Thursday Evening at All Hallows (Thursday, June 29, 2023)
Welcome to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows. This evening we continue our series on Jesus’ teaching. We will be looking at what Jesus taught about trees and the fruit they bear. Yes, Jesus taught about trees and fruit. He often used the commonplace to illustrate spiritual truths and principles.
1. OPENING The Lord almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. Amen
Lord Jesus, you came to call sinners to repentance,
have mercy on us.
Lord Jesus, sent to heal those who are burdened in soul,
have mercy on us.
Lord Jesus, now seated at the Father’s right hand to intercede for us,
have mercy on us.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Glory to God; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Praise the Lord!
2. HYMN
Open this link in a new tab to hear Susan Briehl’s “Let Evening Fall.”
1 Let evening fall on field and forest,
on desert mesa, canyon deep;
let coyote prowl and night hawk circle
while solemn owl her wise watch keeps.
2 *Let mountain now resound with chanting,
and meadow echo antiphon;
let dusky breezes rustle aspen
while lake and land join even-song.
3 Let those who labor in the daylight
now bring their working to an end;
let others rise to keep the vigil,
the weak to guard, the sick to tend.
4 Let every heart that harbors hatred
(Let every heart that harbors hatred)
release its hold, receive your grace;
(release its hold, receive your grace;)
let every mouth that spoke in anger
(let every mouth that spoke in anger)
seek pardon’s peace, then sing your praise.
(seek pardon’s peace, then sing your praise.)
5 Let daylight fade and shadows lengthen
when those we love draw near to death;
Attend our prayers, our weak faith strengthen
as you receive their final breath.
6 O Maker of creation’s choir,
O Song of love sung out for all,
O Spirit, breath of all our singing,
Let praise arise, let evening fall.
*Omitted on the video.
2. PSALMS
Open this link in a new tab to hear The Psalm Project’s Psalm 4, “Hear Me as I Call, O God.”
Hear me as I call, O God
You’re all my righteousness
For You have rescued me
When I was drowning in the depths
Show favor again to me
And hear my prayer
How long, O sons of men, will you tear me down with guilt and shame?
How long will you love what’s worthless?
How long will your hearts chase after lies?
But know that God set me apart
And know that He has chosen me
And He will answer me
He will answer when I call
Pour out your complaints, but do not sin
Commune with Your heart upon your bed and be still
Offer up your sacrifice and trust in Him
For there are many who say, “Who will show us any good?
Lord, show us just how good You are
Unveil Your glory
For You have put gladness in my heart
Even more than the wealthiest of earth
And I will lay me down, I will lay me down in peace
And I will sleep in Your peace
For You alone make me dwell in safety
I can rest because You are good
I can rest because You are faithful
I can rest because You are good to me
Pause for silent prayer.
Give us today, O God,
a glad heart and a clear conscience,
that when we come to this day’s end
we may rest in peace with Christ our Lord.
Grant this prayer for your love’s sake.
Amen.
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
Pause for silent prayer
Guard all your household, Lord,
through the dark night of faith,
and purify the hearts of those who wait on you,
until your kingdom dawns with the
rising of your Son,
Christ, the morning star.
Praise to you our God;
You answer prayer. Amen.
3. HYMN
Open this link in a new tab to hear Christopher Idle’s “Eternal Light, Shine in My Heart.”
1 Eternal light, shine in my heart;
eternal hope, lift up my eyes:
eternal power, be my support;
eternal wisdom, make me wise.
2 Eternal life, raise me from death;
eternal brightness, help me see:
eternal Spirit, give me breath;
eternal Saviour, come to me:
3 Until by your most costly grace,
invited by your holy word,
at last I come before your face
to know you, my eternal God,
to know you, my eternal God.
3. READING
A reading from the New Testament (Matthew 7:15-20)
“Be on your guard against false prophets; they come to you looking like sheep on the outside, but on the inside they are really like wild wolves. You will know them by what they do. Thorn bushes do not bear grapes, and briers do not bear figs. A healthy tree bears good fruit, but a poor tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a poor tree cannot bear good fruit. And any tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire. So then, you will know the false prophets by what they do.
Silence
Thanks be to God.
4. HOMILY
Jesus was an astute observe of human behavior. He was quick to notice things that other people did not notice. He had an uncanny way of discerning what people were thinking and feeling, what was motivating their words and actions.
This ability to see beyond outward appearances into the human heart, into an individual’s deepest thoughts and feelings and their underlying motivations, is recognizably evidence of Jesus’ divinity. God does not look at outward appearances but at the human heart, our innermost self. God sees past our public persona, the particular type of character that we appear to have and sees our real or private character. He sees us flaws, shortcomings, weaknesses and all, the things that we hide from others and the things that we hide from ourselves. He knows our darkest secrets.
