SBC Worship – 25th February 2024

Worship from Shirley Baptist Church, Shirley, Solihull, UK on the 25th of February 2024. This Sunday we continue with our Active Faith series, with Mat Wilson discussing what it means to have active wisdom.

Songs used in this service:

Be Thou My Vision
CCLI Song # 30639
Eleanor Henrietta Hull Mary Elizabeth Byrne
© Public Domain; Music: Public Domain
Admin: Public Domain

Mighty To Save
CCLI Song # 4591782
Ben Fielding Reuben Morgan
© 2006 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia
Admin: Hillsong Music Publishing UK

Lead Me To The Cross
CCLI Song #4785828
Brooke Ligertwood
© 2006 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia
Admin: Hillsong Music Publishing UK

God I Look To You
CCLI Song # 5858163
Ian McIntosh Jenn Johnson
© 2010 Bethel Music Publishing
Admin: Song Solutions

How Deep The Fathers Love For Us
CCLI Song #1558110
Stuart Townend
© 1995 Thankyou Music
Admin: Integrity Music Ltd

Living Hope
CCLI Song # 7106807
Brian Johnson Phil Wickham
© 2017 Phil Wickham Music; Simply Global Songs; Sing My Songs; Bethel Music Publishing
Admin: Song Solutions

CCLI Licence No. 924
Streaming Licence No. 819414

Good e e e e e Oh For Oh Oh Oh Oh For Savior I come quiet my Soul Redemption H redemption’s Hill where your blood was spilled from my r Everything I once dear I count it all as lost Le Me to the Cross where your love poured out bring me to my knees Lord I lay me down rip me of myself I belong to you Oh Lead Me To the Cross you were asign tempted and Human the world became flesh for my sin and death now your R everything I want h i count it all as lost Lead Me To the Cross where your love poured out bring me to my Lord I lay me down rip me of myself I belong to you oh Lead Me To the Cross Good morning fairly good voice this morning um and welcome to Shirley Baptist church today if you’re in the building or watching online you’re very welcome here um for those who don’t know me my name is Andrew and I’m one of the worship team here at Shirley Baptist Church um

We often start these services with a Psalm and the psalm today comes from um 119 which says um the unfolding of your words gives life it gives understanding to the simple I open my mouth and pant longing for your commands turn to me and have mercy on me as you always do to

Those who love your name um we’ll be thinking quite a lot in the service today about wisdom about the unfolding of God’s words but I wanted to start the service really focusing on that last verse that turn to me and have mercy on me as you always do to those who love

Your name um and really reflect on that as we come into the service this morning and we come into God’s presence um and we’ll be thinking on that in our first song mighty to save um in our second song today we’ll be taking up our offering um people giv lots of ways to

Support the work of the church some of them give through oneoff payments through direct debits through the tap Ando machine in the hub um one of the ways we do that is by passing the plate round um absolutely no obligation for anyone to give but if you do want to

Support the church in that way then this is your opportunity so um stand with me now as we sing Our opening song mighty to save Everyone needs compassion love that’s never failing let Mercy fall on me everyone needs foress the kindness of our savior the hope of Nation saor he can move the mountain my God is mighty to sa he is mighty to save forever althor of Salvation he rose and conquered the grave Jesus coner the grave so take me as you find me oh my fears And feel my life again I give my life to follow everything I believe in now I Surrender he can move the mountains my God is mighty to sa he is mighty to sa for Al of Salvation he and conquer the gra Jesus con the Prise so sh your light down let the whole world sing We singing for the glor GL the r King Jesus shine light and let the whole world sing we’re singing for the glory of the Risen King savior he can move the mountain my God is mighty to sa he is mighty to Forever author of salv he rose and conquer the grave Jesus conquered the grave saor he move the mountain my God is mighty to sa he is mighty to sa forever author of Salvation he and coner the grave Jesus conquered the grave so shine your light down let the whole world

Sing we’re singing for the glory of the r of K Jesus shine light and let the world sing singing for the glory of the Be thou my vision oh lord of my heart nor be all else to me say that thou th my best soul by day or by Night waking or sleeping thy presence my Life Be thou my wi and thou my true word I am with the and thou with me Lord th my great father and I thy true son thou with me dwelling and I with the One be thou my bre my sword for the be down my arm and down my mind thou my soul shelter and th My raise th me heaven with oh power of my heart Riches I he praise th my inheritance now thou and th only the first in my heart High King Of Heaven my treasure th High King Of Heaven when battle is one GR joy to me oh Bri Heaven Christ my own heart forever before still be my Vis oh R of

All Christ of my heart Whatever still be my fish oh ruler Of please do take a seat Dave we can go on to the the slide that was just on the um be that my Vision the last um not the last one thank you a warm welcome everybody great to see you all here this morning both online and in person it’s really great

