Third Sunday after Ephiphany 2012

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, by grace alone you call us and accept us in your service. Strengthen us by your Spirit, and make us worthy of your call, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Jonah 3

Jonah Goes to Nineveh

¹ Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

³ Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. ⁴ Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” ⁵ The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Watch and Listen to Pastor Jim's Sermon on Jonah here!http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-ZRopuHZFpw

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

New International Version (NIV)

²⁹ What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; ³⁰ those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; ³¹ those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

Mark 1:14-20

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Announces the Good News

¹⁴ After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.

¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Psalm 62:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

Thanks to www.elca.org for published lectionary series year B. Our Sunday School at 9:15 AM on Sunday give focus to the texts for the day. We welcome all to our classes and worship service. Casual dress is ok! Learn more about Our Savior Lutheran Church at www.joinusinworship.com

Second Sunday after Epiphany 2012

Prayer of the Day
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, most merciful redeemer, for the countless blessings and benefits you give. May we know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly, day by day praising you, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Psalm 139 various verses:

¹ You have searched me, LORD,
and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,^[a] God!
How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

⁴³ The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”

⁴⁴ Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. ⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

⁴⁶ “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

⁴⁷ When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

⁴⁸ “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

⁴⁹ Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

⁵⁰ Jesus said, “You believe^[a] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” ⁵¹ He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’^[d] the Son of Man.”

We welcome you to Sunday School at 9:15 am on Sunday mornings to study and ponder the lessons for the week each Sunday. Worship begins at 10:30 am. Blessings to your week. Let your light shine!

Thanks to www.elca.org and www.biblegateway.com for providing this week's prayer and scripture lessons.

The Baptism of our Lord

Prayer of the Day

Holy God, Creator of light and giver of goodness, your voice moves over the waters. Immerse us in your grace and transform us by your Holy Spirit that we might follow your son , Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen

Mark 1

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

¹ The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,^[a] the Son of God, ² as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”^[c]—
³ “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”^[d]

⁴ And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I baptize you with^[e] water, but he will baptize you with^[f] the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus

⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.

Amen

Epiphany

Epiphany — if treated as a season in your private devotions, church services or family worship — is designed to highlight key aspects of our Savior’s earthly ministry, such as:

• the miracles of Jesus
• the parables of Jesus
• the prophecies of Jesus
• the teachings of Jesus, such as the Sermon on the Mount

This time is also a natural bridge between Christmas, the celebration of Christ’s coming, and Lent, the period of lament, reflection and confession leading to the cross.

Prayer of the Day

O God, on this day you revealed your Son to the nations by the leading of a star. Lead us now by faith to know your presence in our lives, and bring us at last to the full vision of your glory, through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Alleluia. We have observed his star at its rising and have come to worship him. Alleluia

On The Twelfth Day of Christmas........

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Luke 2:41-52

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. ⁴² When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³ After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴ Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”^{[a] 50} But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵² And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

If

someone

went

searching

for

you,

would

they

likely

find

you

doing

“God’s

business”

-­‐-­‐-­‐

or

something

else?

For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another....
If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion,
how can the love of God remain in him?
Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. 1 John 3

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas.......

Grant us, almighty God, that the bringer of your salvation,
who for the world’s redemption
came forth with newness of heavenly light,
may dawn afresh in our hearts
and bring us constant renewal.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Luke 2:36-38

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷ and then was a widow until she was eighty-four.^[a]She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸ Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

How much time do you spend in devotions each day -­‐-­‐-­‐ worshiping, fasting, praying?

Can you covenant with God to increase that time throughout this New Year?

Jesus, Son of the living God, King of glory, and Son of the Virgin Mary,
- brighten this day with the glory of your incarnation.

Jesus, Wonder-Counselor, Mighty-God, Father of the future, Prince of peace,
- direct our lives according to the holiness of your human nature.

Jesus, all-powerful, patient, obedient, meek and humble of heart,
- show the power of your gentleness to all.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas.........

“Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise.”

Luke 2:25-32

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. ²⁶ It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. ²⁷ Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸ Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:

²⁹ “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you may now dismiss^[a] your servant in peace.
³⁰ For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹ which you have prepared in the sight of all nations:
³² a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”

Is there something you would like to see or experience before your time on earth is completed? Is there anything you can do to help make it happen, or do you have to simply wait patiently, as Simeon did?

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 2

On the Ninth Day of Christmas......

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, you wonderfully created the dignity of human nature and yet more wonderfully restored it. In your mercy, let us share the divine life of the one who came to share our humanity, Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Luke 2:21

²¹ On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.

"Jesus" means "God Saves." What does your name mean and in what ways is it ( or is it not) an accurate description of who you are?

Jesus, all-powerful, patient, obedient, meek and humble of heart,
- show the power of your gentleness to all.

Alleluia. Let the peace of Christ rule | in your hearts,
and let the word of Christ dwell | in you richly. Alleluia. (Col. 3:15, 16)

On the Eighth Day of Christmas......

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, you wonderfully created the dignity of human nature and yet more wonderfully restored it. In your mercy, let us share the divine life of the one who came to share our humanity, Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Jeremiah 29:11

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

What one hope do you have for your relationship with God in this New Year?

Alleluia. Let the peace of Christ rule | in your hearts,
and let the word of Christ dwell | in you richly. Alleluia. (Col. 3:15, 16)