WELCOME
Welcome to Burnside At Home.
Today we bring you an extra special service. Lee McAllister who spoke on our Good Friday Service has kindly produced another service which he has shared with us.
You can find the Good Friday Service Here.
Lee has conducted many services in Burnside and it is a delight to welcome him once again to lead us in worship, from Matthew 14 v 22-33.

WELCOME
Welcome to Burnside At Home.
Below are a number of video clips which when watched in order will lead you through a service of worship, of course if you do not have time for the full service you can skip to the parts that interest you most. There are lots of notes to help you worship as well. The opening video of the beach was taken last year before lockdown. 

If you would rather watch the whole service as one video playing continually, without the extra text parts, then that option is also below.
Remember you can click the Full Screen option to view the video at a larger size.

Trypraying
If you don't normally attend a church and are following along, why not Trypraying. You can find out more at www.Trypraying.co.uk or download the Trypraying app to your phone or tablet.
​
COMPLETE SERVICE
Click on the Video below to view the complete service. Scroll down if you would like to read the text and view the individual sections.

Separate Parts Of The Service
Click on the videos below to view and read individual parts of the service.

CALL TO WORSHIP

“The Energy Of Resurrection” 
& The Power Of The Cross

I will exalt you, O Lord,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
2 O Lord my God, I called to you for help
and you healed me.
O Lord, you brought me up from the grave;
you spared me from going down into the pit.
11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.​
Psalms 30:1-2,11-12 (NIV 1984) 

PRAISE - Psalm 121 - Metrical Version

​A Psalm of Ascents
 1  I to the hills will lift mine eyes,
       from whence doth come mine aid.
 2  My safety cometh from the Lord,
       who heav'n and earth hath made.
 3  Thy foot he'll not let slide, nor will
       he slumber that thee keeps.
 4  Behold, he that keeps Israel,
       he slumbers not, nor sleeps.
 5  The Lord thee keeps, the Lord thy shade
       on thy right hand doth stay:
 6  The moon by night thee shall not smite,
       nor yet the sun by day.
 7  The Lord shall keep thy soul; he shall
       preserve thee from all ill.
 8  Henceforth thy going out and in
      God keep for ever will.

CCCLI : 59593

Opening Prayer

Children’s Message

Have you ever discovered that a friend has a hidden talent, they are able to do something that you did not know about?
Owain Wyn Evans the Welsh weather presenter this week showed off his drumming skills ...

Children’s Activities

Download the file below to have a whole range of children’s activities based on Jesus meeting his disciples on the road to Emmaus.

OFFERING
Offering is much more than just giving money,
Although that is an Essential part of offering,
it is also about offering ourselves to God.
Thank you to everyone who has once again contributed to FWO this week, every contribution is greatly appreciated.
The Offering prayer is based on Psalm 121

Lord we lift up our eyes to you this day
And thank you that all our help comes from you.
We thank you that you have made heaven and earth
That you watch over us and you protect us
As you have given us so much, 
Today in response we give to you.
We offer ourselves in your service,
Asking that you would use and bless us
In Jesus’ Name
Amen

If you would like information about giving during Lockdown please email
Burnsidechurch@gmail.com

Praise - Eileen
Jesus Loves Me
A beautiful piece once again played by Eileen reminding us that throughout all of this Jesus loves us. 

Introduction To 
Bible Reading
Prayer For Others
And
O To See The Dawn

BIBLE READING - PSALM 121 
Read by Jim McCracken

I lift up my eyes to the hills–
where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip–
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you–
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm–
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121 (NIV 1984) 

Prayer For Others
Ruth McCracken

Lets’ Pray For This Week

PRAISE

O To See The Dawn  - The Power Of The Cross

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

CHORUS:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath--
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev’ry bitter thought,
Ev’ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
”Finished!” the vict’ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

FINAL CHORUS:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

WORDS AND MUSIC BY KEITH GETTY AND STUART TOWNEND
© 2005 THANKYOU MUSIC(PRS) ADM WORLDWIDE AT CAPITOLCMGPUBLISHING.COM EXCLUSING EUROPE WHICH IS ADM BY INTEGRITYMUSIC.COM

CCCLI : 59593

Message

Where does our help come from?

Praise
SONS OF KORAH Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills for my help
From where does my help come?
My help only comes from the maker of heaven
From the maker of the earth
He will not let you fall down
Your feet will be firm to the ground

He watches over you
He will not slumber
The Lord who watches Israel will not sleep

The Lord watches over you He is your shade
The shade at your right hand
Even the sun will not harm you by day
The moon will not harm you by night
The Lord watches over your life
The Lord He will keep you from harm

He watches over you
He watches over you
Yes He watches over every step you take
He watches over you
He watches over you
Yes He watches over every step you take

Both now and forever
Both now and forever
Both now and forever
Both now and forever

​​CCCLI : 59593

BENEDICTION
The Benediction is a blessing on all who have worshipped,
The blessing is based on all that we have been thinking about from Psalm 121

Lift up your eyes!  Look around.
Where does our help come from?

My all our help come from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

May He not let our foot slip–
May he watch over us and not slumber or sleep

May the Lord watch over us–
And be the shade at our right hand;
So that the sun will not harm us by day,
nor the moon by night.

May the Lord keep us from all harm–
And watch over our life;
May He watch over our coming and going
both now and forevermore.
AMEN

A LITTLE EXTRA
Each week I have included a little extra video of the Getty Family singing hymns together, this week they are joined by Joni Eareckson Tada​.

WELCOME
Welcome to Burnside At Home.
Below are a number of video clips which when watched in order will lead you through a service of worship, of course if you do not have time for the full service you can skip to the parts that interest you most. There are lots of notes to help you worship as well.

f you would rather watch the whole service as one video playing continually, without the extra text parts, then that option is also below.
Remember you can click the Full Screen option to view the video at a larger size.

Trypraying
If you don't normally attend a church and are following along, why not Trypraying. You can find out more at www.Trypraying.co.uk or download the Trypraying app to your phone or tablet.

COMPLETE SERVICE
Click on the Video below to view the complete service. Scroll down if you would like to read the text and view the individual sections.

Parts Of The Service
Click on the videos below to view and read individual parts of the service.

CALL TO WORSHIP

“Come Up Onto This Rock” ...