To worship uh Jesus together and um that song be there my vision is often sung at the end of a service and uh as like a a big sort of rousing him to go out into the world with so it’s great that you’ve chosen it at the beginning

Of the service anyone passionate for God in this place great there’s a load over here is anyone passionate for God in this place right we’re getting anyone passionate for God in this place you look anyone passionate for God in this place they’re great anyone passionate for God in this

Place anyone passionate for God in this place anyone passionate for God in this place they’ve overtaken you brilliant it’s great to be in God’s presence it’s great to worship Jesus together Christ of my own heart whatever before you may have come here this morning it’s beautifully Sunny Hallelujah it’s sunny at

Last but you may have been feeling quite like the rainy days that have gone on before and that phrase Christ of my own heart whatever before or whatever is going to come this week the challenges and the joys Christ may he be your all in all hallelujah hallelujah nice soft Hallelujah

Great um we’re going to go on to notices now and uh there a few notices and a few people coming up but next Saturday actually before that there’s a notice for this Wednesday I think is that right Helen this Wednesday the prayer Friday Friday the 1st of March is a uh a world

Day of prayer and uh the bridge near to us I think are hosting that so what time is that Helen 10:30 10:30 so do go to bridge 10:30 onid Friday and uh there’s a time to pray for all the issues around the world so please speak to Helen

Afterwards if you’d like to join uh with attending that on Saturday the 2nd of March it’s the big breakfast and that just means that the Men’s breakfast and I think women as well are in is are women invited into the Men’s breakfast it’s not that way is it it’s

Men’s are invited into the women’s Fellowship I don’t know basically men and women are getting together and that’s not a bad thing and uh they’re having a breakfast and I think I don’t know whether the capacity is full or not please those who are organizing tell

Me it’s not full yet so you’ve got how many don’t know I’ll put you on the spot there Amanda okay so there’s plenty of space so please sign up speak to Amanda uh or to Chris Chris will be serving tea and coffee this morning speak to him about that and join in next

Saturday um next Sunday the 3rd of March we have our dwell service and Allison will be speaking at that um uh so do come along for a time to experience uh a little bit of worship in a relaxed setting and uh to be uh prayed for if

You’d like that um but to be uh spending time in worship so next Sunday the 3 of March I think that’s it that’s great okay I’m going to invite actually Martin and Jackie to come up to the front um now cuz uh a few weeks ago we uh said to

Jackie that uh it was her last Sunday and she finished at the very beginning of the year she’d been serving at SBC as children’s and family worker for seven years or so and um she’s gone on a new role and and every time I don’t know about you I’ve watched the service

Online or I’ve been in person and every week it seems like Jackie’s got staff member of the week and we celebrate that tell me you haven’t been staff member this last week we need to be praying for you you know but no it’s been great has it been a

Good start has it been a great that’s good and um Martin uh Martin Jackie and Mary if you don’t know and they’ve been serving the church for seven years and Martin as a as youth worker and um it’s not his last Sunday today I think next

Week in the role is his last Sunday but today we’ve got a a fellowship meal after the service to celebrate Martin and Jackie and all that they’ve done and as they’ve served here uh at at SBC for seven years and we spoke a few words about Jackie um a few Sundays ago but

Martin I’m going to say a few words for you a bit later um but as we go into the Hall but in this moment we want to thank you both for serving here at SBC for 7 years which is brilliant actually and there have been many people’s lives that

Been touched through your ministry both as a couple and individually as well and so we’re really grateful to God for those years of service and you’re both going well you’re on a new role and Martin you’re going into do you want to tell people what you’re doing just uh share where you’re going

To Jamie it’s a red one y thank you there we go it’s also on one bar of battery just let you know uh so uh I’m going to be starting on the 11th of March uh as a police officer uh so starting my training over in edgebaston

Uh for 22 weeks uh over there and then if you ask me where I’ll be placed after that I’ve got no idea cuz they don’t tell me yet um so yeah so I’ll be starting as a police officer from the 11th okay so uh big role to go into uh a

Lot of training to take place um but we’ve got a gift for you a card but and a gift for you to have a night out and also to be blessed with as well so uh we uh pray that you’ll really enjoy this and uh

Yeah as you both and a big round of applause for Martin and for Jackie and um let me pray for you both is that all right so let’s pray for Martin and Jackie and give thanks to God loving God we thank you so much for Martin for all

That he has done in the life of the church as youth worker and for uh the many lives that have been touched I think of those B baptism services and other occasions where young people have given their life to Jesus and he’s been a part of that Ministry with the team

Who serve among our young people thank you for all that you have done through him and for Jackie too we thank you for the encouragement of the new start that she’s made in her role and the blessing that is pray for Martin as he enters into a new career working with the

