Morning Prayer: 30 Apr – Acts 13:13-25; John 13:16-20 ~ welcoming Jesus

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter

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

Opening prayer:

May the Lord Jesus be my life.
+ Father, by a pillar of fire You led Your people through the desert – may the risen Christ be the light of my life.
+ Through the voice of Moses You spoke on the mountain – may the risen Christ be my word of life.
+ With the gift of manna You fed Your wandering people – may the risen Christ be my bread from heaven.
+ You drew water from the rock to save Your children – may the risen Christ fill me with His Spirit.
May the Lord Jesus be my life.

A Reading from Acts: Acts 13:13-25 (NLT)

Paul and his companions then left Paphos by ship for Pamphylia, landing at the port town of Perga. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. But Paul and Barnabas traveled inland to Antioch of Pisidia.

On the Sabbath they went to the synagogue for the services. After the usual readings from the books of Moses and the prophets, those in charge of the service sent them this message: “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, come and give it.”

So Paul stood, lifted his hand to quiet them, and started speaking. “Men of Israel,” he said, “and you God-fearing Gentiles, listen to me.

“The God of this nation of Israel chose our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in Egypt. Then with a powerful arm he led them out of their slavery. He put up with them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years.

“After that, God gave them judges to rule until the time of Samuel the prophet. Then the people begged for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’

“And it is one of King David’s descendants, Jesus, who is God’s promised Savior of Israel! Before he came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized. As John was finishing his ministry he asked, ‘Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soon — and I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.’
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Jesus Christ, you are the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, you have loved us and freed us from our sins by your Blood. (Revelation 1:5)
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A Reading from the Gospels: John 13:16-20 (NLT)

I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

“I am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’ I tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that I am the Messiah. I tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”
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Canticle

Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing:

May the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

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

Morning Prayer: 29 Apr – Acts 12:24-13:5; John 12:44-50 ~ bringing the light of life

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

O God, arise above the heavens. My heart is ready, O God – my heart is ready.
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Father, I praise You today with a grateful heart, because You have called me into Your own marvelous light; help me always to see your loving-kindness. At the start of the day fill my heart with Your love; let the praise of Your glory be the joy of my life.

A Reading from Acts: Acts 12:24 -13:5 (NLT)

Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers.

When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission to Jerusalem, they returned, taking John Mark with them.

Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man”), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.

So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus. There, in the town of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. John Mark went with them as their assistant.
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I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life. (John 8:12)
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A Reading from the Gospels: John 12:44-50 (NLT)

“Jesus light of the world, I trust in you!”

Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged on the day of judgment by the truth I have spoken. I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.”
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Canticle

Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing:

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

Morning Prayer: 28 Apr – Acts 11:19-26; John 10:22-30 ~ they follow me

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, the world and all who live in it. He himself founded it upon the seas and set it firm over the waters.
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God our Father, Your Son became the Lamb without blemish to take away the sins of the world. May we overcome today all envy and dissension; help us to take care of our brothers in their every need. Place deep in our hearts the spirit of the gospel; may it inspire us to keep your commandments today and always.

A Reading from Acts: Acts 11:19-26 (NLT)

Meanwhile, the believers who had been scattered during the persecution after Stephen’s death traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria. They preached the word of God, but only to Jews. However, some of the believers who went to Antioch from Cyprus and Cyrene began preaching to the Gentiles about the Lord Jesus. The power of the Lord was with them, and a large number of these Gentiles believed and turned to the Lord.

When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord.

Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch. Both of them stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.)
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My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)
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A Reading from the Gospels: John 10:22-30 (NLT)

It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”
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Canticle

Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing:

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

Morning Prayer: 27 Apr – Acts 11:1-18; John 10:1-10 ~ a rich and satisfying life… for all

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

Lord, enlighten my mind and heart.
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Lord God, when our world lay in ruins, You raised it up again on the foundation of Your Son’s Passion and Death. Give us grace to rejoice in the freedom from sin which He gained for us, and bring us to everlasting joy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

A Reading from Acts: Acts 11:1-18 (NLT)

Soon the news reached the apostles and other believers in Judea that the Gentiles had received the word of God. But when Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, the Jewish believers criticized him. “You entered the home of Gentiles and even ate with them!” they said.

Peter's vision at Joppa bronze sculpture by C. Malcolm Powers — Peter’s vision at Joppa
bronze sculpture by C. Malcolm Powers

Then Peter told them exactly what had happened. “I was in the town of Joppa,” he said, “and while I was praying, I went into a trance and saw a vision. Something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners from the sky. And it came right down to me. When I looked inside the sheet, I saw all sorts of tame and wild animals, reptiles, and birds. And I heard a voice say, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.’

“‘No, Lord,’ I replied. ‘I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure or unclean.’

“But the voice from heaven spoke again: ‘Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.’ This happened three times before the sheet and all it contained was pulled back up to heaven.

“Just then three men who had been sent from Caesarea arrived at the house where we were staying. The Holy Spirit told me to go with them and not to worry that they were Gentiles. These six brothers here accompanied me, and we soon entered the home of the man who had sent for us. He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!’

“As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”

When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.”
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I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me. (John 10:14)
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A Reading from the Gospels: John 10:1-10 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
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Canticle

Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing:

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

4th Sunday of Easter: Acts 4:8-12; Ps 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28-29; 1 Jn 3:1-2; Jn 10:11-18 ~ face to face

Fourth Sunday of Easter

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

I am the shepherd of the flock; I am the way, the truth and the life; I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, alleluia.
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God of lasting love, fulfill your plan of salvation to gather into one fold the peoples of the whole world. Let everyone on earth recognize your Christ as the Good Shepherd, who freely lays down his life for all to take it up again in power. Grant this through Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
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A Reading from the Book of Acts: Acts 4:8-12 (NLT)

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’

There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
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A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28-29 (NLT)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
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It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.
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I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory! The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.
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Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.
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You are my God, and I will praise you! You are my God, and I will exalt you! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
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A Reading from the Letters: 1 John 3:1-2 (NLT)

See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.
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A Reading from the Gospels: John 10:11-18 (NLT)

"I am the Good Shepherd" Lee Hodges — “I am the Good Shepherd”
Lee Hodges

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”
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Intercessions:

Good Shepherd: Your love for us has no end. Hear the prayers we offer – for our needs and the needs of the whole world.

+ For all those who serve and lead Your church – that they may follow the example of Christ, the good shepherd…. Lord, hear us.
+ For all of Your people – that we may love each other with tenderness and forgiveness…. Lord, hear us.
+ For young people deciding how they will spend their lives – that they may consider serving God’s people…. Lord, hear us.
+ For all who care for others – that the Lord’s compassion may be visible in them…. Lord, hear us.
+ For farmers, shepherds and those who work on the land – that they may show respect for all of God’s creation…. Lord, hear us.
+ For people who call on the name of the Lord Jesus in their sufferings – that they may experience His healing power…. Lord, hear us.
+ For all who have gone before us in faith – that they may see God, face to face…. Lord, hear us.

God of beauty and compassion, You love us as a shepherd loves all the flock: continue to support Your people with Your grace, we pray, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Benediction:

Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen. (Revelation 7:12)

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

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