Jesus

Forgive our sin, O Lamb of God

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Lamb of God, via Flickr, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 DEED
 
 
The sins of the world,
such dreadful sins.
not just the personal sins
but the solidarity of sin
greater than the total
    of individual sin
nuclear evil in endless fission,
    O Lamb of God.
 
The sin of racial pride
that sees not the faith
    that all men are divinely made
nor the riches of pigment
    in portrait faces,
the same psychology
and religious search,
that each is the sibling
    for whom Christ died.
 
The burgeoning greed
    that never heeds the needs of others
involved in a merciless system,
looking only at profit and dividend,
the last of possessions
    that cannot accompany us
    at our last migration:
Take away these sins,
    O Lamb of God.
 
The massive sin of war,
    millions of lives impersonally destroyed,
billions of pounds wasted
    on weapons, bombs,
    truth enslaved,
    the hungry still unfed,
    grief stalking unnumbered homes:
Weep over us,
    O Lamb of God.
 
The sin of the world,
    alienation from thee
    not just weakness
    but evil intention,
organized and unrestrained
    with its own momentum
    leading to death:
O Lamb of God,
    take away this sin.
 
Begin with me,
O Lamb of God,
    forgive my sins,
    cleanse my heart,
    disarm my will
    and let me fight
    armed with thy truth, righteousness and love
    with thy cross of love
    incised upon my heart,
        O Lamb of God.
 
George Appleton, 1902-1993, Anglican Bishop in England and Jerusalem
 
________________________
 
 
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, 
“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
 

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Who are you, that you love us so much?

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Francesco Londonio ~1750, photo by Dall’Orto, via Wikimedia Commons
 
How meek you are, Jesus, yet how mighty!
Your judgment is mighty, but your love is sweet.
Who can stand against you?
 
If we seek who you really are, your true nature is hidden in heaven,
    in the essence of the mighty Triune God.
But if a person were to seek your face,
    they could have found you in the lap of Mary.
 
Who can realize your depth, 
    you who are a great sea that made itself so small?
We come to see you as God, and see?
    You are a man!
Or if we came to see you as a man,
    the light of your Godhead shone brightly.
 
Who would believe that you are the heir of David’s throne?
From all his beds, you inherited an animal’s feeding trough.
From his palaces you received a cave.
And instead of his chariots, a young donkey.
 
How fearless you are, 
    allowing everyone to carry you in their arms.
You met all with a smile, 
    making no distinctions between family and stranger,
    between your mother and others.
 
Was it your love – you, who love all?
What moved you to let everyone have you,
    the rich and the poor alike?
How could you not return anger for anger, 
    fear for threat?
You are above returning injury for injury.
 
Who are you, Jesus, that you love us so much?
Amen.
 
Ephrem the Syrian, c.306-373, Syrian hymn writer and theologian
_____________________________
 
 
And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 
She gave birth to her firstborn son. 
She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, 
    because there was no lodging available for them.

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Thanksgiving for Jesus

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
 
 
Eternal God, our heavenly Father,
From whom comes every good and perfect gift,
we thank and praise your name for all your mercies,
    and for every blessing we have received from you.
We praise you, God, for health and strength,
    for food and raiment,
    for shelter, friends, and family,
    for comfort in sorrow, deliverance from danger,
    strength in weakness, help in adversity,
    consolation in affliction.
For all the tokens of your faithfulness,
    and for all the proofs of your mercy and love, we praise you.
 
We give you thanks, O God, for your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
    No one in history compares with him.
He is the Good Shepherd –
    the One who has guided us each step of the way.
He is the Rock of Refuge –
    the One who has held us securely when all around was sinking.
He is the Bread of Life –
    the One who has satisfied our soul’s hunger.
He is the Light of the World –
    the One who has delivered us from spiritual darkness.
He is the Resurrection –
    the One who is our life and our life to come.
 
Wendell C. Hawley,  American pastor
 
____________________
 
 
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. 
For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. 
And always be thankful.
Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. 
Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. 
Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, 
    giving thanks through him to God the Father.

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transfigure your people and your creation

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“Transfiguration” by Cornelis Monsma
 
 
O Lord Jesus Christ, glorified by the Father,
transfigured in holy light on Mount Tabor,
you have opened the gate of glory to the kingdom of the Father.
With Peter, James and John, we offer our adoration.
 
In this day also, O Lord Christ,
were the gates of hell opened
in the skies of Hiroshima
and the unholy light of death unleashed.
 
O Saviour of the world,
forgive us our blasphemy.
Inflame us by the vision of your divinity
and inspire us by the Holy Spirit
to seek the peace of your kingdom on earth.
By your saving cross and life-giving resurrection,
transfigure your people and your creation,
changing all from glory to glory.
 
For to you, O Christ, belongs all honour and praise,
with the Father and the Holy Spirit now and ever,
unto ages of ages. Amen.
 
United Kingdom
 
_____________________________
 
 
 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, 
    and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 
And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, 
    intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 
And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 
And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. 
    Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 
For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 
And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, 
    “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”

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loving Jesus, come into my soul

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
image via pexels
 
O most gracious and loving Jesus,
    my Lord and my God,
    fountain of all grace.
  come into my soul with the fullness of your grace.
Jesus most patient, too long have I made you wait for me,
    yet come to me:  
        endure me a sinner, and make me, through your patience, 
        to endure all things, and to be patient with all.
Jesus most humble, make me through your humility so humble,
    that I may never lift up myself, 
    for anything against anyone, as to any one.
Jesus most loving, come with all your love into my soul,
    that I may love you with a burning love,
    and love each and everyone with your own love.
 