Police but also being a missionary if you like in that context on the front line and may he be the presence of Jesus um as he uh goes into this new environment bless him and encourage him I pray and may we as a church celebrate them with a lunch afterwards and uh

Speak words of encouragement and affirmation to them as a couple and indeed as a family in jesus’ name amen amen great all right uh and um I’m going to invite Allison now to come up as well and Grace and Grover as well to come up to the front

Because the other notice is that we have got three new members here at uh SBC and if I give you maybe that and come forward a little bit let’s move this out this is a bit clunky let’s move this out way people want to see you not me so come forward a

Little bit yeah come um membership uh in the life of church is something that people think well what is it all about and is it really necessary and it’s a good question a good discussion to have um but membership in in a sense means I’m going to be committed to the life of

The church and H and serve the purposes of God in this community and there are many people in the church who are not members perhaps but also do that and we celebrate you and we thank you for all that you do here at SBC but making a

Commitment as the three of you are is a real encouragement and we pray the church church will be an encouragement to you three as well I’m going to start with Allison Allison why have you become a member I mean what you don’t have to answer that question that’s not a very

Serious question but if you don’t know Allison is our um she’s our church ministry lead and so she does all things in terms of leadership in the life of the church and she started uh back in September and I think you’ll agree has bring a real sense of positivity and warmth and vibr

And the presence of Jesus actually so we are delighted uh all that you’ve done we had uh um yeah you’ve been such a blessing uh to the church uh to the point where last week you helped do puppets in our family all age service you know you’re doing so many different

Things in the life of the church but there’s also that commitment to being a member not only being an employed person at SBC but showing a commitment to membership and that Covenant relationship not only towards God but towards one another too and so uh a verse for you is don’t look down on

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young woohoo that’s nice UD you chose this verse and I think you know so that’s great don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young but set an example for the Believers in speech in life in

Love in faith and in Purity we welcome you Allison to the life of SBC I’m going to give you a two second hug there and also Grace and Grover have both been attending uh SBC for a few months now and you’re actively involved in the life of the church we’ve seen

That in so many different ways I know that you love to share the message of Jesus with people around you and I believe that’s also true for those who go shopping in ASDA um unsuspecting people you share the love of Jesus with so that’s half the church about 12:30 on

A Sunday um but uh it’s great that you have such a passion when I said at the beginning about a passion for God you too have a great passion for God and that’s absolutely wonderful and the verse from Matthew you are the light of the world Jesus a

Town built built on a hill cannot be hidden neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl instead they put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house in the same way let your light shine before others that

They may see your good deeds and glorify your father in Heaven thank you this is about Jesus being the light of the world and and he invites us to also radiate light and love to a world in need and you both do that we are delighted to

Welcome you both into membership here at uh at Shirley Baptist Church yeah all right there you go yeah good all right yes fine no it’s fine it’s on hello yeah the red one yeah okay uh thanks God so let us to join SBC family so that we can study Bible and worship

Together thank [Applause] you all right good thank you thank [Applause] you thank you thank you all right thanks good going to pray now for our children to go into uh their groups this morning so let’s pray together loving God we thank you for our children and young people as they go to their

Groups we thank you Lord that you look upon them with love and you are for them in a world in which they’re growing up which can be a bit challenging I pray for their safety I pray for their spiritual walk I pray for that that they would have fun and they

Would hold on to innocence for as long as possible pray your bless blessing upon them and all who serve in helping our young people and children to know the love of Jesus bless them today may they have a really wonderful time in church and bless the offering that we’ve

Taken as a church community in the many and various ways in which we give this is all yours all we have is yours and so we gladly offer to you our finances and our gifts our talents our personalities our time our commitment for your glory Lord Jesus we are passionate for you

Amen amen so have a great time enjoy everybody and uh praying also that we here would enjoy and meet with God together in this place uh there we go continue with our worship um as we turn to focus our minds and reflect on the reading and sermon to

Come um the next song is Lead Me To the Cross and I just I love the chorus of this one it says Lead Me To the Cross where your love poured out bring me to my knees Lord I lay me down rid me of myself I belong to you oh Lead Me Lead

Me To the Cross cross um please stand and join us in worship now say just to say folks as you stand that you’re probably thinking sorry Chris you’re just right I’ve got well done yeah good man everybody stand with Chris you’re not on your own this is a good place to be just

Just to say that ordinarily our our service structures are pretty they’re pretty syy there’s nothing too different but this morning there’s just a little change I want to give you be help you to be aware of we’re going to sing two songs in this time uh so it’s not one song president

Session reading sermon two songs two songs why do we have two songs why not there you go but today we’re going to have two songs now not to rush we plan this so that there’s four minutes for each song that means 8 minutes of worship I’ve taken up a minute nine

