After Epiphany | 5th Sunday 08 Feb 2026: Isaiah 58:1-9a; Psalm 112:1-9; 1 Corinthians 2:1-12; Matthew 5:13-20 ~ Live as Salt and Light.

After Epiphany | 5th Sunday 08 Feb 2026

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

O Lord, our heavenly Father,
keep your household the Church continually
in true faith and practice,
that we who trust in the hope of your heavenly grace
may always be defended by your mighty power;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever. Amen.

“Let your good deeds shine out for all to see,
so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”
(Matthew 5:16)

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When Morning Gilds the Skies: Calvary Church Choir, Roseville, MN / Kati Hoehl

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OT Reading: Isaiah 58:1-9a (NLT)

True and False Worship

58:1 “Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast.
Shout aloud! Don’t be timid.
Tell my people Israel of their sins!
+ Yet they act so pious!
They come to the Temple every day
and seem delighted to learn all about me.
They act like a righteous nation
that would never abandon the laws of its God.
They ask me to take action on their behalf,
pretending they want to be near me.
+ ‘We have fasted before you!’ they say.
‘Why aren’t you impressed?
We have been very hard on ourselves,
and you don’t even notice it!’

“I will tell you why!” I respond.
“It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves.
Even while you fast,
you keep oppressing your workers.
+ What good is fasting
when you keep on fighting and quarreling?
This kind of fasting
will never get you anywhere with me.
+ You humble yourselves
by going through the motions of penance,
bowing your heads
like reeds bending in the wind.
You dress in burlap
and cover yourselves with ashes.
Is this what you call fasting?
Do you really think this will please the Lord?

58:6 “No, this is the kind of fasting I want:
Free those who are wrongly imprisoned;
lighten the burden of those who work for you.
Let the oppressed go free,
and remove the chains that bind people.
+ Share your food with the hungry,
and give shelter to the homeless.
Give clothes to those who need them,
and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

58:8 “Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
+ Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.

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From Psalms: Psalm 112 –  “The Just Man Is a Light in Darkness to the Upright” | Francesca LaRosa

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NT Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:1-12 (NLT)

Paul’s Message of Wisdom

2:1 When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

2:6 Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”

2:10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

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House of the Lord | Phil Wickham / Hadleigh Baptist Church

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Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:13-20 (NLT)

Teaching about Salt and Light

5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

+ “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

Teaching about the Law

5:17 “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.

+ “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

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Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus | The Celebration Choir  / Worship Videos (Louange et Adoration)

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP 2019

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light rises up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to  ask what you would have us do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices; that in your light we may see light, and in your straight path  we may not stumble; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, our heavenly Father, you manifested your love by sending your only-begotten Son into the world, that all might live through him: Pour out your Spirit on your Church, that we may fulfill his command to preach the Gospel to all people. Send forth laborers into your harvest; defend them in all dangers and temptations; and hasten the time when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and faithful Israel shall be saved; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Heavenly Father, you have promised to hear what we ask in the Name of your Son: Accept and fulfill our petitions, we pray, not as we ask in our ignorance, nor as we deserve in our sinfulness, but as you know and love us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May Christ, who sends us to the nations,
give us the power of his Spirit.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

After Epiphany | Saturday 07 Feb 2026: Psalm 112:1-9; Isaiah 29:13-16; Mark 7:1-8 ~ Believers honor God wholeheartedly.

After Epiphany | Saturday 07 Feb 2026

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

O God, you know
that we are set in the midst of many grave dangers,
and because of the frailty of our nature
we cannot always stand upright:
Grant that your strength and protection
may support us in all dangers
and carry us through every temptation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Jesus replied, “You hypocrites!
Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you,
‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.”

Mark 7:6)

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From the Psalms: Psalm 112:1-9 – Tune: Woodlands | Falkirk Free Church / Tryst with Christ

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OT Reading: Isaiah 29:13-16 (NLT)

29:13 And so the Lord says,
“These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.
+ Because of this, I will once again astound these hypocrites
with amazing wonders.
The wisdom of the wise will pass away,
and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear.”

29:15 What sorrow awaits those who try to hide their plans from the Lord,
who do their evil deeds in the dark!
“The Lord can’t see us,” they say.
“He doesn’t know what’s going on!”
+ How foolish can you be?
He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay!
Should the created thing say of the one who made it,
“He didn’t make me”?
Does a jar ever say,
“The potter who made me is stupid”?

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Change My Heart Oh God ~ Maranatha! Music / Easy Worship Resources

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NT Reading: Mark 7:1-8 (NLT)

Jesus Teaches about Inner Purity

7:1 One day some Pharisees and teachers of religious law arrived from Jerusalem to see Jesus. They noticed that some of his disciples failed to follow the Jewish ritual of hand washing before eating. (The Jews, especially the Pharisees, do not eat until they have poured water over their cupped hands, as required by their ancient traditions. Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles.)

