2024 Sep 8th St Paul's Presbyterian Church

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Psalm Psalm 146 or Psalm 146:5–10 First Reading Isaiah 35:4–7a Second Reading James 1:17–27 Gospel Mark 7:31–37

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Sunday Service

Entrance We stand as the Word of God is brought into the Church - Be seated directly after.
Welcome If you are new please fill in the visitors book on the table at the entrance to the church. Introduce yourself to George, the minister.
Prayer The Minister begins the service with prayer
Heavenly Father, this morning—and all of history—is about you. Please help us to worship you with an undistracted heart. You know how our minds wander to my upcoming week, present worries, and thoughts of others and other things. Help us to put those thoughts away and focus on you and your glory. Would your Spirit cause our hearts, souls, minds, and strength to exalt your Holy Name in our singing, listening to Your Word, and interacting with your people.
Chorus ♫ Thy Word (Amy Grant)
Chorus Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
The Lord’s Prayer
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.
September Sunday 8th Readers: John and Carol Tea: Carol and Jenny K
Sunday 15th* Readers: Lydia and Cathy Tea duty: Jurie and Fiona - Snacks Lydia, Cathy, Fiona
Sunday 22nd** Readers & Tea duty Jenny & Gian-Marco
Sunday 29th** Readers and tea duty: John and Carol & M Tjoko
John
will now read the Old Testament reading to us from the NIV pew bible.
He begins with
“Hear the Word of God as it is written in Psalm 146
He ends with “This is the word of God”.
Congregation: Thanks be to God”
Carol
will now read the New Testament reading to us from the NIV pew bible.
She begins with
“Hear the Word of God as it is written in Mark 7:31-37
She ends with “This is the word of God”.
Congregation: Thanks be to God”.
Hymn ♫ Jesus Paid It All.mp4
Sermon By Rev. G.H. van der Westhuizen

Mark 7:31-37 —Deaf and dumb. Christ’s acts of healing were very often performed while he was passing from place to place.

This occurred on his way from the borders of Tyre and Sidon to the eastern side of the Lake of Galilee.

His life was like a river, which not only, when it reaches the sea, bears mighty fleets on its bosom, but carries blessings all along its course through secluded pastures and quiet corn-fields.

The case of this man was one of physical infirmity and not of demoniac possession. He was deaf, and had an infirmity in his speech. In considering the spiritual significance of a miracle, we must not overlook or underrate the physical blessing.

Such an act of healing as this is the germ whence innumerable good works have come. Institutions for the deaf, hospitals for the sick, homes for the crippled, are the smiling harvest arising from this seed-sowing; and the signs by which the deaf and dumb are now taught find their principle in the signs which our Lord, in loving condescension, used in dealing with this afflicted man. The spirit of Christ reigns over and blesses the bodies of men still. If we have the use of all our faculties, and know nothing of the irritability of the deaf, the loneliness of the blind, and the agony of the dumb, let us not only be thankful, but let us remember our responsibility for their use, lest we fall into condemnation because we close our ears against the truth and refuse to move our lips in prayer. Let us also learn to cultivate pity for those who are not so richly endowed, allowing for the irritability of those who can only partly hear, and the cynicism to which the dumb and blind are tempted, and seeking to become eyes to the blind and ears to the deaf. “Be merciful, as your Father in heaven is merciful.” Be pitiful and gentle, as he who sighed over and then blessed the sufferer.

The spiritual significance of this act of healing is the more important, because deafness to God’s voice and dumbness in his praise are more general, and less manifest to others than the physical privations which are their counterparts. In this light regard the sufferer and observe—

I. THAT HE WAS DESTITUTE OF TWO OF OUR NOBLEST FACULTIES.

In those days there existed none of the mitigations of such distress with which we are familiar, and which are the products of patient and skilful training. He could not hear his children’s voices, nor the cry of warning, nor the whisper of love. All that transpired in the synagogue was but dumb-show to him. He could not take refuge from loneliness in reading, as we can do. His wants he could not articulately express. When we see a child as yet unable to talk we are glad that his wants are limited, simple, well known, and easily supplied. But this sufferer had the thoughts and feelings of a man, yet could not utter them. In our congregations, and outside them, multitudes fail to hear God’s voice, The preacher speaks of sin, but there is no consciousness of it stirred in their hearts; he proclaims free pardon, yet there is no sense of grateful acceptance. Voices around are eloquent of the Father’s love to a Christian, but by these they are unheard. Meanwhile their voices are inarticulate on God’s side. If a word of warning ought to be spoken, if the cause of Christ is to be defended, if there are vices which a God of sobriety and purity would destroy, these are dumb, or are as men who have an impediment in their speech.

II. THAT THESE FACULTIES WERE MUTUALLY DEPENDENT.

He was not absolutely dumb, but was inarticulate in utterance; therefore, after his cure, it is said “he spake plain.” It is true he had some physical defect, for we read, “the string of his tongue was loosed;” but it is evident that he could not speak aright, partly because he could not hear—perversion of speech being a general accompaniment of total deafness, for a deaf person cannot detect and alter his malpronunciations. There is a connection in spiritual life between the similar faculties of the soul. If we try to teach others, we must be taught of God. The ears must be opened before the mouth speaks plainly, and unless they be, the fluent talker is but a poor stammerer in spiritual utterance. Right speaking is conditioned by right hearing. If, therefore, the habit of evil or foolish talk has been acquired, it is not enough to vow that it shall be broken off, for it is “out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaketh.” The fountain wants change, not the channel. Such a one must give up light reading for a time of earnest reflection, must keep clear of vain and idle companionships, and, above all, cultivate fellowship with God, the Source of all wise and holy thought.

III. THAT HE WAS BROUGHT TO THE TRUE PHYSICIAN.

Satan is the great destroyer and damager, and Christ is the great Repairer and Redeemer. Let us bring our friends to him by counsel, by sympathy, and by prayer.

IV. THAT HE LEFT HIMSELF IN THE LORD’S HANDS.

Friends asked the Lord to lay his hands on the sufferer, probably because they had seen him do this before.

But Christ was divinely free, was far broader in method than their expectations, and he took him by the hand—not to cure him by that touch, but to lead him apart; and with this Stranger the helpless man was satisfied trustfully to go.

Let us leave our Lord to do with us and with our dear ones as seems good to him. Though he may deal with us differently from his dealing with others, his choice is wisest and best.—A. R.

Amen

Notices Mr. John Oberholzer - Session Clerk
Collection As the collection is brought forward we stand and sing “Praise God from whom all blessings flow”
Prayer for collection
Hymn Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus
TIS SO SWEET TO TRUST IN JESUS(480P)
Benediction
Romans 15:5-6 (benediction of encouragement to endure)- May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:13 - (benediction of hope) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
1 Corinthians 15:58 - Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Doxology Let us all hold hands as we sing “Now unto Him”
Now Unto Him Who Is Able To Keep You From Falling l Benediction
Give the minister a moment to get to the door then please join us for refreshments
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