Minutes of worship we’re going to spend 10 minutes of worship preparing our hearts to receive God’s word this morning sometimes God’s word to us comes when we don’t really we’re quite resistant but I feel this morning there’s a need to prepare the ground if you like to linger and to worship and

To grow in our passion for Jesus then after the sermon there’ll be the prayers of intercession that Hillary will lead us in so I’m sorry if that’s causing a bit of disorientation but let us orientate ourselves towards the Jesus who is Lord of all head of the

Church and seeks to make home in your heart savior I come quiet my Soul savior I come quiet my soul Remember Redemption Hill where your blood was spilled from my everything I want I count it all as lost Lead Me To the Cross where your love pour out bring me to my knees Lord I lay me down R me out myself I belong to you oh Me Lead Me To the Cross You Were tempted and Tried human the word became flesh for my sin and death now your Is everything I want tell I count it all as lost Lead Me To the Cross where your love pour out bring me to my knees Lord I lay down R me of myself I belong to you oh Lead Me lead me to your Heart to your heart lead me to your heart Lead Me to Your Heart Lead Me To the Cross where your love pour out bring me to my knees Lord I lay me down rip me up myself I belong to you oh Lead Me To the Cross where your love pour out bring me to my knees Lord I lay me

Down RI me out myself I belong to you oh me lead me to the Cross God I look to you I won’t be overwhelm give me Vision to see things like you do God I love to you you’re where my help comes from give me you know just what to do God I look to you I won’t be overwhelmed give me Vis to see things like you do God I love to you you’re my help comes from give me W you know just what to do I will love you Lord my strength I will love you Lord my

Sh I will love you Lord my forever all my I will love you God God I look to you I won’t be overwhelm give me f to see things like you do God I love to you you’re where my help comes from give me W you know just what to do I will love you Lord my I will love you Lord Myah I will love you Lord my forever all my days I will love you God hallelu God PR hallelu Rock Heart hallelu rock PR forever All My AG Hallelujah And I will love you Lord my strength I will love you Lord my high how will love you Lord my rock forever all my days I will love you Yes Lord you are the one who Reigns in our lives as a church Lord we are centering ourselves on that verse to seek first your kingdom another way of expressing that is to seek first your rule and your reign in our lives and our circumstances and not only us but the

Things that are Beyond us the things in the world and we know there is so much Brokenness both within and without you are the god of rescue and of Salvation you are the god of healing and of hope we look to you we turn to

You there is no one else no where else we should go or to whom we should look you alone are trustworthy you alone are the savior of all you are alone are perfect in love you alone are the one in authority to forgive you alone bring healing because there is bright hope for

Tomorrow be thou our vision oh lord of our heart whatever before Christ reign and Rule here in this church here in this community here in our homes here in our relationships our friends and family here in our nation here in all All Nations for you are the God who fills all the

Earth we look to you we may be overwhelmed but help us to be overwhelmed not by the heaviness of the weight of the world but by the lightness of Your Love help us to be overwhelmed and overcome by the presence of your spirit help help us to have hearts that

Are open to being overwhelmed by your presence which is love Eternal we know you we love you thank you Jesus amen good morning everyone um our reading this morning is James chapter 3 and um we’re going to share that with you now the first section of that is entitled taming the

Tongue not many of you should become teachers my brothers and sisters for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness for all of us make many mistakes anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect able to keep the whole body in check with a

Bridal if we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us we guide their whole bodies or look at ships though they are so large that it takes strong strong winds to drive them yet they are Guided by a very small Rudder wherever the will of the pilot

Directs so also the tongue is a small member yet it boasts of great exploits how great a forest is set a blaze by a small fire and the tongue is a fire the tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity it stains the whole

Body sets on fire the cycle of Nature and is itself set on fire by hell for every species of Beast and bird of reptile and sea creature Can Be Tamed and has been tamed by the human species but no one can tame the tongue a Restless evil full of deadly

Poison with it we bless the Lord and father and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God from the same mouth come blessing and cursing my brothers and sisters this ought not to be so does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish

Water can a fig tree my brothers and sisters yield olives or a grape vine figs no more can salt water yield fresh James now goes on to speak about two kinds of wisdom who is wise and understanding among you show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of

Wisdom but if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts do not be boasting ful and false to the truth such wisdom does not come down from above but is Earthly unspiritual devilish for where there is envy and selfish ambition there will also be disorder and wickedness of every

Kind but the wisdom from above is first pure then Peaceable gentle willing to yield full of mercy and good fruits without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy and the Harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace amen thank you uh Moran Stewart for reading

God’s word to us this morning and um hopefully you’ll appreciate the fact I haven’t mentioned the rugby either but uh I have just done that now and we move swiftly on we don’t linger with that at all um we are in the heart of the letter that James writes to the scattered

