well hello and welcome back to
worship with Whitehead Presbyterian Church
Today we're delighted that we're
able to gather together in the name of
Jesus Christ our wonderful Saviour to
spend this time in worship, to lift his name in praise,
to learn about him and to bring to him the prayers of our heart
let me welcome you if you're visiting
with us and that we're delighted that
you're here and if you'd like to
introduce yourself please do feel free
to leave us a wee comment just below the
video or send me a message on messenger
and I'll do my best to get back to you
as soon as possible. I do hope you're all
managing to stay safe and keep well in
the midst of all this, and I hope also
that you're doing your best to
look out for friends and neighbours who
are maybe a little bit more vulnerable
at this time.
Because that is what we as as Church are called to do
But First of all today we are here to worship God and I am delighted that Lex and Helen are going to lead us into worship
with than Introit that reminds us about how unique and wonderful our God is
they're going to sing for us        
"Magnificent Marvellous Matchless Love"
Lex and Helen
 
 
 
 
 
thank you to Lex and held for for
singing such a lovely piece for us this morning.
Thank you for reminding us unique our God is.
Because this morning we're going to be thinking a little about how wonderful God is.
we're going to remind ourselves about
particularly about how I reliable his promises are.
And how truthful He is.  God makes a lot of wonderful and tremendous promises in the Bible
And if we're going to if we're going to develop a strong habit of trusting in him
then we need to get to know a little more about his character
and that's what we're gonna be thinking about today.
His integrity and His dependability, so much that we won't even be able to stop ourselves telling people exactly what he's like
the psalmist in Psalm 89 puts it like this
"I will sing of the Lord's great love forever with my mouth
I will make your faithfulness known
through all generations I will declare
that your love stands firm forever
that you establish your faithfulness in heaven itself" Amen!
So, in a couple of
moments we're going to continue in worship
we're gonna sing a new song to
offer to God our promise of unbroken praise.
I know that might be a new song
for you or a little unfamiliar.
Well, let me tell you as my old organist just to say "you'll not learn it any younger!" I hope you do.
One of the the advantages I
suppose of this technology is the fact that this is a recorded service.
so you can rewind bits and play them again and again and maybe learn it
And the next time we sing it you'll know it well.
So let's sing it right now and you will know it all the better.
After we have sung this wonderful piece of praise I'm going to hand over to to Lisa and Ruth and Rachel.
as they come and share with us their favourite story from the Bible
but for now let's come to God and worship let's sing "Unbroken Praise"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Good Morning!  I'm Lisa, I'm Rachel, and I'm Ruth. 
Reverend Ian has asked us to share with you one of our favourite stories.
So Rachel is going to give us a few clues to our favourite story.
He's a Boy!  His name starts with "N"!  Does Anybody know?
Then we have a Rainbow! You might know this story.  And then we have an ARK.  Can anybody guess?
Can anybody guess?  Who do you think it is?  Anybody?
It's Noah!  Noah!
Ruth is now going to tell us the story of Noah
"Noah and The Rainbow"
Noah was in the boat with his family and all the animals for a very long time.
At first it rained every day.  When Noah looked out he saw more and more water covering the earth.
then it stopped raining, but they still had to stay in the boat until the water had all dried up.
One day at long last Noah was able to get off his boat with all his family and all those animals
they were so glad to be on dry land
again but Noah was so worried.
Would it rain so hard again?
would there be another big flood?
He looked up in the sky, and he
wondered if it would be full of dark clouds bringing rain again.
but instead he saw something wonderful and amazing.
He saw a Rainbow marching across the sky!
"I'll never flood the earth like that again" God told Noah
When you see the Rainbow in the sky, Remember my promise to you!
Well boys and girls.  I know that some of you may be scared, worried and even afraid.
But at time we can also be excited happy and grateful because as we have heard from our story
God has made us a promise that
he will keep us safe, as he did for Noah and his family.
