After Epiphany | Tuesday 09 Jan 2024
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
Eternal Father, at the baptism of Jesus
you revealed him to be your Son,
and your Holy Spirit descended upon him like a dove:
Grant that we, who are born again
by water and the Spirit,
may be faithful as your adopted children;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
“‘What are you waiting for now?
Get up! Be baptized, and
have your sins washed away
as you call on his name.’”
(Acts 22:16)
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From Psalms: Psalm 69 – (Save Me O God) [Jeff Lowe]
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OT Reading: Exodus 30:22-38 (GW)
The Oil for Anointing
30:22 The Lord said to Moses, “Take the finest spices: 12½ pounds of powdered myrrh; half as much, that is, 6¼ pounds of fragrant cinnamon; 6¼ pounds of fragrant cane; 12½ pounds of cassia—all weighed using the standard weight of the holy place—and 4 quarts of olive oil. Have a perfumer make these into a holy oil, a fragrant mixture, used only for anointing. This will be the holy oil used for anointing.
“Use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark containing the words of my promise, the table and all the dishes, the lamp stand and all the utensils, the altar for incense, the altar for burnt offerings and all its accessories, and the basin with its stand. In this way you will dedicate them for their holy purpose. Then they will be most holy, and anything that touches them will become holy. Anoint Aaron and his sons as well. In this way you will set them apart for their holy duties of serving me as priests.
“Say to the Israelites, ‘For generations to come, this will be my holy oil used only for anointing. It must never be poured on the bodies of other people. Never make any perfumed oil using this formula. It is holy, and you must treat it as holy. Whoever prepares a perfume like this or puts it on anyone who is not a priest must be excluded from the people.’ ”
The Incense for Use in the Tent
30:34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take one part fragrant spices (two kinds of gum resin and aromatic mollusk shells), and mix them with one part pure frankincense. Have a perfumer make it into fragrant incense, seasoned with salt, pure and holy. Grind some of it into a fine powder, and put it in front of ⌞the ark containing⌟ the words of my promise in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. You must treat it as most holy. Never make any incense for yourselves using this formula. Treat it as holy to the Lord. Whoever prepares anything like it for his own enjoyment must be excluded from his people.”
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“Face To Face” | Zach Williams
I’m a traveler far from home
I get lost but I press on
I’ve got a mansion, streets of gold
Where I belong
There’s a day, coming soon
Where the old will be made new
And Heaven’s glory shines like the morning
Before our eyes
When we all see Jesus
When we all see Jesus
No more sickness
No more madness
No more pain
When we all see Jesus
Face to face
We will sing with the angel voices
There will be a great rejoicing
Holy holy, worthy worthy
Is the lamb
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NT Reading: Acts 22:2-16 (GW)
22:2 When the mob heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet. Then Paul continued, “I’m a Jew. I was born and raised in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia and received my education from Gamaliel here in Jerusalem. My education was in the strict laws handed down by our ancestors. I was as devoted to God as all of you are today. I persecuted people who followed the way ⌞of Christ⌟: I tied up men and women and put them into prison until they were executed. The chief priest and the entire council of our leaders can prove that I did this. In fact, they even gave me letters to take to the Jewish community in the city of Damascus. I was going there to tie up believers and bring them back to Jerusalem to punish them.
“But as I was on my way and approaching the city of Damascus about noon, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice asking me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?’
“I answered, ‘Who are you, sir?’
“The person told me, ‘I’m Jesus from Nazareth, the one you’re persecuting.’
“The men who were with me saw the light but didn’t understand what the person who was speaking to me said.
“Then I asked, ‘What do you want me to do, Lord?’
“The Lord told me, ‘Get up! Go into the city of Damascus, and you’ll be told everything I’ve arranged for you to do.’
“I was blind because the light had been so bright. So the men who were with me led me into the city of Damascus.
“A man named Ananias lived in Damascus. He was a devout person who followed Moses’ Teachings. All the Jews living in Damascus spoke highly of him. He came to me, stood beside me, and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ At that moment my sight came back and I could see Ananias.
“Ananias said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the one who has God’s approval, and to hear him speak to you. You will be his witness and will tell everyone what you have seen and heard. What are you waiting for now? Get up! Be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.’
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A Baptism Blessing – True Vine Music
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+ O God, our heavenly Father: Pour out your Spirit on your faithful people in the Middle East, that your Son’s life-giving Gospel may be preached to every tribe and nation. 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 and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Bring home the hostages, and deliver from bondage every person captivated by the evil death cult terrorizing the Middle East. And finally, grant heavenly wisdom to those guiding Israel militarily, politically, diplomatically, and especially to those who will restore Israel spiritually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ Hasten, O Father, the coming of your kingdom; and grant that we your servants, who now live by faith, may with joy behold your Son at his coming in glorious majesty; even Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.
Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch
May Christ, who sends us to the nations,
give us the power of his Spirit.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
6:27 “But I tell everyone who is listening: Love your enemies. Be kind to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who insult you. If someone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other cheek as well. If someone takes your coat, don’t stop him from taking your shirt. Give to everyone who asks you for something. If someone takes what is yours, don’t insist on getting it back.
There is only one who creates laws and judges on the basis of them. He is able to save or destroy you. So who are you to judge your neighbor?
“God opposes arrogant people,
The Peanut Gallery 