Tue. evening Dec. 2

Opening response

Make haste, O God, to deliver me!
Make haste to help me, O LORD!

Reveal among us the light of your presence
that we may behold your power and glory.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Sovereign God, creator of light and darkness, to you be glory and praise forever. As evening falls, you renew your promise to reveal among us the light of your presence. May your word be a lantern to our feet and a light upon our path that we may behold your coming among us. Strengthen us in our stumbling weakness and free our tongues to sing your praise.

Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Blessed be God forever.

That this evening may be holy, good, and peaceful, let us pray with one heart and mind.

Silence is kept.

As our evening prayer rises before you, O God, so may your mercy come down upon us to cleanse our hearts and set us free to sing your praise now and forever.
Amen.

Hymn

Soldiers of Christ, Arise

Music by The Hymnodist: Spotify, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, YouTube Music, Pandora, Boomplay, Deezer
Lyrics by Charles Wesley

Chorus
Soldiers of Christ, arise, and put your armor on
Strong in the strength which God supplies through His eternal Son
Strong in the Lord of hosts, and in His mighty power
Who in the strength of Jesus trusts, is more than conqueror

Verse 1
Stand then in His great might, with all His strength endued
But take, to arm you for the fight, the panoply of God
That, having all things done, and all your conflicts passed
Ye may overcome through Christ alone, and stand entire at last

Chorus

Verse 2
Stand then against your foes, in close and firm array
Legions of wily fiends oppose, throughout the evil day
But meet the sons of night, and mock their vain design
Armed in the arms of heavenly light, of righteousness divine

Chorus

Verse 3
Pray without ceasing, pray, your Captain gives the word
His summons cheerfully obey, and call upon the Lord
To God your every want, in instant prayer display
Pray always, pray and never faint, pray, without ceasing, pray

Chorus

Verse 4
From strength to strength go on, wrestle and fight and pray
Tread all the powers of darkness down, and win the well-fought day
Still let the Spirit cry in all His soldiers, "Come"
Till Christ the Lord descends from high and takes the conquerors home

Chorus (2x)

Confession of Sin

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor. 

Silence may be kept.

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life.
Amen.

Psalm 74

𝙍: Arise, O God, plead Your own cause.

O God, why have You cast us off forever?
Why does Your anger smoke against the sheep of Your pasture?
Remember Your congregation, which You have purchased of old,
which you have redeemed to be the tribe of Your inheritance,
and this Mount Zion, where You have dwelt.
Direct Your steps to the irreparable ruins;
the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary.

Your enemies have roared in the midst of Your meeting place;
they set up their ensigns as signs.
They seem like men who wield axes
in a thicket of trees.
But now they break down all its carved work
with axes and hammers.
They set Your sanctuary on fire;
they have defiled the dwelling place of Your name, bringing it to the ground.
They said in their hearts, “Let us destroy them altogether.”
They have burned up all the meeting places of God in the land.

We do not see our signs;
there is no longer any prophet,
nor is there any among us who knows how long.
O God, how long will the adversary revile?
Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever?
Why do You withdraw Your hand, Your right hand?
Take it out of Your bosom and destroy them!

𝙍: Arise, O God, plead Your own cause.

For God is my King from of old,
working salvation in the midst of the earth.
You divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters.
You broke the heads of Leviathan in pieces,
and gave him as food to the people inhabiting the wilderness.
You split open springs and torrents;
You dried up mighty rivers.
The day is Yours, the night also is Yours;
You have prepared the light and the sun.
You have established all the boundaries of the earth;
You have made summer and winter.

𝙍: Arise, O God, plead Your own cause.

Remember this, that the enemy has reviled, O LORD,
and that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name.
Do not give the life of Your turtledove to a wild animal;
do not forget the life of Your poor forever.
Have respect for the covenant,
for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of violence.
Let not the oppressed return ashamed;
let the poor and needy praise Your name.
Arise, O God, plead Your own cause;
remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily.
Do not forget the voice of Your enemies,
the tumult of those who rise up against You, which increases continually.

