Sunday service for 26 February 2023, first Sunday in Lent

Sunday 26 February 2023, NL1-31, 1st Sunday in Lent
Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland
Service prepared by Rev. Teri Peterson
Manse: 632143 
Email: tpeterson (at) churchofscotland.org.uk

Prelude Music

Welcome and Announcements

Call to Worship
One: God’s grace is beyond our capacity
All: and so we come to give thanks for forgiveness we can never earn.
One: God’s grace demands our response
All: and so we come to learn the ways of faithful living.
One: God’s grace is meant to be shared
All: and so we come to encounter love and be equipped for loving.

Sanctuary Hymn 484; Great God, Your Love Has Called Us Here

Prayer
Alasdair MacIntyre once wrote “I cannot answer the question “What ought I to do?” unless I first answer the question “Of which story am I a part?”” During the season of Lent we are invited to pay more attention to what story we are living and telling with our lives, and to be intentional about being part of God’s story. To observe a holy Lent means to spend more time reading God’s word, praying and listening for what God has to say to us today, letting go of things that are diverting our attention from God’s path and practicing things that help us be more faithful. As we enter this holy Lent, may we let go of all that separates us from God, and take up opportunities to grow closer to him. Let us pray.
Sometimes, Lord, we see ourselves in your story so easily.
We recognise the questions and the confusion,
the desire to get it right and the hope that we misheard.
And sometimes, Lord, we do not want to see ourselves in your story.
We listen with disbelief and wonder what it has to do with us,
certain we would never be like that.
Tell us your story again today,
and make it our story.
Show us how we fit in and what we ought to do
to live now in your kingdom.
God of endless love, you call us to love as you do.
We confess that we do not.
You call us to community made in your image, honest and vulnerable and real,
speaking up when we witness hurt and choosing the way of accountability and reconciliation.
We confess that we do not.
We admit that we avoid,
we talk about rather than to people,
and we sweep things under the rug rather than deal with upsetting situations.
You promise that the forgiveness we experience is the forgiveness we offer,
that the peace we want can only be found when we practice.
We confess that we want forgiveness for ourselves and punishment for others.
Have patience with us, O God,
for we are a work in progress.
And when we falter,
when we ask for things from you that we are unwilling to grant to our neighbour,
nudge us again by your Spirit,
give us ears to hear the witnesses you send,
and help us grow into the people you intend:
forgiven, loved, and free to forgive and love.
We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Online Hymn 187: There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy

Sanctuary Special Music: Choir singing “In Praise of God” by Beethoven

Sanctuary Children’s Time

Reading: Matthew Matthew 18:15-35 (New Revised Standard Version)
‘If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.’

Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
‘For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, “Pay what you owe.” Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’

For the word of God in scripture,
for the word of God among us,
for the word of God within us,
thanks be to God.

Sermon: as many times as it takes
If a picture is worth a thousand words, sometimes I think a story is worth a thousand facts. It’s one thing to know the ten commandments, or for Jesus to teach what we are supposed to do, and another thing to hear a story. Parables are a particular kind of story. They aren’t a simple allegory where one character or element is code for something else, though we often like to read them that way because it turns the parable into something easy to understand, like a fable with an easy moral at the end — slow and steady wins the race. Instead a parable is more like a prism. There’s a whole field of meaning and when we turn it this way and that, we see new colours and patterns emerging. It never quite gets to one single point like a fable, but rather revolves around the point showing us something different each time.

This story today, though, is a hard one. It certainly illustrates that teaching about seeing the speck in a neighbour’s eye while having a log in our own, doesn’t it! The first slave brought before the master owes an astronomical debt — it’s equal to 60 million days of the usual daily wage — about 175,000 years of work. Today it would probably be about 7 billion pounds. How did he even accumulate that much debt? We know how easy it can be to get into debt that quickly spirals, whether through addiction or through predatory lending and outrageous compounding interest, or trying to fix one situation by getting into a worse one when asking for help would have been better! But even so…that debt will be literally and physically impossible to pay back. It would be impossible for most people to get into in the first place, which I think is the point — it’s so huge, so overwhelming, and so impossible that when we hear the story we’re meant to be astounded.

