Tag: Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

Morning Prayer: Sat, 01 Apr – Psalm 138:8; John 10:1-21 ~ a rich and satisfying life

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

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

Opening Sentences

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
__________

Reading: Psalm 138:8 (NLT)

The Lord will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.
__________

Reading: John 10:1-21 (NLT)

“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”

Those who heard Jesus use this illustration didn’t understand what he meant, so he explained it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”

When he said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about him. Some said, “He’s demon possessed and out of his mind. Why listen to a man like that?” Others said, “This doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
__________

Prayer:

Lord God: You knew me, made me, called me, and had a plan for my life even before I was born.

+ Thank you for your unfailing love and faithfulness to me over the years.
+ Thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to sacrifice his life in order to save mine.
+ Thank you for enabling me to recognize his voice and to follow him along the path of Life.
+ Thank you for your protection from the schemes of the evil one to steal my joy and destroy my life.

Lord God: Continue working out your good purpose in me and give me the ability to hear your voice ever leading me to a rich and satisfying life. Through my Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
__________

“King Of My Heart” – Kutless


__________

Blessing

The Lord bless us, and keep us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life.

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

Morning Prayer: 12 March – John 7:40-53 ~ Pharisees: This foolish crowd follows him.

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

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

Opening Sentence

Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.
(Isaiah 55:6)

Morning Reading: John 7:40-53 (NLT)

When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.” Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.” So the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.

fool_for_christ

When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

“We have never heard anyone speak like this!” the guards responded.

“Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. “Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!”

Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked.

They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from Galilee!”

Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home.

Morning Prayer

Thank you, Christ my Savior, for welcoming me into your presence. Lord, help me by your grace.

+ Cleanse me and wash me free from sin.
+ Fill me to overflowing with your Holy Spirit.
+ Show me how to offer myself to others this morning.
+ Strengthen me to do your will throughout the day.
+ Grant that I may hunger for the food of eternal life.
+ Feed me to the full on your Word – the bread of life.
+ Walk with me through the valley of the shadow of death.
+ Lead me home to your banqueting table in heaven.

Lord God, in your gentle mercy, guide my wayward heart. Help me by your grace, for I know that left to myself I cannot do your will. I ask through my Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

“Lord, You Have My Heart” – Delirious?

Closing Sentence

Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. (Isaiah 55:7)

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

Morning Prayer: 21 Mar – Jer 11:18-20; Jn 7:40-53 ~ like a lamb being led to the slaughter

Saturday of the Fourth Week of Lent

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

Opening sentence and prayer:

I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you.
_____

Lord, help me by Your grace. Show me how to offer myself as a living sacrifice this morning, and strengthen me to do Your will throughout the day. In Your gentle mercy, Lord, guide my wayward heart, for I know that left to myself I cannot do Your will. Through my Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
__________

A Reading from the Old Testament: Jeremiah 11:18-20  (NLT)

The Sacrificial Lamb Josefa de Ayala (Portuguese, ca. 1630-1684) The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland
The Sacrificial Lamb
Josefa de Ayala (Portuguese, ca. 1630-1684)
The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland

Then the Lord told me about the plots my enemies were making against me. I was like a lamb being led to the slaughter. I had no idea that they were planning to kill me! “Let’s destroy this man and all his words,” they said. “Let’s cut him down, so his name will be forgotten forever.”

O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you make righteous judgments, and you examine the deepest thoughts and secrets. Let me see your vengeance against them, for I have committed my cause to you.
__________

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance. (See Luke 8:15)
__________

A Reading from the Gospels: John 7:40-53 (NLT)

When the crowds heard him say this, some of them declared, “Surely this man is the Prophet we’ve been expecting.” Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others said, “But he can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.” So the crowd was divided about him. Some even wanted him arrested, but no one laid a hand on him.

The Chief Priests Take Counsel Together James Tissot, 1886-1894 The Brooklyn Museum
The Chief Priests Take Counsel Together
James Tissot, 1886-1894
The Brooklyn Museum

When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”

“We have never heard anyone speak like this!” the guards responded.

“Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. “Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!”

Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked.

They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself — no prophet ever comes from Galilee!”
__________


__________

Canticle

Christ, as a light illumine and guide me. Christ as a shield overshadow me. Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful. Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me. This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.

Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing:

May the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

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