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
Psalm 40 :1,2


Forty Days

After his suffering, he presented himself to them 
and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. 
He appeared to them over a period of forty days 
and spoke about the kingdom of God.
Acts 1:3

Free Book
The book mentioned is  - Coronavirus And Christ - John Piper
Free Digital Download and Audio Book available here - (You can also purchase the paperback)
https://www.crossway.org/books/coronavirus-and-christ-dl/

OPENING PRAYER

In these early days after the resurrection, we wonder what it all means.
We can relate to the women who fled the tomb with terror and amazement.
We understand Thomas and his need for proof that would come
only by touching the wounds and seeing the nail marks.
We understand the fear and confusion
that kept the disciples in the shadow cast by closed doors. 
We also keep company with the travellers on the Emmaus road
who felt the strange burning of the truth and hope and love
weaving into the sadness that consumed them on their walk.
We find ourselves in the eternal movement
between fear and faith, doubt and conviction, wonder and worry,
and we trust that you are present with us, O God.
We trust that like the disciples we will be able to stand
and tell the whole message about this life that:
Love is stronger than hate
Life has the final word over death
Beyond what we can see with our eyes,
there is a bond of Your Holy Spirit that draws and keeps us together. 
It is a complicated and frightening world. 
Strengthen us as we stand and bear witness to this whole life,
​the life of the Risen One, even Jesus Christ Our Lord. 
​Amen.

HYMN​

See, what a morning, gloriously bright,
With the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;
Folded the grave-clothes, tomb filled with light,
As the angels announce, “Christ is risen!”
See God’s salvation plan,
Wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,
Fulfilled in Christ, the Man,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!


See Mary weeping, “Where is He laid?”
As in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb;
Hears a voice speaking, calling her name;
It’s the Master, the Lord raised to life again!
The voice that spans the years,
Speaking life, stirring hope, bringing peace to us,
Will sound till He appears,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!


One with the Father, Ancient of Days,
Through the Spirit who clothes faith with certainty.
Honor and blessing, glory and praise
To the King crowned with pow’r and authority!
And we are raised with Him,
Death is dead, love has won, Christ has conquered;
And we shall reign with Him,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

Song Background
See what a Morning was written by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty.
This is what they say about the song :
Keith: I wanted to write a triumphant melody, and as soon as I came up with this idea I heard 'Resurrection' - a song that could be sung on Easter morning or at the beginning of a time of worship, which excites us to the truth that Christ is risen. Stuart and I have enjoyed writing story songs together, and we chatted and decided this would be a great melody for the Resurrection story.
Stuart: Keith sent me through this melody with some lyrical thematic ideas. I really wanted to convey the immediacy of the Easter morning experience, and how that morning changed history forever. The third verse is a response of praise as we realise the amazing consequence of Christ's resurrection for our lives, drawing us into relationship with the triune God.

READING

Luke 24:13-35 Read by Jim Anderson
​The Disciples Meet Jesus On The Road To Emmaus

The Offerring?

While trying to find a Benediction for the end of the service, I also found this offering prayer, And thought, “What a shame that we cannot use it in our service.”.
Then I realised that Many of us continue to give ouroffering each week, either by Standing Order or by sending cheques, and that is greatly appreciated. Giving is a vital part of our worship to God, and is not just limited to our money, each time we worship the money is really a symbol of our lives given to God. 
So in acknowledgement of our sacrifice of worship today we pray.

Offering Prayer
(inspired by Luke 24:13-35)
Like the disciples at Emmaus,
we offer what we have.
They offered their company,
their table, their bread.

We invite you to be with us, Jesus, 
as we offer you our love,
our devotion, these gifts.
May our eyes be opened
to your holy presence among us, 
now and always.  
Amen.

If you would like more details about giving finanicially during this time of Coronavirus please email burnsidechurch@gmail.com and we will send you details on how to give.

Praise - Eileen O’Neill

Eileen will now play two pieces to remind us that God is with us especially through these uncertain times.

In Times Like These

In times like these you need a Savior
In times like these you need an anchor
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

This Rock is Jesus, Yes He's the One
This Rock is Jesus, the only One
Be very sure, be very sure
Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well, with my soul
It is well
With my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Children’s Message

It is very easy not to recognise people people at the moment if they are wearing scarves or masks, but much worse if like the disciples on their way to Emmaus, we don’t recognise Jesus.

Prayer For Others

A prayer for revival in our own hearts and a prayer for the Holy Spirit to come sweeping through us.

PRAISE - Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
1 Jesus Christ is ris'n today, Alleluia!
our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
who did once upon the cross Alleluia!
suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

2 Hymns of praise then let us sing Alleluia!
unto Christ our heav'nly King, Alleluia!
who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

3 But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
now above the sky he's King, Alleluia!
where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

4 Sing we to our God above Alleluia!
praise eternal as his love; Alleluia!
praise him, all ye heav'nly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

Message

GOD IS SOVEREIGN
GOD IS GOOD
GOD IS LOVING
GOD IS FAITHFUL
GOD DOES NOT ABANDON US

GOD IS SOVEREIGN
For by him all things were created, 
in heaven and on earth, 
visible and invisible, 
whether thrones or dominions 
or rulers or authorities--
all things were created through him and for him. 
And he is before all things, 
and in him all things hold together. 
Colossians 1:16–17

GOD IS GOOD
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; 
blessed is the man who trusts in Him! 
Psalm 34:8

GOD IS LOVING
16 For God so loved the world 
that he gave his one and only Son, 
that whoever believes in him 
shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16

GOD IS FAITHFUL
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
Psalms 91:4-6

GOD DOES NOT ABANDON US
Have I not commanded you? 
Be strong and courageous. 
Do not be frightened, 
and do not be dismayed, 
for the Lord your God 
is with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9

HYMN - Because He Lives.

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my savior lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives

How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy He gives
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain day, because He lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives

And then one day, I'll cross the river
I'll fight life's final war with pain
And then, as death gives way to victory
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He reigns

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives

I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives

Songwriters: Gloria Gaither / William J. Gaither
Because He Lives lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group

BENEDICTION
(inspired by Luke 24:13-35)

Go now as those who have met with Christ
in the morning of this day.
Go now as those who hearts have burned within them,
as the Scriptures were explained.
Go now as those
who have been touched by resurrection.
And may the blessing of God
be upon you, body, mind and spirit,
as you leave this place,
Amen.

