All Hallows Evening Worship for Wednesday (December 21, 2022)
THE PREPARATION
The leader may greet the other participants. The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together. Isaiah 40:5
Great is the Lord and worthy of all praise.
Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom,
thanksgiving and honor, power and might,
be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Michael Burkhardt’s arrangement of “Creator of the Stars of Night” for unison voices, congregation, handbells, and organ.
Creator of the stars of night,
Your people’s everlasting light,
O Christ, Redeemer of us all,
We pray you hear us when we call.
When this old world drew on toward night
You came, but not in splendor bright:
Not as a monarch, but a child
Of Mary, blessed mother mild.
At your great name, O Jesus, now
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow.
All things on earth with one accord
Like those in heav’n shall call you Lord.
Come, in your holy might, we pray
Redeem us for eternal day:
Defend us while we dwell below
From all assaults of our dread foe.
To God the Father, God the Son
And God the Spirit, Three in One
Praise, honor, might, and glory be
From age to age eternally. Amen!
Hear these words of scripture.
As God who called you is holy,
be holy yourselves in all your conduct.
Spirit of God, search our hearts.
Let us bow our heads and, in silence,
remember our need for God’s forgiveness.
Silence
Let us confess our sins to God.
God of mercy,
we have sinned against you and against others.
We have sinned in what we have done,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for our sins,
forgive us all that is past
and raise us to newness of life. Amen.
Almighty God, you pardon all who truly repent,
forgive us sins, strengthen us by the Holy Spirit,
and keep us in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
Open this link in a new tab to hear Andrea Sandefur’s setting of Psalm 134, “Come, All Your Servants of the Lord.”
Come all you servants of the Lord (bless the Lord)
Who stand by night in the house of the Lord
Come all you servants of the Lord (bless the Lord)
Who stand by night in the house of the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord, bless the Lord
May the Lord bless you from Zion
He who made heaven and earth (heaven and earth)
May the Lord bless you from Zion
He who made heaven and earth (heaven and earth)
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord, bless the Lord
Open this link in a new tab to hear Thomas Keesecker’s arrangement of Carl P. Daw Jr.’s paraphrase of Psalm 84, “How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place” for SAB choir, organ, and optional assembly.
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
My thirsty soul desires and longs
within thy courts to be;
my very heart and flesh cry out,
O living God, for thee.
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
Beside thine altars, gracious Lord,
the swallows find a nest;
how happy they who dwell with thee
and praise thee without rest,
and happy they whose hearts are set
upon the pilgrim's quest.
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
They who go through the desert vale
will find it filled with springs,
and they shall climb from height to height
till Zion's temple rings
with praise to thee, in glory throned,
Lord God, great King of kings.
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
One day within thy courts excels
a thousand spent away;
how happy they who keep thy laws
nor from thy precepts stray,
for thou shalt surely bless all those
who live the words they pray.
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts! Amen!
The Reading from the Old Testament: Malachi 2:17-3:12
You have wearied the Lord with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask.
You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the Lord’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. Then once more the Lord will accept the offerings brought to him by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as he did in the past.
“At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear me,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’
“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!
“But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’
“You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Silence follows the reading.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Janet Whitaker’s “Magnificat.”
1 Sing out, my soul, for God has raised and blessed me
and looked on me with kindly, loving eyes.
A servant lowly yet I am beloved.
This wondrous God has done great things for me.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
2 The proud of heart he shall make low and humble.
The gentle, poor and hungry shall be filled.
O Israel! God shall uphold the promise
made long ago to you and Abraham.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
3 Glory to you, the God of all creation.
Glory to, O Christ, the promised one.
Glory to you, O Spirit of Compassion.
Inspire our hearts to sing our mother’s song.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
Malaki is the last of the Old Testament prophets. Malaki means “messenger” in Hebrew and Bible scholars believe that Malaki is not the real name of the author of the Book of Malaki. For the next 400 years the people of Judah, the last remnant of the people of Israel, would hear no word from God.
