Sunday Service from Hillside Circuit for November 16th 2025:
Lectionary Theme: Prepare for the coming of the Lord through obedience and endurance
Occasion: 23rd Sunday after Pentecost
Lectionary readings:
Psalm 98
Malachi 4: 1-2a
2 Thessalonians 3: 6-13
Luke 21: 5-19
[Click or tap on a Bible reference above to jump down the page to the Bible reading to read it for yourself (and/or to listen to it) 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.
Sing a new song unto the Lord.
When we walk with the Lord.
Spirit of the Living God.
To be in your presence.
Sing we the King.
Master speak.
O Jesus I have promised.
Day by day.
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:
Sermon:
Greetings in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit.
[Click/tap to read more . .]
Our theme for today says: Prepare for the coming of the Lord through obedience and endurance and it’s derived from the scriptures:
Malachi 4: 1 – 2a
2 Thessalonians 3: 6 -13
Luke 21: 5 – 19
Shall we pray
Heavenly Father, we come before your throne of grace this morning thanking you for giving us strength and endurance to face the challenges that lie ahead. Help us to trust in your plans and your timing, even when things seem difficult or uncertain . Please give us courage to endure through the trials of life, knowing that they can ultimately lead to growth and transformation. Help us to see each trial as an opportunity to learn and grow, rather than as a setback or failure. Amen
Prepare for the coming of the Lord through obedience and endurance means living righteous, aligning action and heart with God’s will. Continuing in faith and works despite challenges and anticipating Christ’s return with spiritual readiness. Obeying God’s word, following biblical teachings . Enduring trials , trusting God’s sovereignty in hardships
In 2 Thessalonians 3: 6-13 Paul urges believers to prepare for the coming of the Lord through obedience and endurance:
-Living responsibly. Working diligently and quietly, not being idle or depending on others
-Following the example. Imitating Paul’s hard work and dedication.
-Not growing weary. Continuing to do good, even faced with challenges.
- Stay focused on your work , not letting distractions or laziness hinder your productivity.
-Trust God’s provision. Relying on God’s supply, not your own efforts.
-Preserve with patience. Enduring through difficulties, knowing God is with us.
In Luke 21:5-19 we are being encouraged as Christians to stay vigilant, watching for signs and living righteously
-Enduring trials. Persevering through persecution and hardships.
-Obeying God’s word. Aligning life with biblical teachings.
-Trusting God’s plan. Having faith in his sovereignty and timing .
-Be ready. Like the widow in Luke 21:1-5, give generously and live faithfully
-Persevere . Endure to the end, and you will be saved
-Live purposefully. Focus on God’s Kingdom
-Stay faithful. Trust and obey, regardless of circumstances .
Brothers and sisters , we should get ready for the Lord’s coming by being spiritually and mentally alert to all bad thoughts and false teachers and completely submitted to the word of God rather than being lawless or self-willed. We should be cultivating strong faith in the sovereign goodness of God, so that we endure to the end through whatever suffering comes our way.
Surely the day is coming, it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble and that day that is coming will set them on fire. Not a root a branch will be left – Says the Lord Malachi 4:1-2a
But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.
Hebrews 12:1 says, let us run with endurance the race that lies before us.
Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to Him . Psalm 128:1
May the endurance that comes from trusting in the Lord strengthen you today and always. Amen.
Bible readings:
Psalm 98
1 Sing a new song to the LORD! He has worked miracles,
and with his own powerful arm,
he has won the victory.
2 The LORD has shown the nations
that he has the power to save and to bring justice.
3 God has been faithful in his love for Israel,
and his saving power is seen everywhere on earth.
4 Tell everyone on this earth
to sing happy songs in praise of the LORD.
5 Make music for him on harps. Play beautiful melodies!
6 Sound the trumpets and horns
and celebrate with joyful songs
for our LORD and King!
7 Command the ocean to roar with all of its creatures,
and the earth to shout with all of its people.
8 Order the rivers to clap their hands,
and all of the hills to sing together.
9 Let them worship the LORD!
He is coming to judge everyone on the earth,
and he will be honest and fair.
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Malachi 4
1 The day of judgment is certain to come. And it will be like a red-hot furnace with flames that burn up proud and sinful people, as though they were straw. Not a branch or a root will be left. I, the LORD All-Powerful, have spoken! 2 But for you that honour my name, victory will shine like the sun with healing in its rays,
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2 Thessalonians 3
6 My dear friends, in the name of the Lord Jesus, I beg you not to have anything to do with any of your people who loaf around and refuse to obey the instructions we gave you. 7 You surely know that you should follow our example. We didn’t waste our time loafing, 8 and we didn’t accept food from anyone without paying for it. We didn’t want to be a burden to any of you, so night and day we worked as hard as we could.
9 We had the right not to work, but we wanted to set an example for you. 10 We also gave you the rule that if you don’t work, you don’t eat. 11 Now we learn that some of you just loaf around and won’t do any work, except the work of a busybody. 12 So, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, we ask and beg these people to settle down and start working for a living. 13 Dear friends, you must never become tired of doing right.
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Luke 21
5 Some people were talking about the beautiful stones used to build the temple and about the gifts that had been placed in it. Jesus said, 6 “Do you see these stones? The time is coming when not one of them will be left in place. They will all be knocked down.”
7 Some people asked, “Teacher, when will all this happen? How can we know when these things are about to take place?”
8 Jesus replied:
Don’t be fooled by those who will come and claim to be me. They will say, “I am Christ!” and “Now is the time!” But don’t follow them. 9 When you hear about wars and riots, don’t be afraid. These things will have to happen first, but that isn’t the end.
10 Nations will go to war against one another, and kingdoms will attack each other. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in many places people will starve to death and suffer terrible diseases. All sorts of frightening things will be seen in the sky.
12 Before all this happens, you will be arrested and punished. You will be tried in your meeting places and put in jail. Because of me you will be placed on trial before kings and governors. 13 But this will be your chance to tell about your faith.
14 Don’t worry about what you will say to defend yourselves. 15 I will give you the wisdom to know what to say. None of your enemies will be able to oppose you or to say that you are wrong. 16 You will be betrayed by your own parents, brothers, family, and friends. Some of you will even be killed. 17 Because of me, you will be hated by everyone. 18 But don’t worry! 19 You will be saved by being faithful to me.
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[Did you miss last week’s Sunday Services? They can now be found at Worship Archive – November 9th 2025.]
Methodist Church: Hillside Circuit 
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