大象传媒

This script cannot exactly reflect the transmission, as it was prepared before the service was broadcast. It may include editorial notes prepared by the producer, and minor spelling and other errors that were corrected before the radio broadcast.
It may contain gaps to be filled in at the time so that prayers may reflect the needs of the world, and changes may also be made at the last minute for timing reasons, or to reflect current events.
Opening Announcement [from Continuity] (For programmes on Radio 3, 4 and 4 Extra)
大象传媒 Radio 4.听 It鈥檚 time for Sunday Worship which comes live from the London School of Theology. The preacher is the Principal the Revd Dr Calvin Samuel and the service is introduced by Dr Chloe Lynch.

Dr Chloe Lynch听
Good morning and welcome. We鈥檙e here to worship God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.听 And, in Christ, God says, 鈥楥ome鈥�.听

To those in joy, to those in pain: God says, 鈥楥ome鈥�.听
To those who have plenty, to those who have a need: God says, 鈥楥ome鈥�.听
To those who are victorious, to those who are battle-weary and scarred: God says, 鈥楥ome鈥�.听
Celebrating or mourning, feasting or fasting: to you, God says, 鈥楥ome鈥�.

Come, let us celebrate together the faithfulness of the one who is God-with-us.听

MUSIC听Great is Your Faithfulness,听 (Chris Tomlin)

听

Dr Chloe Lynch听
Friends of the college and students are helping lead our worship this morning. Jonny Rudd, the LST Student Body President, will now lead us in prayer.

Jonny Rudd
Father, whether we are celebrating or mourning, feasting or fasting, you have called us to come to you.听 And so we come now, thanking you for the gift of your Son, Jesus, by whom you have demonstrated that your faithfulness towards us is great.听 Open our eyes to see you today and make our worship acceptable to you, in the power of your Holy Spirit.听 Amen.

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Dr Chloe Lynch听
The London School of Theology was formed in the middle of the Second World War by a group of ministers, missionaries and business people.听 They had a vision for an interdenominational, evangelical college, one that was both academically credible but that would counter the rising tide of liberal scholarship in Western universities. They wanted to prepare Christians to interact with the huge questions about life and the purpose of existence that were on so many minds in a post-war world.听 Today we continue in this calling, seeking to serve God鈥檚 people by engaging in research and by educating individuals, equipping churches right across the nation and beyond for Christian ministry.听

Mutual encouragement and equipping is at the core of college life.听 The weekly chapel service is significant in our life together, with responsibility for preaching, readings, prayers and musical worship being shared by us all.听

Today is no different and so, as we continue now with our sung worship, it is Geraldine Latty and the LST choir who will lead us in a well-known hymn, All Creatures of Our God and King.

MUSIC听All Creatures of Our God and King

Molly Baldwin
A reading from the Gospel according to Mark, Chapter 2, beginning at the eighteenth verse.

Now John鈥檚 disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, 鈥淲hy do John鈥檚 disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?鈥澨� Jesus said to them, 鈥淭he wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.听 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.

鈥淣o one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.鈥�
Dr Chloe Lynch听
The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.听 Jesus鈥� disciples, unlike John鈥檚 disciples and the Pharisees, did not fast.听 For, whilst he was with them it was a time for celebration, for feasting.听 In this passage, Mark implies, however, that the days for fasting would come.听 After Jesus鈥� ascension to his Father, the disciples would fast with eager longing for his presence.听

Fasting today is a similar expression of longing.听 As Christians, we fast for what we do not yet have and, most of all, for the face-to-face intimacy with God.听 This intimacy, though tasted in the gift of his Spirit, has not yet been given as fully as it will one day be given to those who have trusted their lives to Christ.听 The Bible talks about that day in terms of a wedding, complete with wedding feast.听 Our fasting, then, is a way of expressing 鈥� and even increasing 鈥� our longing for that great wedding feast when we shall be face-to-face with Jesus, the Bridegroom himself, and joined with him in love forever.听

Yet it is not just our fasting which reminds us of this coming day when all shall be made right.听 It is also when we feast, enjoying the good gifts of God鈥檚 creation and sharing our homes and our food with others, that we remember this greater feast, a wedding feast to which people from every nation and every generation have been invited.听

Of course, weddings have often been a cause for celebration, for feasting, throughout many cultures.听 It is not just first-century Jews who knew how to celebrate weddings properly 鈥� LST knows a thing or two about weddings.听 Before we changed our name to London School of Theology fourteen years ago, we were London Bible College...or, more fondly, 鈥楲ondon Bridal College鈥�.听 Over the decades many a marriage has begun with boy meeting girl somewhere in these hallowed halls and every year there is a number of wedding celebrations which take place.

