A worship service was held at 10.30am in the church building on Sunday 25 October.  The service was simultaneously broadcast on the Church Facebook page.  For the next four weeks, you can catch up here.

The Bible passage is Matthew 22:34-46, and Duncan led and preached before David led us in Communion.

John writes:  Despite Storm Boelo gusting vigorously around Inverness, a good number of us made it to the warmth and welcome of Church this morning. 

During the service, Duncan mentioned the week’s stormy  headlines: messaging encouraging everyone to have at least three days’ supply of essentials at home; concerns over the implications of climate change; the threat of a European war; the economic and political implications of Artificial Intelligence.  In prayer, Duncan brought all these concerns to the God in whom we trust.

The sermon was on Matthew 22:34-46: Duncan focussed our attention on Jesus’ teaching in verses 37-39:

‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”’

Duncan emphasised particularly the challenge to love our neighbours, whoever they may be, and in whatever circumstances they may find ourselves. We are called to show a high-quality love not based on our feelings, but on a positive moment-by moment choice to treat well all those we encounter.

It’s the kind of love which flows from our love for God, and in turn our love for God flows from our discovery of God’s love for us.

Duncan quoted Debbie Thomas writing about this passage:

At this point in the story Jesus crucifixion is just days away. Death is literally breathing down his neck, and he is rapidly running out of opportunities to communicate the heart of his message. But when he is asked what matters most in a life of faith, Jesus doesn’t say, ‘Believe the right things’. He doesn’t say,  ‘Maintain personal and doctrinal purity’. He doesn’t say, ‘Worship like this’ or ‘Attend a church like that’. He doesn’t even say, ‘Read your Bible’ or ‘Pray every day’, or ‘Preach the gospel to every living creature’. He says, ‘Love’. That’s it. All of Christianity distilled down to its essence so that maybe we’ll pause long enough to hear it. Love. Love God and love your neighbour.

As we took the bread and wine we remembered the action which shows the full extent of God’s love for us – Christ’s death on our behalf.  David reminded us how welcome we all are to the table – with all our struggles and failures we are welcome to come and meet Jesus in bread and wine.

I love the way William Barclay put the call to Communion many years ago. (David didn’t use these words this morning, but he echoed their sentiment):

Come, not because you are strong, but because you are weak.
Come, not because any goodness of your own gives you a right to come,
but because you need mercy and help.
Come, because you love the Lord a little and would like to love Him more.
Come, because Jesus loved you and gave himself for you.

Lift up your hearts and minds above your cares and fears and let this bread and cup be to you the token and pledge of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, all meant for you, if you will receive them in humble faith.

Whatever the storms thunder around us  in our personal lives, in our communities and nation, in the world as a whole, the love of God is where we find security regardless of what struggles we find ourselves passing through.