So when you see a rainbow, yes it is to support the NHS workers, but it is also God's promise to us -
that He will keep us safe and give us hope!  Let's Pray
Dear lord, thank you for all
our essential workers hospital staff
carehome workers, shop assistants,
farmers, lorry drivers, who are doing their very best
to keep us all safe and provide food for us
Father, please look after the boys and girls and the parents. Thank you for the parents who are working
hard to make sure that their children
have the education that they need.
Thank you to the teachers for making sure that the children are getting work and getting the education they need.
And thank you for the children for doing that education and for learning the work to make their education better.
Thank you for world so sweet . Thank you for the birds sing-a-ling-a-ling
Thanks for everything! Amen!
Now, before we go
we would like to share with you something else.
In our house we have a favourite song and that song is . . .
MY LIGHTHOUSE!
So as you sing along to Lighthouse
please remember that it's shining God's Light on us
but also he brings us back
to shore, to safety!
So we're on our way now, so we're going to say. "Stay Home, Stay safe and remember God's Promise!"
BYE!
 
Wow that is that's great singing a
fabulous storytelling thank you so much
to Lisa and Ruth and Rachel for sharing
and sharing that story and reminding us
of the rainbow and reminding
us of how the rainbow is a sign of God's hope
and we're delighted to sing together
I hope lots if you remembered the actions
and all around the countryside there were people doing the actions as they sit or stand at home
We're gonna continue in worship now and
another familiar face from Cairncastle is going to lead us in prayer
I'm going to hand over to Helen thank you
Good morning.  Let us pray.  Sovereign and Almighty God Whose mercy knows no bounds, we come to you knowing
this morning knowing that you welcomed
us into your throne room all and that we
can pull out our hearts before you
father we trust in your unfailing love
and we call upon that great love this
morning as we bring our concerns and
petitions to life as we know it has
changed radically couvert 19 has brought
life to a standstill and more ways than
one but we cling to the truth that you
are a unchanging God seen yesterday
today and forever your good and your
love endures forever and this world
needs to know your love needs your
salvation needs Jesus and we pray this
morning for people to recognize the need
of you to consider how to respond in
this situation we're in and to tone and
acknowledge elif so we pray father we
lift before you all those who are
presently unwell was caught at 19 was at
home and in hospital we ask you to bless
them and bring them through this
terrible illness
we asked for your strength for the
families and loved ones as they cope
with the separation and the fears that
surround us fighters in the side
situation where people have succumbed to
the virus we pray for your conflicts and
loving presence to be with our families
we also remember that less trained
people who have existing medical
conditions who required treatment or a
fragile in nature and we ask for your
protection over them please guide the
GPS and consultants and the clinical
decisions regarding ongoing care and
treatment father hold them secure and
you care and reassure them of yellow of
and your protection we pray for all the
staff in hospitals around the country
who those who are seen and those who are
not seen asking for your protection of
them and you guidance and everything
they do father's gate hospital
management and the decisions and help
them to be thoughtful and considerate
both our staff strengthen those who are
weeding physically and mentally a lot
father we also look before you the needs
of people in the community are dependent
and social care and require assistance
for even the basic needs in life for
those with learning disabilities mental
illness are all standing physical
conditions please help them in the
community help the community teens
private sector and voluntary groups to
maintain that contact and support for
these vulnerable people we pre - for
residents in here homes and nursing
homes around the country please protect
and father and keep them safe help the
homes to get the proper protective
equipment they need to provide safe care
and gate management and how to evade
nursing here safely place those forms
father who have gone all out to protect
the residents by staying with them
within the whole environment we also
pray father for the people in our
churches who are elderly and vulnerable
and those who suffer from conditions
which
to be isolated for 12 weeks and possibly
longer we ask for your presence to be
with them to strengthen them encourage
them each day and we pray that the
church family will encourage them and
maintain contact we remember a
government before you to father and ask
you to bless them and give them wisdom
