Lectionary resources Epiphany 4 (Ordinary 4) Year A

Lectionary -- Epiphany 4 (Ordinary 4) Year A

Micah 6:1-8 act justly, love tenderly, walk humbly with God
Psalm 15 O Lord who may abide in your tent?
1 Cor. 1:18-31 the foolishness of the message: Christ crucified
Matt. 5:1-12 Blessed are poor in spirit

Suggested Hymns (From Denis Towner. TIS = Together in Song; AHB = Australian Hymn Book; SA = Sing Alleluia)

lesson	Hymns for Epiphany +4, Yr.A	TIS	AHB	SA
	All hail the power of Jesus' name	224	159
E	All my hope on God is founded	560	465
Ps	All the sleepy should have a place to sleep	697
O/G	All who love and serve your city	634	562
E	Be thou my vision	547	455
G	Blessed are the poor in spirit			11
O	Blessed Jesus at your word	437	352
G	Blest are the pure in heart	448	376
G	By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered	617		15
season	Christ is our cornerstone	433	344
	Come my way, my truth, my life	552	457
E	Disposer supreme and judge of the earth		355
O	Father all-loving and ruling in majesty	160	104
E	Firmly I believe and truly	140	78
O/E/G	Give thanks with a grateful heart	717
E	Glorious things of you are spoken	446	374
	Go now in peace	782
E	God of grace and God of glory	611	543
G	God as with silent hearts we bring to mind	680
season	Hail to the Lord's anointed	275	203
G	Help us, O Lord, to learn	428	340
	I danced in the morning	242	183
G	I sing a song of the saints of God		551
E	I sing the almighty power of God	119	40
E	If we will trust in God to guide us	554	469
	I'm not ashamed to own my Lord	562	470
Ps	Immortal, invisible, God only wise	143	80
G	In praise of God meet duty and delight	471		50
E	In the cross of Christ I glory	349	265
	Just as I am without one plea	584	497
hc	Let us break bread together	511	433
E	Lift high the cross	351	271
E	Lord Christ we praise your sacrifice	251		60
G	Lord Jesus if the same you are	566	472
	Lord Jesus joy of loving hearts	499	[420]
O	Lord we are blind, the world of sight	633	563
G	Make me a channel of your peace	607		66
E	Nature with open volume stands	343	259
G	Now thank we all our God	106	14
G	O for a heart to praise my God	568	476
	O Lord Jesus, Marrkapmirr	253		70
O	O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder	155
O	O Master let me walk with thee	601	522
Ps	Our God our help in ages past	47	46
	Praise and thanksgiving, Father, we offer	627	569
	Praise God from whom all blessings flow	768	573	92
G	Rejoice in God's saints	470		73
G	Seek ye first the kingdom of God	745		75
G	Sing of the Lord's goodness	183
E/G	Son of God, eternal Saviour	606	529
G	Teach me to dance
Ps	The law of Christ alone can make us free	630	554
	The Lord Jehovah reigns		37
Ps	The Lord's my shepherd, I'll not want	10	16
season	The people that in darkness walked	274	202
E	There's a wideness in God's mercy	136	[72]
E	Thou art the Way, by thee alone	226	161
E	We sing the praise of him who died	347	262
O	What does the Lord require for praise	618	568
O	What does the Lord require of you	751
O	What shall we offer our good Lord	439	362
E	When I survey the wondrous cross	342	258
Ps	Where cross the crowded ways of life	608	532
	Where there is charity and love	434	C591
E	Who would true valour see	561	467
O	Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness	454	382
E	Yours be the glory, risen conquering Son	380	[303]

Other Possible Hymns

(Numbers refer to The Australian Hymn Book and Sing Alleluia. TIS = Together in Song)
472 (TIS 566) Jesus, if still the same thou art [.. v.2 .. the mourners blest ..]

Sermon summary

God's foolishness

It is only human, is it not, to wish to be strong and successful, and to be wise. We admire success. The poor, the ugly, and the defeated are less appealing. Much of the time it seems the meek are simply trodden upon and need to be helped to overcome their handicaps. How could Jesus have said Blessed are the meek?