A LITTLE EXTRA
Many of you continue to enjoy this little extra at the end of the service each week, worshipping with Keith & Kristyn Getty and their daughters, well they were doing it again this week with, so please enjoy the high energy, enthusiasm and faith of a worshipping family.

WELCOME
Welcome to Burnside At Home.
Below are a number of video clips which when watched in order will lead you through a service of worship, of course if you do not have time for the full service you can skip to the parts that interest you most. I do not know how we are going to 'skip' when we are allowed to gather together again. There are lots of notes to help you worship below.

Some photos from Easter 2019

If you would rather watch the whole service as one video playing continually, without the extra text parts, then that option is also below.
Remember you can click the Full Screen option to view the video at a larger size.

Trypraying
If you don't normally attend a church and are following along, why not Trypraying. You can find out more at www.Trypraying.co.uk or download the Trypraying app to your phone or tablet.

COMPLETE SERVICE
Click on the Video below to view the complete service. Scroll down if you would like to read the text and view the individual sections.

LET US WORSHIP GOD

Today is Easter Sunday
A day of HOPE
A day of NEW LIFE
A day of RESURRECTION
A day to CELEBRATE
So let us Worship God together.
Let us rejoice.

PSALM 118
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
2 Let Israel say:
“His love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say:
“His love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say:
“His love endures forever.”
5 In my anguish I cried to the Lord,
and he answered by setting me free.
6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.
I will look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in man.

14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.

21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;
23 the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 O Lord, save us;
O Lord, grant us success.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
27 The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine upon us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever. 

HYMN
Christ Our Hope In Life And Death

CHRIST OUR HOPE IN LIFE AND DEATH
"What is your only comfort in life and in death?” For centuries, believers have learned the Christian faith beginning with that question. It’s the first article in the Heidelberg Catechism of 1563. Why start there? Because death is our common fate. Unless Jesus returns first, we will all die. To find comfort in life, we must know how we can face death. Hope comes only in trusting the one who died to take the curse of death and who crushed the power of death by his resurrection. “Christ has been raised from the dead” (1 Cor 15:20). That is the only statement that can transform how we live each day and how we prepare for our earthly life to end. The hope of the resurrection spurs us to sing. That’s why a group of songwriters from Getty Music wrote the modern hymn “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death.” Like the Heidelberg Catechism that inspired it, this song is honest about death. There is no need to shrink back from mentioning death in our hymns, because we know the Living One who has conquered death forever. The Christian can sing hallelujah, because Christ assures us of our glorious future. Now and ever, we confess: “I am not my own, but belong—body and soul in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.”

LYRICS
What is our hope in life and death?
Christ alone, Christ alone.
What is our only confidence?
That our souls to him belong.
Who holds our days within his hand?
What comes, apart from his command?
And what will keep us to the end?
The love of Christ, in which we stand.

O sing hallelujah!
Our hope springs eternal;
O sing hallelujah!
Now and ever we confess
Christ our hope in life and death.

What truth can calm the troubled soul?
God is good, God is good.
Where is his grace and goodness known?
In our great Redeemer’s blood.
Who holds our faith when fears arise?
Who stands above the stormy trial?
Who sends the waves that bring us nigh
Unto the shore, the rock of Christ?

Unto the grave, what shall we sing?
“Christ, he lives; Christ, he lives!”
And what reward will heaven bring?
Everlasting life with him.
There we will rise to meet the Lord,
Then sin and death will be destroyed,
And we will feast in endless joy,
When Christ is ours forevermore.

Words and Music by Keith Getty, Matt Boswell, Jordan Kauflin, Matt Merker, Matt Papa
©2020 Getty Music Publishing (BMI) / Messenger Hymns (BMI) / Jordan Kauflin Music (BMI) / Matthew Merker Music (BMI) / Getty Music Hymns and Songs (ASCAP) / Love Your Enemies Publishing (ASCAP) / adm at MusicServices.org

OPENING PRAYER - Julie Craig

CHILDREN'S MESSAGE

"His Mercy Is More" by Matt Papa

If you would like to read more about "His Mercy Is More" (including a "performance" in a North Coast Restaurant) as well as download the sheet music and the mp3 for free CLICK HERE 

LYRICS
Verse 1:
What love could remember, no wrongs we have done
Omniscient, all-knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Verse 2:
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father so tender is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Verse 3:
What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment His life was the cost
We stood ‘neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Chorus:
Praise the Lord
His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness
New every morn’
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Two different versions of the song are available to listen to.

BIBLE READING - Matthew 28:1-10 - Lynne McGowan

PRAISE
We always look forward to the choir singing on Easter Sunday, of course that is not happening this year but Eileen very kindly played a couple of Easter pieces for our service. See What A Morning & All Heaven Declares. After a few technical difficulties we managed to get the video from Coleraine to Portsewart after the rest of the service was recorded, so i don't introduce Eileen in the video but we can still enjoy her ministry.

See What A Morning

See, what a morning, gloriously bright,
With the dawning of hope in Jerusalem;
Folded the grave-clothes, tomb filled with light,
As the angels announce, "Christ is risen!"
See God's salvation plan,
Wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice,
Fulfilled in Christ, the Man,
For He lives: Christ is risen from the dead!

All Heaven Declares

All Heaven declares
The glory of the risen Lord
Who can compare
With the beauty of the Lord
Forever He will be the lamb upon the throne
I gladly bow the knee and worship him alone

PRAYER FOR OTHERS

MESSAGE
The Message for Easter Sunday is based around Revelation Chapter 5 and a song by Andrew Peterson.

IS HE WORTHY - Andrew Peterson
​Listen to this song by Andrew Peterson in the next video. The words are in the video but here is the complete set.

​

THINE BE THE GLORY

THINE BE THE GLORY

1 Thine be the glory, risen, conqu'ring Son:
endless is the vict'ry thou o’er death hast won;
angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu'ring Son;
endless is the vict'ry thou o’er death hast won.

2 Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
let the church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing,
for her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu'ring Son;
endless is the vict'ry thou o’er death hast won.

3 No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;
life is naught without thee: aid us in our strife;
make us more than conqu'rors, thro' thy deathless love:
bring us safe thro' Jordan to thy home above.
Thine be the glory, risen, conqu'ring Son;
endless is the vict'ry thou o’er death hast won.