+ So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.”

7:6 Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
+ Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’

7:8 For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”

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With All My Heart | Echo Harbor & Sarah Kroger

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP 2019

Gracious and holy Father, please give me intellect to understand you, reason to discern you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you, a heart to meditate upon you, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, a tongue to proclaim you, a way of life pleasing to you, patience to wait for you, and perseverance to look for you. Grant me a perfect end, your holy presence, a blessed resurrection, and life everlasting. Amen. | Benedict of Nursia

O God, our heavenly Father, you manifested your love by sending your only-begotten Son into the world, that all might live through him: Pour out your Spirit on your Church, that we may fulfill his command to preach the Gospel to all people. Send forth laborers into your harvest; defend them in all dangers and temptations; and hasten the time when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and faithful Israel shall be saved; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May Christ, who sends us to the nations,
give us the power of his Spirit.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

After Epiphany | Friday 06 Feb 2026: Psalm 112:1-9; Isaiah 29:1-12; James 3:13-18 ~ Believers live wise, honorable, lives.

After Epiphany | Friday 06 Feb 2026

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

O God, you know
that we are set in the midst of many grave dangers,
and because of the frailty of our nature
we cannot always stand upright:
Grant that your strength and protection
may support us in all dangers
and carry us through every temptation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“If you are wise and understand God’s ways,
prove it by living an honorable life….”
(James 3:13)

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From the Psalms: Psalm 112 –  Those Who Fear the Lord | Wendell Kimbrough

Those who fear the Lord love what he commands;
See their children grow mighty in the land.
They will be the light, when the darkness falls;
They will be the help everyone else calls.

Storms will surely come; enemies will rage
Those who fear the Lord will not be afraid
Look into the future, far as you can see
Those who fear the Lord will be flourishing

Wicked men will grow angrier with hate
Those who fear the Lord, they will still give grace
Steady in their hearts, giving to the poor
Merciful and just—those who fear the Lord

Storms will surely come; enemies will rage
Those who fear the Lord will not be afraid
Look into the future, far as you can see
Those who fear the Lord will be flourishing

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OT Reading: Isaiah 29:1-12 (NLT)

A Message about Jerusalem

29:1 “What sorrow awaits Ariel, the City of David.
Year after year you celebrate your feasts.
+ Yet I will bring disaster upon you,
and there will be much weeping and sorrow.
For Jerusalem will become what her name Ariel means—
an altar covered with blood.
+ I will be your enemy,
surrounding Jerusalem and attacking its walls.
I will build siege towers
and destroy it.
+ Then deep from the earth you will speak;
from low in the dust your words will come.
Your voice will whisper from the ground
like a ghost conjured up from the grave.

29:5 “But suddenly, your ruthless enemies will be crushed
like the finest of dust.
Your many attackers will be driven away
like chaff before the wind.
Suddenly, in an instant,
+ I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, will act for you
with thunder and earthquake and great noise,
with whirlwind and storm and consuming fire.
+ All the nations fighting against Jerusalem
will vanish like a dream!
Those who are attacking her walls
will vanish like a vision in the night.
+ A hungry person dreams of eating
but wakes up still hungry.
A thirsty person dreams of drinking
but is still faint from thirst when morning comes.
So it will be with your enemies,
with those who attack Mount Zion.”

29:9 Are you amazed and incredulous?
Don’t you believe it?
Then go ahead and be blind.
You are stupid, but not from wine!
You stagger, but not from liquor!
+ For the Lord has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep.
He has closed the eyes of your prophets and visionaries.

29:11 All the future events in this vision are like a sealed book to them. When you give it to those who can read, they will say, “We can’t read it because it is sealed.” When you give it to those who cannot read, they will say, “We don’t know how to read.”

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Is He Worthy? – LIVE From Shepherds Conference!

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NT Reading: James 3:13-18 (NLT)

True Wisdom Comes from God

3:13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

3:17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

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Wisdom Song | Laura Woodley Osman

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP 2019

Gracious and holy Father, please give me intellect to understand you, reason to discern you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you, a heart to meditate upon you, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, a tongue to proclaim you, a way of life pleasing to you, patience to wait for you, and perseverance to look for you. Grant me a perfect end, your holy presence, a blessed resurrection, and life everlasting. Amen. | Benedict of Nursia

O God, our heavenly Father, you manifested your love by sending your only-begotten Son into the world, that all might live through him: Pour out your Spirit on your Church, that we may fulfill his command to preach the Gospel to all people. Send forth laborers into your harvest; defend them in all dangers and temptations; and hasten the time when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and faithful Israel shall be saved; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May Christ, who sends us to the nations,
give us the power of his Spirit.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

After Epiphany | Thursday 05 Feb 2026: Psalm 112:1-9; Deuteronomy 4:1-14; 1 John 5:1-5 ~ Believers can defeat this evil world.

