Sunday, February 17, 2019

Light of the world 2-17-2019

Worship this Sunday, February 17 …

 Our Epiphany Series – The Light of the World! – invites us to understand ourselves as the redeemed people of God, people on whom the redeeming light of God has shined in Christ Jesus.  We need to explore what that means!  




╬ “Redeeming Light!”

 Redemption is a church word, a Biblical word, a faith word.  It’s also a cultural word, a moral word, and an economic word.  We use it a lot, for a lot of things.  But what does it mean?  What does it mean to redeem, and be redeemed, as the word is used in The Word, in Scripture and in the epiphany of God that comes into the world in Christ?  We discover, in fact, that redemption is a central role and function of the light of Epiphany.  We are invited to embrace this gift of grace, to dwell in it, to live in this light of redemption, and be made whole once more.

Below are the Prayer of the Day and Readings. 

In the words of the old spiritual, “Let it shine on, let it shine on, let the light from the lighthouse shine on me!”

- Pr. Brad Highum
bhighum@abidinglove.org

PRAYER OF THE DAY ----------------
God of grace, shine your redeeming light into our lives, that we may be restored and made whole again in you.  And shine that light through us for the sake of the world your Son comes to save.  Amen.

READINGS --------------------------


 First Reading:  Exodus 27:20-21
20 You shall further command the Israelites to bring you pure oil of beaten olives for the light, so that a lamp may be set up to burn regularly. 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that is before the covenant, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a perpetual ordinance to be observed throughout their generations by the Israelites.

Psalm 27:1-4,11-13

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh — my adversaries and foes — they shall stumble and fall.
3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.
4 One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.
11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
12 Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence.
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage.  Wait for the Lord!

Second Reading:  Revelation 22:1-7
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 Nothing accursed will be found there any more.  But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; 4 they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.  6 And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place."  7 "See, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

Gospel:  Luke 11:33-36
33 "No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar, but on the lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is not healthy, your body is full of darkness. 35 Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays."
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