and all the decisions they have to make
gave them father and strengthen them we
ask that you would help for local
government - to work together for the
benefit of all of the people father we
ask you to bless local charities and
businesses who are working hard so hard
to help the community and those in need
also bless those who are volunteering to
help forever that is neat and lastly
finally we thank you for the benefits of
Technology the blessing is in keeping
people in touch with each other or for
sharing information most thank you for
your blessings and everything know Jesus
name Amen
well thank you for helping us to come
together and turn to God and prayer
knowing that as we all join hearts and
voice together to God that he hears our
prayers and he will certainly answer so
thanks Helen for that we're now going to
turn to God's Word and I've asked
carolinas also from Ken castle to read
to us this morning
Thank You kübra the reading this morning
is taken from John chapter 16 beginning
at verse 5 I'm reading from the message
the friend will come I didn't tell you
this earlier because I was with you
every day but now I'm on my way to the
one who sent me not one of you has asked
where are you going
instead the longer I've talked the
sadder you've become so let me say it
again this truth it's better for you
that I leave if I don't leave
the friend won't come but if I go I sent
him to you when he comes he'll exposed
the error of the godless world's view of
a sin righteousness and judgment
he'll show them that their refusal to
believe in me is their basic sin that
righteousness comes from above where I
am with the father out of their sight
and control that judgment takes place as
the ruler of this godless world is
brought to trial and convicted I still
have many things to tell you but you
can't handle them now but when the
friend comes the spirit of the truth he
will take you by the hand and guide you
into all the truth there is he won't
draw attention to himself but will make
sense out of what is about to happen and
indeed out of all that I have done none
said he will honor me he will take from
me and deliver it to you everything the
father has is also mine that is why I
said he takes from me and delivers to
you in a day or so you're not going to
see me but then in another day or so you
will see me
thank you Cooper and we do pray that
Goble at his blessing to the reading of
his word help us father to understand
and to know and to follow your will oh
man one of the year the things I
struggle most with in in life today is
the the challenge of fake news when I
was a lot younger there was a sense that
if something was on the news well then
it was the truth
it was it couldn't be challenged it was
simply the way it was and and so much of
news consists of exposing lies exposing
untruth and and uncovering truth I
suppose for me that goes that goes back
as far as journalism goes I suppose one
of the highlights moments for me in that
regard would have been that the year the
expose of the Watergate scandal eluard
didn't happen in this country and
goodness knows we've we've got plenty of
our own evidence of politicians not
telling the truth but for some reason
that one set the benchmark there was a
remarkable dramatic story of
investigative journalism uncovering the
truth but we've we now live in an age of
what's called moral relativism where
people will that will will say well
we'll speak in terms of your truth and
my truth as if there is no absolute
which makes some of Christ's claims a
little bit more difficult maybe to to
take on board in that little passage
that could be read for us there in in
John 16 Jesus uses a little phrase that
always it always struck me whenever I
was younger I admittedly then I was I
was learning memory verses in Sunday
school and and this little phrase seemed
to occur again
again as we learned them in the in the
King James Version and that little
phrase is verily verily I say unto you
know the the freest changes over the
over the course of other translations I
think it's in the Revised Standard
Version it becomes truly truly I say
unto you and then here in the New
International it becomes I tell you the
truth it is it's an emphatic expression
of Jesus reassuring his listeners that
that they shouldn't doubt his words
because above all else he will always be
telling them the truth he will not lie
to them his his integrity was a defining
aspect of this character if you if we
look back in in John's Gospel and we
look to chapter 14 in verse 6 there
Jesus says I am the way and the truth
and the life
so we so if you break those down into
individual sentences I am the way I am
the truth
and I am the life so Jesus defines
himself among other things as the truth
so he he establishes himself as a
benchmark there is nothing there is no
error in him so when he speaks he speaks
without that sense of duplicity without
any need for us to come to him with a
