EVENING PRAYER
for
Wednesday in 1 Epiphany
Vespers
(Lutheran
Book of Worship, page 142)
The
people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light.
The
light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
Those
who dwelt in the land of deep darkness,
on them light has shined.
We
have beheld Christ’s glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father.
For
to us a child is born,
to us a Son is given.
In
him was life,
and the life was the light of all people.
Joyous
light of glory:
of
the immortal Father;
heavenly, holy, blessed
Jesus Christ.
We have come to the setting of the
sun,
and we look to the
evening light.
We sing to God, the Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit:
You are worthy of being praised
with pure voices
forever.
O Son of God, O Giver of life:
The universe proclaims
your glory.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give
him thanks and praise.
We praise and thank you, O God, for you are
without beginning and without end. Through Christ you are the creator and
preserver of the whole world; but, above all, you are his God and Father, the
giver of the Spirit, and the ruler of all that is, seen and unseen. You made
the day for the works of light and the night for the refreshment of our
weakness. O loving Lord and source of all that is good, mercifully accept our
evening sacrifice of praise. As you have conducted us through the day and
brought us to night’s beginning, keep us now in Christ; grant us a peaceful
evening and a night free from sin, and at the end, bring us to everlasting life
through Christ our Lord. Through him we offer glory, honor, and worship to you
in the Holy Spirit, now and always and forever and ever.
Amen
Let my prayer rise
before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the
evening sacrifice.
O Lord, I call to
you; come to me quickly;
hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer rise
before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the
evening sacrifice.
Set a watch before
my mouth, O Lord,
and guard the door of my lips.
Let not my heart
incline to any evil thing;
let me not be occupied in wickedness
with evildoers.
But my eyes are
turned to you, Lord God;
in you I take refuge. Strip me not
of my life.
Glory to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it
was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Let my prayer rise
before you as incense;
the lifting up of my hands as the
evening sacrifice.
Silence for meditation.
Let
the incense of our repentant prayer ascend before you, O Lord, and let your
lovingkindness descend upon us, that with purified minds we may sing your
praises with the Church on earth and the whole heavenly host, and may glorify
you forever and ever.
Amen
Psalm 40:1-12
Come,
you peoples of the earth:
drink from the wells of the Savior.
1 I waited patiently
up- | on the Lord;*
he stooped to me and | heard my
cry.
2 He lifted me out
of the desolate pit, out of the | mire and clay;*
he set my feet upon a high cliff
and made my | footing sure.
3 He put a new song
in my mouth, a song of praise | to our God;*
many shall see, and stand in
awe, and put their trust | in the Lord.
4 Happy are they who
trust | in the Lord!*
They do not resort to evil
spirits or turn | to false gods.
5 Great things are
they that you have done, O Lord my
God!
How
great your wonders and your | plans for us!*
There is none who can be com- |
pared with you.
6 Oh, that I could
make them | known and tell them!*
But they are more than | I can
count.
7 In sacrifice and
offering you | take no pleasure;*
you have given me | ears to hear
you;
8 burnt-offering and
sin-offering you have | not required,*
and so I said, "Be- | hold,
I come.
9 In the roll of the
book it is written con- | cerning me:*
'I love to do your will, O my
God; your law is deep | in my heart.'"
10 I proclaimed
righteousness in the great | congregation;*
behold, I did not restrain my
lips; and that, O | Lord, you
know.
11 Your righteousness
have I not hidden in my heart;
I
have spoken of your faithfulness and | your deliverance;*
I have not concealed your love
and faithfulness from the great | congregation.
12 You are the Lord; do not withhold your com- |
passion from me;*
let your love and your
faithfulness keep me | safe forever,
Come,
you peoples of the earth:
drink from the wells of the Savior.
Lord Jesus Christ, you became obedient to death and your name was exalted above all others. Teach us always to do the Father's will, so that, made holy by your obedience and united to your sacrifice, we can know your great love in times of sorrow and sing a new song to our God now and forever. Amen
Hymn O God of God, O Light of
Light LBW 536
READING John
1:29-42
The next day [John the
Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of
God who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man
who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' 31I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing
with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel." 32And John testified, "I saw the Spirit
descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me
to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and
remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34And I myself have seen and have testified that
this is the Son of God."
35The next day John again was standing with two of
his disciples, 36and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed,
"Look, here is the Lamb of God!" 37The two disciples heard him say this, and they
followed Jesus. 38When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said
to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him,
"Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you
staying?" 39He said to them, "Come and see." They
came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was
about four o'clock in the afternoon. 40One of the two who heard John speak and followed
him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41He first found his brother Simon and said to him,
"We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). 42He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and
said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which
is translated Peter).
