After Pentecost | Saturday 18 Nov 2023
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Opening:
O God, whose blessed Son came into the world
that he might destroy the works of the devil
and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life:
Grant that, having this hope,
we may purify ourselves as he is pure;
that, when he comes again with power and great glory,
we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom;
where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
“Wake up, Deborah, wake up!
Wake up, wake up, and sing a song!
Arise, Barak!
Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam!”
(Judges 5:12)
__________
From Psalms: Psalm 123 – Poor Bishop Hooper
to you i will lift up my eyes
o you who are enthroned in heaven
behold as the eyes of the servants
look to hand of their master
behold as the eyes of maidservants
look to the hand of their mistress
so our eyes look to the lord
until he has mercy
so our eyes look to the lord our god
until he has mercy on us
to you i will lift up my eyes
o you who are enthroned in heaven
our soul has had more than enough
of the scoffing and the scorn and contempt
so our eyes look to the lord
until he has mercy
so our eyes look to the lord our god
until he has mercy on us
__________
OT Reading: Judges 5:1-12 (NLT)
The Song of Deborah
5:1 On that day Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang this song:
“Israel’s leaders took charge,
and the people gladly followed.
Praise the Lord!
“Listen, you kings!
Pay attention, you mighty rulers!
For I will sing to the Lord.
I will make music to the Lord, the God of Israel.
“Lord, when you set out from Seir
and marched across the fields of Edom,
the earth trembled,
and the cloudy skies poured down rain.
The mountains quaked in the presence of the Lord,
the God of Mount Sinai—
in the presence of the Lord,
the God of Israel.
“In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,
and in the days of Jael,
people avoided the main roads,
and travelers stayed on winding pathways.
There were few people left in the villages of Israel-
until Deborah arose as a mother for Israel.
When Israel chose new gods,
war erupted at the city gates.
Yet not a shield or spear could be seen
among forty thousand warriors in Israel!
My heart is with the commanders of Israel,
with those who volunteered for war.
Praise the Lord!
“Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys,
you who sit on fancy saddle blankets,
and you who walk along the road.
Listen to the village musicians
gathered at the watering holes.
They recount the righteous victories of the Lord
and the victories of his villagers in Israel.
Then the people of the Lord
marched down to the city gates.
“Wake up, Deborah, wake up!
Wake up, wake up, and sing a song!
Arise, Barak!
Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam!
__________
God of Israel – Sean Feucht, Carine Bassili, Yair Levi
__________
NT Reading: Matthew 12:43-45 (NLT)
12:43 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.”
__________
Waging War – Cece Winans (Jesus4Life)
__________
+ Lord of Heaven’s Armies, we pray for swift and total victory over all evil in the Holy Land. Set free 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, as well as those who will restore Israel politically and spiritually, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
+ 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 the Middle East, that your church 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.
Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch
May Christ, who has opened the kingdom of heaven,
bring us to reign with him in glory.
+ In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Peanut Gallery 