Jesus recognized that his disciples did not have this ability. We are not able to see the real or private character of the people around us. They may be hiding their real intentions and feelings from us and putting on an act for us.
One of Jesus’ principle criticisms of the Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law was that their piety was show. It was not sincere or real. It was motivated by a desire to gain the attention of their fellow Jews and to elevate themselves in the eyes of other people. This mattered more to them than honoring and reverencing God.
The aim of Jesus’ teaching In this evening’s reading was to help his disciples to identify false prophets. A false prophet is someone who claims to be a messenger of God but whose message is not from God. Rather their message may be a product of their own imagination or come from a lying spirit. A false prophet will present the message as a message from God, claiming the authority of God for what they are saying. They may have convinced themselves that the message is from God, or the lying spirit may have convinced them it is from God. On the other hand, they may be fully aware that the message does not come from God, that it is their own invention, or it is demonic in origin.
A false prophet may not necessarily present themselves as a prophet, as someone who has special power that allows them to say what God wishes to tell people. They may or may not be in a position of religious leadership. They may be an influential politician, social media influencer, or someone else who occupies a position of influence. They may be a family member, relative, neighbor, friend, coworker, supervisor or employer, fellow student, or teacher.
False prophets may not appear to be clearly suspicious people with an obviously evil intent. They may be harmless and innocent in appearance.
In his teaching Jesus often used illustrations from the everyday lives of the people to whom he was speaking. At the time the Mid-East was largely pre-industrial and agrarian. Sheep were raised for their milk, wool, and meat. Goats and cattle were also raised for milk and meat. Oxen were used to pull plows and carts. Wolves were the chief predator although in earlier times bears and lions presented a threat to flocks and herds.
As well as raising livestock, the people of that time in that part of the world also grew wheat and barley and cultivated grapes, olives, dates, figs, and other fruit, legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, and fava beans, herbs like dill, and alum such as garlic, onions, and leeks, and a umber of other vegetables. They fished the Sea of Galilee. They would also be familiar with thornbushes and briers.
Briers are wild bushes with long stems and sharp thorns. They are sometimes called brambles. Roses and blackberries are types of briers which produce fruit of their own. However, they do not produce figs just as thornbushes do not produce grapes. While roses might be cultivated for their flowers and fragrance, thorn bushes were used to make temporary corrals for livestock. Their sharp thorns kept away predators. Or they were burned as firewood. The Roman soldiers made a crown of thorns from their sharp thorns for Jesus when they mocked him after his arrest. The whip with which they flogged him before they crucified him may have had their sharp thorns intertwined with its cords.
Healthy fruit trees produce a lot of fruit and the fruit they produce is wholesome and edible. It may be pleasantly juicy or very sweet, depending upon the type of fruit, On the other hand, a poor, or unhealthy, tree produces little or no fruit. What fruit it may produce may be wizen, bitter, and worm ridden. Trees that produced little or no fruit or yielded bad fruit were cut down and burned as firewood. Healthier trees were planted in their place.
When Jesus talks about knowing false prophets by what they do, he is talking about the kind of fruit that they produce, the effects that they have on other people, the results that their words and actions produce. Do they have a positive effect on other people? Or do they have a negative effect.
Jesus’ other teachings help us to gauge what kind of effect a particular individual is having on other people. Are they encouraging other people to do good things or bad things? Are they setting a good example for other people or a bad one? For example, are treating other people with kindness and respect and encouraging the people with whom they have influence to do the same? Or are they unkind and disrespectful to other people and encourage those over whom they exercise influence to do the same?
People who encourage others to do bad things are not always obvious in what they are doing. They can make use of clever and indirect methods. However, the kind of influence that they are exerting on those around them can be seen in the attitudes and behavior of these people. Those around them may adopt negative attitudes and engage in negative behavior. If these people already exhibited such attitudes and behavior, it will grow worse.
As disciples of Jesus, we are called to do the exact opposite. We are called to be light and salt, and to be a positive influence in their lives of other people, to encourage them to do positive things and to set a positive example for them. Jesus’ teachings are our guide to what positive things we are to encourage in others and to exemplify ourselves.
Thanks be to God.
4. HOMILY
Jesus’ Teaching about Trees and the Fruit They Bear.
Jesus was an astute observe of human behavior. He was quick to notice things that other people did not notice. He had an uncanny way of discerning what people were thinking and feeling, what was motivating their words and actions.
