Epiphany
I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. Isaiah 49:6b
Confession of Sin Most merciful God,
I confess that I have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what I have done, and by what I have left undone. I have not loved you with my whole heart; I have not loved my neighbors as myself. I am truly sorry and I humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and forgive me; that I may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen
The Lessons
The Lessons
Psalm 119
(49) Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope. (50) This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life. (51) The proud have me in great derision, Yet I do not turn aside from Your law. (52) I remembered Your judgments of old, O LORD, And have comforted myself.
(53) Indignation has taken hold of me Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law. (54) Your statutes have been my songs In the house of my pilgrimage. (55) I remember Your name in the night, O LORD, And I keep Your law. (56) This has become mine, Because I kept Your precepts.
(57) You are my portion, O LORD; I have said that I would keep Your words. (58) I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; Be merciful to me according to Your word. (59) I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies. (60) I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.
(61) The cords of the wicked have bound me, But I have not forgotten Your law. (62) At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, Because of Your righteous judgments. (63) I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts. (64) The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes.
(65) You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word. (66) Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments. (67) Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. (68) You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes.
(69) The proud have forged a lie against me, But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart. (70) Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law. (71) It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. (72) The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.
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.
(53) Indignation has taken hold of me Because of the wicked, who forsake Your law. (54) Your statutes have been my songs In the house of my pilgrimage. (55) I remember Your name in the night, O LORD, And I keep Your law. (56) This has become mine, Because I kept Your precepts.
(57) You are my portion, O LORD; I have said that I would keep Your words. (58) I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; Be merciful to me according to Your word. (59) I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies. (60) I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.
(61) The cords of the wicked have bound me, But I have not forgotten Your law. (62) At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, Because of Your righteous judgments. (63) I am a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts. (64) The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes.
(65) You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word. (66) Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments. (67) Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. (68) You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes.
(69) The proud have forged a lie against me, But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart. (70) Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law. (71) It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. (72) The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.
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.
Isaiah 49
(1) Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The LORD has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. (2) And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.' (3) And He said to me, 'You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.' (4) Then I said, 'I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the LORD, And my work with my God.' '
(5) And now the LORD says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him ( For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, And My God shall be My strength), (6) Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' ' (7) Thus says the LORD, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: 'Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the LORD who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.' (8) Thus says the LORD: 'In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;
(9) That You may say to the prisoners, 'Go forth,' To those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' 'They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. (10) They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them. (11) I will make each of My mountains a road, And My highways shall be elevated. (12) Surely these shall come from afar; Look! Those from the north and the west, And these from the land of Sinim.'
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
(5) And now the LORD says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him ( For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, And My God shall be My strength), (6) Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' ' (7) Thus says the LORD, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: 'Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the LORD who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.' (8) Thus says the LORD: 'In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages;
(9) That You may say to the prisoners, 'Go forth,' To those who are in darkness, 'Show yourselves.' 'They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. (10) They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them. (11) I will make each of My mountains a road, And My highways shall be elevated. (12) Surely these shall come from afar; Look! Those from the north and the west, And these from the land of Sinim.'
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Galatians 2
(11) Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; (12) for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. (13) And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. (14) But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, 'If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?
(15) We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, (16) knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. (17) But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! (18) For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
(19) For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. (20) I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (21) I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.'
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
(15) We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, (16) knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. (17) But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! (18) For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
(19) For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. (20) I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (21) I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.'
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Mark 6
(13) And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. (14) Now King Herod heard of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, 'John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.' (15) Others said, 'It is Elijah.' And others said, 'It is the Prophet, or like one of the prophets.' (16) But when Herod heard, he said, 'This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!'
(17) For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her. (18) For John had said to Herod, 'It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.' (19) Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; (20) for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
(21) Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. (22) And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, 'Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.' (23) He also swore to her, 'Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.' (24) So she went out and said to her mother, 'What shall I ask?' And she said, 'The head of John the Baptist!'
(25) Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, 'I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.' (26) And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. (27) Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, (28) brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.
(29) When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.
(17) For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her. (18) For John had said to Herod, 'It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.' (19) Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; (20) for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
(21) Then an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. (22) And when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the girl, 'Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.' (23) He also swore to her, 'Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.' (24) So she went out and said to her mother, 'What shall I ask?' And she said, 'The head of John the Baptist!'
(25) Immediately she came in with haste to the king and asked, saying, 'I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.' (26) And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to refuse her. (27) Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, (28) brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.
(29) When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.
Seasonal Collect: Third Sunday after the Epiphany
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, forever and ever. Amen.
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
Personal Prayers and Reflection
Closing Prayers
The General Thanksgiving
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your 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 in 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 we 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 and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your 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 in 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 we 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 and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Conclude with following
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.This concludes the Daily Prayer
Go in Peace to Love and Serve the Lord