Torrisholme Methodist Church- we hope you find something here for you.

SUNDAY SERVICES AT 10:30 AM

Please refer to the HOME page of the website for details of forthcoming live services at Torrisholme. Places are limited due to ongoing Covid-19 regulations so you must book your reservation.

Susan Wilson kindly organised a "rota" of preachers for online Sunday Worship and we hope to keep thse going, even when live services are available. Each week designated preachers will provide materials for us to use at home. I hope, if we are able to use these at the same time that we will feel that we have worshiped together, we will sense fellowship and a shared experience. These will be published on both Wesley's & Torrisholme's websites to which the there are links from the Circuit website.

We are not always able to print the hymns in full, you might like to "google" them and listen to the music on YouTube, alternatively you might find them in a book that you have, or read the text on line. This is a developing project, it won't be perfect, but please let me have feedback; we'll work on it together!

Please remember that there would customarily have been a collection at a point in the service. Please set aside your offering as part of your worship, to be brought to Church when we re-open. It might even give us a sense of continuity.

Perhaps you have a candle, or flowers which will help you worship and, of course, a comfortable chair

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11th April Sister Vivien
18th April Rev Andrew Champley
25th April Rev Roy Burley.

SUNDAY MORNING - April 11th 2021

Sister Vivien Ward

Call to Worship:

Come. let us worship Him, endlessly singing,

‘Christ is alive and death loses its sting.

Sins are forgiven Alleluia

Jesus is risen Alleluia’

***

Hymn 314 Singing the Faith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P80d9g1uQcQ

This joyful Eastertide,

what need is there for grieving?

Cast all your cares aside

and be not unbelieving:

Come, share our Easter joy that death could not imprison

nor any power destroy our Christ, who is arisen!

No work for him is vain,

no faith in him mistaken,

For Easter makes it plain

His Kingdom is not shaken:

Come, share our Easter joy that death could not imprison

nor any power destroy our Christ, who is arisen!

Then put your trust in Christ,

in waking and in sleeping,

His grace on earth sufficed;

He'll never quit his keeping:

Come, share our Easter joy that death could not imprison

nor any power destroy our Christ, who is arisen!

Fred Pratt Green (1903 – 2000)

Sermon

There they were together in the upper room with the doors locked and bolted because they were absolutely terrified.

Their leader had been arrested, tried and executed – what next ?

The second in command ? - His followers ?. Who knows?

They didn’t - and so they were terrified as to what would happen next they fearful of hearing footsteps on the stairs

and the knock on the door.

Well ! They weren’t prepared for what happened next because Jesus stood there in the room with them. Doors locked. Yes. Doors bolted. Yes. But there He was; “Peace be with you” He said.

This a blessing of His peace and perhaps it was to calm their fear and the shock of the moment

He showed them the marks of crucifixion and ‘Yes’ there was no denying, that is was Jesus and they were overjoyed that He was with them.And again He said, “Peace be with you", then He said, “As the Father has sent Me I also send you.”

What does that mean?

It means as God sent Jesus into the world on a mission, to bring a proper understanding of God to the people. That has now become their mission and not just for the then disciples; but for all disciples ever since and now and not only disciples but the church too. So that means that Jesus is dependent on His church.
It also means that the church needs Jesus. Without Jesus the church has no message. No power, no one to strengthen her, no one to turn to.
It means too, that as Jesus was sent by God - the sending by Jesus of His disciples is the same. And Jesus was totally committed to God and totally dependent upon God

Jesus and God were continually dependent on Jesus’ perfect obedience and perfect love

That means ... We, as individuals and as the church, are to be the same.

Then Jesus breathed on them

Now the Greek word that is used (so I am informed) is the same used in Genesis 2:7

“The Lord God formed man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being.” So the breath of Christ brings new life. The same word is used in the prophecy of Ezekiel 37:9

This chapter 37 is the story of the valley of dry bones. “The hand of the Lord was upon me and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley and it was full of bones ...... and they were very dry. And He said to me “Son of man can these bones live?” “O Lord only You know” and He said prophesy over these bones and said to them “O dry bones hear the word of the Lord. The Lord says “Behold I will cause breath to enter that you may come to life”

So I prophesied as I had been commanded and as I did, there was a noise and a rattling and the bones came together,

bone to its bone. But there was no breath in them. Then He said to me ‘Prophesy to the breath and say “thus says the Lord God ‘Come from the four winds O breath and breathe on these slain that they come to life” So I prophesied as God had commanded me and the breath came into them and they came to life and stood on their feet.”

and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood up on their feet.’”