BENEDICTION

BENEDICTION
(inspired by Matthew 28: 18-20)

The high point has been reached. 
The stone has rolled.
The grave cloths have been folded.
So now simply remember what He has told us...
All authority in Heaven and on earth is His.
And surely He is with us even to the end of the age.
AMEN

A LITTLE EXTRA
Many of you said how much you seem to enjoy the little extra at the end of the service each week, worshipping with Keith & Kristyn Getty and their daughters, well they were doing it again this week with song especially for Easter, so please enjoy the high energy, enthusiasm and faith of a worshipping family.

WELCOME
Welcome to Worship At Burnside.
Below are a number of video clips which when watched in order will lead you through a service of worship, of course if you do not have time for the full service you can skip to the parts that interest you most. This is a very special service for Good Friday.
If you would rather watch the whole service as one video playing continually, without the extra text parts, then there is an option to do that.
​
If you don't normally attend a church and are following along, why not Trypraying. You can find out more at www.Trypraying.co.uk or download the Trypraying app to your phone or tablet.

We have a very special guest bringing our Good Friday Meditation, Lee McAllister is no stranger to Burnside, Lee was due to conduct Worship on Sunday 19th April while I was to be on Holiday the Sunday after Easter. When I was in contact with Lee about the situation he offered to do anything he could to help. I took him up on that offer and asked him to bring an Easter Message to us. Lee willingly agreed and not only brings us a personal testimony about Easter but he has also managed to volunteer his friend 
James Irwin who will play "Were You There" before Lee speaks. 

CALL TO WORSHIP

LET US WORSHIP GOD
Lord forbid it that I should boast of anything
but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In him is salvation, life, and resurrection from the dead;
by him we are redeemed and set free.
Lord may you be gracious to us and bless us,
and make your face to shine upon us.
AMEN

HYMN - There Is A Green Hill Far Away 

​There is a green hill far away,
  Without a city wall,
Where the dear Lord was crucified,
  Who died to save us all.

  Oh, dearly, dearly has He loved,
  And died our sins to bear;
We trust in His redeeming blood,
    And life eternal share.

We may not know, we cannot tell,
  What pains He had to bear;
But we believe it was for us
  He hung and suffered there.

He died that we might be forgiven,
  He died to make us good,
That we might from our sins be freed,
  Saved by His precious blood.

There was no other good enough
  To pay the price of sin,
He only could divine life give
  And dwell Himself within.

PRAYER
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5

Dear Lord,
As so many suffer this day, We remember, the pain and suffering of the cross, and all that you were willing to endure, so that we can be set free. 
You paid the price, such a great sacrifice, to offer us the gift of eternal life.
Help us never to take for granted this huge gift of love. 
Help us to be reminded of the cost of it all. 
Forgive us for being too busy, or distracted by other things, 
for not fully recognizing what you have freely given, what you have done for us.
Thank you Lord that by your wounds we are healed. 
Thank you that because of your huge sacrifice we can live free. 
Thank you that sin and death have been conquered, 
and that your Power is everlasting.
Thank you that we can say with great hope, 
“It is finished…” For we know what’s still to come. 
And death has lost its sting. 
We praise you for you are making all things new.
Amen.

READING
Good Friday - Jesus On The Cross
John 19:16-30 

PRAISE - Eileen O'Neill
Thank-you to Eileen for recording these two pieces (and also some for Sunday).
I already had recorded the links for our service before I was able to confirm that we would have this video from Eileen, which is why I don't mention Eileen in the video. We are all learning new skills at the moment and Eileen and I spent an afternoon trying to send video from Coleraine to Portstewart, but all the effort was certainly worth while. In this section Eileen plays two hymns together, Low In The Grave He Lay and Crown Him With Many Crowns.

Low In The Grave He Lay

Low in the grave He lay--
  Jesus my Savior!
Waiting the coming day--
  Jesus my Lord!
 Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes
He arose a Victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
  Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Crown Him With Many Crowns

Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless king
through all eternity.

HYMN - Were You There
1 Were you there when they crucified my Lord? 
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? 
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. 
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? 

2 Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? 
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? 
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. 
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? 

3 Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? 
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? 
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. 
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? 

4 Were you there when God raised him from the tomb? 
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb? 
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. 
Were you there when God raised him from the tomb? 

LEE McALLISTER - What Easter Means To Me

HYMN - When I Survey The Wondrous Cross

WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS1. When I survey the wond'rous Cross
On which the Prince of Glory dy'd,
My richest Gain I count but Loss,
And pour Contempt on all my Pride.

2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the Death of Christ my God:
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his Blood.

3. See from his Head, his Hands, his Feet,
Sorrow and Love flow mingled down!
Did ever such Love and Sorrow meet?
Or Thorns compose so rich a Crown?

4. His dying Crimson, like a Robe,
Spreads o'er his Body on the Tree;
Then am I dead to all the Globe,
And all the Globe is dead to me.

5. Were the whole Realm of Nature mine,
That were a Present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my Soul, my Life, my All.
Isaac Watts

WELCOME
Welcome to our online service of worship from Burnside.
Below are a number of video clips which when watched in order will lead you through a service of worship, of course if you do not have time for the full service you can skip to the parts that interest you most. I do not know how we are going to do this when we are allowed to gather again.
If you don't normally attend a church and are following along, why not Trypraying. You can find out more at www.Trypraying.co.uk or download the Trypraying app to your phone or tablet.

If you would rather watch the whole service as one video playing continually, without the extra text parts, then scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the last video.
Sadly this version does not include the Crown Jesus Video (due to YouTube restrictions) but you can still watch it below.

LET US WORSHIP GOD
PSALM 130
As we are reminded of the crowds on Palm Sunday praising God because of the miracles that they had seen, we open our service with the words of Psalm 103, which could have been sung by those crowds. The Metrical version is sung unaccompanied by Trinity Reformed Presbyterian Church in Charlotte. The words of the Psalm are below.

PSALM 103
Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits–
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children–
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
21 Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
22 Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.