The master knew he was never going to get that paid back. We should probably ask some questions about how he had that much money to begin with, and why a man with that much capital on the line in various ways needed enslaved labour. But however it came about, he heard the plea for more time and realised no amount of time, whether the slave was free to work or in the debtor’s prison, would end up with him recovering his money. So he simply tore up the bill and wrote it off.

The slave who left that office must have felt relief like none other, a freedom from the sleepless nights and weight of the burden he had been carrying. Debt is stressful and it causes both physical and mental health effects that we sometimes don’t even recognise until they’re lifted…but they also can persist even after we’re free. So when the man then encountered a fellow slave, a colleague, who owed him 100 days wages, a mere speck in comparison to the log from his own life, he was still stuck in his old way of thinking. He’s free, but his story isn’t yet one of freedom. Instead, he demanded that money — which is a lot of money, to be sure, but nowhere near the amount of money he had just been forgiven! But he couldn’t yet see how the master’s forgiveness had changed his life, he was still living the old life, the old story, where every penny has to be squeezed from every source. Forgiveness happened but hasn’t taken root, hasn’t transformed him into a new way of being, hasn’t begun to bear fruit. He was perfectly willing to ask for something for himself that he was absolutely unwilling to offer to anyone else.

Remember one of Jesus’ most well-known teachings: treat others the way you want to be treated. The Golden Rule can be found in most of the world’s religions in one form or another, and famously one of the rabbis who lived around the time of Jesus said this is the essence of the law and prophets, everything else is commentary — and it will take a lifetime of study and practice to live it out. This story shows us what happens when we receive the treatment we want, but we withhold that same treatment from others. The man received grace, but did not give grace.

And then something fascinating happens in the story. The people who saw the situation unfold were appalled, and they proceeded to skip right over the teaching Jesus had literally just given about what to do when someone in the community does something wrong — teaching you would expect to be illustrated by the parable! Just moments before, Jesus said that if someone in the community sins, you should go and tell them directly. No gossip, no talking behind their back, no “can you believe he did that?” but a direct conversation in which you say to the other person “that thing you did was hurtful.” And if that direct conversation doesn’t help, then you’re supposed to bring one or two others into the conversation so they can help. And then you’re meant to bring in the wider community, and only then, if it’s determined that the person has indeed caused harm and that they are not going to change their behaviour, do you “treat them as a gentile and tax collector” — remembering that Jesus is always out eating meals with those people, talking to them about God’s love and grace, and inviting them to new life within a community. We are, after all, reading the gospel named for a disciple who was a tax collector! So this isn’t about cutting people off, but rather about changing the way we relate: from assuming we have shared values and are living the same story, to assuming we are living different stories with different values but we want to encourage them to experience the transformation of God’s love for themselves and to be able to join in Jesus’ story with us.

Anyway, what happens in the parable is exactly not that! Instead the people who witness the hurtful behaviour skip over talking to the man directly, which should have been the first step, and they go straight to telling someone in authority.

Can we imagine for a moment what might have happened if this story unfolded according to the teaching that comes just before? What if the witnesses had gone to the first slave and said “we see what happened here, and how you received an incredible gift of forgiveness and grace and freedom, and how you then refused to give even a little bit of that to someone else.” What if they had asked him if that was really how he wanted to keep living, now that he’d received that gift? What if they had invited him to look in the mirror and see the truth about himself and the harm he was doing by continuing to live in the old ways when he’d been given new life?

Perhaps speaking to him directly could have changed what happened next. Perhaps they could have regained him as a part of the community, as Jesus teaches. Or perhaps he would have persisted in his hurtful ways and they would have ended up in the master’s office anyway, and he would have ended up in the prison anyway, being treated the way he treated others. But the thing is that if we skip the step where we speak directly to each other, and go straight on to talking about each other, we can guarantee the outcome will be painful. Whereas if we start with direct communication, there’s at least the chance for change and restoration instead.

