Christ is risen.   
He is risen indeed.  Alleluia!

A prayer of confession 

Almighty God, we have failed in so many ways:
We have not rejoiced in your plan for our lives; 
We have not been holy in our thoughts, words or deeds,
We have not listened to your word as we should,
We have not wanted to hear of our neighbours' needs.
Don't let us fail now to seek your mercy, love and grace;
And by your Spirit give us strength to step forward with confident faith,
Trusting not in ourselves but in you.Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
May the God of love and power 
Forgive us and free us from our sins,
Heal and strengthen us by his Spirit,
And raise us to new life in Christ our Lord.
Amen

Reading:  Colossians 1: 9-14                      

Welcome to the second of our new series in the book of Colossians.  Reading a written bible message, as you are now doing, is very different from hearing it preached.  Today I’m suggesting that you do something with it as well as just read it.

Our bible passage is Colossians 1 verses 9 -14, Paul’s prayer for the Colossians.  In this ‘lock down’ period it seems such a long time since we met together face-to-face.  But one thing we have been able to do is to pray for each other.  And we want to keep on praying for each other.  My suggestion is that you use this prayer of Paul’s to help you as you pray for other people. 

What was it that Paul really wanted to say to this group of young christians at Colosse?  It’s in Colossians chapter 2:6, “just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”  Here in chapter 1 Paul prays with three ideas from chapter 2:6 in mind.

So how can you use Paul’s prayer?  Because it is so full of ideas, I’ve broken it down a bit.  Here is my suggestion:-

First, think of a few people that you would like to pray for – two or three perhaps. 

Then pray for each of them in whichever one of these three areas you think best fits them in their situation today.

  • If you want to pray that they become more rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, go to section A below.
  • If you want to pray that they are strengthened in their faith, go to section B below.
  • If you want to pray that they will be overflowing with thankfulness, go to section C below.

A.           Asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will (verse 9).

Which comes first, knowing God or living to please him?  Well, that’s obvious you say, you’ve got to know God before you can begin to live the life that he wants.   This isn’t just knowing about God.  It’s knowing like a friendship.  It involves ‘spiritual wisdom and understanding’, using our minds to take on board who God is and what matters to him.

Paul prays like this (verse 10) ‘in order that you may please God in every way’.  Pleasing God shows itself as we bear fruit in every good work.  And at the same time we are growing more in knowing God (end of verse 10).  It’s like a spiral: “understanding will fuel holiness; holiness will deepen understanding”, is how one writer puts it.

So as you pray for your friend to become more rooted and built up in Jesus Christ use the words of verses 9 and 10.  May the Lord Jesus deepen their relationship with the Father, and may that lead them to joy in pleasing him.

B.           Strengthened with all power  …   so that you may have great endurance and patience (verse 11).

I’m sure that many of us have found this time of ‘lock down’ quite energy sapping and stressful.  It’s not just physical, it’s mental and spiritual too.  What restrictions be lifted – and when?  How long do we have to wait?  The Government are asking us to have endurance and patience. 

Paul knew that christians always need these two qualities.  They come from the strength God gives us, the God of ‘glorious might’.  Tom Wright writes, “A patient and long suffering spirit  …  is the product of the settled conviction that the Father of Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord of the world”.  You and I are living in extraordinary times, yet the Lord God is still working out his good purposes.

So as you pray for God to strengthen your friend use the words of verse 11.  May God give them the patience and strength that Jesus had, so that they have the energy to cope with everyday uncertainties, and the energy to reach out to support others.

C.           Joyfully giving thanks to the Father (verses 12-14)

In this time of ‘lock down’ it is not always easy to give thanks.  I’ve been conscious of so many different losses over recent weeks:  not being able to be in the same space as our children and grandchildren;  not being able to meet in person with fellow christians;  not being free to walk anywhere or drive anywhere.  I’m sure you have had similar feelings.  And for so many families someone they love has died.  It is not easy to give thanks.

Kathryn Mannix is a consultant who has specialised in palliative care.  In her book With the End in Mind she writes about her experiences of helping people die with care and dignity.  She writes about the four last messages that often come from people nearing the end of their lives: ‘I am sorry.  Please forgive me’;   ‘Don’t worry about it. I forgive you’;   ‘Thank you’;   ‘I love you’.

What Paul says here in verses 12-14, reminds us why the message of Jesus is such good news right to the very end of our life.  The christian belongs in the kingdom of God because God himself has taken action to qualify them (v.12).  We are rescued from the rule of darkness and brought into light (v.13).  Redemption (v.14) is about being bought in order to be set free.  And with that we have our sins forgiven.