INTRODUCTION

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 
Hebrews 10:25

This is what is coming up in the rest of the service
Opening Prayer - Ernie Rocks (Audio Only)
Children's Message from Crown Jesus Ministries with Stevo & Grandpa
Work Sheet - The Rainbow Prayer
Bible Reading - Luke 19:28-44 Read by Jeremy Bertenshaw
Prayer For Others with details about - These Three Remain & A Call to prayer on Sunday between 3pm & 4pm (Not 4-5pm as I say in the video)
Praise Ride On, Ride On In Majesty
Message - Looking For Peace And Finding it in Jesus
Praise Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord - Mat Redman
Benediction

OPENING PRAYER - Ernie Rocks

CHILDREN'S MESSAGE from Stevo & Grandpa (Crown Jesus Ministries)

ACTIVITY SHEET
Lots of people have been remembering the hope that God gave to Moses in the sign of a Rainbow, and they have been sharing the hope by drawing a rainbow and displaying it in their windows. You can see lots of the rainbows in house windows around Portstewart. Below is an activity sheet to help you pray a Rainbow. Click to Download and view all of the sheet.

BIBLE READING
Luke 19 v 28-44 Read by Jeremy Bertenshaw

PRAYERS FOR OTHERS

CALL TO PRAY
Palm Sunday, 5 April from 3pm-4pm (Not 5-6pm as I say in the video)
 
Church Leaders encourage the community and call Ireland to pray
 
In a joint statement today (27 March), following a video conference, the leaders of the Church of Ireland, Methodist Church in Ireland, Roman Catholic Church, Presbyterian Church in Ireland and the Irish Council of Churches, have paid tribute to everyone in the health and social care services and those in the frontline, for their courage in the battle against the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
 
The leaders of Ireland’s main Churches, together with other denominations and Christian organisations, also issued a call to pray, which will take place on Palm Sunday, 5 April from 3pm-4pm.
 
Church Leaders’ joint statement in full
 
“In these days when we can no longer gather and ‘be church’ in the traditional way, the call to live out the Gospel as agents of God’s mercy and compassion through the sacrifices that we make to protect the vulnerable, and by finding new ways to be Good Samaritans and good neighbours is as powerful as ever.
 
“To all who are suffering, have lost loved ones and are anxious in these unprecedented days, we pray that you may find strength and comfort in the loving presence of Christ who promised to be with his people always (Matthew 28:20).
 
“As Church Leaders, we want to thank everyone in our health and social care services and those working on the frontline, for their courage as they work selflessly to minimise the suffering caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Alongside our chaplains and pastoral teams, they have chosen to walk towards the danger for our sake. We owe it to them to play our part in limiting the spread of this virus by staying home and practising social distancing when we need to go out.
 
“With this crisis has come a heightened awareness of our interconnectedness and interdependency and a new recognition of the vast array of jobs that are essential to the functioning of our society. All our workers, whether called into service at this time, or asked to stay home, need to be adequately protected.
 
“In the midst of this suffering, however we can see many signs of hope. The speed with which local communities, involving churches, community groups, charities, businesses and other local community leaders, who have mobilised in response to this unprecedented challenge, has been a great reassurance to many.
 
“We still have a long way to go in the fight against Covid-19 and its consequences. We will need many volunteers for our health service and to protect the vulnerable. Charities that provide much-needed support, also need donations, so please consider giving online. We are all called to make sacrifices, but the burden of suffering will not be evenly shared.
 
“In a short space of time the rhythm and pattern of our everyday lives has changed. There is however one constant throughout – an ever-loving God who tells us, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10.)
 
“As we look to Him with our pastoral and practical concerns during these unparalleled times, as the island battles this pandemic, standing alongside other denominations and Christian organisations, we are today issuing a call to pray.
 
“As Christians, we believe that prayer sustains our life as followers of Christ. In the midst of this global pandemic, we turn to Jesus in our time of need. As Church leaders, we join together in calling all our people to pray. As we begin the journey through Holy Week towards Good Friday and Easter, we invite all Christians from across the whole Church to join in prayer on Palm Sunday, 5 April, from 3pm to 4pm - remembering that we should only gather to pray within our own households, in line with government advice.
 
“God loves the world and everyone in it. We will pray for those who are sick, and those feeling fearful; we will pray for those who have been bereaved and those who are isolated and alone. We will pray for our healthcare professionals, delivery drivers, essential workers and all who continue to work on the frontline. We will pray for, and with those in our communities, who are fearful about their employment and for those reaching out to provide food and shelter. We will pray for our families and friends, neighbours and civic, business and political leaders for the inevitable challenges that will arise in the coming days. We also remember those across our world who are similarly suffering. We pray for those working hard to produce new treatments and vaccines.
 
“Though we cannot meet as the gathered Church, we will end the hour united in prayer, asking for the Lord’s healing touch on our land and all its people. All are invited to pray, regardless of where they are in their own journey of faith, even if they have never prayed before. At this critical moment we will bring this land and our world before our loving God in prayer remembering that, “We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy” (Daniel 9:18).”
 
Rt Rev Dr William Henry
Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

BOOKLET TO HELP YOU PRAY

LET'S PRAY for this week

THESE THREE REMAIN - Faith, Hope & Love
   
To accompany the many things that congregations are doing in the current cessation of all regular gatherings of church members, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland has launched an initiative called These three remain…
 
While so many things have changed in recent days, we want to remind ourselves of what remains core to our expression of life in God. And so we gladly recall the words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian Christians in 1 Corinthians 13:13,
 
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
 
The aim of the initiative is to draw congregations together in God to express his life and witness in this moment.
 
Content can be found at www.presbyterianireland.org/thesethreeremain and initially includes:

• TIDES daily devotional
• Let’s Pray weekly prayer points
• In this moment a weekly prayer in direct response to some aspect of current events
• TTR Blog reflecting on aspects of congregational life and worship in these days
• TTR Podcast (coming soon) a weekly conversation on what is happening around congregations of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
• Links to Sunday Worship listing congregations broadcasting worship in addition to the Moderator’s weekly service

 
Hopefully there is something here that will be of encouragement to you and that you can share with members of your congregation as we journey together with God through this difficult season.

