Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost

24 August 2014

THIS MORNING'S SONG'S OF PRAISE:
882,191,389,903.

FIRST BIBLE READING:

Exodus 1:8 - 2:10;
'The slavery of Israel and the birth of Moses' (GNB)

Then a new king, who knew nothing about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. He said to his people, 'These Israelites are so numerous and strong that they are a threat to us. In case of war they might join our enemies in order to fight against us, and might escape from the country.
We must find some way to keep them from becoming even more numerous'. So the Egyptians put slave drivers over them to crush their spirits with hard labor. The Israelites built the cities of Pithom and Rameses to serve as supply centers for the king. But the more the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites, the more they increased in number and the further they spread through the land.
The Egyptians came to fear the Israelites and made their lives miserable by forcing them into cruel slavery. They made them work on their building projects and in their fields, and they had no pity on them.
Then the king of Egypt spoke to Shiphrah and Puah, the two midwives who helped the Hebrew women. 'When you help the Hebrew women give birth', he said to them, 'kill the baby if it is a boy; but if it is a girl, let it live'. But the midwives were God-fearing and so did not obey the king; instead, they let the boys live.
So the king sent for the midwives and asked them, 'Why are you doing this? Why are you letting the boys live?'
They answered. 'The Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they give birth easily, and their babies are born before either of us gets there'. Because the midwives were God-fearing, God was good to them and gave them families of their own. And the Israelites continued to increase and become strong. Finally the king issued a command to all his people: 'Take every newborn Hebrew boy and throw him into the Nile, but let all their girls live'.
During this time a man from the tribe of Levi married a woman of his own tribe, and she bore him a son. When she saw what a fine baby he was, she hid him for three months. But when she could not hide him any longer, she took a basket made of reeds and covered it with tar to make it watertight. She put the baby in it and then placed it in the tall grass at the edge of the river.
The baby's sister stood some distance away to see what would happen to him.
The king's daughter came down to the river to bathe, while her servants walked along the bank. Suddenly she noticed the basket in the tall grass and sent a slave girl to get it. The princess opened it and saw a baby boy. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. 'This is one of the Hebrew babies', she said.
Then his sister asked her, 'Shall I go and call a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby for you?'
'Please do', she answered. So the girl went and brought the baby's own mother. The princess told the woman, 'Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you'. So she took the baby and nursed him.
Later, when the child was old enough, she took him to the king's daughter, who adopted him as her own son. She said to herself, 'I pulled him out of the water, and so I name him Moses (which means "to draw out")'.

SECOND BIBLE READING:

Romans 12: 1-8;
'The basis of ethics, and advice on gifts' (NIV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If your gift is prophesying, use it in proportion to your faith. If it is serving, serve; if it is teaching, teach; if it is encouraging, encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, give generously; if it is leadership, govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, do it cheerfully.

GOSPEL READING:

Matthew 16:13-20;
'Peter declares Jesus to be the Christ' (NIV)

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of Man is?'
They replied, 'Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets'.
'But what about you?' he asked. 'Who do you say I am?'
Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God'.
Jesus replied, 'Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven'.
Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

NOTES ON THE SECOND READING:

ROMANS 12: 1-8:
The first eleven chapters of Romans contain Paul's clear teaching that being saved comes through faith alone along with the free gift of Christ's own righteousness being bestowed on the repentant sinner. Now he appeals through those very mercies of God (verse 1) for Christians to show outwardly by their personal holiness the complete change which God has made on them inwardly. This offering of spiritual sacrifices extends to using the differing spiritual gifts he has given each believer to build one another up.

Bible readings for Sunday 31st August 2014:
Exodus 3:1-15, Romans 12: 9 - 21, Matthew 16: 21-28.

Announcements:

1. This week in the Lord's Service - 24th - 31st Aug:
Wednesday - Studies continue on 'A Hearing Heart'
- 11.00 am at the church and 7.30 pm on at the home of Phil and Dorothea Worpel, 235 Scenic Road, Highton. All most welcome to come along!
Friday - 7.30 pm - YPQ&A.
Saturday - 10.00 am - 11.00 am - 'Sing - along' time. 11.00 am to 12 noon - Choir practice.
Next Sunday - 9.30 am - Public Divine service - (With Holy- Communion).

2. Performance by Robin Mann:
Songwriter, musician, worship leader, Robin Mann is coming to Geelong for a sing-a-long and to share with us some of the new songs from the latest
'All Together' song book.
When: Sunday, 5th October, 2014.
Time: 5.30 pm for dinner. (Please bring a plate of food to share) - 6.30 pm for singing.
Where: St John's Lutheran Church, Yarra St.
Cost: Donations taken on the night.


Coming up for your diary:
Thursday 11th September - 10.30 am - Ladies F.G.
Tuesday 16th September -12.30 pm - Kaffeestunde.
Sunday 28th September - movie evening at 'Our Redeemer'- 5.30 pm (soup/rolls) - 6.00 pm movie - All welcome! More information to follow shortly.
Tuesday 7th October - 7.30 pm - Deacons.
Friday 10th October - 9.30 am - Worship Team.
Tuesday 14th October - 7.00 pm - Church Council.
Thursday 30th October - 2.30 pm - Reformation
mid - week worship service (with Holy Communion), followed by fellowship afternoon tea.
All welcome to come along!