London Baptist Association Racial Justice Minister
Sermon
Love God & Love Your Neighbour as Yourself
The Nature of God’s Love…
Ø Love Chooses to Enter Another World
Ø Love Breaks Barriers
Ø Love Builds Up
Ø Love Brings Transformation
Underpinned by…
SACRIFICE.
Motivation…
Ø The Presence of God
Ø Missionary Imperative
Encouragement…
Ø Empowered by the Holy Spirit
Hymn: God forgive a sinful nation Tune: Rhuddlan 275 in HO&N.
Communion and Intercession
Closing Hymn: Father of glory, whose heavenly plan
(To the Tune; "Slane" 46 HO&N)
Benediction.
Words for hymns
Heaven shall not wait for the poor to lose their patience,
the scorned to smile, the despised to find a friend:
Jesus is Lord; he has championed the unwanted;
in him injustice confronts its timely end.
Heaven shall not wait for the rich to share their fortunes,
the proud to fall, the elite to tend the least;
Jesus is Lord; he has shown the master's privilege -
to kneel and wash servants' feet before they feast.
Heaven shall not wait for the dawn of great ideas
thoughts of compassion divorced from cries of pain:
Jesus is Lord; he has married word and action;
his cross and company make his purpose plain.
Heaven shall not wait for triumphant Hallelujahs,
when earth has passed and we reach another shore
Jesus is Lord; in our present imperfection;
his power and love are for now and then for ever more.
John L. Bell and Graham Maule, Wild Goose Publications, Iona.
God forgive a sinful nation
Racial justice not yet ours
People face discrimination
By the strength of racist powers
More imprisoned, more degraded,
More deported from our shores.
There is need for deep repentance
History tells a sorry tale,
We look back with pained remembrance-
Plundering on so great a scale,
Grave oppression, exploitation,
Built our wealth but left us frail.
Hence we need to work together,
Black and white in God-sent task,
Joining in a common struggle,
Beating failures of the past,
Following prophets and disciples,
To our Lord still holding fast.
So we take the struggle forward,
Prayer and worship set the tone,
Centre of the celebration -
Jesus who the way has shown,
Till among the race of humans
Justice shall be fully known.
David Haslam
Father of glory, whose heavenly plan
Was wholly made flesh in the life of a man,
Your image of splendour we see in the face
Of every known child of the whole human race.
Darkest to lightest, created as one,
All made for each other, set free by your Son.
No language or colour can hinder your care;
The failures and pains of the whole world you bear.
Barriers, divisions, no longer we see;
In Christ are no colours, no slaves now nor free,
No outcasts, no favourites, no Gentiles, no Jew,
But one human family, united in you.
Give us the courage to mean what we say,
Trust people as equals, their full rights to pay-
Employment, enjoyment and freedom from fear,
To know, when in danger, that justice is near.
Give us the vision of all things made new,
Of enmity ended, your promise come true;
That while in this city as neighbours we live,
We may to each other true dignity give.
Keith Clements (b. 1943