Easter Week | Friday 05 Apr 2024
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
Almighty Father, who gave your only Son to die for our sins
and to rise for our justification: Give us grace so to put away the
leaven of malice and wickedness, that we may always serve you
in purity of life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and for ever. Amen.
“Lord, pay attention to their threats now,
and allow us to speak your word boldly.”
(Acts 4:29)
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From Psalms: Psalm 133 – Tehilim 133 Shir Ha-Ma’alot le-David // Colin Symes
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OT Reading: Daniel 2:1-23 (GW)
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream about a Statue Made of Four Metals
2:1 During the second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, he had some dreams. He was troubled, but he stayed asleep. The king sent for the magicians, psychics, sorcerers, and astrologers so that they could tell him what he had dreamed. So they came to the king.
The king said to them, “I had a dream, and I’m troubled by it. I want to know what the dream was.”
The astrologers spoke to the king in Aramaic, “Your Majesty, may you live forever! Tell us the dream, and we’ll interpret it for you.”
The king answered the astrologers, “I meant what I said! If you don’t tell me the dream and its meaning, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be turned into piles of rubble. But if you tell me the dream and its meaning, I will give you gifts, awards, and high honors. Now tell me the dream and its meaning.”
Once more they said, “Your Majesty, tell us the dream, and we’ll tell you its meaning.”
The king replied, “I’m sure you’re trying to buy some time because you know that I meant what I said. If you don’t tell me the dream, you’ll all receive the same punishment. You have agreed among yourselves to make up a phony explanation to give me, hoping that things will change. So tell me the dream. Then I’ll know that you can explain its meaning to me.”
The astrologers answered the king, “No one on earth can tell the king what he asks. No other king, no matter how great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician, psychic, or astrologer. What you ask is difficult, Your Majesty. No one can tell what you dreamed except the gods, and they don’t live with humans.”
This made the king so angry and furious that he gave an order to destroy all the wise advisers in Babylon. So a decree was issued that the wise advisers were to be killed, and some men were sent to find Daniel and his friends and kill them.
While Arioch, the captain of the royal guard, was leaving to kill the wise advisers in Babylon, Daniel spoke to him using shrewd judgment. He asked Arioch, the royal official, “Why is the king’s decree so harsh?” So Arioch explained everything to Daniel.
Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time so that he could explain the dream’s meaning. Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about this matter. He told them to ask the God of heaven to be merciful and to explain this secret to them so that they would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise advisers in Babylon.
The secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision during the night. So Daniel praised the God of heaven. He said,
“Praise God’s name from everlasting to everlasting
because he is wise and powerful.
He changes times and periods of history.
He removes kings and establishes them.
He gives wisdom to those who are wise
and knowledge to those who have insight.
He reveals deeply hidden things.
He knows what is in the dark,
and light lives with him.
God of my ancestors, I thank and praise you.
You gave me wisdom and power.
You told me the answer to our question.
You told us what the king wants to know.”
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Christ Our Wisdom | Sovereign Grace Music
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NT Reading: Acts 4:23-31 (GW)
The Apostles and Other Believers Pray for God’s Help
4:23 When Peter and John were released, they went to their own people and told them everything the chief priests and leaders had said. When they heard this, they were united and loudly prayed to God, “Master, you made the sky, the land, the sea, and everything in them. You said through the Holy Spirit, who spoke through your servant David (our ancestor),
‘Why do the nations act arrogantly?
Why do their people devise useless plots?
Kings take their stand.
Rulers make plans together
against the Lord and against his Messiah.’
“In this city Herod and Pontius Pilate made plans together with non-Jewish people and the people of Israel. They made their plans against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. Through your will and power, they did everything that you had already decided should be done.
“Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow us to speak your word boldly. Show your power by healing, performing miracles, and doing amazing things through the power and the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
When they had finished praying, their meeting place shook. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak God’s word boldly.
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We’ve a Story To Tell To The Nations | Robert Bates
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+ 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.
+ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we pray for swift justice and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Deliver the hostages from captivity and restore their souls. Destroy every stronghold of the evil death cult terrorizing the Middle East. And grant your heavenly wisdom to those guiding Israel militarily, politically, diplomatically – and especially to those who will restore Israel spiritually – through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ 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.
Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch
May the risen Christ grant us the joys of eternal life.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2:42 The disciples were devoted to the teachings of the apostles, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. A feeling of fear came over everyone as many amazing things and miraculous signs happened through the apostles. All the believers kept meeting together, and they shared everything with each other. From time to time, they sold their property and other possessions and distributed the money to anyone who needed it. The believers had a single purpose and went to the temple every day. They were joyful and humble as they ate at each other’s homes and shared their food. At the same time, they praised God and had the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord saved people, and they were added to the group.
The young man said to them, “Don’t panic! You’re looking for Jesus from Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been brought back to life. He’s not here. Look at the place where they laid him. Go and tell his disciples and Peter that he’s going ahead of them to Galilee. There they will see him, just as he told them.”
This body that decays must be changed into a body that cannot decay. This mortal body must be changed into a body that will live forever. When this body that decays is changed into a body that cannot decay, and this mortal body is changed into a body that will live forever, then the teaching of Scripture will come true:
That is how it will be when the dead come back to life. When the body is planted, it decays. When it comes back to life, it cannot decay. When the body is planted, it doesn’t have any splendor and is weak. When it comes back to life, it has splendor and is strong. It is planted as a physical body. It comes back to life as a spiritual body. As there is a physical body, so there is also a spiritual body.
The Peanut Gallery 