PRAYER FOR OTHERS
Loving God,
In this moment when we feel,
locked in to a terrible set of circumstances,
locked up in our homes,
locked down by fear and uncertainty;
help us to find freedom in faith,
healing in hope,
liberty in your love.
In this time when tempers can get frayed in relationships,
give us the fruit of your Spirit in our lives, our homes, our dealings with one another in society.
We pray for - Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control.
Be especially with those who feel most isolated and alone.
Grant them a deep sense of your presence through long days and lonely hours,
bring comfort and calm,
strength and support.
Help us to appreciate simple pleasures in a fresh way through our unusual circumstances,
the blessing of home,
the joy of loved ones,
the view from our windows,
the voice of a friend on the phone.
Lord, hear our prayers.
For we ask them in Jesus Name,

Amen

PRAISE
Ride On Ride On In Majesty - Songs Of Praise

MESSAGE

PRAISE 
Blessed Be Your Name - Matt Redman
It is based on Psalm 103 that we read and sang at the beginning of the service. 
Whatever the Circumstances we will say BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD
This hymn deals with the contrast of Blessing God in all circumstances.
In the land that is plentiful
& 
When I'm found in the desert place

When the sun's shining down on me
& 
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name.

Words are on the video and displayed below.

Blessed Be Your Name

In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name
Every blessing You pour out, I'll
Turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out I'll
Turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will… ​

BENEDICTION

LET US PRAY
We have gathered with the crowds crying Hosanna!
Because even if we were silent
the stones themselves would have called out.
We have shared the hope for a world about to be changed,
and then it changed.
We have walked with another crowd.
One that called words of scorn and condemnation.
And now we follow the crowd as it leads out to the cross,
and yet even as the world grows dark,
we cannot lose hope.
Because God is with us.
God will be with us.
Whatever happens.
We are not alone.
And so we watch the crowd and we follow...
Seeking the blessing of Father Son And Holy Spirit 
AMEN

A LITTLE EXTRA
Many of you said how much you enjoyed the little extra at the end of the service last week, worshipping with Keith & Kristyn Getty and their daughters, well they were doing it again this week, so please enjoy the high energy, enthusiasm and faith of a worshipping family.

Getty Family Hymn Sing LIVE 3.31.2020
Songs this week include
“Blessed Assurance,”
“His Mercy Is More,”
“He Will Hold Me Fast,”
the “Doxology”
and “Nothing but the Blood of Jesus,”
along with a special time of prayer and devotion.

Download free hymn book for tonight’s broadcast at www.gettymusic.com/hymnsing
​

COMPLETE SERVICE
Click below to watch the complete service as one video.
Unfortunately (Due to YouTube restrictions) This video does not include the children's section from Crown Jesus Ministries

Welcome to our online service of worship from Burnside.
Below are a number of video clips which when watched in order will lead you through a service of worship, of course if you do not have time for the full service you can skip to the parts that interest you most. I do not know how we are going to do this when we are allowed to gather again.
If you don't normally attend a church and are following along, why not Trypraying. You can find out more at www.Trypraying.co.uk or download the Trypraying app to your phone or tablet.

PSALM 40
(Scottish Metrical)

1 I waited for the Lord my God,
and patiently did bear;
At length to me he did incline
my voice and cry to hear.

2 He took me from a fearful pit,
and from the miry clay,
And on a rock he set my feet,
establishing my way.

3 He put a new song in my mouth,
our God to magnify:
Many shall see it, and shall fear,
and on the Lord rely.

4 O blessed is the man whose trust
upon the Lord relies;
Respecting not the proud, nor such
as turn aside to lies.

OPENING PRAYER
I'm delighted that Frances Bleakley has agreed to lead us in prayer. Maintaining strict social distancing rules, Frances joins us from her home. Thank you to Eddie for the camera work and technical know how.
If anyone else would be willing to take part in the services please let me know, all you need is a smartphone, iPad or laptop.

PRAISE
Though I Feel Afraid (All I Know) - Ian White

This is No 573 in our church Hymn Book and is a wonderful comfort when we feel afraid.
The words of the hymn are in the video but you can read them below.
When we have a Saviour in Jesus Christ, he doesn't always remove the storm but he does promise to be with us through it.

THOUGH I FEEL AFRAID - Words

Of territory unknown,
I know that I can say
That I do not stand alone.
For Jesus, You have promised
Your presence in my heart;
I cannot see the ending,
But it’s here that I must start.

And all I know is You have called me,
And that I will follow is all I can say.
I will go where You will send me,
And Your fire lights my way.

What lies across the waves
May cause my heart to fear;
Will I survive the day,
Must I leave what’s known and dear?
A ship that’s in the harbour
Is still and safe from harm,
But it was not built to be there,
It was made for wind and storm.


© 1996 Thankyou Music

BIBLE READING
Philippians 4 v 4-9
I'm delighted that It will be read to us today by Eric Leslie. Maintaining strict social distancing rules, Eric joins us from his home. Thank you to Sam for the camera work and technical know how.
If anyone else would be willing to take part in the services please let me know, all you need is a smartphone, iPad or laptop.

PRAYER FOR OTHERS
Our prayers obviously focus on the current crisis.
I am using a prayer this week published on the YouVersion online bible.
The text of the prayer can be found below, and you can print it out and use it yourself if you find it helpful.

MESSAGE
The Message today centres around this practice of social distancing and social isolation that we are going through and I seek to compare it to the periods of 40 days that God often used in the bible to draw his people closer to Him.

PRAISE
The final item of Praise is "All I Once Held Dear" it is a hymn which causes us to re-evaluate our lives, consider what is important, and realise that there is no greater thing than knowing Jesus.

BENEDICTION
The Benediction is not just a prayer, it is a blessing proclaimed to all the worshippers, today, I pray the Aaronic Blessing for you.

The Lord bless you and keep you. 
The Lord make His face to shine upon you 
and be gracious unto you. 
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you
and give you peace. 
Amen

A LITTLE EXTRA
If you would like something extra to watch, why not spend a few minutes worshipping with Keith & Kristyn Getty and their family, as they sing some well known and some new songs on St. Patrick's Day. 

You can sign up to download the words at this link
https://www.gettymusic.com/christ-our-hope?fbclid=IwAR0hHXe2gpunDBy_vtDgg68ekaWscmAPvILC9NKDVnMfcqrj_XDaJNSq4FE

If you are concerned at this time why not Trypraying
Search for Trypraying on your mobile App Store or go to www.trypraying.co.uk

PRAYER
You can read the prayer below

PRAISE Christ Our Hope In Life And Death
Hymn words below.

MESSAGE
ISAIAH 41 v 10 So Do Not Fear

Below are some graphics of Isaiah 41:10 why not 

HYMN
Yet Not I But Through Christ In Me

THANK YOU
Thank you for joining with us for this act of worship. I hope that God has blessed you through this ministry. Please leave a comment below to encourage others who are watching.

