Today is the first day of our #LiveLent booklet ‘God’s Story – Our Story’ The booklet may not be the best way for you to access the daily message. You may prefer an email, or an app on your phone, or phoning to hear a message:
# If you search ‘LiveLent 2021’ it will take you to the ChurchofEngland website, resources page where you can sign up for daily emails.
# From GooglePlay or Apple store you can download the #LiveLent app which will also give you the daily devotional on your phone.
# There is also the opportunity to hear a 3-minute devotional message each day by using this free-phone number: 0800 804 8044
Today’s opening message is about receiving good news, and how happy we are to see a person who is bringing us good news. Read: Isaiah 52: 7-10
The Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) of this bible passage starts by telling us: How wonderful it is to see someone coming over the hills to tell good news. How wonderful to hear him announce,
“There is peace! We have been saved! Your God is the king!”
If you have been attending church for many decades, you may remember a hymn based on this bible passage, which summaries the good news brought by the messenger with the phrase: “our God reigns.”
When was the last time you paused and considered how wonderful this good news is? Let me point you to our Covenant verses (Daniel 6: 26-27) and suggest you spend a few moments recognising what astonishingly good news it is that ‘there is a Living God who endures forever;’
When Paul quotes Isaiah, he would know the 500 year old story about the messenger who left the battle on the plains of Marathon and ran the 26 miles to Athens to bring the good news of a great victory the Greeks had won over the Persian king Darius. Paul would also regularly see messengers carrying news from Rome all around the Roman empire.
Not all news is of the same importance, but even not-so important news can still be good news, making our lives a little bit happier. Have you recently had a conversation where someone has told you where you can ‘find a bargain’ or have they told you of a product that really does clean as well as the adverts says it does, or like in Anthony’s ‘Guest writer’ message a few weeks ago, has someone recommended a TV programme for you to watch? Sometimes good news is simply passing on what we have discovered to be helpful in our lives. It can be delightful good news to hear someone share a bible verse which has helped them, and they feel it may encourage you. In the next couple of days can you share some good news with someone?
In ‘The Message’ paraphrase of our bible reading it uses the phrase (v.10) ‘God has rolled up his sleeves.’ A phrase which reminded me that for us to receive this extraordinarily good news, first required God to take action and do for us, what we cannot do for ourselves. It involves God ‘rolling his sleeves up’ or ‘laying bare his holy arm’ and putting into action our means of Salvation. Seeing part of himself, his Son, coming to earth and be cruelly crucified so the we might be rescued and saved from our sin.
And then the phrase ‘God has rolled up his sleeves’ also reminded me that God is never just an on-looker, but involves himself in all that is happening in our lives. God isn’t socially-distanced from us, but if we have declared Jesus to be our Lord and Saviour, then part of himself, his Holy Spirit is in our lives and nothing can separate us from his presence. Or as Paul phrased it in our Sunday bible reading, ‘God’s Word in near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart’ (Romans 10: 8) Isn’t that terrific good news?
Use the lyrics of this hymn to lead you in thanking God for the Lord Jesus
Jesus, name above all names, beautiful Saviour, glorious Lord;
Emmanuel, God is with us, blessed Redeemer, living Word.
(Naida Hearn © 1974, 1979 Thankyou Music)
Sunday – new option – listening to the service using your landline phone.
Dial any of the phone numbers listed below. The system will answer and ask you to enter the 11digit meeting ID, followed by the # key.
The system may also ask for a participant ID which you don’t need to use.
You should then be able to both hear and talk to everyone who has joined our zoom event. You can connect any time from 10:15am. Please check what call-charges you may incur through being on the phone for 50 mins.
0131 460 1196 0203 051 2874 0203 481 5237
0203 481 5240 0203 901 7895
Meeting ID: 864 4427 6040 Passcode: 43460249
To join Sunday’s meeting using the internet on your phone, ipad or computer:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86444276040?pwd=WFpoTVMxWXVkWlowYkRtM0NQNHZhUT09