1 March 2009

Welcome to St Alban’s Anglican Church

Today's Scripture : Genesis 9: 8-17    1 Peter 3:18-end    S. Mark 1: 9-15

Today: 9.00 a.m. BCP Matins;   9.30 a.m. Holy Communion;   EP 6 p.m.

This Week: Fri 12.30 p.m. Midday Prayers

The congregation warmly welcomes the Reverend Dr. Stuart Mews!

1st Sunday in Lent

O Lord, who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights: Give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our flesh being subdued to the Spirit, we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness and true holiness, to thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.

 

FAITH IN FOCUS:DO-IT-YOURSELF GRACE?

The problem with temptation is that we only recognise it after it’s over. When we are actually being tempted we see what’s on offer as completely normal. That’s why the compulsive smoker really believes that this little after-dinner light-up will not get them hooked once more, why the gambler is convinced that this bet on the cert means he’ll never need to worry about money again, and the woman passing the pub is confident that she can enjoy this tipple without stepping onto the downward spiral.

When the Spirit led Jesus out into the desert he was tempted by the devil. It’s reassuring to know that even Jesus was tempted. But how was he able to resist the temptations? He could do it because he wasn’t there alone; he was living in the Spirit. It was this close link with the Spirit that allowed him to refuse to give in.

Our society is hooked on the idea that we can improve ourselves by our own merits. And sometimes Christians are guilty of borrowing this flawed attitude and applying it to the way we relate to God and the way we deal with the spiritual challenges of our lives. So we end up thinking that when it comes to temptation the only solution is to be firm, to exercise our willpower and everything will fall into place.

But however many little victories we may win by using this method, the only way to defeat temptation permanently is recognise that we need God’s help, God’s grace, the life of his Spirit. We cannot save ourselves; only Jesus Christ can. We cannot flex our spiritual muscles and overcome sin; only God’s grace can do that for us. If it were otherwise, then there would have been no need for Christ to die on the cross.

WORD OF GOD

The Spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness and he remained there for forty days and was tempted by Satan.

(Mark 1:12)

 

WORD FOR TODAY

It’s comforting to know that even the Son of God was tempted. Temptation is not a sin but is often a prelude to sin. Knowing our weaknesses puts us at an advantage when we’re "tempted" to think that we can behave in a harmful way and come out unscathed.

 

DEWI SANT (March 2nd)

Dewi Sant, or St David as he is known outside Wales, has his feast moved by a day this year. Born in the sixth century near the present city of St David’s (conveniently!) he was a monk, an abbot and a bishop. His missionary journeys took him all over Wales, into Cornwall and even over to Brittany as he spread Christianity among the Celtic tribes.

In Welsh there is a proverb that is sometimes heard which says "Gwnewch y pethau bychain" or "Do the little things". This has become the motto of St David and is taken from the words of the very last sermon he preached before he died in 589: "Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed. Do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. I will walk the path that our fathers have trodden before us."

David is often depicted as a bishop holding a daffodil, the flower of Wales.

 

A GOOD FAST is better than a bad meal. (Irish Proverb)

 

THIS WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS

Mon: Jeremiah 4: 19-end, John 5:1-18, Gal 3:23 - 4:7

Tues: Jer 5: 1-19, John 5: 19-29, Galatians 4:8-20

Wed: Jer 5:20-end, John 5:30-end, Gal 4:21 - 5:1

Thurs: Jer 6:9-21, John 6: 1-15, Gal 5:2-15

Fri : Jer 6: 22-end, John 6: 16-27, Gal 5:16-end

Sat: Jer 7: 1-20, John 6: 27-40, Galatians 6

NEXT SUNDAY: Genesis 17: 1-7, 15-16, Romans 4:13-end, S. Mark 8: 31-end