with a way not the way we do with most
politicians to be honest we get familiar
with that with politicians who who tell
us an angle on the truth it reminds me
of that old story of their of the
the five blind man encountering an
elephant they will each give a different
description of what an elephant is like
one of them encounters that the true the
leg of an elephant will say well an
elephant is like a tree another one bull
will encounter the trunk and we'll say
an elephant is like a huge snake another
one will will will encounter they that
the teal and um will say an elephant is
like a is like a rough brush another may
discover the the elephant's ear and
we'll say an elephant is like a is like
a huge flapping wing and they're all
telling truths from their perspective
but the fact of the matter is they're
blind and therefore they're unable to
see truth Christ comes in as the healer
of the blind the one who gives the blind
their sight and he he really is the
revealer of truth the truth in in in
their own truth in in in its entirety
and in some ways we struggle with truth
we don't know what to do with truth if
someone says they speak the truth we
instantly start to look for for their
failures we instantly start to expect
that they would always tell the truth
one of my favorite American politicians
growing up was was was Jimmy Carter a
man of tremendous personal integrity and
in his early days as as president he
it's right in his early days as
president he was quoted as saying
something quite remarkable he said that
he would never tell a lie and I
lie to you and instantly all of the the
press in the room all began to think I
must catch him out in a lie
apparently they actually went and spoke
to his mom at one point and she asked
they they even went as far as asking him
as asking her as has the president ever
told a lie
apparently she was quite quite Kali and
she said to my knowledge he has never
lied and she said does that mean he
might have lied and you don't know about
it are you saying the president light
and she said well he may have told a fib
a little white lie oh I see what do you
mean by that and she said well I'm a bit
like the lie I told you whenever you
first arrived and then the journalists
eyes popped open said what line did you
tell me she said I said I was pleased to
see you so Jimmy Carter established this
record this principle of being a man of
integrity a man of humility a man
remarkable for telling the truth but he
takes as his example Jesus Christ Jesus
Christ saying verily verily I say unto
you
so Jesus defined himself as the truth so
that means when when he makes promises
that those promises are reliable they're
not they're not something we need to
poke at Allu even if we did wouldn't
make any difference we will not uncover
a secret Lane will not uncover some some
hidden agenda Christ when Christ says he
loves us he truly loves us he absolutely
adores us someone put it beautifully and
they said that
has a picture of you on his mobile phone
or the Oakland A's you might have said
he carries a photograph of you in his
wallet God loves you and he speaks of
with with joy and gladness of your
achievement in your accomplishments when
he says he loves you he loves you I
can't even begin to express it he loves
you as far as the East is from the West
he loves you till the end of of life and
beyond he loves you into eternity in
fact you know she's so much jesus loves
you so much he was willing even to die
for you and that's not easy to take on
board we we look for some other reason
why he might have done that in all the
fights that we knew about Jesus that's
the most remarkable that he would look
at us and decide that we were so we were
someone he was he would die for we will
become familiar with and accepting of
Lai's today some that we expected
everywhere we expected from the mechanic
whenever we go to have our car repaired
we expected from from from from the
sellers of bargain hunt or the antiques
route trip we expect them to give one
price and to be here for that price
never to be the the price they expect to
get for it there's an expectation even
in terms of politics we don't actually
expect integrity we don't expect honesty
we expect people to to to tell lies
that's who we is come to the point where
even important news even important
truth is regarded with that with a
jaundiced fear and I mean that's nowhere
more evident nobler more true than in
the the reaction of politicians to the
news but the coronavirus have been so
many it we started off with their claims
of a fake news and that meant that a
truth was perceived as a lie and so many
of us respond to Jesus like that we've
become suyus to lies that the good news
about Jesus the fact that that he is for
us and not against us we can't help but
treat that as a lie or treater at least
with profound suspicion why would Jesus
love us because after all they don't
know heart we we know the truth about
ourselves but actually Jesus also lose
