Thursday Evenings at All Hallows (Thursday, December 5, 2024)
For those who are new to Thursday Evenings at All Hallows, it is one of two services of public worship offered by All Hallows Murray, a digital church and online worship ministry serving those who are for any reason unable to attend a church in their community, are homebound, are traveling, or are exploring the Christian faith and way of life.
The format used for Thursday Evenings at All Hallows is designed for families and small groups as well as individuals. In the case of families and small groups, different individuals can read the lessons and the message and lead the prayers. Directions for the service are printed in italics. The parts of the service printed in bold are said or sung by all. The exceptions are this introduction and the heading in bold caps at the beginning of each major section of the service. If a song is new or unfamiliar, listen to a verse or two and join in the remaining verses. The words printed in brackets [ ] may be omitted.
This evening’s message unpacks 2 Peter 3 and examines its implications for modern-day Christians.
THE GATHERING OF GOD’S PEOPLE
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 3:2
Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s “God of Day and God of Darkness.”
1 God of day and God of darkness,
Now we stand before the night;
As the shadows stretch and deepen,
Come and make our darkness bright.
All creation still is groaning
For the dawning of your might,
When the Sun of peace and justice
Fills the earth with radiant light.
2 Still the nations curse the darkness,
Still the rich oppress the poor;
Still the earth is bruised and broken
By the ones who still want more.
Come and wake us from our sleeping,
So our hearts cannot ignore
All your people lost and broken,
All your children at our door.
3 Show us Christ in one another,
Make us servants strong and true.
Give us all your love of justice
So we do what you would do.
Let us call all people holy,
Let us pledge our lives anew,
Make us one with all the lowly,
Let us all be one in you.
4 You shall be the path that guides us,
You the light that in us burns;
Shining deep within all people,
Yours the love that we must learn,
For our hearts shall wander restless
'Til they safe to you return;
Finding you in one another,
We shall all your face discern.
5 Gentle Father, loving Mother,
Jesus: Brother, Saviour, Friend;
Spirit of all grace and power,
May we praise you without end.
Grant us all a peaceful resting,
Let each mind and body mend,
So we rise refreshed tomorrow,
Hearts renewed to Kingdom tend.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.
But if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just,
and will forgive our sins
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9
Let us confess our sins to God our Father
Silence
Heavenly Father,
we have sinned against you and against our neighbour
in thought and word and deed,
through negligence, through weakness,
through our own deliberate fault;
by what we have done
and by what we have failed to do.
We are truly sorry and repent of all our sins.
For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ who died for us,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may serve you in newness of life
to the glory of your name. Amen.
Merciful Lord,
grant to your faithful people pardon and peace,
that we may be cleansed from all our sins,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
PROCLAIMING AND RECEIVING THE WORD
O Lord, open our lips
and our mouth will proclaim your praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen.
Praise the Lord.
The Lord’s name be praised.
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 to hear It’s About the Word’s adaptation of Psalm 143, “Show Me the Way."
O Lord, hear my pray
Listen to my cry for mercy
In your faithfulness
Come to my relief
As your servant Lord
Save me from your judgement
For no one is righteous before you
Show me the way that I should go
Only to you I lift my soul
Your unfailing Love and mercy fill my days
Teach me to do your will much more
Than I ever have before
Let me hide myself in you
For your name sake
Show me the way
I consider the past
And the ways you have shown your mercy
I'm amazed most of all
By what your hands have done
In your steadfast Love
You shelter me from evil
For I am here to serve you, Lord
Show me the way that I should go
Only to you I lift my soul
Your unfailing Love and mercy fill my days
Teach me to do your will much more
Than I ever have before
Let me hide myself in you
For your name sake
Show me the way
Open this link in a new tab to hear Jimmy Owen' FAIRFIELD setting of Thomas Ken's "The Doxology (Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow)."
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him, all creatures here below,
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him, all creatures here below,
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him, all creatures here below,
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
A reading from the Book of Isaiah, chapter 2, beginning at verse 12.
Isaiah 2:12-22
For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
has a day of reckoning.
He will punish the proud and mighty
and bring down everything that is exalted.
He will cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon
and all the mighty oaks of Bashan.
He will level all the high mountains
and all the lofty hills.
He will break down every high tower
and every fortified wall.
He will destroy all the great trading ships
and every magnificent vessel.
Human pride will be humbled,
and human arrogance will be brought down.
Only the Lord will be exalted
on that day of judgment.
Idols will completely disappear.
When the Lord rises to shake the earth,
his enemies will crawl into holes in the ground.
They will hide in caves in the rocks
from the terror of the Lord
and the glory of his majesty.
On that day of judgment they will abandon the gold and silver idols
they made for themselves to worship.
They will leave their gods to the rodents and bats,
while they crawl away into caverns
and hide among the jagged rocks in the cliffs.
They will try to escape the terror of the Lord
and the glory of his majesty
as he rises to shake the earth.
Don’t put your trust in mere humans.
They are as frail as breath.
What good are they?
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear David Haas’ “Holy Is His Name (Magnificat).”
