Sunday Service 3 May 2026

Welcome and Introduction
 
Hello and welcome to worship.  My name is Andy Braunston and I am the United Reformed Church’s Minister for Digital Worship; I live up in Orkney but, when this service is used, I will be on sabbatical and travelling back from France and Italy where I’ll be looking at how faithful disciples have responded to the risen Lord’s call to follow his way, believe his truth and live his life over the last 1,000 years.   As we continue to celebrate Easter today we ponder God’s presence even when things are difficult.  We read of the death of the first martyr, Stephen, who gave witness to God not so much by his preaching but by a death where he was assured of God’s loving kindness.  We sing some verses of a Psalm where the ancient poet was determined that God would eventually bring justice – even if God seemed silent in the face of disaster, defeat, and despondency.  We hear words of comfort to new Christians isolated from family, friends, and community due to their newfound faith but who, the writer assured them, were chosen by God to be living stones and a holy priesthood in a temple of praise and thanksgiving.  And we hear Jesus’ words of comfort even as he told his disciples he’d not be with them for much longer.  As contemporary Christians living between Easter and Jesus’ final coming again we find comfort in these words of assurance as we believe even though we haven’t seen the Lord.  So, with words of comfort and hope, we come to worship.
 
Opening Prayer
 
In you, O Lord, we take refuge, You are our shelter in distress.
Let us never be ashamed, but save us in your righteousness.
O Lord, turn your ear to hear our cries; come quickly to deliver us,
and be our rock and firm defence, our stronghold and security.
You are our fortress and rock; for your name’s sake be our sure guide.
Preserve us from life’s traps; You are the refuge where we hide.
Redeem us, LORD, O God of truth; We commit our spirits to you.
We trust You, LORD, for You are truth.
 
Hymn       Christ Is Alive and the Universe Must Celebrate
Shirley Erena Murray (1931-2020) © 1993 Hope Publishing Company.  OneLicence No. # A-734713 Sung by members of New Faith United Church of Christ, Loomis, California.
 

Christ is alive, and the universe must celebrate,
and the stars and the suns shout on this Easter day!
Christ is alive, and his family must celebrate
in a great alleluia, a great alleluia
to praise the power that made the stone roll away.

2 Here is our hope: 
in the mystery of suffering
is the heartbeat of Love, 
Love that will not let go,
here is our hope, 
that in God we are not separate,
and we sing alleluia, we sing alleluia
to praise the power that made 
the stone roll away.
 
3 Christ Spirit, dance 
through the dullness of humanity
to the music of God, 
God who has set us free!
You are the pulse 
of the new creation’s energy;
with a great alleluia, a great alleluia
we praise the power that made 
the stone roll away.

Prayers of Approach, Confession and Grace
 
We praise You O Most High, in these days of Easter joy;
You are our light, our hope, and our salvation!
For you have chosen us before the ages to be precious in Your sight,
and You build us into a spiritual house, 
a holy priesthood, Your own people. 
 
We praise You, Risen Lord Jesus, in these days of Easter joy;
You are our way, our truth and our life!
But sometimes we prefer our way to Your way, our lies to Your truth, 
our fixation with death and decay to Your life.
Forgive us, good Lord, and give us time to change,
time to feed on your spiritual milk, that we may grow into our salvation.
 
We praise You, Most Holy Spirit, in these days of Easter joy,
You are our inspiration, our guide, and our energy!
Give us the grace to receive Your mercy and forgiveness,
that we might not stumble but stand firm in Christ, 
the cornerstone of our faith, now and evermore, Amen.
 
Prayer for Illumination
 
We come to You now, Most High,
to hear Your word, Jesus Christ, our way, truth and life,
read and proclaimed.
Break open our hearts to let in Your light,
that we may listen, understand and follow.  Amen.
 
Reading   Acts 7:55-60
 
But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.
 
Hymn       Psalm 31: 1-6
Sing Psalms © The Psalmody Committee of the Free Church of Scotland (2003) 
sung by a congregation at Dowanvale Free Church of Scotland
 

In you I’ve taken refuge, LORD;
You are my shelter in distress.
O let me never be ashamed,
But save me in your righteousness.
 
2 Lord, turn your ear to hear my cry;
Come quickly to deliver me,
And be my rock and firm defence,
My stronghold and security.
 
3 You are my fortress and my rock;
For your name’s sake be my sure guide.
Preserve me from the trap that’s set;
You are the refuge where I hide.
 
4 Redeem me, Lord, O God of truth;
My spirit I commit to you.
I hate all those who trust false gods;
I trust the Lord, for he is true.

