1 June 2008

Welcome to St Alban’s Anglican Church 

Today's Scripture (HC) : Deut 11: 18-21, 26-28,   Romans 1:16-17; 3: 22b-28   S. Matt 7: 21-end

Today's Liturgy: 8.35 a.m. BCP Matins;   9.00a.m. Scripture Study Prep;   9.30a.m. Holy Eucharist ;   EP 6.00 p.m.

Tues to Fri 12.30 p.m. Midday Prayer.

2^nd After Trinity

O Lord, who never failest to help and govern them whom thou dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love; Keep us, we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

FAITH IN FOCUS: EARTHQUAKE-PROOF?

The church of St Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, has stood for centuries in a country that is famous for earthquakes. But when other buildings have crumbled, it has remained standing. Is it something that the architect did? Is it built on special ground? Or is it just good luck?

In today’s gospel Jesus tells a story of two types of people: those who build their homes on sand and those who build them on rock. These houses symbolise our relationship with God, our faith. Some of these houses can withstand whatever is thrown at them while others crumble in the face of the elements.

What are the things that keep the house of our faith together? What stops us from crumbling in the face of opposition? Most people would say that there are many things that keep us going in adversity. Our other Christian friends and our local church community is a great support when we are having a rough time. We get courage and strength from the example of others in our family of faith and we receive inspiration to keep on going. Knowing what the Church teaches is indispensable if we are not to fall at the first hurdle that comes along to shake our belief. So a sound understanding of our faith, as best we can, is a good insurance policy against subsidence!

But the thing that earthquake-proofs our faith, that underpins its foundations and stops it from shaking in the wind, is the word of God. For our faith and our relationship with God is founded not just on tradition, not on custom or whim, but on what God has revealed to us in his word. The Church is a "people of the Book". We take our cue from the revealed word of God in Jesus Christ. If we build our faith on this rock then we will stand firm. But if our faith is based on the sand of any other sort of foundation, however fashionable it might appear, then it’s time to stand back and wait for the crash!

WORD OF GOD

It is not those who say to me "Lord, Lord" who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

WORD FOR TODAY

We listen to God’s word in Jesus in order that it may guide us along our road of life. To know what God’s paths are but walk along another route is foolishness. Yet our lives often take us into areas that we know are where we do not really want to be.

WHEN YOU HAVE READ THE BIBLE, you will know it is the word of God, because you have found it the key to your own heart, your own happiness and your own duty. (Woodrow Wyatt)

LOOK AT A STONE CUTTER hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before. (Jacob A Riis)

 

THIS WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS:

Mon: Judg 2, Luke 13: 1-9, Rom 9: 1-18

Tues: Judg 4:1-23, Luke 13:10-21, Rom 9: 19-end

Wed: Judg 5, Luke 13: 22-end, Rom 10:1-10

Thurs: Judg 6: 1-24, Luke 14:1-11, Rom 10:11-end

Fri : Judg 6:25-end, Luke 14:12-24, Rom 11:1-12

Sat : Judg 7, Luke 14: 25-end, Rom 11:13-24

NEXT SUNDAY : Hosea 5:15 - 6:6, Romans 4:13-25, S. Matthew 9: 9-13, 18-26