1 My soul is filled with joy
as I sing to God my savior;
you have looked upon your servant,
you have visited your people.
And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!
2 I am lowly as a child,
but I know from this day forward
that my name will be remembered,
for all will call me blessed.
And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!
3 I proclaim the pow’r of God,
you do marvels for your servants;
though you scatter the proud hearted
and destroy the might of princes.
And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!
4 To the hungry you give food,
Send the rich away empty;
In your mercy you are mindful
of the people you have chosen.
And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!
5 In your love you now fulfill
what you promised to your people
I will praise you, Lord my savior
everlasting is your mercy.
And holy is your name.
through all generations!
Everlasting is your mercy
to the people you have chosen,
and holy is your name!
A reading from the Second Letter of Peter, chapter 3, beginning at verse 1.
2 Peter 3
This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory. I want you to remember what the holy prophets said long ago and what our Lord and Savior commanded through your apostles.
Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”
They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.
But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.
Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.
And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.
And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him— speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction.
You already know these things, dear friends. So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
All glory to him, both now and forever! Amen.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear M. D. Ridge’s “Now Let Your Servants, Lord, Depart in Peace.”
1 Now let your servants, Lord, depart in peace,
your words within our hearts to dwell,
for we have seen your saving pow’r, the
glory of your people Israel.
2 What ancient kings and prophets long’d to hear
call us to bring darkness light.
We are your living body, Lord: let
us with living flame dispel the night.
3 Make us apostles; we are yours to send
that all with Simeon’s eyes may see,
and seeing, live your gospel truth like
Anna: wise and joyful, thankful, free.
4 Let all the mighty mountains leap for joy!
Let all the hills resound with song,
boundless in praise, unending love and
faith enduring, deep and true and strong.
5 We sing your praise, O Holy Triune God:
you, our Creator, Mighty One,
forever in the Spirit’s love
united with our saving Lord, your Son.
A Call to Repentance and Holy Living
What we can gather from this evening’s readings is that there will be a day of reckoning, a day of judgement, when humanity will be held to account for every wrongdoing that it has committed, for the evil that it has done and for the good that it has failed to do. God, however, is not in a hurry to hold humanity to account, giving individual humans opportunity to repent, to have a change of heart and to mend their ways. As Peter points to the attention of those to whom he wrote his second letter, God perceives time differently than human beings do. Indeed, God can be thought of as existing outside of time and space as we understand it.
Peter goes on to urge those to whom he wrote the letter to make every effort to live godly and holy lives, to live peaceful live that are pure and blameless in God’s sight. He warns them against those who scoff at the idea that Jesus will return, who follow their own way rather than Jesus’ teaching and example. After acknowledging that Paul’s comments can be hard to understand, Peter also warns readers of the letter against those who twist Paul’s letters to mean something quite different from what Paul intended, as well as twisting other parts of Scripture.
In our time we certainly have our share of those who scoff at the truth of Jesus’ existence, much less the probability of his return, dismissing Jesus as a myth. We also have our share of those who twist Scripture. While some do this with Scripture because they lack knowledge or understanding of the basic principles of sound Bible interpretation or are weak in their faith; others do it to make Scripture appear to support their pre-existing beliefs, beliefs that are not actually found in Scripture or which can be proved from Scripture.
Peter is not suggesting that Scripture lacks perspicuity, the quality to be clear and easy to understand. Nor is he inferring that a Bible scholar, priest, or pastor is needed to interpret it for us. What he is doing is identifying two categories of people who are likely to change the meaning of a passage of Scripture so that it says something other than what the original author intended it to mean and giving a brief explanation why they are apt to do that with Scripture—ignorance and a weak faith.
Note that Peter recognizes Paul’s letters as Scripture. This is the earliest evidence that an apostle saw the writing of a fellow apostle as carrying the same authority as the Hebrew Bible.
Peter’s call to repentance and holy living is not unique to him. The call to repentance is found elsewhere in the Bible, for example, Ezekiel 33:10-12:
“Son of man, give the people of Israel this message: You are saying, ‘Our sins are heavy upon us; we are wasting away! How can we survive?’ As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?
“Son of man, give your people this message: The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins.
In his call to holy living, Peter is repeating what he wrote in his first letter, in 1 Peter 1: 15, “But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.” He is also echoing God’s words in Leviticus 11: 45, “For I am the Lord your God. You must consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.”
Jesus himself preached repentance. See Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, and Mark 1:15. He also emphasized holy living.
But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven! Matthew 5:20
How then do we become holy? By first trusting in Jesus for our salvation, accepting his gift of eternal life, and then trusting in him to make us like him, to transform us into his image. Any pursuit of holiness is pointless if we have not entered into a right relationship with God, turning in repentance from how we have been living and turning in faith to Jesus to put things right between us and God.
Jesus summarized what may be described as the biblical standard of holiness in the Great Commandment:
“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22: 37-40
In his teaching, in his commandment to love our enemies and to do good to them, in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus included as our neighbors, not only people like ourselves, but also those who are different from us, those who may hates us and those whom we ourselves may despise, in other words, all people regardless of who they are, their walk of life, the color of their skin, the language they speak, or their nation of origin.