Reading   1 Peter 2:2-10
 
Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation – if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture: “See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” This honour, then, is for you who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,” and “A stone that makes them stumble and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
 
Reading   John 14:1-14
 
Jesus said “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, but if you do not, then believe because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
 
Hymn       Christ is Made the Sure Foundation
7th or 8th Century translated by John M Neale (1818-1866) sung by the choir and people of North Stoneham and Basset Parish Church and used with their kind permission.
 

5 Laud and honour to the Father, laud and honour to the Son,
laud and honour to the Spirit, ever Three and ever One,
consubstantial and co-eternal, while unending ages run.
 
Sermon 
 
I first started to preach in my early 20s.  I’ve preached some awful sermons in my time; probably the worst was when I dried up a paragraph or two in as the congregation stared at the floor looking incredibly bored; to be fair I was probably very boring!  (I like to think I’ve preached some better ones too) but even on my worst preaching visit I’ve not had a church attempt to murder me! Our first reading today is set just after a disastrous sermon that Stephen, the first Christian martyr preached – and a martyr is one who has died because of their witness.  Stephen did a rather poor job of witnessing in his preaching, he gave a summary, a not entirely accurate one at that, of Jewish history which he ended with insults and rebukes.  
 
In chapter 6 Stephen is accused by some folk of blasphemy and they bring him before the council where false witnesses are presented who charge him with saying things both against the Temple and the Jewish Law.  Stephen’s speech is the longest recorded in Acts and recounts many of the stories of Jewish history before majoring on Moses presenting that story in terms of the Jewish people’s continual disobedience.  Stephen, however, doesn’t – like the writer of Nehemiah does – remember God’s mercy and fidelity to the Covenant even as the people disobey Him.  Stephen notes that God turned away from the people in response to their disobedience (an episode recounted in Exodus 32), but omits to mention God turning back to the people.  Stephen claimed that the building of Temple was contrary to God’s will; most Jewish tradition at the time held that, whilst the Temple was a legitimate place to worship, God was universal.  For most of the speech Stephen identifies with the Jewish people “our ancestors” but in v52 separates himself using “your ancestors” when speaking of “stiff necked” people who oppose God.  Stephen also suggests that those who do not accept Jesus have made themselves guilty of his murder and finally gets round to answering the original question at the start of chapter 7 by saying he’s not the guilty of breaking the Law but, rather, those who don’t believe in Jesus are in breach of the Law and continually violate it.  He draws a link between the disobedient people in Moses’ time with his accusers and judges now.  Not surprisingly all this this doesn’t impress the council; I imagine calling one’s congregation “stiff necked disobedient murderers” makes the post service social time a little awkward!  This is the background to today’s passage. Stephen clearly did not have a winning exegetical strategy.  So why do we see him as a martyr  – remember martyrs were seen as witnesses.  In today’s passage we do have today Stephen being a better witness to the faith in his death than in his sermon; his vision of Christ in glory is proclaimed, he prayed that his killers would be forgiven showing that his life had changed by the overwhelming all-powerful love of Christ.  He told them what he knew of Jesus. 
 
In his death Stephen quotes some verses from Psalm 31 which we sung earlier.  The Psalm as a whole is a cry to God for help detailing the Psalmist’s despair and a thanksgiving for deliverance.  The part we sung today focuses on the cry for help and guidance sought in the hope of help.  It’s a fitting echo of Stephen’s words in our first reading.  The Psalm, as a whole, is unusual as it bounces between despair and hope – “woe is me” and “you O God will save me.”  The poet speaks of personal pain and suffering in ways which resonate down the ages; pain is coupled with unshakeable faith in God.  This is a prayer asking for God to step into the poet’s life to bring about justice – both for the good and the bad – as God has been absent (or slow to act) and has not rewarded the righteous or punished the wicked; themes we might see in our world now.  The poet has a  stubborn belief that God will do justice and our task is to have faith: “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.” 
 
The writer of 1 Peter was also seeking to reassure and comfort people in a precarious time for Christians in the Empire.  They were no longer able to be seen as a subset of the, legal, Jewish religion and were a disparaged, and sometimes persecuted, group.  Jews had limited legal toleration but were seen as unpatriotic for their refusal, like the Christians, to take part in the imperial cults.  City gods needed to be appeased through worship and sacrifice in case they sent misfortune; Jewish and Christian refusal to take part in this was seen to endanger the common good.  Like the Jews Christians were seen as taking part in strange rituals, being oversexed (!) and engaging in lewd acts.  As Christianity became distinct from Judaism it could no longer seek the legal protection offered to Jews.   
 
That’s the context for the writer’s words proclaiming a new identity as “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people”.  Words to sustain Christians in times of despair and despondency.  Although despised by the Roman world they are the people of God.  However, the Jewish people saw, and see, themselves as “a chosen race…a holy nation, God’s own people.”  Early on the Church saw itself as the new Israel – the people who truly believed in Jesus as Messiah; sadly, that meant it also came to see the Jewish people as the ‘old Israel’ who had lost the covenant.  
The author in today’s passage does not muse on what happens to the “old Israel”. 
 