Malaki uttered his prophetic messages at time when the Judeans had been released from their captivity in Babylon and been allowed to return to the southern kingdom of Judah and to the city of Jerusalem. The worship of the Temple had been revived and once more the priests of the Temple offered sacrifices to God. The religious revival that accompanied the return of the Judeans to Judah and to Jerusalem, however, was short-lived. The priests had begun offering sacrificial animals to God that did not meet the requirements of being unblemished. They offered as sacrifices to God cattle that were lame or blind or otherwise unsuitable to offer as a sacrifice to God. The religious enthusiasm of the people of Judah had waned as it has waned in the past and as the religious enthusiasm of the people of the northern kingdom of Israel had also waned before the kingdom fell to the Assyrians.
The priests of the Temple and the people of Judah had become corrupt. They no longer honored God’s commandments regarding the treatment of day laborers, widows, orphans, and foreigners. They practiced various forms of divination, had sexual relations with other people’s spouses, and bore false witness in courts of law and did not speak the truth in other circumstances. They also neglected their tithes.
It was a time not unlike our own in a number of ways. Where Malaki’s time and our time are most alike is the disrespect of the Judeans for God and their accompanying lax attitude toward the tenets of their religion. In our time there are people who identify themselves as Christians but not do not attend church or live in accordance with what Jesus taught. There are also self-identified Christians who are churchgoers but do not follow Jesus’ teaching. They, like Judeans at whom Malaki’s prophetic utterances are directed believe that God is pleased with them even though they disregard what Jesus taught. They rationalize what they are doing is right and convince themselves that they have God’s approval. Like the Judeans, they also express surprise and even anger when it is pointed to their attention that they are not honoring God and their hearts are far from him.
The Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law of the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry were not too different from the Judeans of Malaki’s time. While they were scrupulous in the observance of the rules and regulations of their religion, they neglected what mattered most to God. Their motives were also wrong. They were not seeking to honor God. Rather they were seeking to gain the applause and approval of their co-religionists.
One of the things that the Judeans of Malaki’s time, the Pharisees and teachers of the law of Jesus’ time and these two groups of self-identified Christians have in common is self-deception, choosing to believe something is true when it is not.
Great is the Lord and worthy of all praise.
Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom,
thanksgiving and honor, power and might,
be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Michael Burkhardt’s arrangement of “Creator of the Stars of Night” for unison voices, congregation, handbells, and organ.
Creator of the stars of night,
Your people’s everlasting light,
O Christ, Redeemer of us all,
We pray you hear us when we call.
When this old world drew on toward night
You came, but not in splendor bright:
Not as a monarch, but a child
Of Mary, blessed mother mild.
At your great name, O Jesus, now
All knees must bend, all hearts must bow.
All things on earth with one accord
Like those in heav’n shall call you Lord.
Come, in your holy might, we pray
Redeem us for eternal day:
Defend us while we dwell below
From all assaults of our dread foe.
To God the Father, God the Son
And God the Spirit, Three in One
Praise, honor, might, and glory be
From age to age eternally. Amen!
Hear these words of scripture.
As God who called you is holy,
be holy yourselves in all your conduct.
Spirit of God, search our hearts.
Let us bow our heads and, in silence,
remember our need for God’s forgiveness.
Silence
Let us confess our sins to God.
God of mercy,
we have sinned against you and against others.
We have sinned in what we have done,
and in what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,
who died for our sins,
forgive us all that is past
and raise us to newness of life. Amen.
Almighty God, you pardon all who truly repent,
forgive us sins, strengthen us by the Holy Spirit,
and keep us in life eternal;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.
Amen.
THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD
Open this link in a new tab to hear Andrea Sandefur’s setting of Psalm 134, “Come, All Your Servants of the Lord.”