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.

𝙍: Arise, O God, plead Your own cause.

Psalm prayer

Redeeming God, renew your broken people with your Holy Spirit, that they may walk your narrow way, and greet your coming dawn in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 75

𝙍: God is the Judge.

We give thanks to You, O God;
we give thanks, for Your name is near;
Your wondrous works declare it.

When I set the appointed time,
I will judge with equity.
The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolving;
I bear up its pillars.
I said to the boastful, “Do not boast,”
and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horn.
Do not lift up your horn on high;
do not speak with a stiff neck.”

𝙍: God is the Judge.

For exaltation comes neither from the east, nor from the west,
nor from the south.
But God is the Judge;
He puts down one and exalts another.
For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup,
full of foaming wine; it is well mixed,
and He pours it out;
indeed the wicked of the earth drain and drink its dregs.

𝙍: God is the Judge.

But I will declare it forever;
I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
All the horns of the wicked will I cut off,
but the horns of the righteous will be exalted.

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.

𝙍: God is the Judge.

Psalm prayer

Judge of all the earth, restrain the ambition of the proud, and establish among us the reign of the Messiah, who drained for us the cup of judgment and is alive with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Silence may be kept.

Old Testament reading

Isaiah 43:1-13

But now, thus says the LORD
who created you, O Jacob,
and He who formed you, O Israel:
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; you are Mine.
When you pass through waters,
I will be with you.
And through the rivers,
they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire,
you shall not be burned,
nor shall the flame kindle on you.
For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I gave Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your place.
Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honorable,
and I have loved you;
therefore, I will give men for you,
and people for your life.
Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your descendants from the east,
and gather you from the west;
I will say to the north, “Give them up,”
and to the south, “Do not keep them back.
Bring My sons from afar,
and My daughters from the ends of the earth,
even everyone who is called by My name,
for I have created him for My glory;
I have formed him, and I have made him.”

Bring forth the blind people who have eyes,
and the deaf who have ears.
Let all the nations be gathered together,
and let the people be assembled.
Who among them can declare this,
and show us former things?
Let them bring their witnesses, that they may be justified;
or let them hear and say, “It is true.”
You are My witnesses, says the LORD,
and My servant whom I have chosen
that you may know and believe Me,
and understand that I am He.
Before Me there was no God formed,
nor shall there be after Me.
I, even I, am the LORD,
and besides Me there is no savior.
I have declared, and have saved, and I have shown,
when there was no strange god among you;
therefore, you are My witnesses, says the LORD, that I am God.
Indeed, from eternity I am He;
there is no one who can deliver out of My hand;
I act, and who can reverse it?

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading

Revelation 20

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for one thousand years. He cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be set free for a little while.

I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and the authority to judge was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness of Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for one thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who takes part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with Him one thousand years.

When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be set free from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the sea. They traveled the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet were. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. From His face the earth and the heavens fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. Books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to their works as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one by his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Silence may be kept.

The Magnificat (The Song of Mary)

Luke 1:46-55

My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.
For He has regarded
the low estate of His servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is His name.
His mercy is on those who fear Him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich He has sent away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
in remembrance of His mercy,
as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants 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.

Brief silence.

The Apostle’s Creed

Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith: 

I believe in God,
the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ,
his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He 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,
and is seated at the
right hand of the Father.
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.

Thanksgiving and intercession

Thanksgiving may be made for the day.

Intercessions are offered
for peace
for individuals and their needs

Prayers may include the following concerns:

The Church, that she may be ready for the coming of Christ
The leaders of the Church
The nations, that they may be subject to the rule of God
Those who are working for justice in the world
The broken, that they may find God’s healing

Other intercessions and supplications may be offered as the Holy Spirit leads. 

Response

Lord of life
In your mercy, hear us.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

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, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.             
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Awaiting his coming in glory, as our Savior taught us, so we pray

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. Amen.

Conclusion

May the Lord, when he comes, find us watching and waiting.
Amen.