Good evening. This is September 11th, 2018. I'm Jika. This is the Daily Office Evening Prayer Rate 2.
I'm going to begin with a little bit of different priorites from actually the order for the evening. It's found on page 113 of the Book of Common Prayer. Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, creator of the changes of day and night, getting rest of the weary, and giving the strength of those who are spent, bestowing upon us occasions of song in the evening. As you have protected us in the day that has passed, so be with us in the coming night.
Keep us from every sin, every evil, and every peer. For you are light and salvation, and the strength of our life. To you be glory for endless ages, honor. We continue with the confession of Sten on page 116, dear friends in Christ here in the present small mighty God, and with penitentiary and obedient hearts confessors in, so that we may obtain forgiveness by the forgiveness of mercy.
Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you, and God for indeed, from what we have done since by what we have left undone. We have not looked at you with our whole heart. We have not looked at the neighbors as ourselves. And you're truly sorry.
And we hope that it meant for the safety of your son, Jesus Christ, to have mercy on us and for God. That we may delight to be well, and walk in your ways, to glory in your name, to glory in your name, on us. Almighty God, have mercy on us. Forgive us all our sins for our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Strengthen us and all good things by the power of our lives here at the Key Bets of eternal life. Oh God, may speed to save us. We'll glory to the Father, to the Son, to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning. It's now and will be forever on us.
Alleluia. Oh, gracious light, be here right now to be able to be a Father in heaven, when Jesus Christ is fully at left. Now, as we come from the Son of the Son, to our eyes be well to the best for life, we sing your praise to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voice and be free, the Son of God, of the give of life.
Let's be glorified through all the world. Our Son this evening, we're in proper 18, by the way. Our Son this evening is 47 and also 48. We clap your hands all you peoples.
Shout to God with loud songs of joy. For the Lord the Most High is awesome, a great King over all the earth. He seduced you with peoples under us, and nations under our feet. He chose our heritage for us.
Pride of Jacob who he loves. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of the trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises. Sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth. Sing praises to the song. God has King over the nation. God sits on his holy throne.
The princes of the peoples gather, as the people of God of Abraham. For the shield of the earth belongs to God, and is highly exalted. Great to come forward and great to be praised and to give our God. Holy mountain, beautiful and elevation, and the joy of all the earth.
Now Zion, the modern one, to be the great King. Within its citadel, God has shown himself a sure defense. Then the came to travel, they came on together. As soon as they saw it, they were astounded.
They were in panic, they took to flight. Trembling to cold have been there. Pains is of a woman in labor, is when an east wind shatters the ships of Tarshish. As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of Hosts, in the city of our God, which God establishes forever.
We ponder your steadfast love of God in the midst of your temple. Your name of God, like your praise, you just to be unto here. Your right hand is filled with victory. Let Mount Zion be glad.
We found some Judah rejoiced because of your judgments. Walk about Zion. Go all around it. Count its towers, consider wallets and ramparts.
Go through it to the delves. You may tell the next generation that this is God, our God forever and ever. He will be our guide forever. Glory to the Father and to the Son, to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now it will be forever.
Our first reading is Job 29, verses 1 through 20. Job again took up his discourse and said, oh, that I were as in the months of old, as in the days when God watched over me, when his lamps shone over my head. And by his light, I walked through darkness. When I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent, when the Almighty was still with me, when my children were around me, when my steps were washed with milk, and the rock poured out for me streams of oil.
When I went out to the gate of the city, when I took my seat in the square, the young men saw me and withdrew, and the aged rose up and stood. The nobles were fearing from talking and laid their hands on their mouths. The voices of princes were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths. When the ear heard it commended me, and when the eye saw it approved, because I delivered the poor who cried, and the orphan who had no helper.
The blessing of the wretched came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me. My justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame.
I was a father to the needy, and I championed the cause of the stranger. I broke the fangs of the unrighteous, and made them drop their prey from their teeth. Then I thought, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix. My roots spread out to the waters, with the dew all night on my branches.
My glory was fresh with me, and my bow ever knew in my hand. They listened to me and waited, and kept silence for my counsel. After I spoke, they did not speak a game, and my word dropped upon them like dew. They waited for me as for the rain.
They opened their mouths as for the spring rain. I smiled on them when they had no confidence, and the light of my countenance they did not extinguish. I chose their way and sat as chief, and I lived like a king among his troops, like one who comforts mourners. The word of the Lord, thanks be to God.
Our first canticle tonight is Canticle 10. It can be found on page 86. It is the second song of Isaiah. Seek the Lord while he wills to be found.
Call upon him when he draws near. Let the wicked forsake their ways, and the evil ones their thoughts, and let them turn to the Lord, and he will have compassion, and to our God for he will richly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts and your thoughts.
For as rain and snow fall from the heavens, and return not again, but water the earth. Bringing forth life and giving growth, seed for sowing and bread for eating, so is my word that goes forth from my mouth. It will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish that which I have purposed, and prosper in that for which I sent it. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.
