3rd Sunday in Advent

Posted on December 10, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

God’s holy Word for the third Sunday in Advent:

Watchword: “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, for behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand.” (Isaiah 40:3.10)

The 85th Psalm for this 3rd Sunday in Advent: Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. Wilt thou be angry with us forever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

The Old Testament reading is from his prophet Isaiah 40:1-8 (9-11)

Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!

Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

The holy Epistle is from the apostle Saint Paul  in the 4th chapter 1-5 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.

The holy Gospel accoording to the evangelist St. Matthew chapter 11:2-6 (7-10) Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Sermon text is from the evangelist Saint Luke the 3rd chapter: Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

The liturgical colour is violet. (Or blue!)

Together with the holy Christian Church we pray with this collect: LORD Jesus, our Light and our Salvation, you alone are the one who was to come to save us. We thank you for your coming and for your will to perform in us again your saving work. Rule us by your Holy Spirit, that henceforth we may wait for none other and put our trust in nothing in heaven or earth except you alone, our Lord, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever one God, world without end. Amen.

If you are called to preach this weekend, may the triune God give you joy and strength, wisdom, knowledge and insight – and the true words and pictures to preach his holy will faithfully according to his most precious revelation of his will and promises in both the Old and New Testament! However if you are not preaching, but listening – then listen as if God is talking to you + His precious gospel is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” (Rom 1:16 NIV)

 

Posted in Advent, Lectionary etc, Lutheran Order of service, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Posted on December 5, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

Warum willst du draußen stehen,
du Gesegneter des Herrn?
Laß dir bei mir einzugehen
wohlgefallen, du mein Stern!
Du mein Jesus, meine Freud,
Helfer in der rechten Zeit,
hilf, o Heiland, meinem Herzen,
von den Wunden, die mich schmerzen.

Will ich denn mein Elend lindern
und erleichtern meine Not
bei der Welt und ihren Kindern,
fall ich nur in neue Not:
da ist Trost, der mich betrübt,
Freude, die mein Unglück liebt,
Helfer, die mir Herzleid machen,
gute Freunde, die mein lachen.

In der Welt ist alles nichtig,
nichts ist, das nicht kraftlos wär.
Hab ich Hoheit, die ist flüchtig;
Hab ich Reichtum, was ists mehr
als ein Stücklein armer Erd?
Hab ich Lust, was ist sie wert?
was ists, das mich heut erfreuet,
das mich morgen nicht gereuet?

Aller Trost und alle Freude
ruht in dir, Herr Jesus Christ:
dein Erfreuen ist die Weide,
da man immer fröhlich ist.
Leuchte mir, o Freudenlicht,
ehe mir mein Herze bricht,
laß mich, Herr, an dir erquicken,
Jesus, komm, laß dich erblicken.

Freu dich, Herz, du bist erhöret,
jetzo zeucht er bei dir ein;
sein Gang ist zu dir gekehret,
heiß ihn nur willkommen fein
und bereite dich ihm zu,
gib dich ganz zu seiner Ruh,
öffne dein Gemüt und Seele,
klag ihm, was dich drück und quäle.

Was du Böses hast begangen,
das ist alles abgeschafft;
Gottes Liebe nimmt gefangen
deiner Sünden Macht und Kraft.
Christi Sieg behält das Feld,
und was Böses in der Welt
sich will wider dich erregen,
wird zu lauter Glück und Segen.

Alles dient zu deinem Frommen,
was dir bös und schädlich scheint,
weil dich Christus angenommen
und es treulich mit dir meint.
Bleibst du dem nur wieder treu,
ists gewiß und bleibt dabei,
daß du mit den Engeln droben
ihn dort ewig werdest loben.

Paul Gerhardt 1653

Posted in Advent, Hymns, Lieder, Paul Gerhardt, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ihr lieben Christen, freut Euch nun…

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber
1. Ihr lieben Christen, freut euch nun,
bald wird erscheinen Gottes Sohn,
der unser Bruder worden ist,
das ist der lieb Herr Jesus Christ.

2. Der Jüngste Tag ist nun nicht fern.
Komm, Jesu Christe, lieber Herr!
Kein Tag vergeht, wir warten dein
und wollten gern bald bei dir sein.

