Elmwood United
Reformed Church
Sunday 25th October 2020
Worthy
Call to worship: Psalm 133 -Claude
Song-Majesty
Opening prayer – Jenny
Lord's Prayer – Jenny
Song-We really want to thank you Lord
Good News
Bible Reading John 15:9 – 16:4 Angela
Song: Who is there like you
2nd Bible Reading - 1 Corinthians 3:23 – 4:5 Basha
Song: I will sing the wondrous story
Message: Being worthy – Mr Nigel Malka
Jesus taught God loves us and we need to return his love and show it to the world
As God love us, we must be lovable, we have been given abilities and a purpose,
We’re taught to live by God’s ways, to love God, ourselves and one another
We are judged; God expectations is to reward us not to punished us
Jesus told us to witness his life and his teachings
So also in his eyes we are capable and so worthy to do what he asks of us
The consequence of this, is to show God we are worthy
To do what is right and not be stopped by convention or man made rules.
If God’s Spirit is leading us then let us be lead, let’s do right by God.
God is our final judge, it’s not our friends, nor our peers, or our church,
We will be judged on our faith in Jesus and how we have put that faith into action
Thing will not be easy for us, else how can we show we have been faithful.
Consider what lies behind God loving us – first we must be worth loving
We’re told to keep his commands – therefore we must be capable of keeping them
We are Jesus’ friends – therefore we have something in us that Jesus likes
Jesus taught us – therefore we must be capable of doing what we learn
We have been chosen – therefore we must have potential to do what God wants of us
We are told we are like him – therefore we are able to be like him
We are expected not to sin – therefore we shouldn’t sin
We are sent the Councillor who is truth - therefore we can know what is right
The Holy Spirit guides & encourages– therefore we’re capable to witness God’s Ways
Jesus taught us to Love God, love one another and witness Jesus to others.
We’ve been taught so we don’t go astray and warned that people will hate us
We been given jobs to do and the skills and ability to do them
We are told to witness Jesus, given gifts of forgiveness, faith and the Holy Spirit
Therefore we should have both the duty and the desire to live as one of his followers
Worthy, is having merit, being of value, admirable, commendable and praiseworthy,
Yet worthy doesn’t mean being prefect
Think of footballer, say a goalkeeper, his job is to stop the ball going into the net
Yet he fails, but in trying to do his best he is worthy of his place in the team.
God has chosen us, therefore he thinks we are worthy to be in his team
We know we’re not perfect, we fail God’s standards, we need Jesus’ forgiveness
Yet by this very act of forgiveness by the Son of God, we know that we are loved
Jesus’ expects us to follow God’s ways, and gave us God’s own Spirit to help us
This shows God loves us, wants a relationship with us, thinks we are worthy.
So who has been worthy in the eyes of God and given jobs to do.
Prophets like Jeremiah & Ezekiel facing real opposition in preaching God’s word
Daniel, faced exile, jealousy, persecution and the lions
Paul was often rejected by fellow Jews, beaten, left for dead, sent to prison,
Those following God’s ways do face hardships and testing
Jesus asked not to be tested, yet like him we will be tested to prove we are worthy.
In Deut (14:2) we read:- You are a people holy to the lord your God.
Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth
The Lord has chosen you to be his treasured possession.
We are chosen, treasured, expected to demonstrate our love toward God
Which doesn’t mean we’ll have a easy life, rather a challenging one
Jesus tells us we are chosen, we read it earlier in John (15:16)
You did not choose me, but I chose you
And appointed you to go and bear fruit. Fruit that will last
Therefore we must be capable of doing those things God has chosen us to do.
We must go and bear fruit, then God will grant our requests
Jesus was unconventional in an insular society, he chose people for their faith
Not based on; background, education, power, riches, gender, type of work
Or where people came from; he dealt with whoever was prepared to listen,
Bringing to them the chance of a relationship with God
Jesus looks not just at what we do, but the reason behind why we do things
The important thing is, will it be said of us, ‘good and trusted followers’
The world may think people are ‘unworthy’ but it is what God thinks that’s important
Jesus taught both men and women and when you teach someone
Then the expectation is that they use the knowledge given to pass on to others
He trained his disciples to witness his life, God’s Love and his ways
Both men and the women he met were changed, fishermen, tax collectors,
Mary, rejected her expected role when her sister Martha wanted her help,
Instead she sat with the men to learn the teaching that Jesus gave
‘Mary has chosen what is better, and will not be taken away from it’.
A clear instruction that everyone has the right to choose what is right for them
To seek God’s ways and not blindly accept the role that others place upon them.
When later Mary does the unconventional by pouring pure nard over Jesus’ feet.
Jesus taught that what was done was less important than why it was done
After his death when Mary Magdalene was weeping in the garden
He gave her comfort and at the same time gave her a job to do. (John 23:50-end)
To tell the disciples he had risen and was returning to his Father,
And when Mary came to tell the men, they would not believe her.
What is it that stops us being worthy or stops us being chosen?
It’s when we turn our backs on God, doing those things that pleases us and not him
We may not succeed in the world eyes, but by making Jesus Lord of our lives
Acknowledging our love our Heavenly Father and doing the things that please him
Then we will know we are worthy of forgiveness and his love.
Over the last 4,000 years we know of many have who have witness for God
Putting his teachings before their own safety.
We are here knowing of the offer Jesus gave us because we have been chosen
We are God’s treasured possession to be used for his glory, given tasks to do,
We need to live to God’s way, so witnessing the love and life of Jesus
What should be important to us is what Jesus thinks of what we do,
As God has chosen us, he believes we are worthy so we must be worthy
The consequence of being worthy is, that the gifts given to us by God
Are to be used for the glory of God’s Kingdom, witnessing Jesus’ love for all
We should not hide our talents but use them
And encourage others to use and keep using their talents witnessing God’s ways
We are worthy to say to anyone, God lives, he loves, his ways are the right ways
Follow him to find the real joy of our existence it’s what we’ve been chosen to do
And each one of us is worthy to live and witness that Jesus is The Son of God!
Go witness for Jesus, love God and each other, for we are worthy in God’s eyes
Song:The King of Love
Prayers of healing/intercession –Claude
Song:All I once held dear
16.05. Blessing - Claude