Relationship, I will be your God

Light Reflective Music

Bible Enters (Organ)

Welcome / Intimation (Rev. Bosch)

I greet you in the Name of God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe - in the care of Christ Jesus.May it be that we receive mercy, peace and love.

Intimations

I have met up with Derek Harley form Scripture Union this week. The goal of the meeting was to establish a working relationship between us and them. I found the meeting to have been constructive with more then one points we agreed upon/shared. (mutuallity)

We had our Coffee afternoon yesterday. There were about 28 people. I think that is a success espessially considering that had one 5 years ago. We raised 406pounds. Special thank you to all who help making this afternoon a success and also to the many cakes that where donated.

Next Sunday we will have our second baptism. Please come along next week to support as Allen Kelly receives the sign of the HS.

Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has responded to the death of Pope Francis. I would like to share his online post.

He has said: “May I express my condolences to the Catholic Church in Scotland following the news of the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. We recall with gratitude the hospitality extended by His Holiness to representatives of the Church of Scotland and also the occasion of the Ecumenical Pilgrimage of Peace made by Pope Francis to South Sudan in the company of the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2023. In recalling his contribution to Christian witness, we hear renewed the call made by His Holiness in Laudato si’ to care for the earth as our common home, and in Fratelli tutti to discover the presence of Christ in each human being. We join with all Christian people in the prayer of Pope Francis: “Grant that we Christians may live the Gospel, discovering Christ in each human being, recognizing him crucified in the sufferings of the abandoned and forgotten of our world, and risen in each brother or sister who makes a new start. Amen.” May the blessed memory of Francis continue to serve as an example to the faithful people of God in our shared pilgrimage and in our common task of caring for God’s creation. May he rest in peace.

I have also extend a word of acknowledgment for this sad time to our Cathilic Neighbours that of St Gabriels school and Father Jinesh. My letter said:

“Dear Alex and Jinesh, 

We are thinking of you and the Catholic Church at the moment. 

Our prayers will be with you during this time of sadness.

May God carry you during this time. 

With warm sympathy from your friends at Prestongrange Church.”  

Alex from St Gabriels responded:

“Hello Eckhardt,

Thank you for your kind words. It is always a sad and difficult transition time for the Church but I am sure God will direct the minds of the conclave cardinals.

It was a real blessing for Pope Francis to be able to greet the people and give the Easter Blessing on Sunday and then peacefully return to the House of His Father. He was a man for all of us regardless of denomination or Faith.

Kindest regards

Alex”

Let us keep them in our prayers during our worship service today.

Call to Worship (Genesis 15: 1-6): 

Minister: Fear not!

All: God is our shield.

Minister: Fear not!

All: God will give us a great reward.

Let us worship God!

Hymn: CH 449 - Rejoice, the Lord is King

Declaration:

Blessed be the name of the Lord now and evermore. From the rising of the sun to its setting, the Lord’s name be praised. Let us pray:

Prayer of Approach and Confession (Rev. Bosch)

Lord, our God, You are holy. The Creator of all things, You choose to dwell among us. You are not distant, but near—walking with us through life. We stand in awe of Your presence, grateful that You call us Your own, the people of Your covenant, bound to You by Your love. As we approach You today, we come with open hearts, seeking Your grace and mercy. We confess our sins, O God, for we have fallen short of Your glory. We have turned away from Your truth, chasing afte selfish ambitions. We have neglected to love our neighbors, ignored the cries of the hurting, and at times doubted Your promises. Forgive us, merciful God. Wash us clean by Your grace, and restore us to the joy of Your salvation. You are the Lord our God, unchanging and faithful, who walks with us through every season. You have promised to never leave us, and in Your presence, we find freedom. You have set us free from the chains of sin, free from fear, and free from the burdens that weigh us down. We do confess that we sometimes cling to the old ways, hesitant to fully embrace the freedom You offer. Teach us to walk confidently in the freedom of Your Spirit, to live as Your redeemed people, united in purpose and love. Dwell with us. we pray. Let Your Spirit fill this place so that we may worship You in truth. Guide us and help us to reflect Your justice, mercy, and compassion in this world. As we draw near to You, renew our strength, deepen our faith, and ignite our passion to serve You. We also bring to you those who are morning the death of Pope Francis. May they experience your grace during this time of sadness. Our prayers are in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, who tought us to pray.

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Hymn: CH 437 - He is exalted

(Children enter.)

Children’s Address: Hiking with God!

Hymn: Running over

(Children exit.)