the truth about ourselves God knows us
and still still he loves us He loves us
the way a parent can love a child even
when that child has done something
something wrong well they've done
something that you can't approve of and
yet you love them and God loves you just
the same way in the midst of all of this
this sea of information that without we
and we seem to swim in and it's such a
polluted sea of information sometimes we
we Ducker it entirely we imagine that
it's not worth it's not worth swimming
we imagine it's not worth trying to
drink the water but of course water is
is is necessary for life and actually
God offers us purity
he offers us something that is worth
having it offers us that incredible gift
of relationship with him of swimming in
the depths of off relationship with him
knowing that when he says we can be
forgiven but we truly can be forgiven
but one of my favorite characters and
you don't read very much of item in
Scripture is the character of Nathaniel
Jesus encounters Nathaniel or we read of
his encounter with Nathaniel right back
in in in John John chapter 1 Jesus is in
the process of calling his disciples and
and and the disciples come and they find
their friend Nathaniel it's Philip and
Andrew and Peter and they they find
Philip found Nathanael we read and came
and told him we find one we find the one
Moses wrote about in the law about him
the prophets also Jesus of Nazareth the
son of Joseph Nazareth can anything good
come from there Nathanael asked he
obviously didn't like people from
Nazareth come and see said Philip
he was the thing when Jesus saw
Nathanael approaching he said of him
here is a true Israelite in whom there
is nothing false how do you know me
Nathanael asked and jesus answered I saw
you while you were still under the fig
tree before Philip even called you and
the time you'll declared rabbi you are
the son of God you're the king of Israel
and that's a lovely encounter but I love
what Jesus says about Nathanael he
recognizes him as
man of integrity a man who speaks the
truth will you believe in Jesus it is so
important that we are people of the
truth that when we make a mistake we
honestly confess that we made a mistake
that when we that when we speak to
someone of of Jesus that that stands on
the back of every other conversation we
ever have with them but they will hear
us
and nope this person is always honest
with me so when they tell me that God
loves me that is the truth so I hope
that you will manage to find Jesus
Christ the anchor for your soul in the
midst of of the sea of misinformation
that we seem to be here : and that you
will discover that there is a spring of
living water full of fresh and clear
truth and then you will know how God
loves you I hope you'll be able to join
us again next week we're gonna continue
to explore the character of God and I
hope that you will stay safe keep well
and I hope that you'll be blessed as you
continue to pray for one another and
continue to draw close to God and even
as you have to spend this time apart
from friends and family may the Lord
bless you we're gonna bring our service
here clues and we're going to we're
gonna sing another wonderful wonderful
piece so let's say you can either stand
or or shit
as we sing tent
reasons let's praise God
and
Oh
see Mike
Oh
true
Oh
I was right
so we'll sing your praises
yes
my
yes
well though please continue to be
constant in your prayers for one another
continue to encourage those who are worn
died and weak read God's Word share the
good news of Jesus love wherever you are
and whenever you can
don't forget my even in Locke died and
your life is to be lived to the fill for
that's why Christ died and rose again so
that we might have life and have it to
the full
even in Locke death so rediscover a
long-lost joy this week make some stuff
bake something sing psalms read books
take photos even today as this service
finishes so for now you stand up have a
stretch put the catalogue and enjoy the
nicest biscuits you have in the house
and think of one another let's pray
together
Lord God Almighty
may your love that never feels
strengthen the weak encourage the
fearful calmly anxious eating the sick
and through your church you're washed
hands and your feet on the earth distant
but present virtual but still connected
apart but still helping we pray that you
would bless this nation bless this
village bless this time
bless our neighbors bless us and may the
unrestrained grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ be poured out for friends of for
strangers for the broken and for those
who think they're strong for those we
know for friends we have yet to meet and
may our father God pour out his lavish
and generous love and mercy and spare
those here l that they might yet realize
his fever and made the comfort and
encouragement of the Holy Spirit how
Buster knew that Alou we are a part and
body we are yet together in spirit and
in truth
Lord God hear our prayer amen