The writer saw Jesus as a living stone, rejected by humans, elect and honoured by God, and the believers as living stones, rejected by their culture, but elect and honoured by God.  This new people of God are called with a purpose – to bear witness “to the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”  These are words to encourage despondent Christians in times of suffering and persecution.  
 
There’s encouragement too in our Gospel reading which is a ‘farewell discourse’ similar to Old Testament and pagan farewell discourses.  There’s a common literary pattern – an announcement of an imminent departure, consolation to followers, directions for the future and a promise of a return.  In today’s reading we have Jesus speaking of the impact of his death and the promise of a final return.  Jesus promised that the bond of love and faith will survive even death.  
 
The Gospel’s editor uses questions to move the themes along. Jesus talks about the place where he is going; Thomas asks the way and we have the famous, and moving, response from Jesus “I am the way, the truth and the life.”  “I Am” being a divine name.  
 
There are three metaphors packed into this short sentence.  ‘The Way’ is full of Biblical imagery most particularly the Exodus from Egypt and the wandering through the wilderness, but we might also think of the journey of Abraham and Sarah from Ur in the Chaldees to Isreal, or the return of the Jewish people from Exile in Babylon.  Given this Easter context we might also think of Jesus’ long journey to Jerusalem, and beyond, where the disciples walked with him to his impending doom, and of our response to follow that Way as we proclaim the Gospel in our lives and loves.  
 
Jesus is also ‘truth’ which we see from the start of John’s Gospel and in various interactions John portrays between Jesus and the religious authorities in his work.  The entire purpose of Jesus’ mission, for John, was to bring ‘life’ to the world – more, ‘eternal life’ that is participation in God’s own life.   Philip’s question moves the passage on with his “show us the way to the Father” not realising Jesus is that way, is God’s own self embodied: ‘whoever has seen me has seen the father’.  What might living as people committed to Jesus as the way, truth and life mean for us?  What might following Jesus’ narrow way mean in an age committed to having anything we want as soon as possible?  What might telling the truth mean in an age of lies and fake news? What might Jesus’ abundant life offer us in an age addicted to death and decay?  The purpose of the passage is about how to live with faith but without Jesus physical presence; an apt theme in the weeks between Easter and Ascension.  The assurance of an ongoing relationship with Jesus, which won’t be ended by death, is one that gives comfort as we face the mystery of life after death; a mystery where Jesus says he is preparing a place for us.  
 
So in Acts we have an inept sermon followed by a moving martyrdom where an unshakeable faith which finds its inspiration in the Psalmist’s determination to believe despite defeat and disaster.  In 2 Peter we have words drawn from Jewish tradition and ideas turned to sustain Christian believers in the face of social rejection and sporadic state persecution.  In our Gospel passage we have Jesus’ words of reassurance that death does not end love and that following him, our way, truth, and life, is the way to find the faith and determination the Psalmist had – even in the face of despondency, defeat, and disaster.  We walk Jesus’ way, believe in his truthful words, and live the abundant life he offers even though at times it seems as if God is far away.  In these days of Easter we ponder faith despite not seeing the Risen Lord for ourselves but holding, in faith, the power and glory of resurrection life.  Let’s pray
 
Risen Lord, we believe in You, our way, truth, and life;
give us the faith to follow even when live is difficult,
the grace to love others even when they wish us harm,
and the hope that you will, in your own good time, 
put everything right.  Amen.
 
Hymn       Come My Way, My Truth, My Life
George Herbert, Public Domain,  Journey Songs OneLicene No. # A-734713
 

Come, my Way, my Truth, my Life: 
such a way as gives us breath, 
such a truth as ends all strife, 
such a life as killeth death.
 
2 Come, my Light, my Feast, 
my Strength: 
such a light as shows a feast, 
such a feast as mends in length, 
such a strength as makes his guest.
 
3 Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart: 
such a joy as none can move, 
such a love as none can part, 
such a heart as joys in love.

 
Affirmation of Faith
 
In an era of confusion with many competing ideologies,
we believe in Jesus Christ, the Way we follow.
 
In an age of lies, alternative facts, and contested realities
we believe in Jesus Christ, God’s truth for the world.
 
In a culture fascinated by death and decay,
we believe in Jesus Christ, our life and our hope. Amen
 
Offertory
 
Happily not all who follow Christ 
are called to witness to his way, truth and life
through the laying down of their lives as martyrs.
All are called, however, to witness through acts of loving kindness,
giving to others of time, talent and treasure,
and that includes giving to the ministry of the Church.
We give in so many ways, 
spending time listening to another’s pain,
helping in practical ways and, of course, 
through our giving of our treasure whether that’s in little envelopes, direct to the bank or cash on the plate.  
So let’s give thanks for all that is given in this church.
 