3. Du treuer Heiland Jesu Christ,
dieweil die Zeit erfüllet ist,
die uns verkündet Daniel,
so komm, lieber Immanuel.

4. Der Teufel brächt uns gern zu Fall
und wollt uns gern verschlingen all;
er tracht’ nach Leib, Seel, Gut und Ehr,
Herr Christ, dem alten Drachen wehr!

5. Ach lieber Herr, eil zum Gericht.
Lass sehn dein herrlich Angesicht,
das Wesen der Dreifaltigkeit.
Das helf uns Gott in Ewigkeit.


(Endzeitlied, Autor: Erasmus Alber (1500 – 1553))

Und hier eine Fassung von Dietrich Buxtehude: Ihr lieben Christen freut Euch nun… 

Posted in Advent, Hymns, Lieder, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Second Sunday in Advent

Posted on December 2, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

God’s holy Word for the Second Sunday in Advent:

Watchword: “Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luk 21:28 NIV)

From Psalm 80 verses 2-3.18-19: Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth… stir up thy strength, and come and save us. Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved … quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. Turn us again, O Lord God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

 The Old Testament reading from God’s holy prophet Isaiah 63:15-64:3

15 Look down from heaven and see,
from your holy and beautiful[a] habitation.
Where are your zeal and your might?
The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion
are held back from me.
16 For you are our Father,
though Abraham does not know us,
and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our Father,
our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17 O Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways
and harden our heart, so that we fear you not?
Return for the sake of your servants,
the tribes of your heritage.
18 Your holy people held possession for a little while;[b]
our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 We have become like those over whom you have never ruled,
like those who are not called by your name.

64 Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,
that the mountains might quake at your presence—
2 [c] as when fire kindles brushwood
and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
and that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,
you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.

The holy Epistle is by the holy apostle St.James the 5th chapter verses 7-8

7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

The holy Gospel accourding to the holy evangelist St. Luke chapter 21:25-33

25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;

30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

The liturgical colour is violet (or blue).

Together with the holy Christian Church we pray with this collect: LORD Jesus Christ, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so pre pare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever one God, world without end. Amen.

If you are called to preach this weekend, may the triune God give you joy and strength, wisdom, knowledge and insight – and the true words and pictures to preach his holy will faithfully according to his most precious revelation of his will and promises in both the Old and New Testament! However if you are not preaching, but listening – then listen as if God is talking to you + His precious gospel is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” (Rom 1:16 NIV)

 

 

Posted in Advent, Gottesdienst, Lectionary etc, Lutheran Order of service, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Maria durch einen Dornenwald ging…

Posted on November 28, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

Hier ist das bewegende Adventsliedchen nach eingängiger Volksweise mit alten Instrumenten.

Maria durch ein’ Dornwald ging.
Kyrieleison!
Maria durch ein’ Dornwald ging,
der hatte in sieben Jahr’n kein Laub getragen!
Jesus und Maria.

Was trug Maria unterm Herzen?
Kyrieleison!
Ein kleines Kindlein ohne Schmerzen,
das trug Maria unter ihrem Herzen.
Jesus und Maria.

Da haben die Dornen Rosen getrag’n;
Kyrieleison!
Als das Kindlein durch den Wald getragen,
da haben die Dornen Rosen getragen!
Jesus und Maria.

Wie soll dem Kind sein Name sein?
Kyrieleison!
Der Name, der soll Christus sein,
das war von Anfang der Name sein!
Jesus und Maria.

Wer soll dem Kind sein Täufer sein?
Kyrieleison!
Das soll der Sankt Johannes sein,
der soll dem Kind sein Täufer sein!
Jesus und Maria.

Was kriegt das Kind zum Patengeld?
Kyrieleison!
Den Himmel und die ganze Welt,
das kriegt das Kind zum Patengeld!
Jesus und Maria.

Wer hat erlöst die Welt allein?
Kyrieleison.
Das hat getan das Christkindlein,
das hat erlöst die Welt allein!
Jesus und Maria.

Posted in Advent, Hymns, Lieder, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nun kommt der Heiden Heiland…

Posted on November 27, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

1

  

Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland,
Der Jungfrauen Kind erkannt!
Dass sich wunder alle Welt,
Gott solch’ Geburt ihm bestellt.