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Response
In
many and various ways
God
spoke to this people of old by the prophets.
But now in these last days he has spoken to
us by his Son.
The GOSPEL CANTICLE is sung.
Antiphon:
Our
Lord and Savior, begotten before all ages,
revealed himself to the world. Alleluia.
My
soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his
lowly servant.
From this day all generations will
call me blessed.
The Almighty has done
great things for me,
and holy is his name.
He has mercy on those
who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his
arm;
he has scattered the proud in their
conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from
their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good
things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his
servant Israel,
for he has remembered his promise of
mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and
will be forever. Amen
Antiphon:
Our
Lord and Savior, begotten before all ages,
revealed himself to the world. Alleluia.
The
GREAT LITANY is sung.
L Lord, have mercy. R Lord,
have mercy.
L Christ, have mercy. R Christ,
have mercy.
L Lord, have mercy. R Lord,
have mercy.
L O Christ, hear us. R In
mercy hear us.
L God, the Father in heaven, R have
mercy on us.
L God, the Son, redeemer of the
world,
R have mercy on us.
L God, the Holy Spirit, R have mercy on us.
L Holy Trinity, one God, R have
mercy on us.
L Be gracious to us. R Spare
us, good Lord.
L Be gracious to us. R Spare
us, good Lord.
L From all sin, from all error, from
all evil;
from the cunning assaults of the
devil;
from an unprepared and evil
death:
R Good Lord, deliver us.
L From war, bloodshed, and violence;
from corrupt and unjust
government;
from insurrection, sedition and
treason:
R Good Lord, deliver us.
L From epidemic, drought, and famine;
from fire and flood, earthquake,
lightning and storm;
and from everlasting death:
R Good Lord, deliver us.
L By the mystery of your incarnation;
by your holy birth:
R Help us, good Lord.
L By your baptism, fasting, and
temptation;
by your agony and bloody sweat;
by your cross and suffering;
by your death and burial:
R Help us, good Lord.
L By your resurrection and ascension;
by the gift of the Holy Spirit:
R Help us, good Lord.
L In all time of our tribulation;
in all time of our prosperity;
in the hour of death;
and in the day of judgment:
R Save us, good Lord.
L Though unworthy, we implore you
R to hear us, Lord our God.
L To rule and govern your holy
catholic Church;
to guide all servants of your
Church
in the love of your
Word
and in holiness
of life;
to put an end to all schisms
and causes of
offense to those who would believe;
and to bring into the way of
truth all who have gone astray:
R We implore you to hear us, good
Lord.
L To beat down Satan under our feet;
to send faithful workers into
your harvest;
to accompany your Word with your
Spirit and power;
to raise up those who fall
and to strengthen
those who stand;
and to comfort and help the
fainthearted
and the distressed:
R We implore you to hear us, good
Lord.
L To give to all nations justice and
peace;
to preserve our country from
discord and strife;
to direct and guard those who
have civil authority;
and to bless and guide all our
people:
R We implore you to hear us, good
Lord.
L To behold and help all
who are in danger,
need, or tribulation;
to protect and guide all who
travel;
to preserve and provide for all
women in childbirth;
to watch over children and to
guide the young;
to heal the sick and to
strengthen their families and friends;
to bring reconciliation to
families in discord;
to provide for the unemployed
and for all in need;
to be merciful to all who are
imprisoned;
to support, comfort, and guide
all orphans,
widowers, and widows;
and to have mercy on all your
people:
R We implore you to hear us, good
Lord.
L To forgive our enemies,
persecutors, and slanderers,
and to reconcile us
to them;
to help us use wisely the fruits
and treasures
of the earth, the
sea, and the air;
and graciously to hear our
prayers:
R We implore you to hear us, good
Lord.
L Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
R we implore you to hear us.
L Lamb of God, you take away the sin
of the world; R have mercy on us.
L Lamb of God, you take away the sin
of the world; R have mercy on us.
L Lamb of God, you take away the sin
of the world; R give us peace. Amen
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,
forever and ever. Amen
Let
us bless the Lord.
Thanks
be to God.
Hymn Lamb of God LBW p. 114 (front of book)
Sermon
Prayer
and Benediction
Accept,
O Lord, our praises and supplications, and look graciously on our households
and our faith family, that we may abide this night in peace and safety under
the shadow of your wings, and so assist us by your grace that we may be made
fit for that kingdom where there shall be no more sin, nor sorrow, nor pain,
but all shall be joy and peace in the Holy Spirit, to whom, with you, O Father,
and you, O blessed Jesus, be all glory, both now and evermore.
Amen
The
almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless
and preserve you. Amen