Psalm 130
1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;
2 O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
3 If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 O Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

INTRODUCTION

I’m sure you have all seen those before and after photos, that are used in advertising.

They are used for Shampoo, that can turn dull lifeless hair into glossy flowing hair

I found them for Hair Transplant clinics.

And increasingly they seem to appear for teeth whitening nowadays.

You may also remember a few years ago when the SU from the then High School stayed in our halls some of them shared a Cardboard Testimony with us.

They shared their testimony in two short phrases.
One on each side of a piece of card board.
The first phrase describing their life before they met Jesus 
and on the reverse side a phrase describing their life now with Jesus.

It is a very effective way to explain the change that Jesus makes in our lives.

Here are a couple of examples I found on the internet.

Controlled by Fear - Free To Trust

Lost & Hopeless in Religion - Found Hope in God’s Grace

And this evening as we continue in the Psalms of Ascent we come to Psalm 130,
And we find a song of testimony, 
That any of us can sing on the journey,
To tells us why we are on the journey.
The song reminds us of where our lives used to be,
And now where we are headed.

So this evening as we continue on this journey to Jerusalem,
This Journey with Jesus.
Lets examine the Cardboard Testimony of the Psalmist.
And lets make it our own Testimony tonight.


Death to Life

So the first transformation that we sing of this evening,
Is the journey from Death to Life.

Perhaps it sounds like an exaggeration,
To describe our spiritual relationship with Jesus in such terms.
But it will only seem like an exaggeration, if we have forgotten what it was truly like before we met Jesus.

As we continue to walk with Jesus day after day,
The life before Jesus becomes a very distant memory.
It doesn’t seem as bad in our minds as it was in reality.

And the Song this evening is one of Death being transformed into life.
In other words, we were dead in our sins, and Jesus gave us new life.

Paul puts it like this to the Ephesian church

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world.
Ephesians 2:1,2

And the Psalmist uses the picture of someone drowning in their sin.
They are so deep in sin that they cannot get to the surface.
It is becoming increasingly more difficult to catch a breath.
They are sinking deeper and deeper, sinning more and more,
And when they realise that they cannot get out of the sin.
When they recognise that it is pouring in over their heads,
They cry out for mercy,
And this song is not just about someone,
It is about you and me.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;
2 O Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.
Psalm 130:1,2

We were dead in our transgressions, and Jesus has given us new life.
Many assume that Jesus comes into a life to tidy up the rough edges.
He sorts out a few little problems that you might have,
Pats you on the head and tell you to go and do your best.

But as CS Lewis wrote:

Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good, 
but dead people live. 
- CS Lewis

Jesus takes death and gives Life.

When he was explaining this to Nicodemus, he told Nicodemus that he needed to be born again.
this is how deep the transformation needs to be.
When we follow Jesus, we start again from the very beginning.
Everything old is thrown away,
And there is a new beginning, a new life in Christ.




Guilt to Forgiveness

But this is not the only way of describing what has happened.
Secondly in this Psalm we have the transformation from Guilt to Forgiveness.

From someone who is drowning in the depths of the sea,
The Psalm now moves into the courtroom.
Imagine God keeping a record of our sins,

And we are called to take the stand and defend ourselves.
Who could do it?
Who could stand before a Holy God and make any sort of noise that could be used as a defence?
No one.

The weight of our sin in God’s presence would pin us to the floor.
We could never get up, no matter how hard we try.
But there is hope.
And that hope is in the Lord.
Look at how the Psalm describes the transformation.

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins,
O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared
Psalm 130:3,4

There is forgiveness.
We no longer need to be defined by our guilt.
But when we come before God He forgives us.

Sin is a problem that we all have.
It is a problem that each person we meet has.

Billy Sunday was a baseball player who when converted became an evangelist.
He was going to conduct a mission in a large American City,
And he wrote to the mayor asking if he could provide the names of individuals who ad spiritual problems and needed help and prayer.

A few days later he received a parcel from the Mayor’s office.
In it was the city’s telephone directory.
In other words everyone needs a Saviour.

Jesus takes our guilt and sin and offers us forgiveness.
When we are in the presence of one who can forgive sin,
there is no other reaction but to fear.

On Wednesday evening we saw how Noah built the ark in Holy fear,
And when our sins are forgiven we fall before God in Holy Fear.




Darkness to Light

So the transformation takes place from 
Death to Life
and from 
Guilt to Forgiveness
Thirdly we see the transformation from Darkness to Light.

The song moves from the courtroom to the city walls.
To the guards.
The worst time to be on guard duty is the night-time.

You can’t just guard a city in day light.
It has to be guarded at night in case of surprise attack.
It can be a long watch at night.
Everyone else is asleep,
And you are longing for the morning to come.
You are watching for the first hint of sun rise,
To signal that the day is coming.

And when we trust in Jesus,
He transforms a life of darkness into a life of light.
He takes away the darkness of sin that once held us, 
And replaces it with glorious light.

And we should have a longing in our hearts for the light of Jesus Christ,
Just like the guards long for the light of morning

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.
Psalm 130:5,6

We wait on the Lord,
We trust in the Lord and he transforms our lives.
On Wednesday I was round in York House in Portrush,
Conducting the afternoon service of worship.
And I was thinking about this Psalm,
And when I mentioned the watchmen waiting for the morning,
I could see the staff nodding,
Because they know what that is like.
When they are on night duty,
They watch for the light of the morning to know that they are nearly finished and it will soon be time to go home.




Slavery to Freedom

So we have the testimony of each of these transformations,
Death to Life
Guilt to Forgiveness
Darkness to Light
and finally Slavery to Freedom.

This time we have moved from the city walls to the market place and the slave market.
Only Jesus can set us free.
Without Jesus we are slaves to sin,
We are slaves to the old life,
We are slaves to the darkness.
But when we trust in Jesus, He is the one who can set us free.

If you imagine the people singing this Psalm along the way,
The last couple of verses are the opportunity to experience this transformation if you have not already done so.

You have heard the testimony of those who are walking with God,
And now you are encouraged to put your hope in Him


7 O Israel, put your hope in the Lord,
for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.
Psalm 130:7,8

Only Jesus can redeem the slave.
Pay the price to set us free.
He loves us so much, that he has gone to the cross,
To pay the price of our sin.