And how many chances? Peter was desperate to know if he should offer that chance as many as seven times, which seems like a lot…and Jesus says it’s way more than that. Whether the translation is 77 or 70×7, the point is that seven is this perfect number, and he’s magnified it until it’s the most complete, most perfect…which requires so many times we lose count. As many times as it takes, basically, until God’s vision for community is perfect and complete. Whether that’s as many times as it takes until the other person is transformed by receiving so much grace that they can’t help but let it overflow in their own lives, or as many times as it takes until we are transformed by giving so much grace. As many times as it takes until we aren’t keeping a tally. As many times as it takes until it’s our way of life, our habit, to be gracious, because we’ve practiced so much now it’s just who we are. As many times as it takes until we finally let go of the old story — a story of tit-for-tat, of hurt people who hurt people, of “I paid my dues now you must too,” of holding grudges, of looking back and wishing things were different. When we are set free from that old story, we’ll be able to live the new story Jesus has given us: a story of love, for God and ourselves and our neighbour and even our enemy; a story of new life that isn’t just for us but overflows into every interaction with others; a story of grace that doesn’t keep count.

How many times? As many times as it takes until we reflect the image of our gracious and forgiving God who is Love.

May it be so. Amen.

Online Hymn:

Sanctuary Hymn 486: Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive (tune: Amazing Grace)

Tell me a story about forgiveness: Alan Aitken (video)

Offering (Sanctuary only)
The ministry we currently do here at St John’s costs over £10,000 per month, and while that sounds like a lot, the reality is that our ability to continue to join in God’s mission here in this place is because of your gifts, however small or large they may be. We trust that God will use our offerings to reveal and grow the kingdom of heaven here and now. Thank you for your generosity which helps God’s kingdom grow and flourish in this place. Your morning offering will now be received.

Sanctuary Offering Response 680 v. 4 (tune: Picardy)
May the One whose love is broader
than the measure of all space
give us words to sing the story,
move among us in this place.
Christ be known in all our living,
filling all with gifts of love.

Prayer and Lord’s Prayer (Today’s Lord’s Prayer video is in both English and Ukrainian)
Gracious God, your love is the foundation of all life,
and we give you thanks for pouring your self out for us
and for creating us in your image, that we too may love extravagantly.
We call to mind those whose lives reflect little love,
and we pray they may experience more grace so they have more to share.
We lift up those who have not allowed themselves to be transformed by love,
who receive but can’t be touched by it,
whose skins have had to thicken to get by,
whose hearts have been hardened by the world,
who don’t realise the walls they’ve built to protect themselves from pain also shield them from joy.
May the tiniest of cracks be enough to let light in.
We call to mind those who are crushed under the weight of debt,
and we pray they may experience freedom.
We lift up those who have been exploited by payday loan sharks,
and those for whom education is only available at great cost,
and those nations where colonial debt still cripples.
May the abundance of the earth be shared by all.
We call to mind those communities who struggle to practice what you preach,
and we pray they may have courage to try.
We lift up those whose boundaries have been violated,
especially those who fear the consequences of speaking up,
and those who have witnessed hurtful behaviour and stood by silently,
and also those who find accountability uncomfortable.
May they act on the knowledge that truth-telling is essential for the health of your Body.
We call to mind those who grieve this day,
especially our neighbours affected by the tragedy on the Clyde this week,
and by the tragedies on our roads the past few days,
and those marking a full year of war in Ukraine.
We lift up all who are suffering in body, mind, or spirit,
those who have lost loved ones,
those who have witnessed horrors, unable to do anything to stop it,
those whose lives are forever changed by circumstances beyond their control.
May they be surrounded and filled by your peace and your comfort,
and by the compassion and love of the community around them.
You are Love, O God,
and in your story, all are beloved.
May we all have the grace to act on the love we have received,
and so to play our part in creating your kingdom of heaven come on earth.
We ask these and all things, trusting the power of your Holy Spirit,
in the name of Jesus the Christ, who taught us to pray together:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

Sanctuary Hymn 528: Make Me A Channel of Your Peace

Benediction
You have received God’s unimaginable, outrageous, incredible, endless love. Now go to share it, to practice being gracious and forgiving, as many times as it takes until the kingdom of heaven is visible on earth and there is no other story to live but Christ’s.
And as you go, may the Spirit of God go above you to watch over you. May the Spirit of God go beside you to be your companion. May the Spirit of God go before you to show you the way, and behind you to push you into places you might not go alone. And may the Spirit of God go within you, to remind you that you are loved more deeply than you can possibly imagine. May the fire of God’s love burn brightly in you, and through you into the world. Go in peace. Amen.

Sung Benediction Response (John L Bell, tune Gourock St John’s)
Now may the Lord of all be blessed,
Now may Christ’s gospel be confessed,
Now may the Spirit when we meet
Bless sanctuary and street.