E.B. Pusey, 1800-1882, English churchman and leader of the Oxford Movement
 
_____________________________
 
 
This is how God showed his love among us: 
He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us 
    and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, 
    God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

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deliver and protect us, O Lord

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Son of God, Viktor Vasnetsov, Wikimedia commons
 
 
O Lord God, strength of our health
    who avenges the poor and maintains the cause of the helpless,
  deliver us, O Lord,
    and preserve us from the evil and the wicked,
    that neither their example may corrupt us,
    nor their counsels mislead us,
    nor their prosperity scandalize us,
    nor their strife disquiet us,
    nor their mischief disturb our safety;
but do cover our heads in the day of battle and contestation
    against all our bodily and ghostly enemies;
    that although they hunt us to overthrow us,
  yet we may prosper on earth under your favor and protection,
    and at last, being removed from all fears and sadness and dangers,
    may continue in your sight among the congregation of the just forever,
through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
 
Jeremy Taylor, 1613–1667, English cleric, imprisoned during the Protectorate
 
________________________
 
 

Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;                                                                                  preserve me from violent men,
    who have planned to trip up my feet.
The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
    and with cords they have spread a net;
    beside the way they have set snares for me. 

I say to the Lord, You are my God;
    give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!
O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
    you have covered my head in the day of battle.
Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
    do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted!

 

from “perhaps” to “Yes”

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

 

You are the God who is simple, direct, clear with us and for us.
You have committed yourself to us.
You have said yes to us in creation,
                        yes to us in our birth,
                        yes to us in our awakening this day.
But we are of another kind,
    more accustomed to “perhaps, maybe, we’ll see,”
    left in wonderment and ambiguity.
We live our lives not back to your yes,
    but out of our endless “perhaps.”
Se we pray for your mercy this day that we may live yes back to you,
                        yes with our time,
                        yes with our money,
                        yes with our sexuality,
                        yes with our strength and with our weakness,
                        yes to our neighbor,
                        yes and no longer “perhaps.”
In the name of your enfleshed yes to us,
    even Jesus who is our yes into your future. Amen.

Walter Brueggemann, 1933 -,  American Protestant Old Testament theologian
Awed to Heaven, Rooted to Earth
 
___________________________
 
 
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, 
    for he who promised is faithful.
 

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how the Spirit enlivens the faith within us

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

 
 
O Father of all mercy, you have begun your work in us.
Continue to fill us with all the dimensions of wisdom and knowledge.
May we be fully certain in our hearts and fully aware how the Spirit,
    who has raised up our Lord,
    also enlivens the faith within us with the same power and strength.
Through him we have also risen from the dead by his mighty power,
    which works in us through your holy Word.
Help us to grow in the knowledge of your dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
    and to remain firm in confessing his blessed Word.
 
Martin Luther, 1483 – 1546, German Reformer
 
______________________
 
 
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, 
    teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, 
    singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 
    with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 
And whatever you do, in word or deed, 
    do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, 
    giving thanks to God the Father through him.
 

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the wonder of his Ascension

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
Ascension of Christ, Pietro della Vecchia, Wikimedia Commons
 
 
Almighty God,
We come today reminded of your greatness and glory,
your sovereign power and eternal purpose
all expressed so wonderfully in Jesus Christ, our Lord,
Risen and Ascended.

We thank you for the wonder of Ascension,
that marvelous yet mysterious moment
in the life of the Apostles
which left them gazing heavenwards in confusion
yet departing in joy.

We thank you for the way that it brought the earthly ministry of Jesus
to a fitting conclusion;
signifying his oneness with you,
and demonstrating your final seal of approval
on all that he had done.

We thank you that through his Ascension
Jesus is now set free to be Lord of all:
no longer bound to a particular place or time,
but with us always—able to reach even to the ends of the earth.

We thank you that through his departing
Jesus prepared for his coming again:
through his Spirit,
his Church,
and his coming again in glory.

Gracious God,
Forgive us for so often failing
to grasp the wonder of Ascension,
for living each day as though it had never been.

Forgive the smallness of our vision,
the narrowness of our outlook,
the weakness of our love,
the nervousness of our witness,
our repeated failure to recognize
the fullness of your revelation in Christ.

Give us a deeper sense of wonder,
a stronger faith,
and a greater understanding of all you have done.

Father God,
Like the Apostles,
we too will never fully understand all Ascension means.
We accept, but we do not fully understand.
We believe, yet we have many questions.
Help us, despite our uncertainty, to hold firm to the great truth
that the wonder of Christ Jesus
goes far beyond anything we can ever imagine,
and in that faith may we live each day
to his glory and honour. Amen.
 
Bryce Calder, Church of Scotland Minister
 
_________________
 
 
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” 
She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).  
Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; 
but go to my brothers and say to them, 
    ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

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Equip us to fight the enemy

/ Eric Mathews / Leave a comment
 
 
Do not let us avoid the reading of the diving Scriptures, Lord.
For that would be Satan’s devising – not wanting us to see the treasure,
    otherwise we would gain the riches.
So he would say that hearing the divine laws means nothing.
Otherwise, if we did, we might become doers of the word,
    as well as hearers.
Knowing then his evil plan, Lord, 
    let us fortify ourselves against him on every side.
Fenced with this kind of armor,
    we can live unconquered lives,
    as well as strike a heavy blow to his head.
Then, crowned with glorious wreaths of victory, 
    we can attain the good things to come,
    by the grace and love towards others of our Lord Jesus Christ,
    to whom be glory and might for ever and ever, Amen.
 
John Chrysostom, c. 347- 407
 
____________________________
 
 
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness 
    to be tempted by the devil. 
And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 
And the tempter came and said to him, 
“If you are the Son of God, 
    command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 
But he answered, “It is written,
    “‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
        but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

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