“Take up your Cross and follow.”
“Take up your Cross and follow.”
Introduction.
On the final Sunday of Lent as we prepare for Holy Week ahead of us. We use some images of crosses to aid our reflections and prayers. The Cross is a symbol used extensively by the Church in many designs. We will use four short sessions each with a different design of cross.
Each of these crosses I have used to focus our thoughts on some aspects of our mission.
As usual to assist our reflection I have suggested a bible passage and hymns or songs for each section but please feel free to use anything else that comes to mind or simply spend time in prayer.
I pray blessing on us all as we share this time together.
The Service
Let us start with a prayer together.
Lord we have come together in this place to spend time with you. We set aside this time and clear our minds so that your words can touch us. We offer you this time of worship and pray your blessing upon it. As we pray for the Cliff College Mission we pray that we may be effective in speaking your words to the people around us. We offer to you this time of prayer and reflection in Jesus name. Amen
Section One – The Jerusalem Cross
As we can see the Jerusalem Cross has four smaller crosses surrounding the central cross. These are said to represent the four evangelist. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
This image of the cross spoke to me as a representation of the way in which we ourselves gather around the cross of Jesus as we do as he commanded and pick up our own crosses as we work in his service.
In our first time of quiet we pray for the mission of our own church and the other churches in our Circuit.
Prayer
Lord we bring before you ourselves as we prepare to work in your service in this place. We pray for any anxiety or worries that we have in speaking of you. We pray that your Spirit will speak through each of us so that we might know you better.
Let us spend some time in prayer together. Silently or with our voices as feels right and comfortable.
Some resources to help our reflection.
Read – 1 Peter 4 v 8 – 11
8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
Song – Master, speak! Thy servant heareth – Singing the Faith 666 or
Song – I will offer up my life – Singing the Faith 446
Section two – The Celtic Cross
The Celtic Cross is a reminder to me of the intersections of our lives. Sometimes we wander but we are on a pathway with God.
As we meet with those in our fellowship we will create further intersections in our lives.
We pray for all of the events that take place in our church. We particularly pray your blessing on the services which will be held this Holy Week.
I have selected the final few verses of the story of the Prodigal son to help our reflection. The story speaks of the return of the lost son and his fathers joy. It also speaks of the second son and his reaction to the return of his brother.
As we participate in the events of the week may we be joyful like the father throwing our arms wide to welcome any who come to the events.
Let us spend some time in prayer together. Silently or with our voices as feels right and comfortable.
Some resources to help our reflection.
Read – Luke 15 v 22 – 32
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Song – Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart – Singing the Faith 545 or
Song – Come on and Celebrate – Singing the Faith 44
Section three – The Wheat Cross
The Wheat Cross speaks to me of the spreading of Gods’ word through the life of Jesus. The seeds that are planted and nurtured by God in his relationship with us. They also speak of the need for change as the seed perishes so the new grain grows and is multiplied.
We are called to sow seeds in the community around us so that we can gather a harvest. Our mission gives us that opportunity and we thank God for it.
So we pray for those in our community who need our prayers. For those considering coming to some of the mission events that they might be encouraged to attend and feel a need to join us.
We remember those of our fellowship who can not attend the events through illness or busy lives and value their prayers in support of the mission.
Let us spend some time in prayer together. Silently or with our voices as feels right and comfortable.
Some resources to help our reflection.
Read – Luke 10 v 1 -2
10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field
Song – Here I am wholly available – Songs of Fellowship 167 or
Song – Now the green blade rises – Singing the Faith 306
Prayer
Section four – The Nail Cross
There are several variations of the nail cross. If the points were showing they are said to represent the four wounds of Jesus the three nails and the spear.
This cross speaks to me of the pain and suffering in the world which Jesus experienced. As we pray for our locality and the mission we take time to pray for the world, a broken place where in so many places the love of God is not shown.
There are many things we can pray for but some to start our prayers together.
We pray for the countries of the middle east where there is so much violence and suffering as a result.
The world economic situation and the economic crisis.
Let us spend some time in prayer together. Silently or with our voices as feels right and comfortable.
Some resources to help our reflection.
Read – Matthew 16 v 24 – 27
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
Song – Who can sound the depths of sorrow – Singing the Faith 723
Song – Whose lips will plead for the people of this land. SofF 1119
Prayer
Closing Prayer
Loving God we thank you for sharing this time together with us. For the peace and quiet which gives us time to reflect and evaluate our walk with you.
As we leave this place may we remember your call to us to go and make disciples of the whole world.
We pray your blessing on the activities of our church here at Hatfield Road as we join with each other to show your presence in this place. May we draw closer to you in all we do.
In Jesus name we pray. Amen
Let us say the Grace together to close.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with us all evemore. Amen