Month: April 2023

Easter Season | Thursday 20 Apr 2023: Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19; Isaiah 25:1-5; 1 Peter 1:8b-12 ~ rewarded for trusting Christ

Easter Season | Thursday 20 Apr 2023

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

Opening:

Almighty and everlasting God,
who in the Paschal mystery established
the new covenant of reconciliation:
Grant that all who have been reborn
into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may
show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The reward for trusting [Christ]
will be the salvation of your souls.
(1 Peter 1:89)

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From Psalm 116 – (I Love You, Lord) Mission House (featuring Jess Ray & Taylor Leonhardt | WeareWorship Music

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OT Reading: Isaiah 25:1-5 (NLT)

Praise for Judgment and Salvation

25:1 O Lord, I will honor and praise your name,
for you are my God.
You do such wonderful things!
You planned them long ago,
and now you have accomplished them.
You turn mighty cities into heaps of ruins.
Cities with strong walls are turned to rubble.
Beautiful palaces in distant lands disappear
and will never be rebuilt.
Therefore, strong nations will declare your glory;
ruthless nations will fear you.

But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord,
a tower of refuge to the needy in distress.
You are a refuge from the storm
and a shelter from the heat.
For the oppressive acts of ruthless people
are like a storm beating against a wall,
or like the relentless heat of the desert.
But you silence the roar of foreign nations.
As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat,
so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled.

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God is my refuge | Verses and Rhymes

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NT Reading: 1 Peter 1:8b-12 (NLT)

1:8b Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.

They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

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Salvation Belongs to Our God (The ZOE Group) | Federal Way Church of Christ

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Almighty God our Savior, you desire that none should perish, and you have taught us through your Son that there is great joy in heaven over every sinner who repents: 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.

+ O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people  everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.

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

Easter Season | Wednesday 19 Apr 2023: Psalm 114; Jonah 2:1-10; Matthew 12:38-42 ~ the sign of Jonah

Easter Season | Wednesday 19 Apr 2023

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

Opening:

Almighty and everlasting God,
who in the Paschal mystery established
the new covenant of reconciliation:
Grant that all who have been reborn
into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may
show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish
for three days and three nights,
so will the Son of Man
be in the heart of the earth
for three days and three nights.
(Matthew 12:40)

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From Psalm 114 – (Tremble Oh Earth) – Teshuva

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OT Reading: Jonah 2:1-10 (NLT)

Jonah’s Prayer

2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said,

“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble,
and he answered me.
I called to you from the land of the dead,
and Lord, you heard me!
You threw me into the ocean depths,
and I sank down to the heart of the sea.
The mighty waters engulfed me;
I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.
Then I said, ‘O Lord, you have driven me from your presence.
Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’

“I sank beneath the waves,
and the waters closed over me.
Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
I sank down to the very roots of the mountains.
I was imprisoned in the earth,
whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O Lord my God,
snatched me from the jaws of death!
As my life was slipping away,
I remembered the Lord.
And my earnest prayer went out to you
in your holy Temple.
Those who worship false gods
turn their backs on all God’s mercies.
But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise,
and I will fulfill all my vows.
For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.”

Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.

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God Said Go — The Jonah Song | Glen Scrivener

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NT Reading: Matthew 12:38-42 (NLT)

The Sign of Jonah

12:38 One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”

But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

“The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent. The queen of Sheba will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.

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Sign of Jonah – Larry Davidson

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ Almighty God our Savior, you desire that none should perish, and you have taught us through your Son that there is great joy in heaven over every sinner who repents: 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.

+ O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people  everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.

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

Easter Season | Tuesday 18 Apr 2023: Psalm 114; Jonah 1:1-17; 1 Corinthians 15:19-28 ~ all who belong to Christ will be raised

Easter Season | Tuesday 18 Apr 2023

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

Opening:

Almighty and everlasting God,
who in the Paschal mystery established
the new covenant of reconciliation:
Grant that all who have been reborn
into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may
show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

There is an order to this resurrection:
Christ was raised as the first of the harvest;
then all who belong to Christ will be raised
when he comes back.
(1 Corinthians 15:23)

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From Psalm 114 – Why Did You Flee ~ The Sons of Korah
Loraditch

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OT Reading: Jonah 1:1-17 (NLT)

Jonah Runs from the Lord

1:1 The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.

But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship.

But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.”

Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. “Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?”

Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.”

The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the Lord. “Oh, why did you do it?” they groaned. And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?”

“Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”

Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.”

Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.

Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.

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To Those in Darkness – Boyce Worship Collective

Lowly and humble, forgotten and poor
You are remembered, neglected no more
Dawning on high is the star of your morn
To those in darkness, a Savior is born

Verse 2
Friendless and downcast the shepherds despaired
God saw their anguish and offered His care
Fear not you lowly, today unto you
Jesus is given, a Friend ever true

Chorus
Children rejoice, God has seen us
Born to befriend us is Jesus
None are forgotten and none are ignored
To those in darkness, a Savior is born

Verse 3
Where you have suffered,
and where you have grieved
Jesus has entered to bring you relief
Praying our prayers and bearing our loads
All of our sorrows the Savior has known

Verse 4
To those in darkness, salvation has come
Now we are welcomed as daughters and sons
His was the scorning, but love our reward
Blest be our Savior and Friend evermore

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NT Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:19-28 (NLT)

15:19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. For the Scriptures say, “God has put all things under his authority.” (Of course, when it says “all things are under his authority,” that does not include God himself, who gave Christ his authority.) Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere.

