Fifth Sunday in Lent, 2025
What follows is a worship service which, I pray, you can participate in at a time(s) that are convenient to you. This 'service' will take about forty five (45) minutes.
I pray that you will feel called to ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE in this service.
The text that is in regular typeface (that is what you are reading at the moment) is to be read quietly, while the text that is in bold face (like you are reading right now) is meant to be read aloud.
Opening Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we commence our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
A Call To Worship:
We meet in the name of God,
Creator of the universe,
source of true humanity,
mother and father of all. Amen.
An Assurance of Forgiveness:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
The Sentence For Today (let us say aloud):
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, then were we like those who dream.
The Special Prayer For Today (let us pray aloud):
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Our first reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Our second reading for today:
(click the 'play' button below to listen)
Gradual Hymn:
Let us continue by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we raise out voices in praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
A reading from the holy gospel according to Saint John.
Listen to David speak to this gospel.
or, if you prefer, you can read the sermon, below:
Sermon for Fifth Sunday in Lent 2025
Welcome, friends, and peace be with you. May the words on my lips and the meditations in our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. Amen.
Passover. It's less than a week away, and Jesus and his disciples have returned to Bethany. They visit the home of their friend, Lazarus, and his sisters, Mary and Martha. A dinner is being prepared in their honour. Martha is in the kitchen, and Mary is at Jesus' feet.
Apparently, and without a word, Mary takes a bottle of intensely valuable perfume, made from pure nard. She pours all of the contents over Jesus' feet, and she wipes them with her hair. The whole house, John says, is filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Why did Mary do this? We can't be sure, but what an inspirational example of giving without counting the cost she gives us.
This perfume was probably the most precious thing that she owned. She wanted to show and share her everlasting love for Jesus with him and with all who were present. All of the perfume. All of her heart. Every last drop. She didn't count the consequences or the cost. That just didn't matter. The only thing that counted was showing and sharing her unrestricted, unfettered, everlasting love for Jesus and her gratitude to him.
There's a valuable lesson in this. Mary teaches us that if we're going to give anything to Jesus, we need to give him the lot. Our best. Our everything.
We should not. We must not. We cannot just set aside a little part of our heart for Jesus.
We cannot, we should not, and we must not, just set aside a small part of our life for Jesus.
If we are to give him these things. We give all of them and we give freely and joyfully.
This is what this story, this gospel passage about Mary teaches us today.
One thing we do know for certain, Judas does not like this. He does not like it one little bit.
This outpouring of commitment and everlasting love that Mary shows. As I say, Judas didn't like it one little bit.
Immediately, and like some people we know today, Judas finds words to speak, words of disquiet, words of negativity. Words designed to hem in, to close down the public commitment and sharing of love for Jesus. They say things like, why do it that way? What do you think you're doing? That's not how we've done things before. Why are you wasting such a valuable resource? We can't afford that. Why make the effort?
The answer lies in the heart of the Judases. A Judas does not have a heart and mind set on the poor. A Judas does not have a heart and mind fully set on Christ. A Judas is selfish. A Judas has a heart and mind focused on other things. A Judas wants things done his or her way.
Mary's reckless prodigality, her unrestricted joy in and everlasting love for Jesus Christ, is in such sharp contrast to those words and actions of a Judas that are aimed towards her.
So really, two stories in my message today. One sees modern Judases and the other more ancient. The ancient story is taken from the truth of the gospel and the modern one from people that we have perhaps met during our own ministries.
However, one common thread unites these distant stories, words and actions of negativity.
We will never know how Mary felt when those words fell upon her ears. How did she feel when she saw the face and those actions of Judas? We can only imagine the pain in her heart.
We'll never know how people today feel when they show their everlasting love for Christ and are met with negativity. We can only imagine the pain in their hearts.
People like Judas speak and act in ways that they think are most appropriate. They speak words and perform acts that reflect what they want. Words and deeds reflecting the way in which they want the world around them to function. Speaking and doing things that express their negativity to try to restrict others from showing and sharing their everlasting love for Christ.
And yet, words are like the wind. They come and they go in an instant. They can make your personal ministries feel free, unfettered, full of hope and joy, overflowing with enthusiasm, unrestricted joy and everlasting love. Or words can destroy. Words can hurt, harm, dampen enthusiasm, take away vibrancy and restrict thankfulness.
So let us learn from Mary's example in showing and sharing our love for Christ. Let us give without reserve and even in the face of negativity from an increasingly secular and selfish world. Let us keep giving and never count the cost.
To Christ we must freely, freely give and to God will be the glory.
