05 February 2023 is the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany and the main Scripture is Matthew 5:13-20 from the New Testament. The words of Jesus about Christians having to be “Salt and Light” – don’t lost your “saltiness” and “don’t hide your light under a bushel” (as my Granny used to say).

See below for the Matthew text, the order of service and the link to the YouTube video of today’s service.

Main Scripture for today

Matthew 5:13-20 (from The Message Translation of the Bible)
Salt and Light
13 “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Completing God’s Law
17-18 “Don’t suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures—either God’s Law or the Prophets. I’m not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. God’s Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God’s Law will be alive and working.
19-20 “Trivialize even the smallest item in God’s Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom. Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won’t know the first thing about entering the kingdom.

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Today, our main Scripture is Psalm 15 – from the Old Testament. Sunday 29 January 2023 is the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany.

This psalm asks searching questions (‘A’) and provides immediate answers (‘B’) but we cannot immediately or easily see how to get from ‘A’ to ‘B’.

Who is blameless? Who speaks the truth from their heart all the time? Whose tongue is pure all the time? Who speaks out against evil all the time? And on it goes… How do we supply the working out from the questions to answers like those provided in the
psalm?

There is a straightforward solution. Find out more below.

The main Scripture for this week (two versions)

Psalm 15 (from The Message Bible Translation)
15 God, who gets invited
to dinner at your place?
How do we get on your guest list?

2 “Walk straight,
act right,
tell the truth.

3-4 “Don’t hurt your friend,
don’t blame your neighbour;
despise the despicable.

5 “Keep your word even when it costs you,
make an honest living,
never take a bribe.

“You’ll never get
blacklisted
if you live like this.”

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Here is the Sunday morning service at St. James’ Church, Lossiemouth on 22 January 2023, for the Third Sunday after the Epiphany.

All-age talk by Rev. Christine McWhirter, preaching on Luke 2: 41 – 52. This is the story of Jesus, aged 12, getting “lost” in Jerusalem, separated from his family – and of how he came to found and where he was found. Found after his family searched for him for 3 days.

“What is our dedication to ourselves? What is our dedication to each other? What is our dedication to our faith and our God?”

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Sunday 15 January 2023 is the Second Sunday after the Epiphany. The main Bible reading for this week is Psalm 40.

U2 (the rock band, formed in the late 1970s) quickly established a reputation for excellent live performances.

On 26 February 1983 they performed in Dundee and, for the first time, chose as the final song of the show, ’40’, which was a quickly composed song; only really intended as an album filler.

However, it became very popular as a concert closer, and between its debut and January 1990, there were only a handful of U2 concerts
that did not feature “40” as the closing song. During live performances, two members of the band would swap instruments and then the band members would progressively leave the stage, until the crowd were left all alone chanting the song’s refrain, “How long…to sing
this song?” – long after the band had left.

It had a very powerful effect and, especially so, considering that thousands of people were left singing together the words of an ancient
Hebrew psalm that was speaking meaningfully into their lives today.

Below, you will find the full text of Psalm 40 from The Message version of the Bible – and today’s video recording of the service, including Geoff’s sermon about “40”.

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