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image :: Blossom, Phil Greenwood（2003, Welsh)
Preparation for Worship & Communion :: Exchange & Restoration
This was the way in which, though immortal, He was able to die;
the way in which He chose to give life to mortal men:
He would first share with us, and then enable us to share with Him.
Of ourselves we had no power to live, nor did He of himself have the power to die.
Accordingly, He effected a wonderful exchange with us:
we gave Him the power to die,
He will give us the power to live.
In taking upon Himself the death that He found in us,
He has most faithfully promised to give us life in Him, such as we cannot have of ourselves.
Brethren, let us then fearlessly acknowledge, and even openly proclaim,
that Christ was crucified for us;
let us confess it,
not in fear but in joy,
not in shame but in glory. (Augustine of Hippo, 5th century)
Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs for Sunday May 3 include ::
:: Doxology (Thomas Ken, 1709) CHART [bandcamp track=2257784892 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: And Can It Be (Charles Wesley, 1738) CHART [bandcamp track=3382232877 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: There Forever Stay (Gadsby Hymnal, 1804) CHART [bandcamp track=3201141364 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Alas and Did My Savior Bleed (Isaac Watts, 1707) CHART [bandcamp track=3311447446 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms (Elisha Hoffman & Anthony Showalter, 1887) CHART [bandcamp track=4223285600 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: O The Deep Deep Love of Jesus (Samuel Trevor Francis, c.1890) CHART [bandcamp track=828526162 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]:: Gloria Patri (2nd century hymn; Henry W. Greatorex, 1851) CHART [bandcamp track=3887420126 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=short]
Call to Worship :: from Isaiah 35
Be strong, and do not fear! Your God will come to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf be unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Then will the wilderness rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice and shout for joy. And we, the ransomed of the Lord, will enter with singing. Everlasting joy will crown our heads. Open your eyes and see now the glory of the Lord, and the splendor of our God.
New Testament Reading :: I Corinthians 1:18-25
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Sermon :: II Kings 5:1-27
1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.” 5 And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”
So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”
8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.” 16 But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17 Then Naaman said, “If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord. 18 In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.” 19 He said to him, “Go in peace.”
But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him.” 21 So Gehazi followed Naaman. And when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is all well?” 22 And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me to say, ‘There have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’” 23 And Naaman said, “Be pleased to accept two talents.” And he urged him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants. And they carried them before Gehazi. 24 And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and put them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed. 25 He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.” 26 But he said to him, “Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants? 27 Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow.
Prayer of Confession :: adapted from The Valley of Vision, 42
My Father, enlarge my heart, warm my affections, open my lips, supply words that proclaim ‘Love shines at Calvary.’ There grace removes my burdens and heaps them on Your Son. made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me; There the sword of your justice struck the God-man: There Your infinite attributes were magnified, and infinite atonement was made; There infinite punishment was due, and infinite punishment was endured. Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy, cast off that I might be brought in, trodden down as an enemy that I might be welcomed as a friend, surrendered to hell’s worst that I might attain heaven’s best, Stripped that I might be clothed, wounded that I might be healed, thristy that I might drink, tormented that I might be comforted, made a shame that I might inherit glory. My Savior wept that all tears might be wiped from my eyes, groaned that that I might have endless song, endured all pain that I might have unfading health, bore a crown of thorns that I might have a glory-diadem. Bowed His head that I might uplift mine, experienced reproach that I might receive welcome, closed His eyes in death that I might gaze on unclouded brightness, expired that I might forever live. O Father, who did not spare Your only Son that You might spare me, All this action Your love designed and accomplished: Help me to adore You with my words and my life, O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise, my every step buoyant with delight, as I see my enemies crushed, Satan baffled, defeated, destroyed, sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood, Hell’s gates closed, heaven’s portal open. Go forth, O conquering God, and show me the Cross, mighty to subdue, comfort and save.
Words of Encouragement :: I Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.