20 April 2025
10:30 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
Acts 10:34-43
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
Peter began to speak to those assembled in the house of Cornelius:
‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality,
but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right
is acceptable to him.
You know the message he sent to the people of Israel,
preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all.
That message spread throughout Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and with power;
how he went about doing good
and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.
We are witnesses to all that he did
both in Judea and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree;
but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear,
not to all the people but to us
who were chosen by God as witnesses,
and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commanded us to preach to the people
and to testify that he is the one ordained by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
All the prophets testify about him
that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’
Isaiah 65:17-25
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
I am about to create new heavens and a new earth;
the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.
But be glad and rejoice for ever in what I am creating;
for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,
and its people as a delight.
I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people;
no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,
or the cry of distress.
No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days,
or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;
for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,
and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.
They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;
for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
They shall not labour in vain,
or bear children for calamity;
for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord—
and their descendants as well.
Before they call I will answer,
while they are yet speaking I will hear.
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
but the serpent—
its food shall be dust!
They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain,
says the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:19-26
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are of all people most to be pitied.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have died.
For since death came through a human being,
the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being;
for as all die in Adam,
so all will be made alive in Christ.
But each in his own order:
Christ the first fruits,
then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Then comes the end,
when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father,
after he has destroyed every ruler
and every authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Luke 24:1-12
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
On the first day of the week, at early dawn,
the women who had accompanied Jesus came to the tomb,
taking the spices that they had prepared.
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
but when they went in, they did not find the body.
While they were perplexed about this,
suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.
The women were terrified
and bowed their faces to the ground,
but the men said to them,
‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?
He is not here, but has risen.
Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,
that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners,
and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’
Then they remembered his words,
and returning from the tomb,
they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.
Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna,
Mary the mother of James,
and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.
But these words seemed to them an idle tale,
and they did not believe them.
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb;
stooping and looking in,
he saw the linen cloths by themselves;
then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
13 April 2025
Today the service started in the Church Hall for those who wished to process with their palms. We heard the gospel according to Luke both in the hall and in church, then the procession from the hall to church, everyone singing "All Glory Laud and Honour".
A big "THANK YOU" to the people who helped with the church spring clean yesterday. As Fr Chris commented, we were not distracted by the cobwebs during his sermon.
Don't forget the upcoming services this week, Stations of the Cross on Wednesday, Maundy Thursday both in the evening at 7pm and Good Friday at 2.30pm. The Easter Vigil will be in the cathedral, 7.30pm, not in St Mary's this year. Then the all age Eucharist on Sunday 10am as we celebrate Easter.
Luke 19:28-40 (10am only)
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany,
at the place called the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of the disciples, saying,
‘Go into the village ahead of you,
and as you enter it you will find tied there
a colt that has never been ridden.
Untie it and bring it here.
If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?”
just say this: “The Lord needs it.” ’
So those who were sent departed
and found it as he had told them.
As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them,
‘Why are you untying the colt?’
They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’
Then they brought it to Jesus;
and after throwing their cloaks on the colt,
they set Jesus on it.
As he rode along,
people kept spreading their cloaks on the road.
As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully
with a loud voice
for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,
‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!’
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him,
‘Teacher, order your disciples to stop.’
He answered, ‘I tell you,
if these were silent, the stones would shout out.’
Isaiah 50:4-9a
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
The servant of the Lord said:
The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens—
wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.
The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backwards.
I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.
The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
It is the Lord God who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
Philippians 2:5-11
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
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.
Luke 23:1-49
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate.
They began to accuse him, saying,
‘We found this man perverting our nation,
forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor,
and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.’
Then Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’
He answered, ‘You say so.’
Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds,
‘I find no basis for an accusation against this man.’
But they were insistent and said,
‘He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to this place.’
When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.
And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction,
he sent him off to Herod,
who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad,
for he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
because he had heard about him
and was hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at some length,
but Jesus gave him no answer.
The chief priests and the scribes stood by,
vehemently accusing him.
Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him;
then he put an elegant robe on him,
and sent him back to Pilate.
That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other;
before this they had been enemies.
Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people,
and said to them,
‘You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people;
and here I have examined him in your presence
and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him.
Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us.
Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death.
I will therefore have him flogged and release him.’
Now he was obliged to release someone for them at the festival.
Then they all shouted out together,
‘Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!’
(This was a man who had been put in prison
for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)
Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again;
but they kept shouting, ‘Crucify, crucify him!’
A third time he said to them, ‘Why, what evil has he done?
I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death;
I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.’
But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts
that he should be crucified;
and their voices prevailed.
So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted.
He released the man they asked for,
the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder,
and he handed Jesus over as they wished.
As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene,
who was coming from the country,
and they laid the cross on him,
and made him carry it behind Jesus.
A great number of the people followed him,
and among them were women
who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.
But Jesus turned to them and said,
‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me,
but weep for yourselves and for your children.
For the days are surely coming when they will say,
“Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore,
and the breasts that never nursed.”
Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us”;
and to the hills, “Cover us.”
For if they do this when the wood is green,
what will happen when it is dry?’
Two others also, who were criminals,
were led away to be put to death with him.
When they came to the place that is called The Skull,
they crucified Jesus there with the criminals,
one on his right and one on his left.
Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them;
they do not know what they are doing.’
And they cast lots to divide his clothing.
And the people stood by, watching;
but the leaders scoffed at him, saying,
‘He saved others;
let him save himself
if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’
The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine,
and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’
There was also an inscription over him,
‘This is the King of the Jews.’
One of the criminals who were hanged there
kept deriding him and saying,
‘Are you not the Messiah?
Save yourself and us!’
But the other rebuked him, saying,
‘Do you not fear God,
since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed have been condemned justly,
for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds,
but this man has done nothing wrong.’
Then he said,
‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’
Jesus replied,
‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’
It was now about noon,
and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,
while the sun’s light failed;
and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said,
‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’
Having said this, he breathed his last.
When the centurion saw what had taken place,
he praised God and said, ‘Certainly this man was innocent.’
And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle
saw what had taken place,
they returned home, beating their breasts.
But all his acquaintances,
including the women who had followed him from Galilee,
stood at a distance, watching these things.
A beautiful day. Although we are not allowed flowers in church because it is Lent, the church yard is full of the glory of our Lord, with a lot of help from the church yard working group who were hard at it yesterday.
Fr Chris preached around the gospel speaking of the many ways in which we can pray. There is no fixed way to do it. Be happy with God and speak to him however feels best to you.
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Thus says the Lord,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honour me,
the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.
Philippians 3:4b-14
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians.
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more:
circumcised on the eighth day,
a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,
a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
as to zeal, a persecutor of the church;
as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
Yet whatever gains I had,
these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ.
More than that,
I regard everything as loss
because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things,
and I regard them as rubbish,
in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him,
not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law,
but one that comes through faith in Christ,
the righteousness from God based on faith.
I want to know Christ
and the power of his resurrection
and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death,
if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already obtained this
or have already reached the goal;
but I press on to make it my own,
because Christ Jesus has made me his own.
Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own;
but this one thing I do:
forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
I press on towards the goal
for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
John 12:1-8
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
the home of Lazarus,
whom he had raised from the dead.
There they gave a dinner for him.
Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.
Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard,
anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.
The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples
(the one who was about to betray him), said,
‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii
and the money given to the poor?’
(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief;
he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)
Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone.
She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you,
but you do not always have me.’
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