So the coming of the Holy Spirit is like the wakening of life from the dead.

John, in the 7th chapter of his gospel has this ... “the Spirit was not yet present because Jesus had not yet been glorified” BUT here, in the room with His disciple, He had been glorified, so now was the time for imparting the Spirit and they received the same Holy Spirit that was in Jesus. The same Spirit that empowered and enabled all His words and works. This breathing upon them was meant to convey the impression that His very own Spirit was imparted to them. wowee!!!! Indeed!

And what of us?

There are times when we are afraid, we’ve said that something or done that something of which we are ashamed,

or we have that decision to make, not only about ourselves, but will involve others

so we batten down the hatches and try to keep the world and Jesus at arm’s length.

But. you know, no matter how hard we try to keep Jesus out He has the amazing ability to show up when we least expect it and we have to face, whatever it is, not on our own, but with Him. And that makes such a difference.

He says to us, as He said to those disciples in the upper room, ‘As the Father sent me so I am sending you.’ You know that can’t be true because you have denied Him, turned away from Him and let Him down AGAIN.

So what is so different between you and those first disciples ?

They were not shining examples of Jesus' supporters, now were they?

He said to them and He says to you and me just the same, no matter what you may think of yourself.

He is sending you as He was sent.

Jesus loved His Father so much that He obeyed Him, not every time without question.

He knew that is would cost Him His life but He knew that that was what His Father asked of Him and He obeyed.

That is what He is asking of you and me, individually but also as the church in this post Covid-19 time.

To love Him and obey Him.

Just what is Christ asking of you and of His church for tomorrow?

Jesus breathed on the disciples and gave them His Spirit. They became re-created - they became new men.

In this post Easter period we are reminded again how the early church rose up and, against severe persecution, proclaimed the Christ. We learn of some of the cost and how the church not only survived but spread throughout the known world.

In this post Covid time we need the power of Jesus in each one of us and in the church; we need to be re-created, new women and men. There are decisions to be made. There is work to be done.

We have to put cost aside, we have to put aside ‘what was’ and turn it into ‘what shall be’

because Christ needs people who are filled with His Spirit, who obey.

Yes, there may very well be a question or two, but when assured of Christ’s will in their lives they will obey Him.

We need to talk to the Father.

We need to listen to the Father.

These could be exciting times: discovering the will of the Father for you and me and for His Church

and we need to grab it with enthusiasm, eagerness and with a passion not unlike that of our Saviour.

6th Sunday in Lent- PALM SUNDAY- 21st March 2021

Rev Roy Burley

THE PREPARATION

The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.

Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you.
The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us.

With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures for ever.

(Psalm 118:24-29)

*** *** ***

Hymn 262 Singing the Faith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHN8UAk6Yow

1. All glory, laud, and honour, To thee, Redeemer, King
To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring

Thou art the King of Israel Thou David's royal Son
Who in the Lord's name comest The King and Blessed One

2. The company of angels Are praising Thee on high
And mortal men and all things Created make reply

The people of the Hebrews With palms before Thee went
Our praise and love and anthems Before Thee we present

3. To Thee, before Thy passion They sang their hymns of praise
To Thee, now high exalted Our melody we raise

Thou didst accept their praises Accept the prayers we bring
Who in all good delightest Thou good and gracious King

4. All glory, laud, and honour To thee, Redeemer, King
To whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring

St Theodulph of Orleans (d 821)

Translated by John Mason Neale (1811-1866)

*** *** ***

Prayer of approach, adoration, confession and declaration of forgiveness

As we come before you on this Palm Sunday, we praise you, heavenly Father;

for all that our Saviour did and said during the last days of His earthly life.

We give You thanks for His humility that made His kingship an instrument of service;

for His brave defiance of His enemies;

for His tears of sorrow and love, as He looked up at Jerusalem;

and for love’s agony in Gethsemane and on Calvary.