After Epiphany | Thursday 05 Feb 2026

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

O God, you know
that we are set in the midst of many grave dangers,
and because of the frailty of our nature
we cannot always stand upright:
Grant that your strength and protection
may support us in all dangers
and carry us through every temptation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ
has become a child of God.”
(1 John 5:1)

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From the Psalms: Psalm 112 | Poor Bishop Hooper

praise the lord
blessed is the man who fears him
and delights in his commandments
his children will be strong
praise the lord
an entire generation
of the upright will be blessed
wealth and riches are in his home

his righteousness endures forever
in the darkness a light shines

praise the lord
good will come to him
who generously lends
he won’t be overcome
praise the lord
he is not afraid
his heart is firmly placed
trusting in the lord

his righteousness endures forever
he is generous merciful and compassionate
his horn is exalted in honor lifted high
in the darkness a light shines

his righteousness endures forever
in the darkness a light shines

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OT Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-14 (NLT)

Moses Urges Israel to Obey

4:1 “And now, Israel, listen carefully to these decrees and regulations that I am about to teach you. Obey them so that you may live, so you may enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you.

+ “You saw for yourself what the Lord did to you at Baal-peor. There the Lord your God destroyed everyone who had worshiped Baal, the god of Peor. But all of you who were faithful to the Lord your God are still alive today—every one of you.

+ “Look, I now teach you these decrees and regulations just as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy. Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’ For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him? And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today?

+ “But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren. Never forget the day when you stood before the Lord your God at Mount Sinai, where he told me, ‘Summon the people before me, and I will personally instruct them. Then they will learn to fear me as long as they live, and they will teach their children to fear me also.’

+ “You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while flames from the mountain shot into the sky. The mountain was shrouded in black clouds and deep darkness. And the Lord spoke to you from the heart of the fire. You heard the sound of his words but didn’t see his form; there was only a voice. He proclaimed his covenant—the Ten Commandments—which he commanded you to keep, and which he wrote on two stone tablets. It was at that time that the Lord commanded me to teach you his decrees and regulations so you would obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy.

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Fear Of God | Brooke Ligertwood

Satan roams like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us but
The fear of God will keep us
Let him keep scheming, let him keep trying
He knows the hour is near but
The fear of God will keep us, the fear of God will keep us

In the blink of an eye and a trumpet sound
We will be changed by a supernatural power
So lift up your voice if God’s called you too
While we’re still here we’ve got work to do

Satan roams like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us but
The fear of god will keep us
Hold to what lasts and keep your lamp lit
Stand in the knowledge of this
The fear of God will keep us, the fear of God will keep us

In the blink of an eye and a flash of light
The trumpet sounds and the dead will rise
The mortal clothed immortal in his name
Lift up your voice if you’ve been saved
By the blood of the lamb who forever will reign

1 2 3 4
We may not win every battle but He wins the war
5 6 7 8
Christ is coming and there’s only so long He’ll wait

In the blink of an eye and a trumpet sound
We will be changed
The mortal clothed immortal in His name
So lift up your voice if He’s called you too
While we’re still here we’ve got work to do

He’s coming with a trumpet sound
He’s coming with a flash of light
He’s coming for a pure and spotless blood-washed bride

Satan roams like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us but
The fear of god will keep us

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NT Reading: 1 John 5:1-5 (NLT)

Faith in the Son of God

5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

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Faith is the victory | Kleinwood Church of Christ / Parkside Evangelical Church

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP 2019

Dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: I hold up all my weakness to your strength, my failure to your faithfulness, my sinfulness to your perfection, my loneliness to your compassion, my little pains to your great agony on the Cross. I pray that you will cleanse me, strengthen me, guide me, so that in all ways my life may be lived as you would have it lived, without cowardice and for you alone. Show me how to live in true humility, true contrition, and true love. Amen.

O God, our heavenly Father, you manifested your love by sending your only-begotten Son into the world, that all might live through him: Pour out your Spirit on your Church, that we may fulfill his command to preach the Gospel to all people. Send forth laborers into your harvest; defend them in all dangers and temptations; and hasten the time when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and faithful Israel shall be saved; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Our God, in whom we trust: Strengthen us not to regard overmuch who is for us or who is against us, but to see to it that we be with you in everything we do. Amen. | Thomas à Kempis

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May Christ, who sends us to the nations,
give us the power of his Spirit.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

After Epiphany | Wednesday 04 Feb 2026: Psalm 37:1-17; Ruth 3:1-13; 4:13-22; Luke 6:17-26 ~ Blessings and sorrows foretold.