This ability to see beyond outward appearances into the human heart, into an individual’s deepest thoughts and feelings and their underlying motivations, is recognizably evidence of Jesus’ divinity. God does not look at outward appearances but at the human heart, our innermost self. God sees past our public persona, the particular type of character that we appear to have and sees our real or private character. He sees us flaws, shortcomings, weaknesses and all, the things that we hide from others and the things that we hide from ourselves. He knows our darkest secrets.
Jesus recognized that his disciples did not have this ability. We are not able to see the real or private character of the people around us. They may be hiding their real intentions and feelings from us and putting on an act for us.
One of Jesus’ principle criticisms of the Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law was that their piety was show. It was not sincere or real. It was motivated by a desire to gain the attention of their fellow Jews and to elevate themselves in the eyes of other people. This mattered more to them than honoring and reverencing God.
The aim of Jesus’ teaching In this evening’s reading was to help his disciples to identify false prophets. A false prophet is someone who claims to be a messenger of God but whose message is not from God. Rather their message may be a product of their own imagination or come from a lying spirit. A false prophet will present the message as a message from God, claiming the authority of God for what they are saying. They may have convinced themselves that the message is from God, or the lying spirit may have convinced them it is from God. On the other hand, they may be fully aware that the message does not come from God, that it is their own invention, or it is demonic in origin.
A false prophet may not necessarily present themselves as a prophet, as someone who has special power that allows them to say what God wishes to tell people. They may or may not be in a position of religious leadership. They may be an influential politician, social media influencer, or someone else who occupies a position of influence. They may be a family member, relative, neighbor, friend, coworker, supervisor or employer, fellow student, or teacher.
False prophets may not appear to be clearly suspicious people with an obviously evil intent. They may be harmless and innocent in appearance.
In his teaching Jesus often used illustrations from the everyday lives of the people to whom he was speaking. At the time the Mid-East was largely pre-industrial and agrarian. Sheep were raised for their milk, wool, and meat. Goats and cattle were also raised for milk and meat. Oxen were used to pull plows and carts. Wolves were the chief predator although in earlier times bears and lions presented a threat to flocks and herds.
As well as raising livestock, the people of that time in that part of the world also grew wheat and barley and cultivated grapes, olives, dates, figs, and other fruit, legumes such as lentils, chickpeas, and fava beans, herbs like dill, and alum such as garlic, onions, and leeks, and a umber of other vegetables. They fished the Sea of Galilee. They would also be familiar with thornbushes and briers.
Briers are wild bushes with long stems and sharp thorns. They are sometimes called brambles. Roses and blackberries are types of briers which produce fruit of their own. However, they do not produce figs just as thornbushes do not produce grapes. While roses might be cultivated for their flowers and fragrance, thorn bushes were used to make temporary corrals for livestock. Their sharp thorns kept away predators. Or they were burned as firewood. The Roman soldiers made a crown of thorns from their sharp thorns for Jesus when they mocked him after his arrest. The whip with which they flogged him before they crucified him may have had their sharp thorns intertwined with its cords.
Healthy fruit trees produce a lot of fruit and the fruit they produce is wholesome and edible. It may be pleasantly juicy or very sweet, depending upon the type of fruit, On the other hand, a poor, or unhealthy, tree produces little or no fruit. What fruit it may produce may be wizen, bitter, and worm ridden. Trees that produced little or no fruit or yielded bad fruit were cut down and burned as firewood. Healthier trees were planted in their place.
When Jesus talks about knowing false prophets by what they do, he is talking about the kind of fruit that they produce, the effects that they have on other people, the results that their words and actions produce. Do they have a positive effect on other people? Or do they have a negative effect.
Jesus’ other teachings help us to gauge what kind of effect a particular individual is having on other people. Are they encouraging other people to do good things or bad things? Are they setting a good example for other people or a bad one? For example, are treating other people with kindness and respect and encouraging the people with whom they have influence to do the same? Or are they unkind and disrespectful to other people and encourage those over whom they exercise influence to do the same?
People who encourage others to do bad things are not always obvious in what they are doing. They can make use of clever and indirect methods. However, the kind of influence that they are exerting on those around them can be seen in the attitudes and behavior of these people. Those around them may adopt negative attitudes and engage in negative behavior. If these people already exhibited such attitudes and behavior, it will grow worse.
As disciples of Jesus, we are called to do the exact opposite. We are called to be light and salt, and to be a positive influence in their lives of other people, to encourage them to do positive things and to set a positive example for them. Jesus’ teachings are our guide to what positive things we are to encourage in others and to exemplify ourselves.
Let us pray that with the help of God’s grace, we will always be good trees, bearing good fruit to the glory of our Lord. May it always be so. Amen.
5. PRAYERS
Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley-Smith’s setting of A Collect for Aid against Perils, “Lighten Our Darkness Now e Day Is Ended.”