We acknowledge:

that we have shown often the promise of leaves,

but we have failed to produce any fruit, which can be seen as a sign of our repentance.

that we have often shouted Hosanna with the crowd, but we have not always lifted a voice against those who cry Crucify Him;

that we have left His table and, going out into the night, we have betrayed Him in word, thought or deed.

It is easy for us to worship with our lips and still refuse to surrender our wills.

Lord Jesus Christ, reach out to your Church and world, despite the weakness of our faith, and rejection of so many.

May Your will be done on earth even as it is in heaven.

Come again now and establish Your kingdom, for Your name we pray.

*** *** ***

Collect for Palm Sunday

Eternal God, in your tender love towards the human race you sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take our flesh

and to suffer death upon a cross. Grant that we may follow the example of his great humility,

and share in the glory of his resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Sermon

We are moving, with the disciples, to the conclusion of the earthly ministry of Jesus, we are going to Jerusalem where, according to William Barclay, was a city which would have been teeming with people, as many as 2½ million might have been in, or on their way into the city at that time. We are at the beginning of what we call Holy Week, but for the people of Jesus’ day, they were on their way to celebrate Passover, one of three festivals when you made the greatest effort to go to Jerusalem. Passover, as you will be aware, commemorated an event, which had taken place some 1,500 years earlier, when God delivered His people from the land of bondage in Egypt, in order to lead them into the Promised Land, the land flowing with milk and honey. A good way to understand this chapter is that this is the beginning of the end, because it begins the last week of Jesus’ life on earth, and for Matthew, he takes eight chapters to describe the events of those eight days.

I The Preparation (1-3)

Matthew simply begins, “As they approached Jerusalem…” but from where? To answer that question, we need to glance back to the previous chapter, and in verse 29 we read, “As Jesus and His disciples were leaving Jericho…” Jesus’ eyes were fixed onto Jerusalem, because He knew that was where He needed to go. There is an interesting note in the previous chapter, here Jesus restores the sight of two men but, unlike previously, Jesus does not tell them to keep quiet about it, after all, soon everyone will know.Therefore, Jesus begins His 19 mile upward journey from Jericho to Jerusalem, and having driven down it in a bus, I don’t envy those who had to trudge up to it. John 12 informs us that Jesus arrived at Bethany six days before the Passover feast, where Jesus and His disciples, attended a dinner given by Mary and Martha. It was at this point that Mary, “took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair.”

The next day, Jesus and the disciples are on their way into Jerusalem. On the way to Jerusalem, they come near to, but don’t enter Bethphage, but Jesus sends two of His disciples to do something for Him. He tells them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.” You could ask why Jesus didn’t just go into Bethphage Himself, after all, it was on the way, and Jesus and the other disciples would have to wait until the two disciples, who are assumed to be Peter and John, return. Just like the raising of Lazarus, Jesus expects people to do what they are able to do, and He will do the rest. Now, if you were to look at the same story in the other gospels, you would find that Mark and Luke just say, “You will find a colt,” whilst John doesn’t mention any animals at all at this point. Surely, some will declare, there has to be a discrepancy? But no, Mark and Luke were just interested in the animal that Jesus would be riding to enter into Jerusalem, and for John, he just wants to get on with the meat of the story. You could ask the question, why didn’t Jesus ride a horse, surely that’s a more appropriate animal for a King? And the answer would be “Yes,” but for the fact that there were few horses in that area at the time, and those that were around, were used more for war purposes, whereas, the donkey was an emblem of peace.

We need also to realise that Jesus wasn’t the only King to ride on a donkey, in 1 Kings 1:33, David instructs Nathan the prophet, to take Solomon and put him, “on my own mule and take him to Gihon.” What a contrast we see in verse 2 to 1 Samuel 6, here Jesus instructs the disciples to “bring them”, the donkey and the colt or foal, whereas in Samuel, the Philistines take two cows who have calved, and put the calves in a pen, however, God still has His way in both instances. Jesus seems to anticipate a question in verse 3, because He says to the two disciples, “If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” nThere is some speculation as to who this person is, some have suggested that this man is a secret disciple of Jesus, but the Psalmist reminds us that, “Every animal of the forest is mine.” bIn other words, any animal anywhere belongs to Me.