After Epiphany | Wednesday 04 Feb 2026

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening prayer:

O God, you know
that we are set in the midst of many grave dangers,
and because of the frailty of our nature
we cannot always stand upright:
Grant that your strength and protection
may support us in all dangers
and carry us through every temptation;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Then Jesus turned to his disciples
and said….”
(Luke 6:20)

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From the Psalms: Psalm 37 | Poor Bishop Hooper

if i delight in you it is your promise
my every hearts desire will be accomplished
if i commit all i have to you
your justice will shine your justice will shine

if i stay still within your holy presence
no matter what the world has i wait patient
if i commit all i have to you
i know you’ll delight i know you’ll delight

my inheritance will be perfect and unending
my inheritance will be beneath your watchful eye
there’s nothing that can shake it no hour can decay it
forever forever forever and a day

if my steps are taken and established
and you are pleased with everywhere i put them
though i fall i wont be overwhelmed
for you hold my hand you hold my hand

my inheritance will be perfect and unending
my inheritance will be beneath your watchful eye
there’s nothing that can take it no hour can decay it
forever forever forever and a day

once i was young and now i am an old man
ne’er have i seen a righteous one forsaken
for my children never begged for bread
but gave and gave again, gave and gave again, gave and gave again

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OT Reading: Ruth 3:1-13; 4:13-22 (NLT)

Ruth at the Threshing Floor

3:1 One day Naomi said to Ruth, “My daughter, it’s time that I found a permanent home for you, so that you will be provided for. Boaz is a close relative of ours, and he’s been very kind by letting you gather grain with his young women. Tonight he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor. Now do as I tell you—take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don’t let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking. Be sure to notice where he lies down; then go and uncover his feet and lie down there. He will tell you what to do.”

+ “I will do everything you say,” Ruth replied. So she went down to the threshing floor that night and followed the instructions of her mother-in-law.

+ After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he lay down at the far end of the pile of grain and went to sleep. Then Ruth came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down.

+ Around midnight Boaz suddenly woke up and turned over. He was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet!

+ “Who are you?” he asked.

“I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer.”

+ “The Lord bless you, my daughter!” Boaz exclaimed. “You are showing even more family loyalty now than you did before, for you have not gone after a younger man, whether rich or poor.

+ Now don’t worry about a thing, my daughter. I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town knows you are a virtuous woman. But while it’s true that I am one of your family redeemers, there is another man who is more closely related to you than I am. Stay here tonight, and in the morning I will talk to him. If he is willing to redeem you, very well. Let him marry you. But if he is not willing, then as surely as the Lord lives, I will redeem you myself! Now lie down here until morning.”

The Descendants of Boaz

4:13 So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the Lord enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!”

+ Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as if he were her own. The neighbor women said, “Now at last Naomi has a son again!” And they named him Obed. He became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of David.

+ This is the genealogical record of their ancestor Perez:

Perez was the father of Hezron.
+ Hezron was the father of Ram.
Ram was the father of Amminadab.
+ Amminadab was the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon was the father of Salmon.
+ Salmon was the father of Boaz.
Boaz was the father of Obed.
+ Obed was the father of Jesse.
Jesse was the father of David.

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There is a Redeemer | Keswick Praise / Chet Valley Churches

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NT Reading: Luke 6:17-26 (NLT)

Crowds Follow Jesus

6:17 When they came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil spirits were healed. Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.

The Beatitudes

6: 20 Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said,

“God blesses you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
+ God blesses you who are hungry now,
for you will be satisfied.
+ God blesses you who weep now,
for in due time you will laugh.

+ What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.

Sorrows Foretold

6:24 “What sorrow awaits you who are rich,
for you have your only happiness now.
+ What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now,
for a time of awful hunger awaits you.
+ What sorrow awaits you who laugh now,
for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.
+ What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds,
for their ancestors also praised false prophets.

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Beatitudes | John Alexander Wilson

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP 2019

O God, you made us in your own image, and you have redeemed us through your Son Jesus Christ: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O God, our heavenly Father, you manifested your love by sending your only-begotten Son into the world, that all might live through him: Pour out your Spirit on your Church, that we may fulfill his command to preach the Gospel to all people. Send forth laborers into your harvest; defend them in all dangers and temptations; and hasten the time when the fullness of the Gentiles shall be gathered in, and faithful Israel shall be saved; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God our Savior: Grant that our hearts may ache for a lost and broken world. May your Holy Spirit work through our words, deeds, and prayers, that the lost may be found and the dead made alive, and that all your redeemed may rejoice around your throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May Christ, who sends us to the nations,
give us the power of his Spirit.

+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.