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Because He Lives – Matt Maher | WORSHIP MUSIC

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ O God, almighty and merciful, you heal the broken-hearted, and turn the sadness of the sorrowful to joy, Let your fatherly goodness be upon all whom you have made. Remember in pity all those who are this day destitute, homeless, elderly, infirm, or forgotten. Bless the multitude of your poor. Lift up those who are cast down. Mightily befriend innocent sufferers, and sanctify to them the endurance of their wrongs. Cheer with hope all who are discouraged and downcast, and by your heavenly grace preserve from falling those whose poverty tempts them to sin. Though they be troubled on every side, suffer them not to be distressed; though they are perplexed, save them from despair. Grant this, O Lord, for the love of him who for our sakes became poor, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

+ O God of peace, you have taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, into your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.

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

Easter Season | Monday 17 Apr 2023: Psalm 114; Judges 6:36-40; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 ~ Christ has been raised from the dead

Easter Season | Monday 17 Apr 2023

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

Opening:

Almighty and everlasting God,
who in the Paschal mystery established
the new covenant of reconciliation:
Grant that all who have been reborn
into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may
show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

But in fact,
Christ has been raised from the dead.
He is the first of a great harvest
of all who have died.
(1 Corinthians 15:20)

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From Psalm 114 – MIQEDEM – Betzet Yisrael (Official Video)

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OT Reading: Judges 6:36-40 (NLT)

6:36 Then Gideon said to God, “If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised.” And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water.

Then Gideon said to God, “Please don’t be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew.” So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew.

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Look Up Child ~ Lauren Daigle 

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NT Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 (NLT)

The Resurrection of the Dead

15:12 But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world.

But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

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He Has Risen [Sovereign Grace Music]

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ O God, almighty and merciful, you heal the broken-hearted, and turn the sadness of the sorrowful to joy, Let your fatherly goodness be upon all whom you have made. Remember in pity all those who are this day destitute, homeless, elderly, infirm, or forgotten. Bless the multitude of your poor. Lift up those who are cast down. Mightily befriend innocent sufferers, and sanctify to them the endurance of their wrongs. Cheer with hope all who are discouraged and downcast, and by your heavenly grace preserve from falling those whose poverty tempts them to sin. Though they be troubled on every side, suffer them not to be distressed; though they are perplexed, save them from despair. Grant this, O Lord, for the love of him who for our sakes became poor, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

+ O God of peace, you have taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit lift us, we pray, into your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

As we rejoice in the gift of this new day,
so may the light of your presence, O God,
set our hearts on fire with love for you;
now and for ever.

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

Easter Season | Second Sunday – 16 Apr 2023: Acts 2:22-32; Psalm 16; 1 Peter 1:3-9; John 20:19-31 ~ “Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Easter Season | Second Sunday – 16 Apr 2023

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

Opening:

Almighty and everlasting God,
who in the Paschal mystery established
the new covenant of reconciliation:
Grant that all who have been reborn
into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may
show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Then Jesus told [Thomas],
“You believe because you have seen me.
Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
(John 20:29)

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Christ the Lord is Risen Today – The Salvation Army in The Western United States.

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From Acts of the Apostles: Acts 2: 22-32 (NLT)

Peter Preaches to the Crowd

2:22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. King David said this about him:

‘I see that the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
No wonder my heart is glad,
and my tongue shouts his praises!
My body rests in hope.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead
or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
You have shown me the way of life,
and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’

“Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.

“God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.

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From Psalms: Psalm 16 – The Path of Life | Diocese of St. Benedict
Old Catholic Missionaries

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From the Epistles: 1 Peter 1:3-9 (NLT)

The Hope of Eternal Life

1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.

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Joy Unspeakable | Vinesong

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Gospel Reading: John 20:19-31 (NLT)

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

20:19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas

20:24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin),was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Purpose of the Book

20:30 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

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“Without Seeing You” by David Haas, GIA Publications, Inc.

Refrain:
Without seeing you we love you.
Without touching you we embrace.
Without knowing you we follow.
Without seeing you we believe.

We return to you deep within,
leave the past to the dust.
Turn to you with tears and fasting,
You are ready to forgive. (Refrain)

The sparrow will find a home
near to you oh God.
How happy we who dwell with you,
for ever in your house. (Refrain)

For ever we sing to you
of your goodness, O God;
proclaiming to all the world
of your faithfulness and love. (Refrain)

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

The Nicene Creed

+ We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, visible and invisible.

+ We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.

    • For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man.
    • For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried.
    • On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
    • He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

+ We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

+ We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

+ We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

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Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

May the light of Jesus shine continually
to drive away all darkness.

May Christ, the Morning Star who knows no setting,
find his light ever burning in our hearts—
he who gives his light to all creation,
and who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

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