Advent | Friday – 16 Dec 2022
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
O Lord Jesus Christ, you sent your messengers the prophets to
preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Grant
that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise
make ready your way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient
toward the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to
judge the world, we may be found a people acceptable in your
sight; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
“And since you are his child,
God has made you his heir.”
(Galatians 4:7b)
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Psalms: Psalm 80 – Poor Bishop Hooperr
oh god restore
shine your face
once more
on us
hear us shepherd of israel
you who shepherd your people well
who sits among the light
oh god restore
shine your face
once more
on us
come again almighty one
the vine you’ve chosen needs the son
who sits at your right hand
the one whom you’ve raised up
oh god restore
shine your face
once more
on us
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OT Reading: 2 Samuel 7:18-22 (NLT)
David’s Prayer of Thanks
7:18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed,
“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And now, Sovereign Lord, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord?
“What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign Lord. Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.
“How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!
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Choirs for Christmas – Once in Royal David’s City performed by Trinity Singers
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NT Reading: Galatians 4:1-7 (NLT)
4:1 Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, those children are not much better off than slaves until they grow up, even though they actually own everything their father had. They have to obey their guardians until they reach whatever age their father set. And that’s the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world.
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.
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“Children Of God” – Third Day
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+ 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.
+ O God, of your goodness, give me yourself, for you are enough for me. I can ask for nothing less that is completely to your honor, and if I do ask anything less, I shall always be in want. Only in you I have all. Amen.
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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch
For the hope that lives each Advent
of a love that has no end
We give you thanks.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian.
That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said,
But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.
5:12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.
The Peanut Gallery 