Amen. And the first thing we're going to do, is to bring new Testament reading this evening, is Acts chapter 14 verses 1 through 18. The same thing occurred in a conium, where Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue, and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up against the Gentiles, and poisoned their mind against the brothers.
So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace by granting signs and wonders to be done through them. But the residents of the city were divided, and the apostles, and when an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers to mistreat them and to stone them. The apostles learned of it, and fled to Listera and Dervy, cities of Laconia, and to the surrounding country, and there they continued proclaiming the good news. In Leistor there was a man sitting who could not use his feet, and had never walked, for he had been crippled since birth.
He listened to Paul as he was speaking, and Paul, looking at him intently, and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said in a loud voice, stand upright on your feet. And the man sprang up and began to walk, and the crowd saw what Paul had done. They shouted in the Laconian language, the gods had come down to us in human form. Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.
The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates. He and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd. Shouting friends, why are you doing this?
We are mortals just like you. And we bring you good news that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to follow their own ways, yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good, giving you reigns from heaven in fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy. Even with these words, they scarcely restrain the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.
The word of the Lord, thanks be to God. Our second Canticle today is the song of Mary, or the Magnificat. It's on page 119 of the Book of Common Prayer. My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord.
My spirit rejoices in God, my Savior, for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed. The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. He has mercy on those who fear him, in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the crowd in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent to white empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel, for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and will be forever. Amen. Our Gospel reading this evening is John, Chapter 10, Verses 31-42. The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John.
Glory to you, Lord Christ. The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?
The Jews answered, it is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, the only human being, are making yourself God. Jesus answered, is it not written in your law? I said, you are gods. If those to whom the word of God came were called gods, and the Scripture cannot be an old, can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming, because I said I am God's Son?
If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am the Father, and I am in the Father, then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. Many came to him and they were saying, John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true, and many believed in him there.
The Gospel of the Lord, praise to you, Lord Christ. We continue with the Apostles' Creed on page 120. I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, his crucified Diademes' very. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again, he ascended into Heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living in the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. The Lord be with you, and also with you.
Let us cry. Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done. On Earth is in Heaven. Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
We will use suffragists at A on page 121. Show us your mercy, O Lord. And grant us your salvation. Clothe your ministers with righteousness.
Let your people sing with joy. Give peace, O Lord, and all the world, for only in you can we live in safety. Lord, keep this nation under your care and guide us in the way of justice and truth. Let your way be known upon Earth, your saving health among all nations.
Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten, nor the hope of the poor be taken away. Create an Esqueen heart, O God, and sustain us with your Holy Spirit. I'm going to use a collet from the prayers on page 816 for peace among the nations. Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish among them that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen. Continuing on page 124, keep watch to your Lord, with those who work or watch or weep this night. And give your angels charge over those who sleep. 10, the sick Lord Christ.
Give rest to the weary. Bless the dying. Sue the suffering. Pity the afflicted.
Shield the joyous. And all for your love's sake. Amen. So here's the part where we say personal prayers.
I have so many prayers for this day. I don't particularly have so many words though. There's only a couple of things I want to say about the readings today, and that is that would spoke to me. It was the talk of laying foundations and telling the next generation and building the city.
And then, so all that from our songs and from our Old Testament reading to me spoke of preparation. So rock upon rock, generation by generation. And then our New Testament reading spoke of the difficulty to change. You've got Paul and Barnabas who are preaching the good news, and they are meeting with very mixed responses.
On the one hand, people are following them. They're believing in the good news. On the other hand, they're being stoned and disbelieved and changed. It's just tough, right?
But each rock that we place in the present means something in the future. And I feel a sense of urgency not to let the moments pass because I'm trying to think about how to say this. We are building in our children in the bedrock that they will need in their crises. I guess I'm going to be a silent for a moment.
I ask that we all say our special prayers for 9-11. We persevere through the difficult change to break forward through to progress. And remember that above all, love. So I'm going to pause and you all pause for a moment for personal prayers, and then we'll continue.
Thank you. I suppose I still feel that the St. Francis prayer is the most appropriate in this time. As it has been for some time now, so you can find it on page 833.
Lord, make us instruments of your peace, where there is hatred, let us so love, where there is injury, pardon. Where there is discord union, where there is doubt faith, where there is despair, hope, where there is darkness, light, where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved is to love. For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. And continuing with the general thanksgiving on page 125, Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we are unworthy servants give you humble thanks. For all your goodness and loving kindness, to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life. But above all for your immeasurable love and the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ, for the means of grace and for the hope of glory. And we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts you may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you in the Holy Spirit be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you, and you have promised through your well-beloved Son, that when two or three are gathered together in His name, you will be in the midst of them. Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions is maybe best for us, granting us in this world, moment of your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen. Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God. Glory to God whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to Him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus forever and ever. Amen.
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.