Exodus 3:1-15 Say I AM has sent you
Psalm 105:1-6,23-26,45c the Lord made his people very fruitful
Or Ps 103:1-13 Bless the Lord, O my soul, ... bless his holy name
Romans 12:9-21 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty
Matthew 16:21-28 "Satan! ... You are setting you mind on human things"

Suggested Hymns
Lesson, Hymns for Sunday 22, Yr.A from TIS (Together in song) or second or if noted AHB (Australian Hymn  Book) or SA (Sing Allelia)
G Brother, sister, let me serve you 650  SA14
G Christ is made the sure foundation 432 343
O Come to be our hope, Lord Jesus 688
E Father of peace, and God of love 482 407
E Forgive our sins, as we forgive 635 564
G Glory be to Jesus 344 263
O God gives us a future 687
O God of freedom, God of justice 657  SA42
G I set the Lord before my eyes 673  SA48
O Jesus, name above all names
E Jesus, united by thy grace  AHB365
O Jesus, where'er your people meet 445 372
E Kneels at the feet of his friends 640 561
E Let there be peace on earth
G Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim 351 271
E Love is his word, love is his way 534 C601
E Make me a channel of your peace 607  SA66
G More love to thee, O Christ
Ps O give thanks to God 66
 O Jesus, I have promised 595 514
G O worship the King, all-glorious above 133 67
O Praise to the living God 102 7
Ps Sing praise to God who reigns above 110 27
G Take my life, and let it be 599 520
G Take up your cross, the Saviour said 583 496
O Take, take off your shoes 651
G The church's one foundation 457 385
O The God of Abraham praise 125 53
G The head that once was crowned with thorns 378 301
Ps The Lord Jehovah reigns 117 37
E This is a day of new beginnings 653
E To Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love   SA88
G When I survey the wondrous cross 342 258
E Where there is charity and love 434 AHBC591

Other Possible Hymns
(Numbers refer to The Australian Hymn Book and Sing Alleluia.)
SA 10 At the first coming of the Lord
91 Morning has broken
115 Let us sing to the God of salvation
146 Let him to whom we now belong
252 Alone you went forth O Lord
295 Hail, thou once despised Jesus
339 Thanks to God whose Word was spoken
456 God be in my head
490 Come let us to the Lord our God
537 May the mind of Christ my Saviour
540 Father eternal, ruler of creation

Sermon summary (Click here for complete sermon)

... he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." Matt 16:23

Peter had presumed to rebuke Jesus for speaking of his death when Peter had just declared him to be the Messiah [Matthew 16:22]. It was natural enough that Peter should think it entirely wrong that the great leader and liberator should die at the hands of his own people. [Matthew 16:21].

They struggled with what they expected of a great leader
Had they not been waiting a long time for him to appear? How could their hopes be so quickly disappointed? Peter's limited vision might be understandable, it was natural and probably no worse than ours, but it was a serious matter. His natural tendency to see things in human terms made him a adversary of Jesus. "Adversary" is what "Satan" means. Get behind me, Satan! The disciples must have struggled with the idea of his death as Jesus himself did [John 11:16; Matthew 26:35-39].

The serving and suffering nature of his divinity
So he went, not lightly or with superior detachment but humanly, in struggle and despair to drink to its bitter dregs the cup that was his to drink. That is what it meant to be fully human and divine. What they did not understand about the greatness of God was that he was prepared in Jesus to be humbled. [Matthew 16:24-25. ... let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.] Compare the ancient Christian hymn confessing the faith in Philippians 2:5-11.

What does it mean for us?
Looking up and seeing things divine yet human in Jesus Christ we are called to follow the humble servant leader, leaving ourselves behind. To lose oneself is directly opposed to popular teaching today. Have you noticed the cynicism of political commentators lately. If you are able to forget yourself and follow the servant leader, you will see those forces of evil overcome [see Hymn 136], and in the end you will share in the rewards. [Matthew 16:27.]

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Order of service - Ordinary 22 (Pentecost 15) Year A

CALL TO WORSHIP
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits
-- Psalms 103:1-2

HYMN 91 Morning has broken

GREETING The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.
And also with you.
-- 2 Corinthians 13:13

PRAYER OF ADORATION

CONFESSION [In three parts, concluding ...] Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.
Christ have mercy. Christ have mercy.
Lord have mercy. Lord have mercy.

DECLARATION OF FORGIVENESS
The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. -- 1 Timothy 1:15
Hear then Christ's word of grace to us: Your sins are forgiven.
Thanks be to God.

DOXOLOGY: Gloria in Excelsis [Sing Alleluia 100b]

INTRODUCTION OF THEME: Seeing things God's way rather than ours
FIRST READING Exodus 3:1-15 Say I AM has sent you
PSALM 103:1-13 Bless the Lord, O my soul, ... bless his holy name
EPISTLE Romans 12:9-21 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty
GOSPEL Matthew 16:21-28 "Satan! ... You are setting you mind on human things"

This is the gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

HYMN 295 Hail, thou once despised Jesus

SERMON Setting your mind on divine things, rather than human things

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.
We believe in Jesus Christ who,
though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death-- even death on a cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
-- Philippians 2:5-11

OFFERING
SHARING TIME [Notices, Celebrations and requests for intercessions]
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE COLLECT FOR THE DAY

GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Thanks and praise ..... in the eternal hymn: [SA 100c and 100d]
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
We thank you ....
[The great prayer of thanksgiving continues, recalling God's goodness in caring for his people, the life and saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ, how he commanded his disciples to remember him with the bread and the wine, and we pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit on us and what we do.]

THE LORD'S PRAYER [Front of hymn book]
BREAKING THE BREAD
THE LAMB OF GOD [Sing Alleluia 100e]
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us. Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
have mercy on us. Have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world,
grant us peace. Grant us peace.

COMMUNION
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

HYMN 146 Let him to whom we now belong
WORD OF MISSION
BLESSING
DISMISSAL Go in peace to love and serve the Lord:
In the name of Christ. Amen.

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