Churches that are being persecuted and this is the heart of the letter there are four chapters and we’re beginning now in chapter 3 we’ve gone through chapters 1 and two and everybody can remember exactly what was said in all of those amazing talks in chapters one and two should we do a

Quiz no I thought not let’s not let’s not even go there but uh those first two chapters um were all about leading us in one sense to think about not showing favoritism or um acting out our faith a and we learned about James being the brother of Jesus and all that meant

About sibling inter relationships but here we’re now exploring something about wisdom and um this isn’t a particularly attractive picture I’m sure this lady would have liked a different picture no doubt than sticking her tongue out I I’ve told you once or twice about moments when I’ve been to the hairdresses and the embarrassing

Situations I have sometimes there well last week I went to my dentist who loves going to the dentist do you really you like going to the dentist that’s great tell me more that’s wonderful Jenny lovely um but you know the dentist says put your tongue to

The left and put it to the right and put it up and put it down and and then my dentist loves to talk uh I can’t say a thing um but uh but but the tongue that’s what we’re going to speak about this morning uh can you touch your nose with your

Tongue really wow that’s fantastic no one wants to see that thank you but but we’re talking about wisdom and we’re talking about language we’re talking about communication we’re talking about the tongue who is the wisest person you’ve ever thought of who’s existed in the world and you can’t say

Jesus any names that come to mind Solomon Solomon good we’re going biblical nice Helen I wouldn’t expect anything less uh so we’re going King Solomon the wisest person that Helen thinks has ever existed in the world any want a trump King Solomon you’re Paul you’re

Nan I want to know your nan if she can wipe the floor of King Solomon in wisdom terms she’s someone good to know there are many people that we could think of in the world who might be considered to be wise and we could have a long list of people both biblical and

People of history in terms of politics or in terms of world religions or in terms of Nobel Peace prizes or scientists and mathematicians there are so many people we would consider to be wise but James asks in this chapter in James 3:13 who is wise among you so this

Question gets harder who is the wisest person at Shirley Baptist Church and I really want an answer here no I don’t want an answer I do not want an answer yeah oh so true yes you’re my lovely wife yeah take someone else tell you yeah it took someone else to tell me but

Yes thank you Stuart answer correct Hannah um who is the wisest person in this church that’s the question that that James is asking Church communities scattered around who are facing persecution who is wise among you it’s not the kind of question that we explore very often for those of you

In life groups which are groups of people that meet in in the week and study the Bible maybe discuss together who is the wisest person in your life group be interesting to know how you categorize wisdom how do we categorize wisdom more knowledge someone who’s written a book how do we

Categorize wisdom someone who’s good at numbers someone who’s good at words in intellect matters but these days there is a growing awareness of intelligence not being based on necessarily IQ but but EQ everyone know what I mean by EQ emotional intelligence the ability to to understand and relate and connect to

People around you to pick up the vibe the atmosphere to see in someone else’s face Sadness and Sorrow or Joy or wonder to look at someone and I mean look at someone and know exactly what they’re going through to pick up the vibe do we think about wisdom in terms

Of intellect the mind or the heart perhaps that emotional a connection and intelligence to people what is wisdom anyway well I was looking on uh a couple of websites to try and work out the attributes of wise people and um and there’s a mixture between Theology and psychology and sociology with these five

Attributes and the first one and and you’ll be able to hopefully be self-aware enough to see if you have won two five or dare I say it none of these attributes here we go people who are wise are considered to be self-regulators they regulate emotions to think clearly they can actually take

Out the emotion and make decisions on pragmatic aspects it’s not about people it’s about solving a problem and I can cut through the emotion and make a decision based on common sense who’s got common sense in the church hand up if you think you’ve got Common Sense next week I’m teaching on

Humility but anyway good good one well done you know who you are the other ones they’re virtuous people these are the people for whom relationships matter it’s not that I’m going to get something done to achieve something successful but I’m going to take people with

Me and they will say at the end we did it uh the this sort of person who’s wise are virtuous not in the fact that they are reliable and dependable alone but they go at a pace that other people can go at too they are considerate of people’s

Feelings the third is that um wise people recognize patterns context is crucial for new things to emerge so they can assess the scene understand the history explore some of the issues the personalities that have fallen out or uh the history of a a particular organization and Society soy or or dare

I say even church and work out some of the context and then look for new things that emerge out of that nothing stays the same they move people forward another one is that they navigate environments well they adapt and shape or move to a new place so an environment you encounter you can

Actually enter into it adapt to it shape it or move to a new place and the last I quite like this one this one is probably the one that we understand the most we can make the best of a bad situation Christ of my own heart whatever before how to face deep

