Harassed sheep

Matthew 9:36-38
Harassed by the daily round,
helpless – no real respite found;
frail and wandering, foolish sheep,
no kind King to care and keep.

Jesus saw their desperate need,
felt compassion, deeply stirred.
Will you pray and intercede,
that they hear salvation’s Word?

The Beatitudes

Matthew 5:3-12
Who are blessed? Who will enter heaven?
and know God’s mercy, and be called his sons?
Who will have reward in heaven, blessed ones?
Who are really, truly happy, always blest?

Poor in spirit, humbly pray,
– begging mercy every day;
patiently your hardships bear,
and when you can be pleased to share;
count your best deeds only rags,
take Christ’s righteousness to wear,
– so be blest, and enter soon eternal rest.

Godly sorrow for your sin,
– life of faith must thus begin,
and continue in the Light,
repentant, contrite in God’s sight,
boasting only in God’s Son,
– great provision for our plight; –
so you’ll feel and know true joy and comfort real.

Meek and gentle, self-controlled,
– recompensed a hundredfold;
slow to anger, slow to speak;
forgiving, never vengeance seek;
cooling tempers with wise word,
strength is needed to be meek,
you’ll have more than passing wealth, eternal store.

Hunger, thirst for righteousness;
– pray and labour, God will bless.
Merciful and pure in heart,
and undefiled in every part;
cleansed by God through faith in Christ;
when you see a quarrel start,
making peace if possible, all strife to cease.

Persecuted for Christ’s sake,
and accused with charges fake;
so received the prophets true,
and Christ was treated that way too;
if because you own his name,
men insult, it’s nothing new:
Christ has shown how joy and blessing’s really known.

These are blessed, these will enter heaven,
and know God’s mercy, and be called his sons,
these will have reward in heaven, blessed ones,
these are really, truly happy, always blest.

Tune: ‘We’ll understand it better by and by’ Y Praise 103

He has triumphed

Revelation  chapter 5
Who is worthy to fulfil the Father’s plan?
The Lion, Lamb, Messiah, Son of Man,
who had authority to rule, reveal, redeem,
and love to leave the throne, as Substitute be slain:
he bought us, by his blood,  from darkness, death,
to God, from every corner of the earth,
to serve him in his kingdom: so we’ll bring
eternal worship to our Saviour-King.

Faith in facts

The Creator  has spoken, and truth can be read,
so we should believe all the things he has said:
the promises trust,
of him who is just.

The Creator has come, and the words can be read,
of witnesses telling he rose from the dead:
our faith is in him,
forgiveness of sin.

The transfiguration

Just once he showed his awesome majesty,
unveiling of his shining deity;
with Moses talked  of what he’d soon fulfil
– the sacrificial Lamb would let them kill
himself: as Rescuer soon he would depart,
and lead to freedom, blessings great impart.

The Father spoke from heaven, awesome sound,
– announcement of the Son’s authority,
acknowledging his full divinity,
– one greater than Elijah here was found,
whom we should listen to attentively
our Maker, Saviour heed delightedly.

Matthew 17:1-13

Tune: 10 10 10 10 10 1 0 eg Finlandia by Sibelius (tune of ‘Be still my soul, the Lord is on Thy side’)
or Yorkshire by John Wainwright (tune of ‘Christians awake, salute the happy morn’)

Two old people

Simeon
Acknowledged just, and to his God
devoted, – Spirit holy
upon him – in his heart indwelling
(communing, teaching, and compelling);

so for Messiah’s coming waiting:
fulfilling occupation of all his latter days.

Anna
Anna, serving night and day,
gave her final years to pray;
saw and told of Mary’s son:
longed-for Saviour now had come.

Simon Peter:

Three times he denied,
three times he replied,
confessing his love,
– for though he was frail,
(no longer self-confident),
Christ’s grace would not fail.
Completely dependent,
desiring to serve
the loving and living,
forgiving Lord Jesus,
he’ll labour in love,
watch over and feed
Christ’s young new-born sheep
– who constantly need
God’s Word that will keep
them safe in his Way.

Hebrews 12:2

Attentively look to the Saviour, –
he authored the faith in your heart,
(and is its perfecter, sustainer),
– depend on him, never depart.

On him, alone,
his lordship and praises make known;
keep following Jesus,
learn from him, and trust him alone.

All glory to him now in heaven, –
the glory we one day will share;
now glimpses of glory are given,
as faith receives answers to prayer.

Christ Jesus endured, persevering,
– the path back to glory brought pain;
through faith we’re preserved when we’re struggling,
– our eyes fixed on him to sustain.
Tune: 98 98 + Redeemed by W J Kirkpatrick 436 Grace

on Ephesians 1:3-14

Plan superb God is fulfilling:
universal, certain scheme:
bringing all his richest blessings,
sending Jesus to redeem,
rescuing for holiness,
from the bonds of wickedness.

He will soon rule over all things,
everything and everyone,
but believers are adopted,
willing service has begun,
sonship that cannot be earned,
futile rebel actions spurned.

So give heed to revelation
of this richest gospel grace;
as we wait for full redemption,
taste support and love’s embrace;
sealed – his Spirit lives within,
moulding us to follow him.

Knowing now where we are heading,
joyfully, we press ahead,
comforted in times of trial,
chastened, taught, and onward led;
serve our gracious God with awe,
praise our Saviour evermore.
Tune: Gounod (Let us love and sing and wonder) ( One there is above all others well deserves the name if Friend) 87 87 77 tune of ‘Once in royal David’s city’  or Ottawa (tune of Master Speak, thy servant heareth’)

Jesus’ touch

Mark 1:40–45
The leper came on bended knee,
with great desire, humility,
believing Christ’s ability:
Christ touched him, cleansed.

Men’s sin is not a surface-sore, –
it spreads and poisons more and more:
so come to Christ, and grace implore,
– know Jesu’s touch.

For Jesus will not turn away
whoever comes to him to pray;
transforming sinners foul each day,
by touch divine.

The man with leprosy could now
feel useful once again, and how
they joy in Life and service new
who’ve known his touch.

Christ asked him not to tell it out:
he failed: he spread the news about.
Now we’ve been urged to share or shout
what Christ has done.
Tune: 888 4 eg Almsgiving by John B Dykes