Give everything to Christ.
I runga e te Ingoa o te Atua, te Matua, te Tama me te Wairua Tapu. Amine.
Pause and Reflect
Just take a moment now to pause. Bow your head, close your eyes.
Allow these words of Holy Scripture and this interpretation of them today to speak to you.
An Affirmation of Our Faith
Let us affirm our faith by saying aloud, and together, "The Apostles Creed":
... and now let us pray for the Church, the World, and Ourselves, giving thanks for God's goodness.
Let us pray aloud, and together:
In response to the call today “Lord, in Your mercy” Our plea is, “hear our prayer”
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy : Hear our prayer.
Everlasting God, you call us to Your service and so we ask that you make us worthy of Your calling; and to hear us as we intercede and give thanks to you through Jesus Christ Your Son.
<longer silence for personal reflection>
Holy God, as we gather on our own or in groups both small and large, we thank You for this time of prayer and for all of our brothers and sisters who also find time to be with You.
Thank you for our sisters and brothers in Christ who are our partners in the mission of Christ worldwide; teach us all to serve You as you deserve, putting aside racial and cultural differences whilst healing any divisions.
Keep us giving freely and extravagantly as we journey together on the path towards Your kingdom.
<short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Creator God, we pray for the nations of the world and for their right dealing one with another, especially between Russia and Ukraine; and also between Israel and Hamas where we pray for a cessation of hostilities and a declaration of peace.
May barriers of race, creed, gender and colour be broken down and political freedom established where there is oppression and suppression of new ideas.
We pray for educational development and for a more just economic structure which pays people fairly for their labour.
<short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Father God, we thank You that no matter how widely spread throughout the world our families may be, our hearts may be joined together in prayer. We also thank you for the means of modern technological communication that enable us to keep so closely in touch with those we love, which means we not only hear our loved ones but also see them.
<short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Gracious God, look mercifully upon those whose lives have been shattered by illness Help them and those who care for them to be freed from resentment and give them the strength to seek Your will, whatever it might be, in every situation.
Give the song of joy to all who are now on the road to recovery and recuperation and the song of thanks to all who helped them on that road.
We especially raise before You now all those who have asked for our prayers from around the world … those we know in New Zealand, in Singapore, in Argentina, in France, in Australia, in the US, in Canada, in Austria, in Ukraine, in China, in Germany, in the Czech Republic, and any others we now name aloud, or in the silence of our hearts, and those who are known only by You.
<short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
Merciful God, we remember the slenderness of the thread which separates life from death, and the suddenness with which it can be broken. Help us also to remember that whatever occurs in life we are surrounded by Your love. Help those bereaved by the loss of a loved one to find in your love peace and reassurance.
We pray for all the faithful departed, may they now rest in eternal peace as they most surely have risen in glory.
<Short silence> Lord, in your Mercy: Hear our Prayer
In a moment of silence we pray for ourselves, our families, friends, for all whom we love and for our personal ministries. Make the things that You have called us to do be done willingly, extravagantly, and may they show the everlasting love that we have for You.
Give us the strength and courage to give our all to you, holding nothing back.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Eternal God, giver of love and power, Your Son Jesus Christ sends us into all the world to preach the gospel of His kingdom: confirm us in this mission, and help us to live the good news we proclaim in all that we do and say.
(Short Silence) Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer
Forth in the peace of Christ we go; Christ to the world with joy we bring; Christ in our minds, Christ on our lips, Christ in our hearts, the world’s true King.
Merciful father: accept these prayers for the sake of Your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN.
Remembering that we are confident to pray this day, and every day, because Jesus Christ continues to teach us:
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.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
Let us conclude our prayers by praying together and aloud:
God of mercy,
you have given us grace to pray with one heart and one voice,
and have promised to hear the prayers
of two or three who agree in your name,
fulfil now, we pray,
the prayers and longings of your people
as may be best for us and for your kingdom.
Grant us in this world to know your truth,
and in the world to come to see your glory. Amen.
The Blessing
May The Risen Lord Christ turn His face towards each and every one of you.
May He cause His light to shine upon you, and
may He grant you His peace, and
The blessing of Almighty God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you and all of those whom you love,
on this day and forever more.
A Closing Hymn:
Let us conclude our worship today by watching, and please do feel free to sing or read aloud the lyrics, as we unite in another hymn our praise and thanksgiving.
When you are ready - click the "play" button on the video window, below:
The Dismissal
Go now, go out into the world
to love and serve The Lord.
Go in peace.
AMEN, we go in the name of Christ.