Disappointment and psychologists and some theologians got together and they thought these are the five attributes to be people that uh think clearly but also people that are people minded uh they recognize patterns contexts they navigate environments but they make the best of a bad situation is that what wisdom is

About it’s not a bad top five do you think you have any of those or none of them and if you have some but maybe not others or you think of someone next to you maybe who’s got all five wow amazing I think this doesn’t really matter what matters is

This because the scriptures talk actually about the way in which we speak Isaiah 65 Isaiah the prophet is like this person this prophet he said I’m a man of unclean lips he’s recognizing that he hasn’t got it sorted he doesn’t speak well speaks in a way that’s pretty offensive at

Times Matthew 1518 is all about the things that come out of a person’s mouth displays what’s going on in their heart or Romans 313 their throats are open like Graves their tongues practice deceit this is quite great trffic and Paul is writing to the church at Roman

Saying guys the way which you speak it’s just not on Ephesians 4:29 do not let any UNH wholesome talk come out of your mouths I think we’re getting the point here Colossians 4:6 let your conversation always be full of grace and one Peter 2 let no deceit was found in

His mouth wisdom from a Biblical perspective does two things wisdom is about cherishing a passionate heart for God the priority of life but wi wisdom is also about how that passionate priority of a relationship with God radiates and connects with the way we speak to one another that’s biblical wisdom

You don’t have to be a psychologist to get this it’s about passion for God prioritizing a love for God knowing god and being known by God enjoying God’s presence being on an adventure with God and then speaking well to other people this is my guardian angel when they were assigned to me my

Guardian angel probably had his head in his hands thinking oh no I’ve got that one I don’t know how your guardian angel looks at you woohoo yeah great easy life for me my guardian angel looked at me and probably went I’ve got a lot of work to

Do James 3 verse one says not many of you should presume to be teachers and ever since my guardian angels had a tough job but then James in verse two goes on to say actually it’s not only teachers it’s a high calling and the way in which

You speak the word of God matters and so therefore you need to take it seriously it matters what you say every word you say matters to people on a Sunday every word you say in conversation and I don’t get get it right I get it wrong again and again and

Again which is why I need a guardian angel that is patient and by my side and lifting me up when I go back home after Sunday and go I just didn’t say that well this is a picture of um some fjs in Norway and um the story is of a boat

That goes along the field and you see these huge mountains either side of this boat and in the winter it’s covered with snow and The Story Goes that this tour group were on there and the guide said this as they were shivering and freezing but Beauty was all around with the white

Capped fields and well the mountains around the water and he said you know what you know what an avalanche is caused by it’s caused when someone speaks when someone speaks the Echo goes out and it can actually affect the very nature of snow and it comes down and creates an

Avalanche James is saying the way in which we speak can sometimes create an avalanche in the world around us the way in which we speak has a massive effect on relationships the way in which we speak has a massive effect on the way in which we treat

Others the tongue has the power to direct Our Lives verse three and four James speaks about this and he speaks about the horse having such power and yet it’s the bit in its mouth and anyone ridden a horse before I have and I fell off a horse they are dangerous

Beasts horses Can’t Be Tamed very easily but they can with a bit in its mouth and James says the tongue needs to be tamed a bit like the horse needs to be tamed the way in which we speak reflects our very heart life to God then he uses another example and he

Talks about ships and how they are powered by just that small rodder I don’t know whether you remember the story of the sews Canal when a tip sh a ship turned and it caused all of the shipping that went through the SE Canal to be stopped and our food went up in

Price as a result because the ship turned around and the the tongue is like the the rudder small though it may be it actually affects and directs so much the tongue also has the power to destroy lives around us there was once in a a church that I I

Was part of and and led in Albania and it wasn’t so Grand as SBC I mean we had about 50 people in a room bigger well just about the same size as what’s that room next door G thank you can we change numbers to names no I won’t even go there G6 about

The size of G6 50 people in there in Albania and we had an electrical fire which is rather ironic because we had hardly any electricity in Albania but we had this spark and then suddenly this fire came it was massive and we all had to rush out and the tongue can be

Like that when we use language which is not right it can be like that spark that lend itself into a fire it has the ability to destroy that’s what James says it’s difficult to contain it’s so difficult I don’t know if anyone I think CLA rob you were in

Roads last year or going to roads last year but ended up going to Turkey but roads last year had huge fires from a spark it’s bit like the tongue we speak one word and it can set a whole fire of flame but we also with our mouths with our

Tongues we can display the unpredictable Peter said Lord Jesus I’ll will never deny you and then of course he denied him three times and James says to the church look with the tongue we can both praise God with passion this morning it was wonderful the worship

That was led this morning but we can worship on a Sunday morning and then we can curse in the week we can gossip we can bad mouth we can speak about not to we can criticize when someone is feeling that they can’t sing the song about being overwhelmed because they are

