13 September 2015

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Sunday 13 September 2015 

Morning Prayer   

Psalm 97

This psalm celebrates God using the theme of God as sovereign. God guards the lives of those who are faithful and delivers them from the wicked. Let everyone who is faithful rejoice and praise God.

Acts 16: 6 – 15

The Holy Spirit forbids Paul and Timothy to speak the word in Asia. They attempt to go to Bithynia and the Spirit of Jesus does not allow them. Paul, in a vision, is called rather to Macedonia.

Paul and Silas are in Philippi, which is in Macedonia and at the time a Roman colony. They go to a place of prayer and meet Lydia. Lydia listens, is baptised as are all her household. Paul and Silas stay in her home.

Collect for Morning Prayer

Female Crimson Rosella
Harrietville Vic 2015

Holy Lord through your Son and Holy Spirit, you lead us to do your will and bring us to where you need us to be. Open our hearts and voices to sing your praises today and give thanks to you for bringing us to this moment through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and the power of your Holy Spirit in our hearts. Amen.

Sunday 13 September 2015

Evening Prayer

Esther 2: 18 – 3: 6

King Ahasuerus gives a great banquet – Esther’s banquet – and declares a holiday.

Mordechai, sitting at the king’s gate, hears two eunuch’s plotting to kill the king. He tells Esther who tells the king. The matter is investigated, found to be true and the eunuchs are hanged.

King Ahasuerus promotes Haman (whose lineage is a family opposed to the Israelites due to action in the time of Saul). All the king’s servants do obeisance to Haman at the king’s gate – but Mordechai does not. The king’s servants ask Mordechai why he does not bow and learn that he is a Jew. They report to Haman who is infuriated but will not directly deal with Mordechai – he sees that as beneath him. Instead he plots to destroy all Jews in the kingdom.

Psalm 116

This psalm gives thanks to God for healing. Even when profoundly depressed, the psalmist trusts in God.

Mark 9: 2 – 13

Six days later Jesus takes Peter, James and John up a mountain where they see him transfigured and talking with Moses and Elijah. Peter offers to build three booths for shelter. A cloud comes over the mountain, and a voice says declares Jesus to be God’s son, that they are to listen to him and that God loves Jesus.

Jesus orders the three disciples to say nothing about what they saw until “after the Son of Man had risen from the dead” (v. 9). The disciples wonder what Jesus means then ask, about the order of things – that Elijah comes first. Jesus says that Elijah indeed comes first to restore, then the Son of Man will go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt. Elijah has come and they did to him whatever they wanted.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Male Crimson Rosella
Harrietville Vic 2015

God of grace and truth and love, in your kingdom there are enemies, would be assassins, pride, illness, depression all manner of plots and destruction. But you have sent your Son to deal directly with suffering, brutality and contempt for our sake: to bring us into your love and care. We give you thanks and praise and glory and honour this night through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord and Saviour. Amen.

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