Reading: Leviticus 26: 1-13 (Heather)

Blessings for Obedience 26 “You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the LORD your God. 2 You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. 3 “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, 4 then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5 Your threshing shall last to the time of the grape harvest, and the grape harvest shall last to the time for sowing. And you shall eat your bread to the full and dwell in your land securely. 6 I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid. And I will remove harmful beasts from the land, and the sword shall not go through your land. 7 You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 8 Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. 9 I will turn to you and make you fruitful and multiply you and will confirm my covenant with you. 10 You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new.

11 I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. 12 And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. 13 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

Sermon: (Rev. Bosch)

It is clear to whom the Israelites are accounable too. They are accountable to “The Lord their God”. God is the source to who they should direct their requests. It is also God who tell the Israelites what is requierd for living correctly. The Israelites have received clear instructios in how to live.

The passage states very clearly that they are not allowed to worship any other god. Only the Lord their God may be given the honor of glory. Not only this, but the Sabbath day should also be respected, meaning, they need to keep one day holy because God is holy. Reverence for the sanctuary is also a important part which God expects them the uphold. Observing these commandments will have a positive consequense.

The reason for the clear instructions are to establish a relationship between God’s and his people. Any relationship has clear boundaries to define the norms of a relationship. The same is true between the Israelites and God. God is their Lord, and He created the playing field in which the Israelites may play. The reason is, so that it may go well with them in the land God has given them. If they worship other gods that will lead to them following other regulations resulting in harm. Therefore, they should only worship “The Lord their God” because His commandments will lead to true prosperity. The positive consequences is a secure community that has the ability to flource in farming, providing food, safe and secure land, victorious over enemies and the growth of a nation.

Let me explain through a narritive why God gave them these clear instructions.

There was once a farmer who had two sheep dogs. Both dogs received the same training to work on the farm. One day the farmer took one dog to the field to help shepherding the sheep. When the farmer freed the dog from his encloser, to do his job, that dog started to bite the animals. The consequence was that the sheep was scattered all over the farm. The farmer was furious and caught the dog. He took all the freedom away from that dog, because the dog did not respect to norms and rules of sheepherding. That dog was never allowed to be freed from his encloser, because he could not be trusted. The second dog, on the other hand, understood the rules, norms and goal of shepherding. The result was that he received a lot of freedom. Freedom to run around and guide the sheep. Their was a mutual trust between the second dog and the farmer. The dog respected the animals and the farmer gave the dog freedom to run.

Trust was the defining component between the farmer and the second dog.

In our reading, we hear how God is defining His relationship between Him and His people. God and the people are establising trust. God is stipulating what He wants them to do and tells them the result of following the instructions. God longs for them to be prosperious, but he needs them to follow instructions so that they may enter into that prosperity. The beautiful part of this relationship is that God wants to dwell with them. God is willing to be with them.

“I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. 12 And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.”

God is willing to live and dwell with his people. God is willing to live and dwell with us in Prestongrange.

God wants to walk with them. God is walking with us.

God wants to be their God. The Lord our God is our God.

They shall be God’s people. We are God’s people.

In the reading, God also remindes them who He is. God is faithful and is trustworthy. He is the one who has proven his steadfastness in the past. In otherwords, when we consider our past we realise that God did bring a solution to a difficult situation. If God was faithful then surely he will be faithful today and tomorrow.

The reading states it this way: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, They are no longer slaves of Egypt. God has saved them. Took the yoke away from them and made them proud.”

God is faithful because he had given them a sense of honor and pride. God has given them a new identity. In the past they were slaves, now they are free under God’s normes. Where they were surpressed in the passed God has given them a new playing field with clear rules. It is under God’s direction and his guidance that the Israelites are free to live. It is in God’s new environment/playing field that they will be blessed with prosperity.

Freedom is to be found in and with God. The principles that our reading is teaching us are: Only worship the Lord your God. Keep the Sabbath holy and uphold the holiness of God.

The New Testement reminds us of Christ living within us through the working of the HS. The dwelling of the HS within us makes it even more possible for God to be among us.

God will be our God, and we are his people. Amen

Hymn: CH 363 - We have a gospel to proclaim

Prayer for Others (Get someone to lead): Heather

Offering (The person at door duty brings the plate to the table.)

Prayer of Thanks

Hymn: CH445 - Alleluia, sing to Jesus (omit v.4)

Rethink and Blessing (Rev. Bosch)

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves. And I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk stright.

In the presence of the Holy Spirit, may the peace of God, 

which is beyond all understanding, 

guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Amen

Sing/Play Amen (Organ)

Bible Exits (Organ)