Epiphany Season | Wednesday 23 February 2022
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you:
Mercifully accept our prayers, and because,
through the weakness of our mortal nature,
we can do no good thing without you,
grant us the help of your grace,
that in keeping your commandments
we may please you both in will and deed;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
“If another believer sins, rebuke that person;
then if there is repentance, forgive.
Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day
and each time turns again and asks forgiveness,
you must forgive.”
(Luke 17:3-4)
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Psalms: Psalm 38 – Do Not Abandon Me: Psalm 38, Jack R. Reese
Timeless: Ancient Psalms for the Church Today
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OT Reading: Leviticus 5:1-13 (NLT)
Sins Requiring a Sin Offering
5:1 “If you are called to testify about something you have seen or that you know about, it is sinful to refuse to testify, and you will be punished for your sin.
“Or suppose you unknowingly touch something that is ceremonially unclean, such as the carcass of an unclean animal. When you realize what you have done, you must admit your defilement and your guilt. This is true whether it is a wild animal, a domestic animal, or an animal that scurries along the ground.
“Or suppose you unknowingly touch something that makes a person unclean. When you realize what you have done, you must admit your guilt.
“Or suppose you make a foolish vow of any kind, whether its purpose is for good or for bad. When you realize its foolishness, you must admit your guilt.
“When you become aware of your guilt in any of these ways, you must confess your sin. Then you must bring to the Lord as the penalty for your sin a female from the flock, either a sheep or a goat. This is a sin offering with which the priest will purify you from your sin, making you right with the Lord.
“But if you cannot afford to bring a sheep, you may bring to the Lord two turtledoves or two young pigeons as the penalty for your sin. One of the birds will be for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. You must bring them to the priest, who will present the first bird as the sin offering. He will wring its neck but without severing its head from the body. Then he will sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering against the sides of the altar, and the rest of the blood will be drained out at the base of the altar. This is an offering for sin. The priest will then prepare the second bird as a burnt offering, following all the procedures that have been prescribed. Through this process the priest will purify you from your sin, making you right with the Lord, and you will be forgiven.
“If you cannot afford to bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons, you may bring two quarts of choice flour for your sin offering. Since it is an offering for sin, you must not moisten it with olive oil or put any frankincense on it. Take the flour to the priest, who will scoop out a handful as a representative portion. He will burn it on the altar on top of the special gifts presented to the Lord. It is an offering for sin. Through this process, the priest will purify those who are guilty of any of these sins, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven. The rest of the flour will belong to the priest, just as with the grain offering.”
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Offering – Paul Baloche
Grace Bible Church – Adell, WI
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NT Reading: Luke 17:1-4 (NLT)
Teachings about Forgiveness and Faith
17:1 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves!
“If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive.”
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Forgiveness by Matthew West
Kimmy Rae
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And forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
+ Almighty God, you have not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities; grant that we, who for our evil deeds deserve to be punished, by the might of your grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
+ O God, the Creator of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you in Jesus Christ; in whose Name we pray. Amen.
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Closing: faithandworship.com / John Birch
Teach us to forgive,
as you forgive
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Peanut Gallery 