Sunday 24 April 2016

24 April 2016

Collects

Prayers developed from the daily readings 

Sunday 24 April 2016
Morning Prayer

Psalm 116

Thanks is given to God for healing from a severe illness. Now the psalmist’s soul rests well in God.
A new commitment is made to serve God.

John 11: 25 – 37

Jesus says to Martha, “I am the resurrection and anyone who believes in me shall never die” (v.25). Martha confirms her belief and says to Jesus that he is the Messiah. Martha goes to get Mary, who goes quickly to Jesus and kneels at his feet; she is weeping and those around her are too. Jesus weeps.

Those around ask, could not Jesus who restores sight to the blind, have healed Lazarus?


Collect for Morning Prayer


Galah
Harrietville Vic  L Osburn
Holy and compassionate God you weep with us when we are ill and when we mourn. You sent Jesus to be our resurrection and our rest. Today, even if we doubt, bring us to you. Stand with us as we come to you and proclaim Jesus messiah so that we make a new commitment to you and know your rest. Amen.








Sunday 24 April 2016
Evening Prayer

Revelation 3: 1 – 13

John is instructed by Christ to write a fifth letter this time to Sardis. The letter is to tell them that their works are known, they seem to be doing things but actually they are spiritually dead. They are to wake up and strengthen the remnants of their belief. They are to remember what they heard – the gospel – obey it and repent. There are some in Sardis who are faithful and they will walk with Christ and be saved. If the others conquer themselves like the worthy ones they too will be saved.

John is to write to the church in Philadelphia. Jesus knows they are small and faithful and struggling with a difficult synagogue. As a result of the Philadelphians’ patient endurance they will be protected in the trials to come. They are to hold fast to what they have and by doing so be conquerors, named for God and their city named for the new Jerusalem.

Psalm 107: 1 – 3 and 10 – 16

Let all those who have been redeemed by the Lord give thanks for God’s steadfast love endures forever. There were some who sat in dark rooms in misery and irons as a result of disobeying God’s word, their hearts bowed down with hard labour until they called to the Lord. God breaks them out of their gloom, shatters the doors of bronze and cuts the bars of iron. Let them stand and give thanks.

Acts 12: 1 – 11

Herod Agrippa persecutes the believers and kills James the son of Zebedee. He arrests Peter and has him closely guarded in prison. In the night Peter has what he thinks is a vision of his chains falling of and an angel leading him out to safety. It was not a vision. He realises that Lord sent an angel to rescue him.

He goes to the house of Mary, the mother of John (aka Mark). Rhoda the maid sees him at the gate and is so excited she runs in to tell everyone without opening the gate. They don’t believe her and thought her crazy. Peter keeps knocking. They come, open the gate and are amazed. Peter motions to them to be silent. He tells them what happened, instructs them to tell James and the believers and then leaves them.

Collect for Evening Prayer

Galahs
Harrietville Vic  L Osburn
Holy and gracious Lord your steadfast love endures forever, frees us and empowers us to strengthen and encourage others. Help us to wake up our own belief, conquer ourselves and come to the realisation, crazy though it may first appear, that you can and will break us out, shatter the doors of oppression and break the iron bars of fear so that we can focus on and obey your gospel, step out from being bowed down and emerge conquerors with Christ our Lord and redeemer. Amen

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