[Did you miss last Sunday’s services? They can still be found at Worship Archive – July 4th 2021.]
Sunday Service from Connexion for July 11th 2021:
Sunday Services from Hillside Circuit for July 11th 2021:
Theme: No one can stop the mission of God
Occasion: 7th after Pentecost
Psalm 24
2 Samuel 6: 12b-19
Ephesians 1: 3-14
Mark 6: 14-29
[Click or tap on a Bible reference above to jump down the page to the Bible reading to listen and/or read it for yourself and then click or tap on Back to top to come back here.]
Songs:
Here are the songs for Sunday morning service. Click or tap on a song to open it in YouTube, or go to the Songs for worship webpage to find them embedded.
Come, Now is the Time to Worship.
To The Praise Of His Glorious Grace.
Go forth and tell.
Prayers:
You can listen and join in with prayers from the English Methodist Service Book. They can be found at the Prayers for worship webpage.
Children’s Address:
Sermons:
Bible readings:
Psalm 24
1 The earth and everything on it belong to the LORD.
The world and its people belong to him.
2 The LORD placed it all on the oceans and rivers.
3 Who may climb the LORD’S hill
or stand in his holy temple?
4 Only those who do right for the right reasons,
and don’t worship idols or tell lies under oath.
5 The LORD God, who saves them,
will bless and reward them,
6 because they worship and serve the God of Jacob.
7 Open the ancient gates,
so that the glorious king may come in.
8 Who is this glorious king?
He is our LORD, a strong and mighty warrior.
9 Open the ancient gates,
so that the glorious king may come in.
10 Who is this glorious king?
He is our LORD, the All-Powerful!
2 Samuel 6
Right away, David went to Obed Edom’s house to get the chest and bring it to David’s City. Everyone was celebrating. 13 The people carrying the chest walked six steps, then David sacrificed an ox and a choice cow. 14 He was dancing for the LORD with all his might, but he wore only a linen cloth. 15 He and everyone else were celebrating by shouting and blowing horns while the chest was being carried along.
16 Saul’s daughter Michal looked out her window and watched the chest being brought into David’s City. But when she saw David jumping and dancing for the LORD, she was disgusted.
17 They put the chest inside a tent that David had set up for it. David worshipped the LORD by sacrificing animals and burning them on an altar, 18 then he blessed the people in the name of the LORD All-Powerful. 19 He gave all the men and women in the crowd a small loaf of bread, some meat, and a handful of raisins, and everyone went home.
Ephesians 1
3 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the spiritual blessings that Christ has brought us from heaven! 4 Before the world was created, God had Christ choose us to live with him and to be his holy and innocent and loving people. 5 God was kind and decided that Christ would choose us to be God’s own adopted children. 6 God was very kind to us because of the Son he dearly loves, and so we should praise God.
7-8 Christ sacrificed his life’s blood to set us free, which means that our sins are now forgiven. Christ did this because God was so kind to us. God has great wisdom and understanding, 9 and by what Christ has done, God has shown us his own mysterious ways. 10 Then when the time is right, God will do all that he has planned, and Christ will bring together everything in heaven and on earth.
11 God always does what he plans, and that’s why he had Christ choose us. 12 He did this so that we Jews would bring honour to him and be the first ones to have hope because of him. 13 Christ also brought you the truth, which is the good news about how you can be saved. You put your faith in Christ and were given the promised Holy Spirit to show that you belong to God. 14 The Spirit also makes us sure that we will be given what God has stored up for his people. Then we will be set free, and God will be honoured and praised.
Mark 6
14 Jesus became so well-known that Herod the ruler heard about him. Some people thought he was John the Baptist, who had come back to life with the power to work miracles. 15 Others thought he was Elijah or some other prophet who had lived long ago. 16 But when Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “This must be John! I had his head cut off, and now he has come back to life.”
17-18 Herod had earlier married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. But John had told him, “It isn’t right for you to take your brother’s wife!” So, in order to please Herodias, Herod arrested John and put him in prison.
19 Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she could not do it 20 because Herod was afraid of John and protected him. He knew that John was a good and holy man. Even though Herod was confused by what John said, he was glad to listen to him. And he often did.
21 Finally, Herodias got her chance when Herod gave a great birthday celebration for himself and invited his officials, his army officers, and the leaders of Galilee. 22 The daughter of Herodias came in and danced for Herod and his guests. She pleased them so much that Herod said, “Ask for anything, and it’s yours! 23 I swear that I will give you as much as half of my kingdom, if you want it.”
24 The girl left and asked her mother, “What do you think I should ask for?”
Her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist!”