We bring You are thanks, Eternal Majesty, 
for all that is given in this place.
Let us use it, Enfleshed Word, in Your service,
that through the power of the Energising Spirit,
You will renew the face of the earth.  Amen.
 
Intercessions
 
O Most High,
we live in a time with such pain and confusion!
Like the Psalmist of old we cry to Your for deliverance,
from the nets set to ensnare us and from the brokenness of our world.
We pray for all who live in pain; 
victims of war and terror
those worried where their next meal is coming from
those homeless and hounded, and all in need.
Help us, who proclaim Your way, 
to respond with love, compassion and wisdom.
 
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.
 
O Risen Lord,
we live in a time when truths compete for attention,
when alternative facts fill our airwaves 
and when it’s hard to know who to trust.
We pray for victims of lying lips:
migrants and asylum seekers demonised for simply seeking safety,
victims of abuse and trafficking not believed due to male power,
scientists highlighting we do to the Earth, our wounded mother.
 
Help us, who proclaim Your truth, 
to respond with love, compassion and wisdom.
 
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.
 
Most Holy Spirit,
we live in an age fascinated by death and decay,
which denies abundant life to the poor and excluded,
yet holds up visions of a wealthy life unattainable to almost everyone;
we pray for those denied fullness of life:
prisoners who are offered no chance at rehabilitation
those sentenced to death
and those deliberately kept poor for evil economic purposes.
 
Help us, who proclaim Your life, 
to respond with love, compassion and wisdom.
 
Lord, in your mercy hear our prayer.
 
Lord Jesus, You who are our way, truth, and life, hear us as we pray as you taught saying, Our Father…
 
Holy Communion
 
Eternal One,
before the ages began, You called us into being. 
You guided our ancestors through fire and cloud, 
and, when we lost our way, You sent Your prophets 
to call us back to Your way of justice.
 
Risen Lord Jesus,
we come to this table as Your muddled and stressed disciples, 
often confused by the competing voices of our age.
In a world of dead ends and false security, You are the Way —
the path of loving subversion that leads us out of our comfort zones.
In a time of “fake news” and exploitation, You are the Truth —
the Word made flesh who exposes our greed 
and challenges the structures that keep the poor in ash heaps.
In the midst of climate rage and wintry despair, you are the Life —
the bringer of life from the places of death, restoring our weary souls.
 
Most Holy Spirit,
melt the hardness of our hearts. 
Hallow these ordinary gifts of bread and wine, 
that they may become for us 
the communion with the body and blood of Christ. 
As we eat and drink, lift us into your presence, 
that we may be transformed to see the world as it really is 
and find the courage to change it.
 
For we remember that on the night he was betrayed, 
while they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and 
after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, 
 
‘Take, eat; this is my body.’
 
Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, 
 
‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, 
which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 
I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine 
until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’
 
And so, Lord Jesus,
as we eat and drink in Your presence,
as a mother feeds her young,
feed us with Your very self,
that we may be made whole,
to follow Your way, believe Your truth and live Your life.
 
All this we pray through the power of the Holy Spirit,
to the glory of God’s Eternal Name, 
for ever and ever, Amen.  
The body and blood of Christ, given for you!
 
Music for Communion    I Come With Joy To Meet The Lord
Brian Wren OneLicence  No. # A-734713
sung by the choir of Christ Episcopal Church, Poughkeepsie
 
Post Communion Prayer
 
Loving God, you have fed us with the Bread of Life 
and given us a foretaste of your eternal banquet. 
Send us out now – 
hands strengthened for service and feet ready to follow – 
to be a living witness to your truth and freedom 
in an everyday world.  Amen.
 
Hymn       I Know That My Redeemer Lives, Glory Hallelujah
Samuel Medley 1775 Public Domain sung at Capitol Hill Baptist Church and used with their kind permission.
 
I know that my Redeemer lives, glory, hallelujah!
What comfort this sweet sentence gives, glory, hallelujah!
 
Shout on, pray on, we’re gaining ground, glory, hallelujah!
The dead’s alive and the lost is found, glory, hallelujah!
 
2 He lives, triumphant from the grave, glory, hallelujah!
he lives, eternally to save! Glory, hallelujah!
 
3 He lives to crush the fiends of hell, glory, hallelujah!
He lives and doth within me dwell, glory, hallelujah!
 
Blessing
 
Lord Jesus Christ, as we go,
do not let us stray from Your path, for You are the Way.
Lord Jesus Christ, as we go,
do not let us distrust Your promises, for you are the truth.
Lord Jesus Christ, as we go,
do not let us rest in anything other than you, for you are our life.
Bless us, good Lord, 
that our lives may reflect Your life,
our truths be always Your truth,
and our way be always Yours.  Amen.