Come all you servants of the Lord (bless the Lord)
Who stand by night in the house of the Lord
Come all you servants of the Lord (bless the Lord)
Who stand by night in the house of the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord, bless the Lord
May the Lord bless you from Zion
He who made heaven and earth (heaven and earth)
May the Lord bless you from Zion
He who made heaven and earth (heaven and earth)
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord
Lift up your hands to the Holy Place
Lift up your hands, and bless the Lord, bless the Lord
Open this link in a new tab to hear Thomas Keesecker’s arrangement of Carl P. Daw Jr.’s paraphrase of Psalm 84, “How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place” for SAB choir, organ, and optional assembly.
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
My thirsty soul desires and longs
within thy courts to be;
my very heart and flesh cry out,
O living God, for thee.
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
Beside thine altars, gracious Lord,
the swallows find a nest;
how happy they who dwell with thee
and praise thee without rest,
and happy they whose hearts are set
upon the pilgrim's quest.
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
They who go through the desert vale
will find it filled with springs,
and they shall climb from height to height
till Zion's temple rings
with praise to thee, in glory throned,
Lord God, great King of kings.
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
One day within thy courts excels
a thousand spent away;
how happy they who keep thy laws
nor from thy precepts stray,
for thou shalt surely bless all those
who live the words they pray.
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts, to me!
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of Hosts! Amen!
The Reading from the Old Testament: Malachi 2:17-3:12
You have wearied the Lord with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask.
You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the Lord’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. Then once more the Lord will accept the offerings brought to him by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as he did in the past.
“At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear me,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“But you ask, ‘How can we return when we have never gone away?’
“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!
“But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’
“You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Silence follows the reading.
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Janet Whitaker’s “Magnificat.”
1 Sing out, my soul, for God has raised and blessed me
and looked on me with kindly, loving eyes.
A servant lowly yet I am beloved.
This wondrous God has done great things for me.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
2 The proud of heart he shall make low and humble.
The gentle, poor and hungry shall be filled.
O Israel! God shall uphold the promise
made long ago to you and Abraham.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
3 Glory to you, the God of all creation.
Glory to, O Christ, the promised one.
Glory to you, O Spirit of Compassion.
Inspire our hearts to sing our mother’s song.
Forevermore O mighty God of mercy,
I will sing praise for holy is your name!
Refined Like Gold and Silver
Malaki is the last of the Old Testament prophets. Malaki means “messenger” in Hebrew and Bible scholars believe that Malaki is not the real name of the author of the Book of Malaki. For the next 400 years the people of Judah, the last remnant of the people of Israel, would hear no word from God.
Malaki uttered his prophetic messages at time when the Judeans had been released from their captivity in Babylon and been allowed to return to the southern kingdom of Judah and to the city of Jerusalem. The worship of the Temple had been revived and once more the priests of the Temple offered sacrifices to God. The religious revival that accompanied the return of the Judeans to Judah and to Jerusalem, however, was short-lived. The priests had begun offering sacrificial animals to God that did not meet the requirements of being unblemished. They offered as sacrifices to God cattle that were lame or blind or otherwise unsuitable to offer as a sacrifice to God. The religious enthusiasm of the people of Judah had waned as it has waned in the past and as the religious enthusiasm of the people of the northern kingdom of Israel had also waned before the kingdom fell to the Assyrians.
The priests of the Temple and the people of Judah had become corrupt. They no longer honored God’s commandments regarding the treatment of day laborers, widows, orphans, and foreigners. They practiced various forms of divination, had sexual relations with other people’s spouses, and bore false witness in courts of law and did not speak the truth in other circumstances. They also neglected their tithes.
It was a time not unlike our own in a number of ways. Where Malaki’s time and our time are most alike is the disrespect of the Judeans for God and their accompanying lax attitude toward the tenets of their religion. In our time there are people who identify themselves as Christians but not do not attend church or live in accordance with what Jesus taught. There are also self-identified Christians who are churchgoers but do not follow Jesus’ teaching. They, like Judeans at whom Malaki’s prophetic utterances are directed believe that God is pleased with them even though they disregard what Jesus taught. They rationalize what they are doing is right and convince themselves that they have God’s approval. Like the Judeans, they also express surprise and even anger when it is pointed to their attention that they are not honoring God and their hearts are far from him.
The Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law of the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry were not too different from the Judeans of Malaki’s time. While they were scrupulous in the observance of the rules and regulations of their religion, they neglected what mattered most to God. Their motives were also wrong. They were not seeking to honor God. Rather they were seeking to gain the applause and approval of their co-religionists.
One of the things that the Judeans of Malaki’s time, the Pharisees and teachers of the law of Jesus’ time and these two groups of self-identified Christians have in common is self-deception, choosing to believe something is true when it is not.
Self-deception is a human trait that we all share to some degree. Self-deception is a common factor in the various forms of what psychologists call “cognitive distortion,” patterns of thinking that cause us to judge a person or a situation wrongly.
Jesus warned his disciples about being too hasty or too severe in their judgment of others. He appeared to recognize that human beings are apt not to think straight and can draw the wrong conclusions based on non-existent or scant evidence. The result is that we do not see a person or a situation as the person or really is. This includes us and our own situation. It also includes our relationship with God.
A passage in this evening’s reading which the early Christians came to understand as referring to Jesus and to John the Baptist as his forerunner is this one:
“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
This evening’s reading also contains a passage which allude to God refining the Levites as a smelter refines gold and silver. It is one of several passages in the Bible which refer God refining people as smelter refines these precious metals. They inspired Brian Doerksen to write the Vineyard song, “Refiner’s Fire.”
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold
And precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold
Pure gold
Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for you Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for you my master
Ready to do your will
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin
Deep within
Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for you Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for you my master
Ready to do your will
Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for you Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for you my master
Ready to do your will
And I am ready to do your will
Make me ready to do your will
Go to YouTube, enter “Refiner’s Fire Brian Doerksen” in the search field, click on the search icon, and then play one or more of the videos the search generates, and you will be able to hear the song for yourself. It works well as the final song in a worship set or at the conclusion of the distribution of the communion elements at the Lord’s Supper. It also works well as a response to the sermon or as a closing song. It is a prayer in which we express our desire to cooperate with God in his sanctifying and perfecting of us with his grace, the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.
God’s grace works in us to a number of ends—to draw us to himself, to awaken and arouse faith in us, faith in Jesus; to reinvigorate and strengthen that faith; and to restore his image in us so that we become like Jesus in our character, our thoughts, our desires, and our actions. The process of sanctifying and perfecting us is like the process a smelter uses to refine precious metals, burning away the dross, which has no use or no value, and purifying the gold or silver.
In our case the sacrifices that we offer will be spiritual ones and will take the form of a life of obedience, love, and holiness, following the example of Jesus. Then when Jesus comes again as he assuredly will, we will be able to greet him with joyful hearts, without fear or shame.
Silence
Make your ways known upon earth, O God,
your saving power among all peoples.
Renew your Church in holiness,
and help us to serve you with joy.
Guide the leaders of this and every nation,
that justice may prevail throughout the world.
Let not the needy, O God, be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Make us instruments of your peace,
and let your glory be over all the earth.
Heavenly Father,
you have promised to hear when we pray
in the name of your Son.
Therefore in confidence and trust
we pray for the Church:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
Father, enliven the Church for its mission
that we may be salt of the earth and light to the world.
Breathe fresh life into your people.
Give us power to reveal Christ in word and action.
We pray for the world:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
Creator of all,
lead us and every people into ways of justice and peace.
That we may respect one another in freedom and truth.
Awaken in us a sense of wonder for the earth and all that is in it.
Teach us to care creatively for its resources.
We pray for the community:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
God of truth, inspire with your wisdom
those whose decisions affect the lives of others
that all may act with integrity and courage.
Give grace to all whose lives are linked with ours.
May we serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us.
We pray for those in need:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
God of hope, comfort and restore
all who suffer in body, mind or spirit.
May they know the power of your healing love.