1 Lighten our darkness now the day is ended:
Father in mercy, guard your children sleeping;
from every evil, every harm defended,
safe in your keeping;
2 To that last hour, when heaven's day is dawning,
far spent the night that knows no earthly waking;
keep us as watchmen, longing for the morning,
till that day's breaking.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s setting of a prayer by St. Augustine, “Watch, O Lord.”
Watch, O Lord, with all those awake this night,
Watch O Lord with all those who weep;
Give your angels and saints charge over all who sleep.
1 Tend your ailing ones: in your love, Lord;
Rest your weary ones: in your love, Lord;
Bless your dying ones: in your love, Lord of all.
Watch, O Lord, with all those awake this night,
Watch O Lord with all those who weep;
Give your angels and saints charge over all who sleep.
2 Soothe your suff’ring ones: in your love, Lord;
Heal afflicted ones: in your love, Lord;
Shield your joyous ones: in your love, Lord of all.
Watch, O Lord, with all those awake this night,
Watch O Lord with all those who weep;
Give your angels and saints charge over all who sleep.
3 Hold your grieving ones: in your love, Lord;
Raise your fallen ones: in your love, Lord;
Mend your broken ones: in your love, Lord of all.
Watch, O Lord, with all those awake this night,
Watch O Lord with all those who weep;
Give your angels and saints charge over all who sleep.
Guard your little ones: in your love, Lord;
Guide your searching ones: in your love, Lord;
Grant us all your peace: in your love, Lord of all.
Watch, O Lord, with all those awake this night,
Watch O Lord with all those who weep;
Give your angels and saints charge over all who sleep.
(Silence may be kept, and free intercessions and thanksgivings may be offered.)
6. THE LORD’S PRAYER
All these mercies we ask in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who taught us to pray with the confidence of children.
We therefore dare to say:
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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
7. GOSPEL CANTCLE
Open this link in a new tab to hear Gerhard M. Cartford’s “At Last, Lord.”
At last, Lord, your word of promise fulfilling,
you let your servant go forth in freedom and peace.
With my own eyes I have seen the salvation
you have prepared in the sight of all the peoples:
a light that will reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
8. BENEDICTION
Let us praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
let us praise and magnify him for ever.
The almighty and merciful God preserve us and give us his blessing. Amen.
5. PRAYERS
Open this link in a new tab to hear Timothy Dudley-Smith’s setting of A Collect for Aid against Perils, “Lighten Our Darkness Now e Day Is Ended.”
1 Lighten our darkness now the day is ended:
Father in mercy, guard your children sleeping;
from every evil, every harm defended,
safe in your keeping;
2 To that last hour, when heaven's day is dawning,
far spent the night that knows no earthly waking;
keep us as watchmen, longing for the morning,
till that day's breaking.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s setting of a prayer by St. Augustine, “Watch, O Lord.”
Watch, O Lord, with all those awake this night,
Watch O Lord with all those who weep;
Give your angels and saints charge over all who sleep.
1 Tend your ailing ones: in your love, Lord;
Rest your weary ones: in your love, Lord;
Bless your dying ones: in your love, Lord of all.
Watch, O Lord, with all those awake this night,
Watch O Lord with all those who weep;
Give your angels and saints charge over all who sleep.
2 Soothe your suff’ring ones: in your love, Lord;
Heal afflicted ones: in your love, Lord;
Shield your joyous ones: in your love, Lord of all.
Watch, O Lord, with all those awake this night,
Watch O Lord with all those who weep;
Give your angels and saints charge over all who sleep.
3 Hold your grieving ones: in your love, Lord;
Raise your fallen ones: in your love, Lord;
Mend your broken ones: in your love, Lord of all.
Watch, O Lord, with all those awake this night,
Watch O Lord with all those who weep;
Give your angels and saints charge over all who sleep.
Guard your little ones: in your love, Lord;
Guide your searching ones: in your love, Lord;
Grant us all your peace: in your love, Lord of all.
Watch, O Lord, with all those awake this night,
Watch O Lord with all those who weep;
Give your angels and saints charge over all who sleep.
(Silence may be kept, and free intercessions and thanksgivings may be offered.)
6. THE LORD’S PRAYER
All these mercies we ask in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who taught us to pray with the confidence of children.
We therefore dare to say:
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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
7. GOSPEL CANTCLE
Open this link in a new tab to hear Gerhard M. Cartford’s “At Last, Lord.”
At last, Lord, your word of promise fulfilling,
you let your servant go forth in freedom and peace.
With my own eyes I have seen the salvation
you have prepared in the sight of all the peoples:
a light that will reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.
8. BENEDICTION
Let us praise the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;
let us praise and magnify him for ever.
The almighty and merciful God preserve us and give us his blessing. Amen.
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