Because we are forgiven by the Lord Jesus we are able to forgive others – and to let them forgive us.  Jesus is the Son the Father loves; because we are sisters and brothers of Jesus, the God the Father loves us too.  That frees us to love other people.  Forgiven!  Loved!  Because of this, we are able to give thanks back to God – even in these most difficult times.

So as you pray for your friend to find things to give thanks for, use the words of verses 12, 13, 14.  May the Lord Jesus comfort them in their losses and reassure them of his love for them.

As you finish …

Well done for reading this far.  Thank you for praying for your friends today.  As you finish you might want to use the words of Paul’s prayer to pray for yourself.  And may God the Father himself encourage you and me as we begin another week together.

A Prayer

God our redeemer,
you have delivered us from the power of darkness 
and brought us into the kingdom of your Son:
grant, that as by his death he has recalled us to life,
so, by his continual presence in us he may raise us to eternal joy;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.  
Amen.

The Blessing

God the Holy Trinity make us strong in faith and love, 
defend us on every side, and guide us in truth and peace;
and the blessing of God Almighty,
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
be upon us and remain with us always. Amen
Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen

Prayers for Sunday 17 May 2020

A verse from Psalm 57: In the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge until the destroying storms pass by.

We thank you Heavenly Father that in this Easter Season.  We are reminded that the Risen Christ is here with us just as he was with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.  He is walking alongside us and teaching us as we travel together.

John, in his sermon today, has suggested that we use Paul’s prayer in Colossians 1 : 9 – 14 to extend  these prayers, broadening them to include those in similar circumstances who we are personally concerned about.

We pray for our country and our government faced with trying to control this world pandemic. Father, we ask that you give to Boris Johnson and his ministers a wisdom beyond their own as they make decisions on situations which the country and the world has not previously faced in our life time. 

You may like to add your prayers here remembering specific members of Parliament, maybe also our local politicians and the local councillors who are also having to make far reaching decisions. 

We pray for our doctors, nurses, carers and all the staff working in hospitals, care homes and the community. Father we ask for your protection and strength to sustain them especially when they have to work long hours in uncomfortable protective clothing.

Here you may like to pray for doctors, nurses, carers and other staff involved in keeping hospitals functioning, as well as caring for the sick.  Pray for those known to you personally.  Bring them in your prayers by name before our loving Heavenly Father.

We pray for those who are sick especially those near to death.
Lord Jesus you have been through death yourself. 
Be near to those who are dying, make yourself known to them.
Give them your peace and take away their fears
Be with those who minister to the dying,
Those who seek to relieve their pain and share your love with them.

Perhaps you could name friends or relatives who are very sick at present.  Bring them to the Lord Jesus.  Name any clergy and Hospital Chaplains you know, especially those who will be ministering to patients, or to bereaved families and taking funeral services. 

This month we are praying for Simon and Becky and their family, who are working with OM in London.  We pray for the safety of the family with the disruption and uncertainty of their lives due to the Coronavirus.  We remember Josiah expecting to go to University in the Autumn, for Carys, also due to start at College and for Ben continuing at school.

As you pray for Simon and Becky and their family, you may also have family members, friends or neighbours with children in similar positions, so remember them in your prayers too.

Simon and Becky have asked us to pray for the family of a dear longstanding friend ‘M’ a Christian from a Muslim background who died recently from the virus. Heavenly Father we ask you to comfort M’s family in Iraq as Simon and Becky keep in touch with them.  May the Jesus film which has been sent to them together with A puppet video of ‘The Good Shepherd’, open their eyes to the love that Jesus has for them.

Simon and Becky also ask us to pray for ‘S’ another Christian from a Muslim background who has been unconscious in hospital for several weeks with the virus, and is near to death. His wife ‘K’ and the family are also close friends.  We pray Father for S’s recovery and your peace for K and the children during this lengthy time of suffering.  Please equip and encourage Simon and Becky as they minister to these families.

We also remember the many countries in the world facing the threat of the Coronavirus where health systems are fragile and even non-existent.

You may have links with other countries and missionaries serving in the developing world.  Use this time to pray for them.

Finally, we pray for ourselves and those who have asked for our prayers including others known to you personally who are in need of prayer.

Circle me (us) Lord, keep love within, keep strife without,
Keep hope within, keep despair without,
Keep peace within, keep harm without. 
Amen.
Let us join together in the Lord’s prayer.
Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your name your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever. Amen

Category: Prayers , Sermons , The Bridge

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