Make us willing agents of your compassion.
Strengthen us as we share in making people whole.
We remember those who have died and those who mourn:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
We remember with thanksgiving those who have died in the faith
of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone.
Father, into your hands we commend them.
Give comfort to those who mourn.
Bring them peace in their time of loss.
We praise you for (N and) all your saints
who have entered your eternal glory.
May their example inspire and encourage us.
We pray for ourselves and our ministries:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered and the prayers
conclude with the following.)
Lord, you have called us to serve you.
Grant that we may walk in your presence:
your love in our hearts,
your truth in our minds,
your strength in our wills;
until, at the end of our journey,
we know the joy of our homecoming
and the welcome of your embrace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Living God, you called your people out of Egypt
and gave them the covenant;
prepare our hearts to hear your call,
so that we may receive with joy the gospel of your Son
and be your faithful people, now and for ever.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake. Amen.
Gracious God,
you have given us much today;
grant us also a thankful spirit.
Into your hands we commend ourselves
and those we love.
Be with us still, and when we take our rest
renew us for the service of your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.
In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
As our Savior Christ has taught us, we pray:
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,
the power, and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Open this ink in a new tab to hear Hal H. Hopson’s arrangement of Abbé Simon-Joseph Pellegrin’ “O Come, Divine Messiah” for SATB voices and piano.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph
And sadness flee away
Dear Savior, haste
Come, come to earth
Dispel the night and show your face
And bid us hail the dawn of grace
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph
And sadness flee away
O come Desired of nations,
whom priest and prophet long foretold
Come break the captive fetters
Redeem the long-lost fold
Dear Savior, haste
Come, come to earth
Dispel the night and show your face
And bid us hail the dawn of grace
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph
And sadness flee away
Come in peace and meekness
for lowly will our cradle be,
all clothed in human weakness
we shall your Godhead see.
Dear Savior, haste
Come, come to earth
Dispel the night and show your face
And bid us hail the dawn of grace
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph
And sadness flee away
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits
THE DISMISSAL
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The almighty and merciful God bless us
and keep us now and for ever. Amen.
Go now to love and serve the Lord. Go in peace.
Amen. We go in the name of Christ.
A passage in this evening’s reading which the early Christians came to understand as referring to Jesus and to John the Baptist as his forerunner is this one:
“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
This evening’s reading also contains a passage which allude to God refining the Levites as a smelter refines gold and silver. It is one of several passages in the Bible which refer God refining people as smelter refines these precious metals. They inspired Brian Doerksen to write the Vineyard song, “Refiner’s Fire.”
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold
And precious silver
Purify my heart
Let me be as gold
Pure gold
Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for you Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for you my master
Ready to do your will
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from within
And make me holy
Purify my heart
Cleanse me from my sin
Deep within
Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for you Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for you my master
Ready to do your will
Refiner's fire
My heart's one desire
Is to be holy
Set apart for you Lord
I choose to be holy
Set apart for you my master
Ready to do your will
And I am ready to do your will
Make me ready to do your will
Go to YouTube, enter “Refiner’s Fire Brian Doerksen” in the search field, click on the search icon, and then play one or more of the videos the search generates, and you will be able to hear the song for yourself. It works well as the final song in a worship set or at the conclusion of the distribution of the communion elements at the Lord’s Supper. It also works well as a response to the sermon or as a closing song. It is a prayer in which we express our desire to cooperate with God in his sanctifying and perfecting of us with his grace, the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.
God’s grace works in us to a number of ends—to draw us to himself, to awaken and arouse faith in us, faith in Jesus; to reinvigorate and strengthen that faith; and to restore his image in us so that we become like Jesus in our character, our thoughts, our desires, and our actions. The process of sanctifying and perfecting us is like the process a smelter uses to refine precious metals, burning away the dross, which has no use or no value, and purifying the gold or silver.
