God’s Friends

(words for hymns and bible reading can be found below the order of service)

Welcome & Intimations
Call to Worship
CH4 510 Jesus calls us here to meet him
Reading   Acts 10: 44 – 48
John: 15: 8 – 17
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
MP 1 A new commandment
Reflection
Video: My Jesus my saviour
Prayer for others
MP 746 What a friend we have in Jesus
Blessing

Call to Worship

Children of God
This is what we are
People of God
This is who we are
We give thanks to God
For God is Good
The love of God is now and forever

CH4 510: Jesus calls us here to meet him

1 Jesus, calls us here to meet him
as, through word and song and prayer,
we affirm God’s promised presence
where his people live and care.
Praise the God who keeps his promise;
praise the Son who calls us friends;
praise the Spirit who, among us,
to our hopes and fears attends

2 Jesus calls us to confess him
Word of life and Lord of all,
sharer of our flesh and frailness,
saving all who fail or fall.
Tell his tales that all may hear;
tell his tales that all may hear;
tell the world that Christ in glory
came to earth to meet us here.

3 Jesus calls us to each other,
vastly different though we are;
creed and colour, class and gender
neither limit nor debar.
Join the hand of friend and stranger;
join the hands of age and youth;
join the faithful and the doubter
in their common search for truth.

4 Jesus calls us to his table
rooted firm in time and space,
where the Church in earth and heaven
finds a common meeting place.
Share the bread, the wine, his body;
share the love of which we sing;
share the feast for saints and sinners
hosted by our Lord and King.

Acts 10:44-48

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles.
For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Then Peter said,
“Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”
So, he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

John 15:8-17

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
‘As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
My command is this: love each other as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
This is my command: love each other.

MP 1 A new commandment

1 A new commandment I give unto you,
that you love one another as I have loved you,
that you love one another as I have loved you.

By this shall all men know that you are My disciples,
if you have love for one another.
By this shall all men know that you are My disciples,
if you have love for one another.

MP 746  What a friend we have in Jesus

1 What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear –
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!

2 Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged:
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful,
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness –
take it to the Lord in prayer!

3 Are we weak and heavy-laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge!
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
thou wilt find a solace there.