaks of His power to deliver what He has promised. Humans can have aspirations that are beyond our power to accomplish, unlike God.
The second thing that marks out the One who can accomplish all this is His wisdom, as Isaiah 40:13-14 highlights. To ask the question with respect to God – or [who] instruct the Lord as His counsellor?(Isaiah 40:13) is to realise the utter absurdity of the question. Isaiah 40:15 and 17 remind us of the sovereignty of God. How can we be in despair when we serve a God like this! We need to look up and worship such a great and almighty God (Isaiah40:16). Yet how can we offer adequate worship to Him? He is worth so much more than any offering of praise and adoration we could bring! Yet He delights to receive the worship of His children. When we feel down remember to meditate on the greatness of God!
(b)With whom would you compare Him? (Genesis 40:18-20)With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken Him? 19 As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it. 20 A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple. What vocabulary is adequate to describe God? Isaiah looks around at the images used to represent the gods of the nations around them and asks: do you really think this is adequate to reflect the greatness of Almighty God? No! is the only answer we can give to such a question. We serve an incredibly awesome God. To see God in His greatness puts our problems and challenges in perspective.
(c)Awesome in power! (Isaiah 40:21-26) Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? 22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.23 He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. 24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. 25 ‘To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
The God who parted the waters of the Red Sea in Egypt to enable the fleeing slaves to escape the mighty Egyptian Army (Exodus 14:15-15:21) is the God who has plans for His people. The God who caused the walls of the powerful city of Jericho to fall down at exactly the right time (Joshua 6:1-27) when Joshua and the army of Israel went on a praise and prayer walk around its perimeter is the God who has plans for His people. The God who raised Jesus from the dead on the first Easter Sunday is the God who has plans for His people, for you and me! Do you know Him? Have you put your faith and trust in Him? Why not today take that first step of faith and acknowledge the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as King of your life.
(d)The God who restores and renews (Isaiah 40:27-31) Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God’? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
In every generation there have been times when God’s people felt discouraged, or were acutely aware of a felt absence of His presence. Isaiah was well aware in Isaiah 40:26 that there were people of his day as well as ours who uttered similar words to make this claim. Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God’? What response does the prophet give to people of His day and ours? The answer is given in the familiar words found in Isaiah 40:27-31. God is the restorer of my soul, my hope, my vision for the future, because of who He is, our great and awesome God.
This passage provides great encouragement for God’s people when discouraged because it reveals to us an amazing and wonderful God whom it is our privilege to serve. This is the God who has plans for our lives, individually and collectively, if we will put our hands in His and go forward in faith exercising the calling entrusted to us, for Jesus’ sake, Amen.
Our song before we come to communion is: One Day (Before we get to heaven)
The Lord’s Supper
Jesus invites all Christian who have committed their lives to follow Him to participate in this act of worship. The apostle Paul wrote these words of Scripture in I Corinthians 11:23-26 to guide our observance of Communion.
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: the Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ 25 In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.
Prayer: Choose your own words of prayer to give thanks for the bread and wine that represent the costly gift of His body and blood for us.
Take the bread: Jesus said: ‘This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.
Take the wine: Jesus said: This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’
Our closing song is a powerful song well—known to us: ‘By Faith’
Closing Prayer
Thank you Lord for the privilege of spending this time together in Your presence today. Go with us we pray into the new week that lies ahead of us as we will seek to honour You in the way that we live. We thank you we can enter it with confidence because You go with us each step of the way, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Benediction: The Grace
May the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God
and the Fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all evermore, Amen
Remember tonight the national online prayer service at 7pm.