II The Prophecy (4-5) The whole of this incident just begs the question, “Why would this happen in the first place?” And Matthew alone answers that question, remember that his gospel is written primarily to a Jewish audience; therefore, Matthew connects what is happening here, to the Old Testament. Matthew quotes from Zechariah 9:9, “Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” If you were to turn to that quotation, you will see that the prophet also includes these words, “righteous and having salvation,” and that is why Jesus came, but for the people of the day, they would reject that salvation offer, as do many today. Notice if you will, that the prophet records, “See, your king,” this was not to be some stranger coming into their midst, this was not the coming of a foreign ruler, but someone they would have seen around, this was a king, who had been predestined to come, if only the religious leaders had been more aware of what was going on.I wonder what the Roman soldiers would have been thinking, as they saw this great prophet Jesus coming into Jerusalem, riding on a young donkey? They would have thought that when their kings come riding into a city, they wouldn’t ride on donkeys, they would be riding black stallions, followed by chariots, and thousands of soldiers marching in step, with their shields and armour gleaming in the sunshine. However, this is in great contrast to what will happen in the future when, according to Revelation 19 we read of, “A white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True.” When Jesus comes in the future, it will not be as the suffering servant, but as the conquering King!

III The Parade (6-11) We now come to the final phase of this day’s activities, Jesus enters Jerusalem itself, the colt and its mother were brought to Jesus, they placed their cloaks on the animals, notice Matthew says that they, “placed their cloaks on them,” perhaps they didn’t really know which animal Jesus would be riding. However, this young colt would have been easier to ride with his mother going along with him. We can imagine that the disciples put their cloaks on the animals as a token of respect for Jesus.As Jesus goes along riding on the colt, “A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road,” now this was not the first time that this had been done, if we were to turn back to 2 Kings 9, we would see the story of Jehu being anointed King of Israel by Elisha. In verse 13 we read, “They hurried and took their cloaks and spread them under him on the bare steps,” before declaring, “Jehu is king!” There are apparently, instances of similar acts of respect being shown to rabbis by their disciples, but not recorded for us in Scripture. Others we read, “Cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.”We continue on the road up to Jerusalem with the crowd, whereupon the crowd shouts out, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

On the way up to Jerusalem, the pilgrims would have been reciting from the Psalms of Ascent from Psalm 120 to 134, however, the piece that they are reciting here comes from an earlier Psalm, Psalm 118 from verse 26. It is a Psalm of triumph over their enemies, perhaps they were thinking that this is what this new Jewish King was about to do? However, we know that their praise was superficial, they just didn’t understand the nature of the kingdom that Jesus was bringing about, they didn’t understand that Jesus came to die. Yet, the majesty of the occasion was overwhelming, most of the Pharisees, and possibly many others, didn’t join in these shouts of praise, we know from Luke’s gospel that, “Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” To which Jesus responded, “I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out!” The crowds couldn’t and wouldn’t be stopped, even if the Pharisees wanted them to.In verse 10 we read, “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred,” that word “stirred” is a Greek word from which we get our English word “seismic”, it brings with it the picture of an earthquake. You could say that the whole of Jerusalem was quaking, not physically, as you would expect from an earthquake, but certainly mentally and emotionally. Now, remember Jesus has entered Jerusalem to great acclaim, but yet in verse 10 we read, “Who is this?” This is an important question; it is a question that brings us back to Matthew 16, when Jesus asks the disciples an important question, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” He is given, as you will be aware, many and varied answers, but then He asks an even more important question, “Who do you say I am?” And we remember Peter’s great confession of faith, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” To which he receives a Paul Hollywood handshake, at that time, the disciples are told to keep quiet about this great revelation.

Remember, the teachers of the law condemn Jesus in Mark 2 by declaring, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” In Luke 23 Pilate asks Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” This question that has been asked ever since the ministry of Christ on earth, “Who is this?” It is a question that every person needs to be able to answer for themselves, and that answer is an important one. The best answer that the crowds could come up with was, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” Yet the centurion in Matthew 27 would declare, “Surely He was the Son of God.”

