Today's Service: 11 April
Leader: Maranny Jones
This is best viewed in Landscape orientation
You will appreciate the sound better if you use earphones or an external loudspeaker, whatever type of device you view on.
Good Morning friends.
We have left Easter Day behind and now we are walking towards Pentecost. Today we join the disciples in a house where they are locked in, fearful of the future. We are with them and share their joy as Jesus appears and we stand with Thomas a week later as Jesus gives him and us what we need to strengthen our belief in Jesus.
God, whose light shines in the darkness,
shine on us today.
God, made known to those who met Jesus,
touch us through the experiences of our lives.
God, who gave Thomas what he asked,
give us what we need - that we too may come to believe.
Amen.
Hymn 388: Jesus stand among us in your risen power
tune: Parkside, with full verse intro.
1. Jesus stand among us
In your risen power;
Let this time of worship
Be a hallowed hour.
2. Breathe the Holy Spirit
Into every heart;
Bid the fears and sorrows
From each soul depart.
3. Thus with quickened footsteps
We pursue our way,
Watching for the dawning
Of eternal day.
William Pennefather (1816 - 73)
Prayer
Empowering God, we praise you for Thomas, who was honest enough to voice his doubts.
We praise you for Peter, who was courageous enough to obey you
and proclaim the gospel.
We praise you for the Holy Spirit, which is your gift to your people.
We praise you for one another as we walk together the way of resurrection,
Decisive and compassionate God,
when, like Thomas, we are reluctant
to believe in the power of your Son's resurrection,
let us hear in our hearts your words of encouragement,
that we may grow in confidence like Peter
and be willing to give an account of our faith
to all who would challenge, and all who would enquire.
Forgive us, gracious God,
when we are so full of our own concerns and our own endeavours
that we can find no time and no energy for you or for those around us.
Open our eyes to the closed doors of our streets and the dark corners of our cities, and our ears to the calls of the distressed and to the silence of the broken.
We ask this in the name of your risen Son Jesus Christ,
who is our Lord and our God. as we say together the prayer Jesus taught us to say:
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in Heaven.
Hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come, your will be done
In earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever
Amen
Reading John 20: 19-31 (The Message)
To Believe
19-20
Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." Then he showed them his hands and side.
20-21 The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were awestruck. Jesus repeated his greeting: "Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you."
22-23 Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said. "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?"
24-25 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, "We saw the Master."
But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it."
26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you."
27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe."
28 Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"
29 Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."
30-31 Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.
This is such a familiar passage, that I have used the translation in "The Message", so that we might think again about Thomas and us, as we read it, in what are less familiar words.
Hymn 217: When I survey the wondrous cross
tune: Rockingham, without Intro.
1. When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.
3. See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
4. His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o'er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.
5. Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Isaac Watts (1674 - 1748)
Sermon: Acts of the Risen Christ
When we gather together each week, be it in a Church building, reading the service at home or watching it on YouTube, it is an act of faith; just turning up is an act of faith, worshipping separately yet together is an immense act of faith, yet we know it is happening week by week. Our faith gives us a sense of belonging to a large community. When we believe, we belong. We believe together.
As Christians the mainstay of our faith is Jesus the Lord, and though we may be many in number, we share our belief and trust in him. But the community of faith can never be a substitute for individual faith.
As W.H.Auden remarked, "The relation of faith between subject and object is unique in every case. Hundreds may believe, but each has to believe by himself". I don't believe because my Mum believed, but I do believe, because her faith led me to believing myself.
I am so pleased that we have people like Peter, Nicodemus, and Zacchaeus in our Scriptures, they all tell me that there is hope for me, as one of Jesus disciples now.
Think about the disciples in that upper room, they were community but on that dark day they were a community bound together by fear and uncertainty.
Our reading today is about truth and doubt and we know, who is at the centre of it, Thomas but before we come to him, let us take a moment to look at the others gathered in that room behind locked doors.
The room they were in was like a tomb; they were sealed in and afraid to venture out. They had lost their leader and felt powerless. How often do we feel like this, locked in and unable to do what we ought to do? I don't need to go far back in my memory to remember feeling like that.
The disciples were feeling raw pain but then Jesus came - suddenly there he was, alive and well. His opening words are particularly poignant, we might well imagine that the first words of one who has suffered a violent death and who has come back to life, might have been a word of reproach to the disciples, who didn't believe and who had abandoned him. The disciples had been terrified but Jesus greeted them as normal, Shalom Peace be with you. The disciples must have known there was no reproach there, as they didn't rush to justify their actions. Jesus was there and he brought peace, but this was a new peace, this was the peace of the risen Lord being offered to them.
Jesus offered peace and the disciples responded with joy, but one is missing-Thomas. When he arrives to hear the story, he refuses to believe what he hears.
In the Gospel today we are shown God's enormous gentleness with humanity through Jesus. God is not interested in guilt but in a trustfulness that will build a believing and vital fellowship, even Thomas, the doubter who speaks for so many of us, is not greeted with any kind of impatience by Jesus, there may have been a teasing tone in Jesus' voice as he speaks to Thomas, he knows what is needed to convince him and he is happy to provide it. I have always felt rather sorry for Thomas, why was it poor Thomas who lent his name to doubters? What does he do that is any more sceptical or incredulous that the other disciples. He only doubts for longer because he happened to be absent when Jesus appeared on the day of resurrection. He was a week behind the other disciples.
Thomas is part of the apostolic group but he is also a very distinct independent self. He cannot be loyal to the group on hearsay that would be being disloyal to himself. For Thomas honesty is worth more than loyalty. He wants to accept, he really wants to accept as true, what the others say, but his wish cannot struggle into faith.
Doubt cannot be transformed into faith by willing it. The other disciples only come to believe in the risen Jesus when they see him; it seems unreasonable to criticise the absent Thomas for being afflicted in the same way
John's Gospel tells us that Thomas does come to believe in the risen Jesus in the same way as the other disciples-when he sees the risen Lord for himself
Thomas stands for all of us who have come after those days, he stands for generations of people who have not seen the risen Lord John 21 v 29 says 'Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe'.
The task that Jesus gives his disciples is an awesome one. He sends them out to build a fellowship that is strong through its truthfulness. The task may be awesome, but it is accepted readily
People come to faith today not by being convinced by long arguments, They come to faith by seeing people, who are Christ like, in their attitudes, in their openness, in their generosity of spirit, their lack of prejudice in their sensitive understanding of other people's views and experience. Testifying to the risen Lord is not about words it is about actions. It is easy to say, the words without prejudice, sensitive understanding of other people's views etc., but believe me it is much more difficult to do. Make me more like Jesus---takes a lifetime of examining ourselves, see where we fall short and trying to do better next time.
Jesus needs disciples to continue his work. He will work in them and through them but he needs disciples. Think of these words concerning the risen Lord by St Teresa of Avila. You have probably heard me quote them before but they bear repeating:
Christ has no hand but your hands
to do his work today
Christ has no feet but your feet
to speed men on his way
Christ has no lips but your lips
to tell men why he died
Christ has no love but your love
to win men to his side.
We are a community bound by a common faith, we may be at different stages on the journey of faith, but that is what binds us together.
We are called to be Christ to others and to see Christ in others. If faith is one of the principal gifts of the Spirit, it is also a form of life that has to be nurtured, helped to grow, and loved into maturity. It is not a precious stone that has to be locked in a vault
Faith is a life and like any life it can, wither if forgotten or overlooked. We need to pray about our faith think about our faith, live the life of our faith.
That does not mean that we will never have our doubts but if we listen again to the words of Jesus in the upper room and hear him say 'Peace be with you' we will be able to overcome those doubt and press ahead with a life of faith.
Prayers for the Church and world
I came to write an intercessory prayer this morning. but on reading the prayer circulated by Northern Synod, I decided I could do no better than echo its words.
Prince Philip would be surprised at the outpouring of grief there has been throughout the world at his death. As we pray for our Queen in the loss of her beloved husband, as we feel real sadness ourselves at Prince Philip's death, I am sure I echo the sentiments of many, throughout our country and our world, when I say simply, I shall miss him.
Let us pray
O God, our rock and our redeemer,
we come to worship you
and to give thanks for your servant Philip.
We thank you for his long life,
for his dedicated support of his wife in her vocation as Queen,
and for his service to commonwealth and nation.
We thank you for the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme,
for the work of the World Wide Fund for Nature
and for so many causes he inspired and supported.
We thank you for what he has meant
to each one of us...
We treasure memories
of meeting him ....
We rejoice that he lived and shared
the faith we hold,
and that, by your grace,
he survived danger and threat.
We pray for those who will miss him most deeply,
that they may find comfort and hope.
We celebrate and affirm our faith
that death is defeated,
that new life awaits your children,
and that creation is renewed in Christ.
And, in this day and time, we pray,
as we are always glad to pray,
may your Kingdom come. Amen.
Blessed are you, Lord God our Father,
By whose power our Lord Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
We rejoice and celebrate that he who was dead is alive
Lord make us aware of the risen Christ in our lives
Let the church proclaim the good news' He is risen!'
In the power of the risen Lord, let us lead people out of darkness into light.
Lord Jesus as we rejoice this day
We remember your words to the disciples
'Peace be unto you',
We pray for our country as we begin to come out of Lockdown As we remember those who have been bereaved this last year, we also pray for the families who have not seen each other physically through that year. We think of new babies born, milestones reached, all without the comfort of sharing that joy with close family.
Risen Lord, as you appeared to Mary in the garden,
to the disciples in an upper room
Christ be in our homes, in our work and in our journeying.
Risen Lord, let us walk in your presence and peace.
We remember before you all who walk in darkness and fear.
all who are weighed down, all who are heavily laden
We pray for those who have lost hope
for all approaching death
for those caring for the terminally ill
for those in a hospice
Risen Lord In a few moments of silence we bring our own particular concerns to you.
We rejoice in the glory of our Risen Lord
and for all the saints who have shared your triumph over the grave and death
We pray today for our loved ones who have now gone to be with you
may they rejoice in the glory of your presence
Christ Jesus risen in glory
Scatter the darkness from our hearts and from your world.
We ask that you will accept these prayers and all the unsaid prayers of our hearts in the name of your son, our risen Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ
Amen
Hymn 558: Will you come and follow me?
tune: Kelvingrove, with Intro.
1. Will you come and follow me
if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know
and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown,
will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown,
in you and you in me?
2. Will you leave yourself behind
if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer
in you and you in me?
3. Will you love the 'you' you hide
if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside
and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found
to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch
and sound in you and you in me?
4. Lord, your summons echoes true
when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you
and never be the same.
In your company I'll go
where your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow
in you and you in me.
John Bell (1949-) & Graham Maule (1958-3020)
Dismissal and Blessing
As witnesses we tell your story,
as witnesses, we sing your song.
As witnesses you give us courage,
as witnesses you make us strong.
So now we've come together,
to hear your saving word.
Fill us with your Spirit,
we'll go and fill your world.
May the Blessing Of God, Father, son and Holy Spirit be with you and all those to whom you are a blessing, today and always.
Amen.
Next week, the service will be led by Harry Bunting
Don't forget the live streamed hymns on Sundays at 10:45 a.m. from Zöe (via the 'Northgate URC Darlington' Facebook page)
These are available to view later as well. (via YouTube, for those without Facebook, and also Facebook)
The streamings are a great success - well done, Zöe!
The recorded streamings are now, thanks to Harry Marshall, available to all on YouTube - search for 'Northgate URC Darlington'.
Ask Harry to invite you to the Northgate Facebook Group 
and you will get a notification of the live stream.
- Or you can just search for 'Northgate URC Darlington' in Facebook.
The URC denominational church audio Services (podcasts) at https://devotions.urc.org.uk/ are excellent, with well-delivered prayers and readings using a selection of voices and well-presented hymns.
Do give these a try - they are excellent.
(Just start the sound playing and scroll down to the written words)
Why not put the time aside for Zoe at 10:45, our preacher's service after that and follow up with the podcast - you will feel as if you had been IN church, as well as WITH church.