Worship

Sing or say these words as your worship of God, our ever-loving Father.

How deep the Father’s love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Sermon on the Mat: How valuable are you?

If you watch game shows on TV, you might notice that the introductory chat takes a set form. The host goes down the line, asking each contestant the same questions: ‘What’s your name?’ Maybe ‘How old are you?’ And then always, ‘What do you do?’ Knowing someone’s job allows us to form an opinion about that person, an impression of what they might be like, how educated they are, how ambitious, how responsible, how compassionate. Work is not the entirety of who we are, but it fills a lot of our time and it gives clues to what we might be like.

People used to be defined by their family, now we define people by their jobs. But what does that mean if you are retired? Unemployed? Too ill to work? Personally, I hate the ‘what do you do?’ question because I don’t have a straightforward answer. When you have to give a vague reply, or admit ‘I don’t have a job’, it’s easy to feel devalued.

We shouldn’t. That isn’t how God sees us at all. Matthew 18 is a collection of teaching about relationships and it begins with Jesus telling his disciples that the most important people in his kingdom have taken the ‘lowly position of a child.’ He’s not talking about the characteristics of children here, but their status. We live in a society that values children, but in Biblical times, they had virtually no status and no rights.

The greatest in God’s kingdom are those who willingly have no status and no rights in our human society. These ‘little ones’ as Jesus calls them, these faithful, humble believers, are seen and loved by God.

We don’t need validation from our neighbours, because we are supremely valued by God. He will look out for us; he will ensure we are protected as part of his family. Matthew 18:12-14 says:

‘If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.’

When he loses sight of a sheep, a shepherd does not think, ‘What’s one less? I’ve still got ninety-nine, that’s enough.’ Nor does God think, ‘she wasn’t that important, I have other believers.’ Both God and the shepherd will leave the ninety-nine somewhere safe, and go

n search of the one that has wandered. Even if that one thinks she is insignificant or unimportant. God never thinks that. Jesus died for all of us, not for the majority and never mind the odd one or two that miss out. God’s mercy and love encompasses all of us.

So if you don’t fit into society’s definition of valuable, try not to worry. Society is wrong, God is not. And you are valuable to God. He is looking out for you.

Don’t worry about keeping face or impressing anybody. As God told Samuel when he was choosing David to be king, ‘People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ That should be our focus too: making our hearts humble and full of love.

And maybe next time you meet someone, don’t ask, ‘what do you do?’ Instead try, ‘tell me something you chose to do yesterday.’ You might get answers like ‘went for a walk, read a book, phoned a friend, tinkered with my computer or motorbike.’ Those answers tell us as much, if not more about the person than any paid work they may or may not do. And if someone asks you that question, you could tell them you chose to pray. Who knows where that conversation might lead? Maybe to them learning that they too are supremely valuable to God.

Prayer

Father help me not to judge people by the world’s standards,
but by yours.
Help me to be humble and compassionate,
full of integrity and love,
and help me to encourage and value those gifts in others.
Amen

Please pray –

• for our government and the scientists advising them, that they will be wise in their decisions
• for the fair distribution of vaccines worldwide.