Overwhelmed and yet our word of criticism crushes them Praise You Lord and then I speak badly about someone else James uses wonderful poetic language of fig trees and great fruit and you know this is good Mediterranean stuff and then we get into the water and salt water they just can’t mix what

James is saying is that wisdom true wisdom is when you live a love a relationship of love with God and how that manifests with the way you speak about those around you matters what James is talking about here is practicing practicing the way of Jesus some of us in the church are

Reading a book by John Mark coma called practicing the way and the reason I’m absolutely loving this book is because it’s really simple it’s really simple you’ll go oh yeah yeah I know that oh yeah I know that yeah but actually he then just comes in with a phrase or a perspective

And it’s like oh my goodness thank you for the guardian angel I’ve got because I realize I do I do fall foul of speak in a way that’s not God honoring nor people honoring at times but what he says John Mark comr in this book be with Jesus be

Like Jesus do as Jesus did he says this at the very heart of the book and about halfway through he says it’s such a joy when you are in a community of God’s people that are loving why because they’re patient with mistakes they don’t speak badly about you when you get it

Wrong they don’t think the worst of you when you forget something love matters when there’s disagreement the language of kindness and Christ likeness matters when there is vulnerability and fragile relationships all around and James says this is wisdom to be peaceloving and peace building so if you’ve heard nothing I’ve said this morning

Stamp Out gossip shouldn’t have done that on my left leg my knee’s dodgy stamp it out I’m not mucking about I don’t know whether it’s going on or not which is why I can say this I don’t know what’s said behind my back and you don’t know what’s said behind your

Back but let us gently move to a place of love love is wisdom acted out and if I’m going to get really contemporary most of us don’t do it with our tongue and our language we write a text to someone else and not that person can you believe what they did or we

WhatsApp or we Facebook message or we email because the irony is we hide behind a screen and what James is doing is he’s fleshing it out and saying to a community that are persecuted from outside and persecuted from within the world is against the church so much don’t be against

Yourselves that’s what he’s saying show love show Grace speak well practice peace this is your spiritual act of worship and that’s wisdom amen kind of feel like I need to say sorry so I’m going to say sorry if that came across too harsh please know my heart is for you and for

Us I think we just need to show a better way because Jesus Reigns so let’s be people of peace that love and build up let’s not destroy so let’s take a moment to be still can a fig tree bear olives can a grape vine bear figs neither can salt water produce fresh

Water loving God help us to be wise help us to love you to know you to be known by you to be passionate about your name to to cherish our relationship with you and in so doing discover wisdom to lean not on our own understanding but to know

That your ways are higher than our ways your thoughts are broader than our thoughts we don’t lean on our own understanding Lord we come into the very Heart of Jesus and say shape us form us mold us make us to be pure and peaceloving to be considerate and submissive to be sincere

And to be Peacemaking in Jesus name amen amen yeah let’s let us pray Almighty father our loving God we come before you humbly now in prayer Lord please forgive us for all those times we’ve spoken harshly we’ve been quick to judge we’ve sparked ill feeling with our loose tongues and our own negative

Feelings forgive us we pray we seek your gift of peace in our hearts as we bow before you we remember those across the world in war torn countries those in the midst of extreme weather conditions destroying their homes and their lives Lord provide us with your wisdom

As we pray for all those struggling to cope where power seeking leaders Rule and human rights are abused give us the words the wisdom in each of our hearts as we pray for the people of Ukraine it is 2 years on now from the start of war and we remember the tens

And hundreds of thousands who have lost their lives because of this war both ukrainians and Russians we pray for their loved ones mourning and struggling amidst their grief and the ongoing destruction we pray for oppressors across the world and oh Lord we ask you to turn those

Hearts to touch those Souls that they may find a new way to become wise in your image we pray for a turning to you we remember the family and the friends and the followers of Alexi nval as They Mourn him in this tragic loss last week we

Thank you for the example he set his courage and his perseverance to show a different way his words and his motive in Seeking a fairness and freedom and kindness for the people of Russia in our own country Lord we witness this week more news of trouble and strife among those who lead and

Govern US during this time of Lent we pray your peace will descend on this nation that we see a new turning to you of those in a whole range of leadership positions not just governance but across all sectors across all faiths and beliefs thank you for morning sunshine

This past week as winter begins to turn to Spring and we can feel a fresh hope in the air we can feel encouraged as we see the signs of New Life the spring bulbs In Bloom and shrubs and trees beginning to Bud we pray for this congregation here in

Shirley we pray for those with health challenges and we remember Viv and Morris Gan and Eric we pray for Mark and for CLA recovering from recent surgery last week we pray that each one of these people we may feel you right beside them as they face their recoveries their