Postlude Music

Announcements

* We worship in the sanctuary on Sundays at 11am, and all Sunday worship is also online (or on the phone at 01475 270037, or in print). If you are able, please enter by the front door in Bath street, and only those who need step-free access should use the back door. If you feel unwell, please worship online, to protect both yourself and others in our community.

* The choir rehearses in the sanctuary immediately after the service, and finishes before 1pm. All who enjoy singing are welcome!

* Did you know that it costs us about £10,500 per month to do the ministry we currently do at St. John’s? That includes heating and lighting the building and keeping it in good repair for church and community groups, programming and pastoral care for people of all ages, our contribution to minister’s stipends, and other ministry costs. The Kirk now has online giving! If you have not already set up a standing order in order to facilitate your spiritual discipline of giving, or if you would like to make an extra gift to support the ministry St. John’s does in our parish, you can give online by clicking here. If you would like to set up a standing order, please contact Peter Bennett, our treasurer, or Teri and she can give you his details. You can also send your envelopes to the church or the manse by post and we will ensure they are received. 

* Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Youtube, and to sign up for our email devotions! Midweek you can watch Wine and the Word on Youtube, pray with video devotions on Facebook, and consider a new angle on something with a devotional email. Feel free to share with your friends, too!

* Wednesday Evening Bible Study meets in the manse at 7:30pm. All are welcome as we continue reading through the Bible in somewhat more than a year!

* Young Adult Bible Study meets in the manse on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 7pm for a meal and discussion of the gospel according to John. Everyone in their 20s is welcome!

* The Kirk Session will meet on Thursday, 2nd March, at 7.30pm.

* The Contact Group meet on Tuesday, the 7th of March at 2pm, with guest speaker Isabel Lind’s topic being ‘My Holiday in Thailand’. The Group would like to thank the congregation for the excellent response to their Smalls For All appeal.

* Our Lent study this year is with all of Connect, meeting in the Lyle Kirk on Thursday evenings. We gather at 7pm for tea and coffee and then start at 7:30pm. We are studying “Another Story Must Begin” based on the musical Les Miserables. All are welcome, no experience necessary.

* The next Bowl & Blether is next Monday, 6 March. The doors open at 11:30 and soup & toasties are served from noon. We also have board games, tea and coffee, and friendly chat! Why not invite a neighbour or friend? The next Bowl & Blether in St Margaret’s is on Saturday 11 March, also from 11:30.

* The Stated Annual Meeting of the congregation will be held immediately after morning worship on Sunday, 19th March. The minute of last year’s meeting will be available next Sunday. If you would like a copy of the Annual Report please let Cameron know whether you would prefer it via email or in print.

* This month, on 23 February, we celebrated our Guide company’s 100th anniversary. Congratulations, 4th Gourock Guides! Watch for more information about celebration activities over the coming year.

* 2023 marks the 125th anniversary of the 2nd Gourock Boys’ Brigade. Tickets are available now for two anniversary events: the Reunion Dinner Saturday 18th March 6.30 for 7pm in Masonic Hall John Street — this is now sold out but there is a waiting list so please contact Alan for more information. Our anniversary Grand Charity Ball will be Saturday 9th September 6.00 for 6.30pm in Greenock Town Hall. Tickets priced £50 or £500 for a table of 10 will be available soon. The benefitting Charities have been selected and will be announced shortly. We are delighted to announce that every penny raised from ticket sales and our charity auction on the evening will go directly to our chosen charities. This event is open to all so please spread the word, book your table, put the date in your diary and look forward to what we are sure will be a Second To None evening of enjoyment and celebration.

* Free period products are available in the church toilets for anyone who might need them, thanks to Hey Girls and Inverclyde Council.

* The Stedfast Silver Band is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and is keen to contact as many former members as possible. To launch a year of festivities the Band is hosting a Birthday party at 2pm on Sunday the 12th of March in Westburn Parish Church hall for all members past and present and would like as many people as possible to attend. There will be displays, photos, music and birthday cake and a chance to reminisce and catch up. If you are, or you know, any former members of the band, please let them know. For more information or to RSVP, please contact stedfastbandsecretary@outlook.com or find them on Facebook: Stedfast Silver Band: Greenock.