  

Now come, Saviour of the gentiles,
recognised as the child of the Virgin,
so that all the world is amazed
God ordained such a birth for him.

2

  

Nicht von Manns Blut noch von Fleisch, allein von dem Heil’gen Geist Ist Gotts Wort worden ein Mensch Und blüht ein’ Frucht Weibes Fleisch.

  

Not from man’s flesh and blood
but only from the Holy Spirit
has God’s Word became man
and flourishes as the fruit of a woman’s body.

3

  

Der Jungfrau Leib schwanger ward,
Doch blieb Keuschheit rein bewahrt, Leucht hervor manch’ Tugend schön, Gott da war in seinem Thron.

  

The virgin’s body was pregnant,
but her chastity remained pure,
in this way her many virtues shine clearly,
God was there on his throne.

4

  

Er ging aus der Kammer sein,
Dem kön’glichen Saal so rein,
Gott von Art und Mensch ein Held,
Sein’ Weg er zu laufen eilt.

  

He went forth from his chamber,
from the royal palace so pure,
by nature God and man, a hero,
he hastens to run his way.

5

  

Sein Lauf kam vom Vater her
Und kehrt wieder zum Vater,
Fuhr hinunter zu der Höll
Und wieder zu Gottes Stuhl.

  

His course came from the Father
and leads back to the Father,
he went down to Hell
and back to God’s throne.

6

  

“Der du bist dem Vater gleich,
Führ hinaus den Sieg im Fleisch,
Dass dein ewig Gottsgewalt
In uns das krank Fleisch erhalt.

  

You who are equal to the Father,
be victorious in the flesh
so that your eternal divine power
may support our weak flesh.

7

  

Dein Krippe glänzt hell und klar,
Die Nacht gibt ein neu Licht dar,
Dunkel muß nicht kommen drein,
Der Glaub bleibt immer im Schein.”

  

Your crib shines bright and clear,
in the night there is a new light,
darkness must not overpower it,
faith remains always radiant.

8

  

Lob sei Gott dem Vater gtan,
Lob sei Gott sein’m eingen Sohn,
Lob sei Gott dem Heilgen Geist
Immer und in Ewigkeit.

  

Praise be given to God the Father,
praise be to God his only Son;
praise be to god the Holy Ghost
for ever and always.

Hymnus des Bischofs Ambrosius von Mailand + 397 (Veni redemptor gentium), deutsch von Martin Luther 1524.

Hier ist die Bach Kantate (BWV 36) zu diesem Adventslied gesungen vom Thomanerchor (Leipzig) mit  einer Übersicht und hier noch eine Alternative BWV 62 mit entsprechendem Kommentar. 

 

Posted in Hymns, Lieder, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

1st Sunday in Advent: 27.November 2016

Posted on November 25, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

The watchword for this first Sunday in Advent: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.“ (Zechariah 9:9 KJV)

The Psalm for this Sunday is 24:7-10

  • Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 
  • Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
  • Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
  • Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

The readings for the first Sunday in Advent are God’s holy Word from the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah 23:5-8

5 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,

    “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,

a King who will reign wisely

    and do what is just and right in the land.

6 In his days Judah will be saved

    and Israel will live in safety.

This is the name by which he will be called:

    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.

7 “So then, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’ 8 but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”

The Epistle ist from the apostle St. Paul’s letter to the Romans 13:8-12: 8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

The holy Gospel written by the evangelist St. Matthew 21:1-9: And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, 2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. 3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. 4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

The liturgical colour is violet (Or blue!)

Together with the Christian Church we pray this collect: Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening prevails of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit one God now and forever. Amen.

If you are called to preach this weekend, may the triune God give you joy and strength, wisdom, knowledge and insight – and the true words and pictures to preach his holy will faithfully according to his most precious revelation of his will and promises in both the Old and New Testament! However if you are not preaching, but listening – then listen as if God is talking to you + His precious gospel is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes – the Jews first, but also the pagans.” (Rom 1:16 NIV)

Posted in Advent, Gottesdienst, Lectionary etc, Lutheran Order of service, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

LTS News 2016,4: Summer update!