Challenges we pray for those who mourn we pray for Julie and Roy Grace and her two brothers Joan’s friends and families as they gather to celebrate Joan’s life this coming Friday May they find joy in Remembering all their happy times with Joan May each of them feel your presence watching over

Them throughout this week and we pray for those who are lonely or feel isolated in unfamiliar or uncomfortable places please sit right next to each one Lord and touch them with your comforting peace Lord we ask for ourselves in Shirley may we seek a closer walk with

You may you fill each one of us with your wisdom please fill our minds and our hearts with your grace please guard our and ruly tongues that they may speak that we may speak kindly and positively to one another and to all we connect with Lord give each one of us a true

Interest in others help us to listen more patiently and without interruption as we build our friendships Jesus said blessed are the peacemakers Lord make each one of us a Channel of Your Peace help us to use the varying gifts and talents you have given us to create a more peaceful Body of

Christ here in this place and in our community bring us Harmony in being together and Discerning your will for what you have planned for us we ask all these things in your precious name amen at the end of our prayers together this morning we now have an opportunity

To put our face into action to act to respond we can come individually to God in our seats to respond to our father with his wisdom in his hearts in our hearts his words in our mouths we can take a few minutes to come quietly and individually in

Prayer or we may come forward to the prayer station um and pray with our prayer Partners here at the front of the sanctuary or at I think two stations one station at the back over here Lord stir our hearts we pray may we act in faith and talk with you now and

Listen to what you have planned for us amen How Deep The Father’s Love For Us how fast Beyond That he should give his only son to make aous treasure how great the pain of seing was the father turns his face away as WS mother Chosen bring many sons to Glory behold the man upon on a cross my sin upon his shoulders ashamed I hear my mocking voice call Out Among the scers it was my sin that held him there until it was Aing breath has me I know that it is Finished I will in anything no gifts no power no wisdom but I will boast in Jesus Christ his death and Resurrection why should what I gain from his Reward I canot give an answer but this I know with all my heart his wordss have paid My why should I gain from his I canot give an answer but this I know with all my heart his wounds have paid My How great the castle that lay us how high the Mountain could not in Des I turned to heaven and spoke your name into the night then through the darkness your Ling kindness to through the shadows of my Soul the work is finished the end is Jesus Christ my Living who could imagine so great a mercy what heart could such powerless gra the god of Ages Ste down from glory to where my S and my shame the cross has spoken I am for heav the King of Kings calls me his beautiful savior and yours forever Jesus Christ my living

Hallelujah praise the one who set me free h huah death has lost his GP on me you have broken every shame there salvation in your name Jesus Christ my living then came the morning that seal the prise your very part began to breath out of the silence the roaring

Lion declare the grave has no claim on me came the morning that seal the prise your very part began to out of the silence the roaring lion de the grave has no claim on me Jesus yours is the victory hallelujah praise the one who set me

Hallelujah has lost this GP on me you have broken every shame there salvation in your name Jesus Christ my living Hallelujah is the one who set me free Hallelujah death has lost his me you have broken every shame the Salvation in your name Jesus Christ my living Jesus Christ my Living Jesus Christ my I’m be careful every time I speak now but let me just tell you this death is not the final word we’ve just sung a great Easter Day song If you’re a Christian it’s Easter day every day some of us might not might not like Christmas every day but if you’re a

Christian you’ve got to like Easter every day are you passionate about God don’t have to answer death is not the final word life is experience eternal life that Jesus offers today this is eternal life to know Jesus the wisdom that is is and to act in the spirit of Christ for his glory

Amen amen talk to one another say good words to one another have tea and coffee scarper get home go and have food celebrate Martin and Jackie speak good words to them Amen How great the CM that lay between us how high the mountain I could not climb in desperation I turned to heaven and spoke your name into the night then through the darkness your loving kindness to through the shadows of my soul the work is finished the end is written Jesus Christ my Living

Hope Who could imagine so great a mercy what heart could fath such boundless Grace the god of Ages step down from glory to where my sin and bear my shame the cross has spoken I am forg the King of Kings calls me his own beautiful savior I’m yours forever Jesus Christ my living H Hallelujah praise the one who set me fre Hallelujah death has lost it grip on me you have broken Every Chain there salvation in your name Jesus Christ my Living Hope Then came the morning that sealed the prise your very body began to Brea out of the silence the roaring lion declared the grave has no CL on me then came the morning that the pro your very body began to breae out of the silence the roaring

Lion declare the grave as no claim on me Jesus yours is the Victory hallelujah praise the one who set me free Hallelujah death has lost this me you have broken Every Chain there salvation in your name Jesus Christ my Living Hope hallelujah praise the one who set me free Hallelujah death has lost this grip on me you have broken Every Chain the Salvation in your

Name Jesus Christ my living Jesus Christ my living home Jesus Christ my living home D Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh M M M