After Pentecost | Monday 07 Jul 2025: Psalm 6; 2 Kings 5:15-19a; Acts 19:21-27 ~ The gospel disrupts business as usual.

After Pentecost | Monday 07 Jul 2025

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

Opening prayer:

Grant us, O Lord, we pray,
the spirit to think and do always
those things that are right,
that we,
who can do no good thing apart from you,
may by you be enabled to live according to your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen..

“Paul has persuaded
and turned away a great many people,
saying that gods made with hands are not gods.”
(Acts 19:26)

From the Psalms: Psalm 6 | Sons of Korah / Ed Sullivan

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OT Reading: 2 Kings 5:15-19a (ESV)   

Gehazi’s Greed and Punishment

5:15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. Then Naaman said, “If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord. In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter.” He said to him, “Go in peace.”

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Go Now In Peace / Don Besig and Nancy Price

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NT Reading: Acts 19:21-27 (ESV)   

A Riot at Ephesus

19:21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” And having sent into Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

About that time there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen. These he gathered together, with the workmen in similar trades, and said, “Men, you know that from this business we have our wealth. And you see and hear that not only in Ephesus but in almost all of Asia this Paul has persuaded and turned away a great many people, saying that gods made with hands are not gods. And there is danger not only that this trade of ours may come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be counted as nothing, and that she may even be deposed from her magnificence, she whom all Asia and the world worship.”

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There is One GospelCityAlight

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP 2019

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.

Almighty God, we pray for the peace of Jerusalem: Intervene in ways that only you can, so the whole world will know that you alone are God. Protect your people from the assaults of the evil one, and grant Israel’s leaders the wisdom and courage to do what’s right in your sight. Deliver all the hostages from captivity, and restore their souls. Comfort those who grieve and mourn the loss of loved ones. Protect the innocent and punish the guilty, that all may live in peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God our Savior: 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

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil,
and keep us in eternal life.

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

After Pentecost| Monday – 04 July 2022: Psalm 6; 2 Kings 5:15-19a; Acts 19:21-27 ~ Rejection: It’s about losing business.

After Pentecost| Monday – 04 July 2022

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

Opening:

Grant us, O Lord, we pray,
the spirit to think and do always those things that are right,
that we, who can do no good thing apart from you,
may by you be enabled to live according to your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The businessman said: “Gentlemen, you know
that our wealth comes from this business.
But as you have seen and heard,
this man Paul has persuaded many people
that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all.”
(Acts 19:25-26)

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Psalms Reading: Psalm 6(Heal Me) (feat. Deryck Box) – The Psalms Project

LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger
Nor chasten me in Your wrath
Be merciful to me, for I am weak and pining away

So heal me
Heal me
Heal me, Yahweh
Heal me
Heal me
Heal me, for my bones are dismayed

And my soul is greatly dismayed
But You, O LORD, how long?

Return, O LORD, deliver my soul
If you love me, then save me
‘Cause I cannot live for You if I waste away
Nor can I give You praise

I am worn out from groaning
All night and I flood my bed with tears
My eyes are wasting away with grief
Because of all my enemies

Depart, You enemies
For the LORD has heard my weeping
He will receive my prayer
Let all my enemies
Be ashamed and disappointed
Let them turn back and be suddenly defeated

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OT Reading: 2 Kings 5:15-19a (NLT)

5:15 Then Naaman and his entire party went back to find the man of God. They stood before him, and Naaman said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”

But Elisha replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept any gifts.” And though Naaman urged him to take the gift, Elisha refused.

Then Naaman said, “All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the Lord. However, may the Lord pardon me in this one thing: When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the Lord pardon me when I bow, too.”

“Go in peace,” Elisha said. So Naaman started home again.

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No other GodNathaniel Bassey & Lovesong

https://youtu.be/4c844nNFFq8?rel=0
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NT Reading: Acts 19:21-27 (NLT)

19:21 Afterward Paul felt compelled by the Spirit to go over to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem. “And after that,” he said, “I must go on to Rome!” He sent his two assistants, Timothy and Erastus, ahead to Macedonia while he stayed awhile longer in the province of Asia.

The Riot in Ephesus

19:23 About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows:

“Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!”

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What Does It Profit a Man? Fr. Maximilian Mary Dean

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Prayer: ACNA | BCP2019

+ O God, you desire that all people be saved and come to knowledge of the truth: Prosper all those who live, preach, and teach the Gospel at home and in distant lands; protect them in all perils, support them in their loneliness, sustain them in the hour of trial; give them your abundant grace to bear  faithful witness; and endue them with burning zeal and love, that they may turn many to righteousness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

+ O God, the Creator of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you in Jesus Christ; in whose Name we pray. Amen.

+ Our God, in whom we trust: Strengthen us not to regard overmuch who is for us or who is against us, but to see to it that we be with you in everything we do. Amen.  |  Thomas à Kempis

 

Closing: FaithandWorship.com | John Birch

I enter this day with joy
knowing you are with me
every step of the way,
knowing there is a purpose
to each breath that I take,
knowing there is a hope
toward which I walk.

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