Epiphany
Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Isaiah 60:3
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
(1) Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. (2) Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. (3) They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways. (4) You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.
(5) Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! (6) Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. (7) I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. (8) I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.
(9) How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. (10) I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. (11) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (12) Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.
(13) With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. (14) I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. (15) I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. (16) I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
(17) Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word. (18) Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. (19) I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. (20) My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.
(21) You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed and who stray from your commands. (22) Remove from me scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes. (23) Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. (24) Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
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.
(5) Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! (6) Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. (7) I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. (8) I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.
(9) How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. (10) I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. (11) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (12) Praise be to you, O LORD; teach me your decrees.
(13) With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. (14) I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. (15) I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. (16) I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
(17) Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word. (18) Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. (19) I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. (20) My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.
(21) You rebuke the arrogant, who are cursed and who stray from your commands. (22) Remove from me scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes. (23) Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. (24) Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
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.
Genesis 4
(1) Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, 'With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.' (2) Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. (3) In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. (4) But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
(5) but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. (6) Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? (7) If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.' (8) Now Cain said to his brother Abel, 'Let's go out to the field.' And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
(9) Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?' 'I don't know,' he replied. 'Am I my brother's keeper?' (10) The LORD said, 'What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. (11) Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. (12) When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.'
(13) Cain said to the LORD, 'My punishment is more than I can bear. (14) Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.' (15) But the LORD said to him, 'Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over.' Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. (16) So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
(5) but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. (6) Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? (7) If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.' (8) Now Cain said to his brother Abel, 'Let's go out to the field.' And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
(9) Then the LORD said to Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?' 'I don't know,' he replied. 'Am I my brother's keeper?' (10) The LORD said, 'What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. (11) Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. (12) When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.'
(13) Cain said to the LORD, 'My punishment is more than I can bear. (14) Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.' (15) But the LORD said to him, 'Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over.' Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. (16) So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Hebrews 2
(11) Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. (12) He says, 'I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.' (13) And again, 'I will put my trust in him.' And again he says, 'Here am I, and the children God has given me.' (14) Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-- that is, the devil--
(15) and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (16) For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. (17) For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. (18) Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
(15) and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (16) For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. (17) For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. (18) Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
John 1
(29) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (30) This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' (31) I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.' (32) Then John gave this testimony: 'I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.
(33) I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' (34) I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.' (35) The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. (36) When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, 'Look, the Lamb of God!'
(37) When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. (38) Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, 'What do you want?' They said, 'Rabbi' (which means Teacher), 'where are you staying?' (39) Come,' he replied, 'and you will see.' So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. (40) Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.
(41) The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah' (that is, the Christ). (42) And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, 'You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas' (which, when translated, is Peter).
(33) I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' (34) I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.' (35) The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. (36) When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, 'Look, the Lamb of God!'
(37) When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. (38) Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, 'What do you want?' They said, 'Rabbi' (which means Teacher), 'where are you staying?' (39) Come,' he replied, 'and you will see.' So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. (40) Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.
(41) The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah' (that is, the Christ). (42) And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, 'You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas' (which, when translated, is Peter).
Seasonal Collect: First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of our Lord
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River
Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him
with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his
Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly
confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy
Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. 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