The verse of our next worship song declares, 鈥楬allelujah, for the Lord God Almighty reigns鈥�, words which are taken from Revelation 9.听 This passage celebrates the great wedding feast where those who have entrusted their lives to Jesus will see him face-to-face.听 The song is called Agnus Dei, meaning Lamb of God.听 It proclaims God鈥檚 holiness and the supreme worth of Jesus Christ as the willing Lamb who died for the sin of humanity.听

MUSIC听 听Agnus Dei 鈥撎� (Michael W Smith)

Clara Badu-Amoah
A reading from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter nineteen, beginning at the first verse.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it.听 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich.听 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, 鈥淶acchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.鈥� So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, 鈥淗e has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.鈥澨� Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, 鈥淟ook, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.鈥澨� Then Jesus said to him, 鈥淭oday salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham.听 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.鈥�

Dr Chloe Lynch听
We prepare now to hear an address on this passage from the Revd Dr Calvin Samuel, Principal here at LST.听 His message is entitled 鈥楩easting Before Fasting鈥�.听 The words of the next song are a prayer that the Lord of the text would ready our hearts to hear and receive it We come to hear your word: Lord open up our hearts and lives again

MUSIC听 We come to hear your word听 (Chris Juby)

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Calvin Samuel
Jesus is portrayed eating and feasting fairly frequently in the gospels. Indeed, feasting remains a significant part of Jewish culture and faith. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of sharing a Shabbat meal with a number of Jewish friends.听

So significant is eating and feasting for Jesus that Jesus himself repeats the accusation that he is a glutton and a drunkard (Luke 7.34). In our Mark reading people were perplexed as to why the disciples of Jesus seemed not to fast when the disciples of John and of the Pharisees did.

Feasting is a way of expressing our thanksgiving for God鈥檚 good gifts, of celebrating God鈥檚 lavish and superabundant blessing, especially when many do not have enough. Feasting is an opportunity to celebrate God鈥檚 grace, God鈥檚 unmerited favour.

Jesus shared meals with an interesting range of people, not all of whom seemed kosher. Jesus is not only accused of being a glutton and drunkard, he is also accused of being a friend of tax collectors and sinners. However, Jesus鈥� meals with sinners often led to radical change so that Jesus could be a dangerous person with whom to eat.

This is perhaps most striking in the story Zacchaeus, whom Jesus merely invites to share a meal and Zacchaeus鈥� response is to give away half his possessions to the poor and to pledge the other half to making recompense for any past wrongdoing. This is perhaps an extreme example of feasting before fasting.听
听
In the story of Zacchaeus, we see at least two dimensions of God鈥檚 grace. First, divine grace is evident in Zacchaeus鈥� desire. What prompts a wealthy man, a person of some significance in the community, to run ahead and to climb a tree just in order to catch a glimpse of Jesus?

Men of a certain age and status did not often run in that time and culture. But like the prodigal father who ran to his son when he saw him a long way off, so Zacchaeus runs ahead and climbs a tree so that he may see Jesus. It is surely noteworthy that only Luke (not the other three Gospel writers) tells us these stories of the prodigal son and the prodigal tax collector.

There was something drawing Zacchaeus to Jesus, something that he might not have been able to articulate, or even acknowledge, but it brought him to a place where he so desired to catch a glimpse of Jesus, that he ran ahead and climbed a tree. As a Methodist I describe this as prevenient grace, the grace that goes before, the grace that draws us to God, the grace that enables us to desire the divine.

Second, divine grace is evident in Jesus鈥� invitation. Zacchaeus merely intends to look upon Jesus from a safe distance. He has no intention of engaging with him. Jesus is passing through and this is perhaps his one chance to catch a glimpse of the miracle worker from Nazareth.

Jesus has other ideas.听 He comes to where Zaccheus is, looks up to him and calls him from where he is hiding. There is both urgency and immediacy in his summons. Hurry! I must stay at your house! Today!

