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Fourth Sunday After Epiphany

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Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

29 January 2023

A Service of Praise, Prayer and Proclamation

Sentence

Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1 Corinthians 13.14

  • Gracious God, we humbly thank you for life and health and safety, for freedom to work, leisure to rest, and for all that is beautiful in creation and human life. But, above all, we praise you for our Saviour, Jesus Christ, for his death and resurrection; for the gift of your Spirit; and for the hope of sharing in your glory. Fill our hearts with all joy and peace in believing; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

  • Righteous God,

    you confound the world’s wisdom

    by giving your blessing to the lowly and pure in heart:

    give us such a hunger and thirst for justice

    and perseverance in striving for peace,

    that in our words and deeds

    the world may see the promise of your kingdom,

    which has been revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord,

    who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

    one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Ministry of the Word

  • 1 Hear what the Lord says: Rise, plead your case before the mountains,

    and let the hills hear your voice. 2 Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the Lord , and you enduring foundations of the earth;

    for the Lord has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. 3 ‘O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me! 4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of slavery; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5 O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised, what Balaam son of Beor answered him,

    and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the Lord .’ 6 ‘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? 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’ 8 He has told you, O mortal, 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?

  • 1 Lord, who may abide in your tabernacle: or who may dwell upon your holy hill?

    2 Whoever leads an uncorrupt life and does the thing which is right: who speaks the truth from the heart, and has not slandered with the tongue;

    3 Who has done no evil to a friend: nor vented abuse against a neighbour;

    4 In whose eyes the worthless have no honour: but who makes much of those that fear the Lord;

    5 Whoever has sworn to a neighbour: and will not go back on that oath;

    6 Who has not put money to usury: nor taken a bribe against the innocent.

    7 Whoever does these things: shall never be overthrown.

  • 18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

    19 For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’ 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. 26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’

  • 1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 ‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 ‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

  • I believe in God, the Father almighty,
    creator of heaven and earth.
    I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
    who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
    born of the virgin Mary,
    suffered under Pontius Pilate,
    was crucified, died, and was buried;
    he descended to the dead.
    On the third day he rose from the dead;
    he ascended into heaven,
    and is seated at the right hand of the Father;
    from there he will come to judge
    the living and 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.

  • Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4.16

    Let us now confess our sins to almighty God.

    Heavenly Father,
    you have loved us with an everlasting love, but we have broken your holy laws and have left undone what we ought to have done.
    We are sorry for our sins and turn away from them. For the sake of your Son who died for us, forgive us, cleanse us and change us.
    By your Holy Spirit, enable us to live for you;
    through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

    God desires that none should perish, but that all should turn to Christ, and live. In response to his call we acknowledge our sins. God pardons those who humbly repent, and truly believe the gospel. Therefore we have peace with God, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Ministry of Prayer

  • See Parish Focus

    Link to Pray Daily from ACSQ

  • Our Father in heaven,
    hallowed be your name,
    your kingdom come,
    your will be done,
    on earth as in heaven.
    Give us today our daily bread.
    Forgive us our sin
    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 for ever. Amen.

The Sending out of God’s People

  • Loving God, we thank you for hearing our prayers, feeding us with your word, and encouraging us in our meeting together.

    Take us and use us to love and serve you and all people, in the power of your Spirit and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

  • May the God of peace equip you with everything good for doing his will, working in you what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.