In our case the sacrifices that we offer will be spiritual ones and will take the form of a life of obedience, love, and holiness, following the example of Jesus. Then when Jesus comes again as he assuredly will, we will be able to greet him with joyful hearts, without fear or shame.
Silence
Make your ways known upon earth, O God,
your saving power among all peoples.
Renew your Church in holiness,
and help us to serve you with joy.
Guide the leaders of this and every nation,
that justice may prevail throughout the world.
Let not the needy, O God, be forgotten,
nor the hope of the poor be taken away.
Make us instruments of your peace,
and let your glory be over all the earth.
Heavenly Father,
you have promised to hear when we pray
in the name of your Son.
Therefore in confidence and trust
we pray for the Church:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
Father, enliven the Church for its mission
that we may be salt of the earth and light to the world.
Breathe fresh life into your people.
Give us power to reveal Christ in word and action.
We pray for the world:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
Creator of all,
lead us and every people into ways of justice and peace.
That we may respect one another in freedom and truth.
Awaken in us a sense of wonder for the earth and all that is in it.
Teach us to care creatively for its resources.
We pray for the community:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
God of truth, inspire with your wisdom
those whose decisions affect the lives of others
that all may act with integrity and courage.
Give grace to all whose lives are linked with ours.
May we serve Christ in one another, and love as he loves us.
We pray for those in need:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
God of hope, comfort and restore
all who suffer in body, mind or spirit.
May they know the power of your healing love.
Make us willing agents of your compassion.
Strengthen us as we share in making people whole.
We remember those who have died and those who mourn:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered.)
We remember with thanksgiving those who have died in the faith
of Christ, and those whose faith is known to you alone.
Father, into your hands we commend them.
Give comfort to those who mourn.
Bring them peace in their time of loss.
We praise you for (N and) all your saints
who have entered your eternal glory.
May their example inspire and encourage us.
We pray for ourselves and our ministries:
(Particular intercessions/thanksgivings may be offered and the prayers
conclude with the following.)
Lord, you have called us to serve you.
Grant that we may walk in your presence:
your love in our hearts,
your truth in our minds,
your strength in our wills;
until, at the end of our journey,
we know the joy of our homecoming
and the welcome of your embrace,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Living God, you called your people out of Egypt
and gave them the covenant;
prepare our hearts to hear your call,
so that we may receive with joy the gospel of your Son
and be your faithful people, now and for ever.
Hear this prayer for your love’s sake. Amen.
Gracious God,
you have given us much today;
grant us also a thankful spirit.
Into your hands we commend ourselves
and those we love.
Be with us still, and when we take our rest
renew us for the service of your Son Jesus Christ.
Amen.
In darkness and in light,
in trouble and in joy,
help us, heavenly Father,
to trust your love,
to serve your purpose,
and to praise your name,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
The Lord bless you.
As our Savior Christ has taught us, we pray:
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,
the power, and the glory
for ever and ever.
Amen.
Open this ink in a new tab to hear Hal H. Hopson’s arrangement of Abbé Simon-Joseph Pellegrin’ “O Come, Divine Messiah” for SATB voices and piano.
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph
And sadness flee away
Dear Savior, haste
Come, come to earth
Dispel the night and show your face
And bid us hail the dawn of grace
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph
And sadness flee away
O come Desired of nations,
whom priest and prophet long foretold
Come break the captive fetters
Redeem the long-lost fold
Dear Savior, haste
Come, come to earth
Dispel the night and show your face
And bid us hail the dawn of grace
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph
And sadness flee away
Come in peace and meekness
for lowly will our cradle be,
all clothed in human weakness
we shall your Godhead see.
Dear Savior, haste
Come, come to earth
Dispel the night and show your face
And bid us hail the dawn of grace
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits the day
When hope shall sing its triumph
And sadness flee away
O come, divine Messiah!
The world in silence waits
THE DISMISSAL
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The almighty and merciful God bless us
and keep us now and for ever. Amen.
Go now to love and serve the Lord. Go in peace.
Amen. We go in the name of Christ.
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