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Seventh
Sunday of Easter |
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Jesus Prays for His Disciples |
O God, the King of glory, who hast exalted thine only Son Jesus Christ with
great triumph unto thy kingdom in heaven: We beseech thee, leave us not
comfortless, but send to us thine Holy Ghost to comfort us, and exalt us
unto the same place whither our Savior Christ is gone before; who liveth and
reigneth with thee and the same Holy Ghost, one God, world without end.
Amen.
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Lesson - Acts 16:16-34 or 1 Samuel 12:19-24 |
Paul and Silas in Prison
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had
a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying. She
followed Paul and us, crying, "These men are servants of the Most High God,
who proclaim to you the way of salvation." And this she did for many days.
But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in
the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very
hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized
Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and
when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews
and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not
lawful for us Romans to accept or practice." The crowd joined in attacking
them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat
them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw
them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received
this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in
the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns
to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a
great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and
immediately all the doors were opened and every one's fetters were
unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he
drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners
had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we
are all here." And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with
fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said,
"Men, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord
Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the
word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. And he took them
the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at
once, with all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set
food before them; and he rejoiced with all his household that he had
believed in God.
or
From Samuel's Farwell Address
And all the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the LORD your
God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to
ask for ourselves a king." And Samuel said to the people, "Fear not; you
have done all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but
serve the LORD with all your heart; and do not turn aside after vain things
which cannot profit or save, for they are vain. For the LORD will not cast
away his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD
to make you a people for himself. Moreover as for me, far be it from me that
I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; and I will
instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the LORD, and serve
him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things he has
done for you.
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Epistle - Revelation 22:12-14,16-17,20 or Acts 16:16-34 |
From the Epilogue and Benediction
"Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay every one for
what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the
beginning and the end." Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they
may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by
the gates. "I Jesus have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the
churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning
star." The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let him who hears say,
"Come." And let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water
of life without price. He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am
coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
or
Paul and Silas in Prison
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had
a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying. She
followed Paul and us, crying, "These men are servants of the Most High God,
who proclaim to you the way of salvation." And this she did for many days.
But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, "I charge you in
the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very
hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized
Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and
when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, "These men are Jews
and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not
lawful for us Romans to accept or practice." The crowd joined in attacking
them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat
them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw
them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received
this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in
the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns
to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a
great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and
immediately all the doors were opened and every one's fetters were
unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he
drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners
had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we
are all here." And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with
fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out and said,
"Men, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord
Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." And they spoke the
word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house. And he took them
the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at
once, with all his family. Then he brought them up into his house, and set
food before them; and he rejoiced with all his household that he had
believed in God.
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Gospel - John 17:20-26 |
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
"I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through
their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I
in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that
thou hast sent me. The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them,
that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they
may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me
and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me. Father, I desire that they
also, whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am, to behold my glory
which thou hast given me in thy love for me before the foundation of the
world. O righteous Father, the world has not known thee, but I have known
thee; and these know that thou hast sent me. I made known to them thy name,
and I will make it known, that the love with which thou hast loved me may be
in them, and I in them."
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