Sermon on the Mount [The beatitudes: Matthew 5:1-12, compare Luke 6:20-23]
The poor who are gentle in spirit, are those who will be blessed. They were those who cried out for deliverance and were romised blessings [cf. Psalm 37]. Jesus chose to read a passage from Isaiah 61:1-3 [Luke 4:18] he has sent me to announce good news to the poor... [See also Luke 7:22 = Matt. 11:5]. He encouraged people to value the poor [Luke 14:12-14; and see James 2:5]. Poverty goes hand in hand with the `spiritual childhood' required to enter the kingdom of God [Isaiah 66:2 as with 61:1-3; and "the little child" Matt. 18:1 ff]

The stigma of a criminal's death
There is in normal human thinking no greater defeat than death, and scarcely anything more shameful than the death of a criminal who suffered the death penalty. To the Jews of the time of Jesus also it was a shameful thing. [Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13]. The cross was a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles [1 Corinthians 1:18,22-23]. Yet it was the power and the wisdom of God, in spite of popular teaching about wisdom [Colossians 2:4,8] so Paul recalled the ancient wisdom that God's ways are not our ways [Isaiah 29:14].

The great reversal:
It was a reversal of the same kind as was promised by the prophet Jeremiah. [Jer. 9:23-24 quoted by Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:17]. The foolishness of God in so blessing the meek through the death of their saviour has always been despised even mocked by the worldly wise. [eg "Alexander worships his god" with an ass's head.] The cross is stronger than men and women and what they count as power. He who accepted the suffering was raised up by God to a new life, the first born of a new creation. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. [1 Cor. 1:18]

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Order of Service - Epiphany 4 (Ordinary 4) Year A

The Gathering of the People of God

CALL TO WORSHIP
Open our lips, O Lord:
And we shall declare your praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, made haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Let us praise the Lord.
The Lord's name be praised.

HYMN What shall we offer our good Lord TIS 439 AHB 362

PRAYER OF ADORATION

CONFESSION
Merciful God, our Maker and our Judge,
We have sinned against you in thought, word and deed:
We have not loved you with our whole heart,
We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves;
We repent, and are sorry for all our sins.
Father, forgive us.
Strengthen us to love and obey you in newness of life;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
The good news is that all who trust in Christ will have their sins forgiven and receive eternal life. As you hold this faith, I declare that you are set free from all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory for ever and ever.
Thanks be to God.

WELCOME AND GREETING EACH OTHER

Service of the Word

INTRODUCTION OF THEME:
A word to the children.

OLD TESTAMENT Micah 6:1-8 act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God
PSALM O Lord who may abide in your tent?
EPISTLE 1 Cor. 1:18-31 the foolishness of the message: Christ crucified
GOSPEL Matt. 5:1-12 Blessed are poor in spirit

HYMN Blessed are the poor in spirit SA 11

SERMON

HYMN In the cross of Christ I glory TIS 349 AHB 265

OFFERING AND DEDICATION

SHARING TIME [Notices, celebrations, requests for intercessions]

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
In peace, we pray to you, Lord God.
For all people in their daily life and work;
for our families, friends and neighbours, and for those who are alone.
For this community, our country, and the world;
for all who work for justice, freedom and peace.
For the just and proper use of your creation;
for the victims of hunger, fear, injustice and oppression.
For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble;
for those who minister to the sick, the friendless and the needy.
For the peace and unity of the Church of God;
for all who proclaim the gospel, and for all seek the truth.

For the Uniting Church in Australia,
for James, President of the Assembly,
for ... our moderator and for .... our chairperson of presbytery, and for .... our Presbytery Minister,
for elders and members of the local church council,
and for all who hold office in this congregation;
for all who serve God in the church.

for our own needs, and for others for whom you have called us to pray.
[Silence
The people may offer their own petition, either silently or aloud.]

Hear us, Lord
for your mercy is great.

We thank you, Lord, for all the blessings of life.
[Silence
The people may offer their own thanksgivings, either silently or aloud.]

We exalt you, O God our king;
and praise your name for ever and ever.

We give thanks for all those who have died in the peace of Christ, and for the promise of your eternal kingdom.
[Silence]
In Christ you have called us to eternal glory;
to you be praise for ever and ever. Amen.

COLLECT FOR THE DAY

THE LORD'S PRAYER [Front of the Hymn Book]

The Sending Forth of the People of God

HYMN All hail the power of Jesus name TIS 224 AHB 159
WORD OF MISSION
BLESSING
DISMISSAL Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:
In the name of Christ. Amen.

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