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SERVICE

Sunday 22nd March 2026 –  5th Sunday of Lent

Draw Near: Life-giving habits for lent: SERVICE

(by Revd. Canon Emma Racklyeft)

Faith in Motion

Introduction: The Invitation to Draw Near

Friends, we are now moving into the 5th week of our Lenten journey, "Drawing Near" to God by cultivating life-giving habits. 

 

So far, we’ve explored habits of worship, prayer, Scripture and Communion.  Today, we turn to a habit that moves our faith from the quiet of our hearts into the loudness of the world: Sharing in Service.

 

Lent is often seen as a season of "giving things up." But the Church of England’s theme this year reminds us it is also a season of "taking things up"—specifically, the "rhythm of life" that helps us grow as disciples. When we serve others, we aren’t just "doing a good deed"; we are practicing a habit that draws us closer to the heart of God.

 

The Theology: Faith That Breathes

Our first reading from James 2:14-17 gets straight to the point: "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?".

 

James uses a vivid, perhaps even uncomfortable, example. He describes someone who is shivering and hungry, and a believer who says, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does absolutely nothing to help. James calls this "dead" faith.

 

Think of faith and service like breathing. Faith is the inhale—receiving God’s love, grace, and word. Service is the exhale—letting that love flow out to others. If you only inhale, you eventually suffocate. Faith without the "exhale" of service is stagnant. To truly "Draw Near" to God, we must move.

 

The Vision: Seeing the Face of Christ

This brings us to our Gospel, Matthew 25:31-46, the famous parable of the sheep and the goats. Jesus tells us that at the end of time, we will be judged not on our theological certificates, but on how we treated "the least of these".

 

The most startling part of this passage isn't the judgment itself, but the surprise of both groups.

  • The righteous ask: "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you?"
  • The unrighteous ask: "Lord, when did we see you hungry... and did not help you?"

Jesus’ answer is radical: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me". He doesn't say, "You did it as if it were for me." He says, "You did it to me".

 

When we serve the hungry, the lonely, or the stranger, we aren't just helping a person in need—we are encountering the Living Christ. 

 

Service is not just a moral duty; it is a spiritual habit that clears our vision so we can see God where He has promised to be: among the broken.

 

The Practice: Small Acts, Big Habits

So, how do we make "Sharing in Service" a life-giving habit this week?

Well two basic principles - 

  1. Look for the "Least": Who are the "least" in your immediate circle? It might be the neighbour who lives alone, the colleague struggling with stress, or the person at the food bank.
  2. Move from Pity to Presence: Matthew 25 mentions visiting the sick and those in prison. These are acts of presence. Sometimes service is as simple as offering ten minutes of undivided attention to someone who feels forgotten.

Here are a few practical ideas that might inspire you:

  • Support the Foodbank: When shopping add 7 extra items of non-perishable items, like pasta, tinned beans, coffee, or mini easter eggs – one for each day of the week and then bring them to church and add to our donation box for the local WTL foodbank.
  • Support Thirst Solutions: Donate to an organisation like WaterAid or a similar international charity that provides access to clean running water.
  • Respite for Caregivers: Offer to stay with a homebound or elderly person so their primary family caregiver can run errands or take a much-needed break.
  • Befriend the Ignored: Make a conscious effort to chat with people often overlooked in daily life—supermarket checkout staff, bus drivers, or refuse collectors—thanking them for their work.
  • Host a "Neighbour Night": Invite a neighbour you don't know well for coffee or tea to build an authentic connection in your own block or street.
  • Wardrobe Weed Out: Select high-quality clothes, shoes, or blankets you no longer use and donate them to a local shelter or charity shop rather than just discarding them.
  • Comfort for the Sick: Volunteer to wash wheelchairs at a nursing home or spend an hour reading to a person with failing eyesight.
  • The "Two-Minute" Task: Help an elderly neighbour with a small physical chore they struggle with, such as taking out the bins or watering the garden.

 

 

 

Conclusion: A Life Intertwined

And so, as we continue toward Easter, let us remember that drawing near to God and drawing near to our neighbour are the same movement. When we extend our hands in service, we find that God’s hand is already there, reaching back. Let us be a people whose faith is alive, breathing, and visible. May we have the courage to "Draw Near" by stepping out.

 

Closing Prayer

Gracious and Loving God,

We thank you for the gift of this Lenten season—a time to strip away the distractions and refocus our hearts on you.

 

Lord, we confess that sometimes our faith remains only in our heads and our hearts. Forgive us for the times we have seen a brother or sister in need and offered only "well-wishes" instead of our hands.

 

Grant us restless hearts that cannot be still while others are hungry, thirsty, or alone. Open our eyes this week to see Your face in the stranger, the prisoner, and the broken. As we practice the habit of service, transform our "duty" into delight, and our "charity" into community.

 

May the words we say and the lives we lead be one and the same. Help us to exhale your love as freely as we inhale your grace, until your Kingdom comes and your will is done.

 

In the name of Jesus Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve. Amen.