Posted on November 24, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber
LTS in Tshwane (Pretoria, South Africa)
Zambian students at LTS in 2016
Rev. M.J. Nkambule

Dear friends of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane! As our brothers and sisters in the USA celebrate “Thanksgiving”, we here too have lots of reason to sing God’s praises and celebrate his miracles and wonders of grace, peace and mercy for us and our salvation. Most of our Seminarians are now back home and having a well deserved rest from the hard labours of this past academic year 2016. Attached please find the latest LTS News for this year and please do give thanks for all our good Lord and triune God has done for us here at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane. We rest assured, that he will still help in days to come as he has always done in the past and in many new ways too! Here is the LTS News 2016,4: 20164-lts-news-dina4 and here is the link  in Dropbox.

Posted in LTS in Tshwane, Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sunday of the Fulfilment

Posted on November 19, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

 

Watchword for the Sunday of Fulfilment is from Luke 12:35: Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning…

God’s holy Word from the prophet Isaiah 65:17-19.23-25 “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them…  Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.  The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent’s food. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.

The epistle from Revelation 21:1-7  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”

The holy Gospel according to the evangelist St. Matthew 25:1-13  “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise.  The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.  “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’  “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’  “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.  “Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’  “But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’  “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

Prayer of the Church for the Sunday of the Fulfilment

O Almighty God, merciful Father, in this present life of sin and suffering, Your holy Church longs for the return of Christ and for the fulfillment of all things in Him. Give us grace to make a good confession, to stand firm in the faith, and to be ever watchful for His coming in power and glory.

Bestow strength and steadfastness on the pastors, evangelists, teachers and missionaries of Your Church, that in these gray and latter days Your little flock, O Lord, may not be abandoned, but nurtured and built up in You so that we may declare the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

O King of glory, Lord of hosts, in humility Your only-begotten Son stood before governors and kings and was accused unjustly for our sake. Defend the cause of the weak and those who have no voice in our society, particularly the unborn, the poor, and the homeless. Give the government of our nation and our leaders the fortitude to strive for fairness and justice in our land.

O God, with all creation we look in eager expectation for our final redemption, the revelation of Your Son, and the joys of Your heavenly kingdom. Until that time, look in mercy on all who live under the cross. Give patience and hope to the hopeless. Give healing and help to the sick in body, mind, or spirit. Draw near to the dying, hold them in the arms of Your love, and defend them against the final assaults of the evil one. Comfort those who mourn  with the hope of the resurrection of the body to eternal life. Give us faith to see in our crosses that You work all things for our good and that nothing in this world can separate us from Your love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gracious Father, in the Supper of Your Son You give us a foretaste of the feast of heaven. May all who approach Your Table this day be worthy and well prepared. Give us the food of our Lord’s body and blood, that we may be sustained on our journey through this troubled life until the veil of this present age is lifted and we see You face to face.

We give You most hearty thanks, O Lord, for all the mercies You have shown Your saints on their pilgrimage in this life and who now enjoy the splendor of Your glory. Keep us faithful to the end that one day we may with them come to the fullness of Your heavenly kingdom; where You, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, live and reign ever one God, world without end. Amen.

 

Posted in Last Sundays in the Church Year, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lectionary for the 22nd Sunday after Trinity

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Wilhelm Weber

The watchword from Psalm 130: “But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” (Verse 4).

The Introit from Psalm 143: “Hear my prayer, O LORD; give ear to my pleas for mercy! In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you. For the enemy has pursued my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead. Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah Answer me quickly, O LORD! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. Deliver me from my enemies, O LORD! I have fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!” (Verses 1-10)

God’s holy Word written by the holy prophet Micah in the 6 chapter: “With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Verses 6-8)

The Epistle lesson is from the apostle Saint Paul’s letter to the Philippians in the 1st chapter: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Verses 3-11)

The holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ as recorded by the holy evangelist St. Matthew in the 18th chapter: “Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Verses 21-35)

Together with the holy Christian Church we pray a collect for this Sunday: O God, our refuge and strength, the author of all godliness, hear the devout prayers of Your Church, especially in times of persecution, and grant that what we ask in faith we may obtain; through Jesus Christ Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Spirit one God now and forever. Amen.

 

Posted in Lectionary etc, Pentecost, St. Michaels and all Angels, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment