St John the Evangelist

Pentecost 4

21 June 2026

SENTENCE FROM SCRIPTURE:

You, O Lord, are gracious and full of compassion. (Psalm 86)

HYMN

GREETING

Grace and peace to you from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

COLLECT FOR PURITY

Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires known,
and from whom no secrets are hidden:
cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you,
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.

SUMMARY OF THE LAW

Our Lord Jesus Christ said: The first commandment is this:

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.”

The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. Amen. Lord, have mercy.

CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION

God is love and we are God’s children. There is no room for fear in love. We love because God loved us first.

Let us confess our sins in penitence and faith.

SILENCE

God our Father,
we confess to you
and to our fellow members in the Body of Christ
that we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
Forgive us our sins,
and deliver us from the power of evil,
for the sake of your Son who died for us, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

ABSOLUTION

God, who is both power and love,
forgive you and free you from your sins,
heal and strengthen you by the Holy Spirit,
and raise you to new life in Christ our Lord. Amen.

Gloria
sung by Sue St Joseph

COLLECT

O Lord,
in your mercy, hear our prayers:
and as you give us the desire to pray,
grant us your help and protection;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, world without end,  Amen

PROCLAIMING & RECEIVING GOD’S WORD

FIRST READING:
Genesis 21, 8-21
read by Zara Ross

⁸ The child Isaac grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
⁹ But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac.
¹⁰ So she said to Abraham, ‘Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.’
¹¹ The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son.
¹² But God said to Abraham, ‘Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named after you.
¹³ As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.’
¹⁴ So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

¹⁵ When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes.
¹⁶ Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, ‘Do not let me look on the death of the child.’ And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.

¹⁷ And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, ‘What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
¹⁸ Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.’
¹⁹ Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.
²⁰ God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow.
²¹ He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt

SECOND READING :
Romans 6, 1b-11
read by Carolynne Sorrell

¹ Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

⁴ Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶ We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷ For whoever has died is freed from sin.

⁸ But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹ So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

GOSPEL:
Matthew 10, 24-39
read by Annette Beagrie

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew Chapter 10, beginning at verse 24.

Glory to Christ our Saviour

Jesus summoned the twelve and sent them out with the following instruction:
²⁴‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master;
²⁵it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!
²⁶So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.
²⁷What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.
²⁸Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father.
³⁰And even the hairs of your head are all counted.

³¹So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.
³²Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven;
³³but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.
³⁴Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
³⁵For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
³⁶and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.
³⁷Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
³⁸and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
³⁹Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.’

Give thanks to the Lord for his glorious Gospel
Praise to Christ our Lord.

SERMON

As I read and reflect on the passages of scripture that we have before us this morning, I find myself faced with a number of troubling issues that leave me with questions. So, we have the highly questionable morality of Abraham’s casting out into the desert of his son Ishmael with his mother Hagar; Jesus saying that He is “not come to bring peace but a sword” [Matt 10 v 34]

and to create division within families; the challenge to take up the cross and follow or be deemed unworthy of Him! [Matt 10 v 38] When you reach the end of these few words that I offer, you may conclude, perhaps with some justification, that I have not adequately addressed these troubling issues! But, as a way into addressing them – as a kind of starting point for your ongoing prayer and reflection – I offer three words.

The first word is SIN. Paul, in that passage we have read from his letter to the Romans, is addressing the issue that some have raised concerning the abundance of God’s grace. He has just been writing of the glorious outpouring of God’s grace in His gift of Jesus, willing to go the way of the cross, die and be raised that our humanity might be put right with God. So, argue some, shouldn’t we go on sinning all the more, so that we can receive more of this wonderful grace of God. No says Paul. That’s not how grace works. If truly we have received the grace of God in our lives, then we are dead to sin and alive in Christ. Beyond the doors of a Church, sin is not a word that is much used in our world today and, frankly, we in the Church too often avoid using it too. Most people, if asked, would not regard themselves as sinners in need of salvation!

Yet so many people in our world would readily speak of ‘low self-esteem’, ‘lack of self-worth’, of ‘wellness’ – all of which speaks of our need of healing. That word ‘sin’ is simply one way of describing our state of separation from God, both as individuals and as a world – our need of healing. The consequences of that state of separation from God we see in our own lives and the life of the world. We are created for relationship with God, and I believe that it is only in relationship with God that we discover our true humanity, that we become truly whole, healed beings.

The second word is SUFFERING. Jesus willingly went the way of the cross, died and was raised in order that our relationship with God might be healed. Through His suffering, death and resurrection we can be healed, our relationship with God, through Him, restored. The direction Jesus’ life had to take, led Him to suffering. Jesus invites His followers to take up the cross and follow or be unworthy of Him. Some have interpreted this to mean that unless we are suffering, having a hard time in life, then we’re not proper disciples. From time to time, all of us will experience times of hardship and difficulty – being a follower of Christ does not guarantee a life without pain. But equally, no Christian disciple should seek out pain and suffering. We are called simply to make the choice to follow, knowing that whatever life may bring we remain always held in the love of God. And perhaps it’s in that making of the choice to follow Christ that the division within families of which Jesus speaks can come?

My third word is SALVATION. The healing of our relationship with God, and with it our new life, new beginning, healing and freedom, begins as our eyes are opened to the reality of the God who is love, who is come to us in Jesus, living, dying and rising. And as our eyes are opened, then comes the challenge to make the choice to follow wherever that may lead. May God bless us in our choosing and in our following.

Amen.

THE CREED

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one substance with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father.
With the Father and the Son,
he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.


PRAYERS

Loving Father, we gather today to share in your love. Let us bring to you all our hopes, our fears, and all our dreams. When we feel far off, bring us back to you and remind us of your never-ending love.

In your mercy

Hear our prayer

Loving, living God, let us pray for our church. In this time of interregnum, we thank you for the continual leadership of Jim as interim priest, and for all who support him in leading our church and helping us to continue to grow together.

We pray for the vacancy committee as they continue the process to find the right person to lead us in the next chapter of our journey. Give them patience, kindness, and wisdom as they continue in their roles.

In your mercy

Hear our prayer

We pray for all Christians today, regardless of denomination, that together we may learn to follow Christ each day, and ensure that religion is not used for exploitation, as a weapon, or to cause harm or abuse.

We pray for all who are persecuted for their faith, especially Christians in China and the Horn of Africa.

We hold them in our hearts, that one day they may be able to worship freely and without fear.

God so loved the world that we might be saved.

In your mercy

Hear our prayer

Loving God, we pray for those whose lives are forever caught up in chaos and conflict: for those places where peace cannot be found and war is outside their door. We pray for all the lives lost.

We pray for those whose only solution was to flee; for the communities left behind; for resettling, reconciliation, and rebuilding; and for those who are still making their way to a safe place.

We pray for all countries in conflict, where violence divides communities and fear casts its shadow.

We pray for all in positions of power that they refrain from abusing those who they govern.

We pray for peace in Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Syria, Sudan, Myanmar, Iran, Ireland, and all places torn apart by war, unrest, and destruction.

In your mercy

Hear our prayer

We pray for all who suffer in body, mind, or spirit, that they may be strengthened by your presence and by the care of others.

In your mercy

Hear our prayer

We pray for all who have departed this life, remembering especially those known to us and loved by many, that they may rest in your eternal peace and rise in the light of your presence.

We bring before you the prayers in our own hearts, spoken or silent.

In your mercy

Hear our prayer

Faithful God, receive these prayers we offer in trust. Walk with us through this day, strengthen us in hope, and guide us to live as people of peace, compassion, and love.

Merciful Father accept these prayers for the sake of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ who taught us to pray together

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Do not bring us
to the time of trial
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours,
now and forever. Amen.

BLESSING

Christ the Son of God gladden your hearts with the good news of his kingdom; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be among you and remain with you always. Amen.

HYMN

DISMISSAL

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord
In the name of Christ. Amen