What a Saviour we have.
That he would die for us
To take our lives of slavery and set us free.

​
CONCLUSION

This Psalm gives us a testimony to sing.
A transformation that only Jesus can bring about.

Jesus takes us from
Death to Life
From Guilt to Forgiveness
From Darkness to Light
and From Slavery to Freedom.

Psalm 129
1 They have greatly oppressed me from my youth –
let Israel say –
2 they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory over me.
3 Plowmen have plowed my back
and made their furrows long.
4 But the Lord is righteous;
he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.
5 May all who hate Zion
be turned back in shame.
6 May they be like grass on the roof,
which withers before it can grow;
7 with it the reaper cannot fill his hands,
nor the one who gathers fill his arms.
8 May those who pass by not say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
we bless you in the name of the Lord.

​INTRODUCTION

This morning we had the blessing of walking with God.
Psalm 128 is a positive song, reminding the people of the blessing.
And now this evening as we move onto Psalm 129
We are continuing the theme of blessing.

Now on a first reading of the Psalm, this might not appear to be the case.
It seems to be all about oppression and judgement,
But underlying all this is the blessing of God.

The Psalmist is seeing a way through the opposition,
The Psalmist is charting the way to stay pure in a world where we can be battered and bruised for our faith.

So lets look at the Psalm together.









I’ve Been Oppressed

The first thing that we see in this Psalm is that we have been oppressed.
It is the experience of the Psalmist.
And it is also the experience of each person on the Christian Journey.
At times we have all faced opposition.

They have greatly oppressed me from my youth –
let Israel say –
2 they have greatly oppressed me from my youth.
Psalm 129:1,2

If we are serious about following Jesus Christ,
Then we will have faced opposition.
This world is not friendly towards Jesus Christ and his followers.
We all face conflicts, as we try to stand up for Jesus.
We know what God’s word says, and then as we try to live it out in society we find so many opposing views.

It seems like such a negative start to the song.
But it very quickly turns at the end of verse 2

they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,
but they have not gained the victory over me.
Psalm 129:2

The Psalmist has not given up this Journey with God.
Even though at times it has been tough.
The Psalm describes the opposition like having your back ploughed

Ploughmen have ploughed my back
and made their furrows long.
Psalm 129:3

You can imagine the picture he is conjuring up here, with the furrows on the back.

If we are facing opposition for our faith,
Then it is with us all the time.
Every move we make and  everything we say is affected by the attacks.
The wounds are painful and deep.
But they are not obvious to everyone.
We know they are there but others don’t realise.

But we are still going.
We have not been defeated.

Paul links this idea of the deep wounds of opposition to the wounds that Jesus carried on his body from the cross.

8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 
9 persecuted, but not abandoned; 
struck down, but not destroyed. 
10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Just as Jesus suffered,
So we suffer.
Just as Satan did not have the victory over Jesus, so we will not be defeated.

After the optimism of Psalm 128,
Perhaps the pilgrims have been sharing with each other, the most difficult times that they have experienced.
And they have encouraged each other by the fact that they are still there.
I’ve Been Set Free

But there is even better news ahead.
Yes we will face opposition.
And not only will the oppressor not have the victory,
But we will be able to say in this Psalm,
I’ve been set free

This is what we find in v4

But the Lord is righteous;
he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.
Psalm 129:4

The wicked had tied us up.
The wicked were holding us back.
And now God has cut us free.

In Psalm 140 the trouble that we are in is described in a bit more detail.

5 The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
and with cords they have spread a net;
beside the way they have set snares for me.
Psalm 140:5

We need to remember that we are under attack when we attempt to journey with God.
We are tied up,
But God sets us free.

And when we are set free, we have a new life in Christ.
The Psalmist again describes it for us in those well known verses from Psalm 40.

The Psalmist calls out to God,
Just like any of us can call out.
And when God hears he acts.

I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Psalm 40:1-3

He cuts the cords but then he also gives us a new stability.
We were in trouble without Jesus,
But with Him we are free and we have a rock to build our lives on.

And it is not just the oppression that binds us.
It is also our sin.

When we sang, “And Can it Be”
The 4th verse was,

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
fast bound in sin and nature’s night:
then shone Your glorious gospel ray;
I woke! the dungeon flamed with light!
My chains fell off; my heart was new,
I rose, went forth and followed You! 

When we trust in Jesus for Salvation we are free.
Our chains fall off,
Our hearts are made new.
We have been oppressed
But Now We are free

I’ll Uphold The Honour Of The Lord

And finally we come to perhaps the most difficult part of the Psalm.
Because after experiencing the freedom of God,
We now have a call for God’s judgement on the evil.
It seems harsh.
It seems unloving,
But really the Pilgrims have a desire to uphold the honour of the Lord.

As they sing the song and rejoice at their new Salvation.
They want to see God judge the wicked so that His honour can be maintained.

These wicked people are oppressing the followers of God.
They are causing trouble for the Christians.
They are making the journey difficult for others.
They are encouraging people to doubt God,
And those who sing this Psalm cannot stand this. 
They want to see God glorified and his enemies destroyed.

May all who hate Zion
be turned back in shame.
6 May they be like grass on the roof,
which withers before it can grow;
7 with it the reaper cannot fill his hands,
nor the one who gathers fill his arms.
Psalm 129:5-7

As followers of Jesus Christ we should be jealous for God’s glory.
We should hurt when others speak and act against God.
It is so easy to become accustomed to this world and the way that it treats God.
We become immune to the name of Jesus being misused.
As J.B. Philips paraphrases Romans 12:2 we can be moulded by the world and we must beware.

Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good.
Romans 12:2 (J.B. Philips)

We must guard ourselves from being led astray.
It is vital that evil does not have the harvest.
God will come and judge.

It was traditional at harvest time,
to greet the harvest workers with a blessing.
And they would then return the blessing.
It was a sign that what you were doing was good and true.

Boaz in the book of Ruth was involved in such an exchange.

4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The Lord be with you!” And they answered, “The Lord bless you.
Ruth 2:4

But this Psalm ends with the desire that even this simple blessing would not be applicable to the wicked.
The longing is that there would be no harvest of evil.

That the Lord God would be glorified

May those who pass by not say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you;
we bless you in the name of the Lord.
Psalm 129:8