In that moment of hospitality, something of God鈥檚 grace was experienced.听 Jesus embodies a radical holiness which believes that there are no boundaries or no-go areas in which God鈥檚 goodness and glory may not be reflected.听 Anywhere and everywhere, anyone and everyone, no matter how tarnished, has the potential to become a reflective surface capable of reflecting God鈥檚 goodness and glory.

However, God鈥檚 grace is not only evident in the feasting it is also evident in the fasting that follows. Zacchaeus鈥� response to Jesus is quite remarkable. In contrast to the rich ruler of Luke 18 or the rich man and Lazarus of Luke 16, here in Luke 19 we finally encounter a man prepared to give away half his possessions to the poor. Moreover, if he has defrauded anyone, he is prepared to repay 4 times as much.听

Fasting like feasting is another way of celebrating God鈥檚 superabundant blessing. At its most simple to fast is to give up something good and pleasurable for a period of time so that we can appreciate more deeply the God who gives us these gifts. As a result, we are able to be more generous because of our reordered priorities. During Lent people give up chocolate, alcohol, television, meat, even sex, not because these things are bad but because they are good and we want to celebrate God鈥檚 goodness.听 Both feasting and fasting are critical elements to our worship.
Who do you eat with? For whom do you make space and include in your fellowship? I believe that the contemporary world, and indeed contemporary church, overlooks many like Zacchaeus. When we stop and share hospitality, who knows what life changing encounters might result? Like Jesus let鈥檚 take time to feast with others and to celebrate the lavish goodness of God that surrounds us. Perhaps we too might become dangerous people with whom to eat.听
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Dr Chloe Lynch听
Calvin mentioned becoming dangerous people with whom to eat, people who are so filled with the grace and goodness of Jesus that we release radical freedom for the people with whom we feast.听 This kind of dynamic requires that we turn to God to be filled with his Spirit, that we call out to him for the people and places that need the touch of his goodness and grace.听 The LST choir and Reverend Angela Perigo, our Community Dean, will lead us in our intercessions for dangerous grace which brings hope to our world.

MUSIC听When I Call 听(Carey Luce and Geraldine Latty)

Reverend Angela Perigo
Heavenly Father,
We call out to you and ask you to look our way:
See our tears and hear our cries.
What we need more than anything is a fresh feasting on You.
Jesus, You alone are the source of our Daily Bread and Living Water.
Let us taste and see once again that indeed you are good.
You are grace.
You are truly enough.
Only you can satisfy the deepest longings of our heart.
Give us strength to face each struggle.
Give us peace despite our questions.
Give us hope amidst our trials.
Give us trust in your never-ending promises.
Nourish us with the life-giving presence of your Holy Spirit.

MUSIC听When I Call 听(Carey Luce and Geraldine Latty)

鈥�
Reverend Angela Perigo
God in darkness and God in light,
we call out to you for the people and places that need a touch of your goodness and grace:
The hungry cry out for food;
The blind want to see;
The refugee, the orphaned, and the widow are desperate for help;
The oppressed long for relief;
The grieving yearn for comfort;
Those lost in darkness are searching for light.
Satisfy their needs with your abundance
And touch their lives with a taste of your Kingdom.

MUSIC听When I Call 听(Carey Luce and Geraldine Latty)

Reverend Angela Perigo
With You Jesus Christ, everyone is welcome and has a place around your table.
Yet still there are seats at the coming wedding feast that you desire to be filled.
Would you fill us with your grace and goodness that we release radical freedom to those around our table?
Empower us by your Spirit to be a nourishing presence, a healing presence, a dangerous presence to the world around us,
And walk with us in such a way that we are known as those whose dangerous grace brings hope to the world.
In your precious name, Amen.

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Dr Chloe Lynch听
Our final song is a beautiful prayer, an old hymn which has been arranged in a fresh way by LST鈥檚 very own Geraldine Latty.听 Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to thee.

MUSIC听Take My Life and Let It Be听听(arranged by Geraldine Latty)

Dr Chloe Lynch听
Take our lives and let them be consecrated, Lord, to thee.听 Take our moments and our days, our feasting and our fasting, our celebration and our longing, and let them flow in ceaseless praise.

And so even now as, feasting, you prepare for the fasting of Lent, may you know the God of both feast and fast.听 May you feed on him and be satisfied.听 In the name of Jesus and in the power of his Spirit.听 Amen.
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