Sadly, the excitement of the crowd, was not matched at the end of the day, by a faithful commitment to Christ in their hearts, they may have spoken some wonderful words, but they had no impact on their hearts. These people had failed to realise that Jesus didn’t come to serve them, but to save them from their sins, and bring them into a right relationship with the God of their fathers. Jesus didn’t come to tell these people what nice people they were, but to call them to repentance. These people were aware of the kind of Messiah that they were expecting, but the one who showed up on that first Palm Sunday, was not the one that they were expecting, after all, He was riding a donkey and not a horse, what kind of a show of strength is that? However, Jesus knew all about this, He knew that the cheers that He heard that Sunday, would be turned into jeers on Friday. He knew that those who had turned up to His coronation on that day, would be those who would be calling for His crucifixion, only a few days later. He knew that the acceptance by the crowd just then, would turn into rejection in just a few days.

Conclusion: Jesus will weep for Jerusalem, because they had failed to see what had just taken place, He wept because He knew what was in their hearts, He knew that their devotion to Him was paper thin, it wouldn’t last. When Jesus looks at us, He can see what is in our hearts and minds; He can see what motivates us, and what we truly think of Him. Some of those who were standing there on that first Palm Sunday, must have been disappointed or perhaps even resentful, that Christ didn’t come to overthrow the Romans, and set up an earthly kingdom there and then, but that was not why He had come that time. We too, along with the rest of this world, needs to answer the question that we finished with, “Who is this?”

It is a question that needs an individual response, no-one can make it for you, you have to either accept Him into your life and start over again, or reject Him as just a prophet, a great teacher maybe, but nothing more. Who is Christ to you?

*** *** ***

Hymn 265 Singing the Faith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAh1lzSQ3P4

1. Ride on, ride on in majesty;
hark, all the tribes Hosanna cry.
your humble beast pursues its road
with palms and scattered garments strewed.

2. Ride on, ride on in majesty;
in lowly pomp ride on to die.
O Christ, your triumphs now begin
o'er captive death and conquered sin.

3. Ride on, ride on in majesty;
the winged squadrons of the sky
look down with sad and wondering eyes
to see the approaching sacrifice.

4. Ride on, ride on in majesty;
Your last and fiercest strife is nigh.
Thy Father, on His sapphire throne
expects His own anointed Son.

5. Ride on, ride on in majesty;
in lowly pomp ride on to die.
Bow Your meek head to mortal pain;
then take, O God, Your power and reign.

Henry Hart Milman (1791-1868)

THE RESPONSE

.. Prayers of intercession

We pray to you, Lord of palm-branches and the cross, for you understand us and in love you have promised not to push away any who come to you.

So we pray for people who feel pushed away:

pushed away from a living faith in Jesus by pressure from friends and family; those who feel pushed away by other people in churches if they do not share the same kinds of ideas, or ways, or clothes; for people who are pushed out by those who want power, whose main love to be noticed, to have control.

We pray for your church that all those who trust in Jesus will be made able by your Spirit to follow his humility,

to see and imitate his servant life, to welcome and not to condemn. Help your church to be like Jesus. We pray to you, Lord of palm-branches and the cross, for you know the warm glow of being praised and the loneliness of being hated.

We pray for world leaders, especially those who are quick to stand in the limelight taking decisions which affect everyone in the world but slow at times to do the steady, less glamorous work to which they are called.

We pray for world leaders to understand their role to serve the peoples of the world, that posturing will be replaced by practical action to make a difference, and jockeying for position be replaced by genuine efforts to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and care for those people who are weak.

In days when food banks are required in our land to feed families who struggle to provide the basics for life, we ask that you will re-arrange our priorities and help us to live more like Jesus.We pray to you, Lord of palm-branches and the cross, because you know how quickly life changes to death.We pray for those who have recently lost those whom they have loved. In the shock, confusion, pain and sorrow especially of unexpected loss, we pray for hearts to be open to the comfort of your Spirit, shown through friendship and community and as deep calls to deep. We remember those we know who mourn in these days, who need to be sure of that you invite those in sorrow to turn to you; and we name them before you now...

We ask, God of grace, that you make us more like some of the crowd: that we will follow Jesus and give him our praise in the way we live; that we will turn away from wrong and evil and stand on the Master’s side, that we will be faithful in worshipping the one who has come in the Lord's name through our singing, our worship, our prayers, our attention, in giving our skills, time and means through the days of our lives; and in the offering which we make now.

Bless, we pray, all that is given to your glory and the good of many. Through Jesus who is the Saviour of all. Amen

***

The Lord’s Prayer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vg2AsS4CErM

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

THE DISMISSAL