Tag: The Kingdom of God is at hand

The Third Sunday of Epiphany: 24 Jan 2021; Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 62:5-12; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20 ~ repent and believe in the gospel

The Third Sunday of Epiphany: 24 Jan 2021

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

Opening:

Give us grace, O Lord,
to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ
and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation,
that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works;
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying,
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the gospel.”
(Mark 1:14-15)

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Marching to Zion (Come We That Love the Lord)

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O.T. Reading: Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (ESV)

Jonah Goes to Nineveh

3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

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Psalms: Rest in God Alone (Psalm 62) – Curtis Stephan

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N.T. Gospel Reading: Mark 1:14-20 (ESV)

Jesus Begins His Ministry

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

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Jon Guerra – Kingdom of God –

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Prayer: 

+ Almighty God, you have not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities; grant that we, who for our evil deeds deserve to be punished, by the might of your grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

+ 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.

+ Gracious and holy Father, please give me intellect to understand you, reason to discern you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, a spirit to know you, a heart to meditate upon you, ears to hear you, eyes to see you, a tongue to proclaim you, a way of life pleasing to you, patience to wait for you, and perseverance to look for you. Grant me a perfect end, your holy presence, a blessed resurrection, and life everlasting.

+ 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.

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Closing: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 (ESV)

29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

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

First Sunday of Lent: Gn 9:8-15; Ps 25:4-9; 1 Pt 3:18-22; Mk 1:12-15 ~ repent and believe

First Sunday of Lent

Today, all over the world, people are beginning their preparation period for baptism at Easter. We too look forward to renewing our baptismal vows on the celebration of Easter.

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

Opening prayer:

God of the covenant, as the forty days of deluge swept away the world’s corruption and watered new beginnings of righteousness and life, so in the saving flood of baptism your people are washed clean and born again. Throughout these forty days, we beg you, unseal for us the wellspring of your grace, cleanse our hearts of all that is not holy, and cause your gift of new life to flourish once again. Grant this through Christ, our liberator from sin, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, holy and mighty God for ever and ever.
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A Reading from the Old testament:Genesis 9:8-15 (NLT)

rainbow over Lake Ontario

Then God told Noah and his sons, “I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants, and with all the animals that were on the boat with you — the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals — every living creature on earth. Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.”

Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life.
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A Reading from the Psalms: Psalm 25:4-9 (NLT)

Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord.

The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.
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A Reading from the Letters: 1 Pt 3:18-22 (NLT)

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

So he went and preached to the spirits in prison — those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority.
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One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)
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A Reading from the Gospels: Mark 1:12-15 (NLT)

repentance

The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.

Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”
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Intercessions:

As we begin our lenten journey toward Easter, let us remember all those in need.

+ For Christian leaders throughout the world — we pray…. Lord, hear us.
+ For peace and reconciliation, particularly in the Middle East and Africa — we pray…. Lord, hear us.
+ For Christians suffering persecution, particularly in the Middle East and Africa — we pray…. Lord, hear us.
+ For the hungry, the poor, the displaced, and the homeless — we pray…. Lord, hear us.
+ For those who have died recently – we particularly remember our Egyptian Coptic brothers in faith: +Milad Makeen Zaky +Abanub Ayad Atiya +Maged Solaimain Shehata +Yusuf Shukry Yunan +Kirollos Shokry Fawzy +Bishoy Astafanus Kamel +Somaily Astafanus Kamel +Malak Ibrahim Sinweet +Tawadros Yusuf Tawadros +Girgis Milad Sinweet +Mina Fayez Aziz +Hany Abdelmesih Salib +Bishoy Adel Khalaf +Samuel Alham Wilson +Ezat Bishri Naseef +Loqa Nagaty +Gaber Munir Adly +Esam Badir Samir +Malak Farag Abram +Sameh Salah Faruq +And the one whose name we do not know, a “Worker from Awr village.” Lord, hear us.

God of goodness, You have shown love from the dawn of creation; make us know Your ways and strengthen us on our journey to Easter, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Benediction:

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 24-25)

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