John Wesley who was a priest of the Church of England, a leading figure of the eighteenth century Evangelical Revival, and the founder of the Methodist Movement, established the following guideposts for the early Methodists to help them grow in faith and holiness of life.
1. Do no harm and avoid all forms of evil.
2. Do good to others.
3. Attend the ordinances.
By “ordinances” Wesley meant the means of grace ordained by God, the ways by which God channels grace to us, enabling us to grow in our relationship with God. They include public worship, the Ministry of the Word (preaching and teaching biblical truths and principles), the Supper of the Lord (the Holy Eucharist), family and private prayer, searching the Scriptures (reading, studying, and meditating upon the Scriptures), and fasting or abstinence. In his sermons and his writings Wesley also identified serving Christ in those in need and performing acts of mercy and what has come to be called “holy conferencing,” engaging in spiritual conversations with a fellow Christian as important means of grace.
Through the means of grace God not only quickens and strengthens our faith, but God also molds and shapes us into the image of Jesus. God enables us to imitate God as his very much loved children (Ephesians 5:1), imitating Jesus and modeling our lives on his teaching and example.
Something that Wesley came to understand and from which we can benefit is that while we cannot solely by our own efforts pursue holiness, our spiritual growth does require effort on our part. While God could miraculously transform us, it is not the way God works. God will give us the will and power to do what is pleasing to God (Philippians 2:13) but we must take our first faltering steps and once we have taken those steps persevere with God’s help on the path of holy living.
Silence
Open this link in a new tab to hear John Michael Talbot’s “Father Make Me Holy.”
1 Father make me holy,
Jesus make me holy,
Spirit make me holy,
Holy One.
2 The Father will cherish me.
Jesus will cherish me.
The Spirit will cherish me,
Kindly One
3 The Three aid my hope,
The Three aid my love
The Three aid my eyes
and my knee from stumbling
4 In the name of the Father,
In the name of the Son,
In the name of the Spirit,
Three in One.
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy
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.
Show us your mercy, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
Keep our nation under your care,
and guide us in justice and truth.
Let your ministers be clothed with righteousness
and let your servants shout for joy.
O Lord, save your people
and bless those whom you have chosen.
Give peace in our time, O Lord,
and let your glory be over all the earth.
O God, make clean our hearts within us
and renew us by your Holy Spirit.
Almighty God,
Give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light
now in the time of this mortal life
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Lighten our darkness, O Lord, we pray
and in your great mercy defend us
from all perils and dangers of this night;
for the love of your only Son, our Saviour 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.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Susan Toolan’s “Advent Song.”
Come, Lord Jesus, come, Lord Jesus, come and do not delay.
[Let us pray for all people according to their needs.]
O God, the creator and preserver of all humankind, we pray for people of every race, and in every kind of need: make your ways known on earth, your saving power among all nations.
[Especially we pray for…]
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
We pray for your Church throughout the world: guide and
govern by your Holy Spirit, that all who profess and call
themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and
hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in
righteousness of life.
[Especially we pray for…]
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
We commend to your fatherly goodness all who are anxious or distressed in mind or body; comfort and relieve them In their need, giving them patience in their sufferings, and bring good things out of their troubles.
[Especially we pray for…]
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
[Let us give thanks to God for his goodness.]
Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks
for all your goodness and loving-kindness
to us and to all whom you have made.
We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ;
for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory.
And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives,
by giving up ourselves to your service,
and by walking before you
in holiness and righteousness all our days;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit,
be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.
Open this link in a new tab to hear Marty Haugen’s "Come, O God of All the Earth."
1 Come, O God of all the earth;
come to us, O Righteous One.
Come and bring our love to birth;
in the glory of your Son.
Sing out, earth and skies!
Sing of the God who loves you.
Raise your joyful cries,
Dance to the life around you.
2 Come, O God of wind and flame;
fill the earth with righteousness.
Teach us all to sing your name;
may our lives your love confess.
Sing out, earth and skies!
Sing of the God who loves you.
Raise your joyful cries,
Dance to the life around you.
3 Come, O God of flashing light;
twinkling star and burning sun.
God of day and God of night;
in your light we all are one.
Sing out, earth and skies!
Sing of the God who loves you.
Raise your joyful cries,
Dance to the life around you.
4 Come, O God of snow and rain;
shower down upon the earth.
Come, O God of joy and pain;
God of sorrow, God of mirth.
Sing out, earth and skies!
Sing of the God who loves you.
Raise your joyful cries,
Dance to the life around you.
5 Come, O Justice, come, O Peace;
come and shape our hearts anew.
Come and make oppression cease;
bring us all to life in you.
Sing out, earth and skies!
Sing of the God who loves you.
Raise your joyful cries,
Dance to the life around you.
GOING OUT AS GOD’S PEOPLE
The Lord be with you
and also with you.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May the Lord bless us
and protect us.
May the Lord smile on us
and be gracious to us.
May the Lord show us his favor
and give us his peace. Amen.
[The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
And also with you.
Those present may exchange a gesture of peace with these or similar words:
Peace be with you.]
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