25 The girl hurried back and told Herod, “Right now on a platter I want the head of John the Baptist!”
26 The king was very sorry for what he had said. But he did not want to break the promise he had made in front of his guests. 27 At once he ordered a guard to cut off John’s head there in prison. 28 The guard put the head on a platter and took it to the girl. Then she gave it to her mother.
29 When John’s followers learned that he had been killed, they took his body and put it in a tomb.
Children’s Address for Hillside Circuit on July 11th 2021, with Mrs Ngonidzashe Mariga:
Calvary greetings from me to you all today, the 11th of July 2021, our Mission Month as the children of Christ in Methodist Church. Nothing brought us together except the love of him who died for us on the cross.
Our theme is: No-one can stop the mission of God
Readings: 2Samuel 6 vs12b-19
Ephesians 1 vs3-14
Mark 6 vs14-29
I’m going to centre my teaching on 2 Samuel 6 and some verses in passing in trying to help one another in understanding the theme we have today.
Here we have the story of the Ark of God being brought to Jerusalem by David
and selected men. Remember boys and girls, this is the same David whom we know. The one loved by God, who defeated Goliath in battle. One who enquired from the Lord for everything he did. But from verse 9 we hear that the same David was now afraid to bring the Ark of God to his place because of what had happened to Uzzah who misbehaved and was killed by God. He directed the Ark to Obed – Edom’s household and it stayed there for 3 months. God blessed Obed-Edom for accepting the ark. After David saw how Edom was blessed, he went for the ark.
Ooh God what a shame. David acted out of fear and saw God’s actions as an element of anger and missed God’s blessings for 3 months. David’s place was the rightful place for the ark for he ‘God’ knew that out of David’s kingdom a Saviour shall be born.
There are times boys and girls when we become so afraid of things which do not even concern us and we delay God to assist us. We listen to our needs more and forget to consult God when faced with challenges. What happens in other people’s lives must not affect our relationship with God. God’s rule is not a ‘one size fits all’. So let us not be afraid. Be bold as children of God and face what God brings to you with hope. Make consultations from him and he will direct your paths. Fear will destroy the power in you to believe in God.
See – The entire household of Obed – Edom received the ark and embraced the presence of God and were blessed. Sometimes we feel burdened by God’s work and lose blessing by our own judgements.
David like many of us wanted to be part of God’s project when it was a success by surrendering the ark to a foreigner whilst the blessings were meant for him. However this did not stop God’s plan for him. After hearing how blessed Obed Edom was, he ‘David’ reconsidered taking the ark to his place. Children of God nothing shall stop the mission of God to bless you. No matter what, he will see a plan for you. David had a chance to correct his mistake and brought home the ark with him. Even you boys and girls when challenges and hardships are all over you in this world, do not drop your faith. Covid-19 and its effects are all around your life, schools are closed and you can’t figure out your tomorrow but I’m saying continue trusting God. No one will ever change your destiny. You are what God says you are. Paul in his letter to the saints in Ephesus (from today’s reading in Ephesians) encouraged believers to continue trusting God. Lest one forgets, God chose you and me and made us important by love through the gift of his Son Jesus Christ. Through him there is forgiveness of sins and we have been predestined and foreordained for his glory.
Verse 16 in today’s reading from 2 Samuel 6 says, ‘as the ark of the Lord was entering the city of David, Michal – daughter of Saul watched from a window and despised him in her heart’. Let me tell you children of God: People are busy watching you from afar waiting for your downfall, wanting you to surrender during persecution so as to rejoice and fulfil their wickedness. They keep tracking you thinking that you won’t make it. Reject it! Open your eyes and continue calling on God. Make corrections like David and run back to God.
I know growing up is a journey characterised by a lot of blunders. If one fails to make it first time, keep on trying. Daniel 11 vs 33 says God will always be there to assist you…He remains truthful to us always. He loves us and wants us to act upon his word which is full of blessings and promises. Do not be afraid of anything boys and girls for God knows all the plans he has for you. Pray and meditate always. Believe in God and know that with him all things are possible.
Let us bear the Lord’s ark by serving him to the best of our ability. Isaiah 43 vs1-2 says … “fear not for l have summoned you by name … when you walk through the fire you will not be burned…”
Let us pray
Father we come before your presence this morning as Hillside Sunday Scholars. Thank you Lord for your word in season. Help us to always do your will. We want to trust you alone Father in everything we do. Protect us Lord from every harmful tactic of the devil. Strengthen us where we lose hope and focus. Even if we do not know our tomorrow, one thing is true in your word – you are our shepherd. Guide us through this world’s uncertainties and bless us. In the precious name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Methodist Church: Hillside Circuit 