18th January: Epiphany 2
online Morning Prayer from St.Peter’s.
1 Corinthians 1.1-9
Paul opens his letter to the Christians in Corinth with his usual greeting to those whom he had converted. He commends them for their faithfulness and assures them that God’s blessing will continue to strengthen them.
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind— just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 1.29-42
The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him and declared, ‘Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 0 This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” I myself did not know him; but I came baptising with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.’ And John testified, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptise with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptises with the Holy Spirit.” And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.’
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, ‘Look, here is the Lamb of God!’ 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When 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?’ He 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. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated Anointed). He 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..
Something to think about
John the Evangelist’s record of Jesus’s baptism by John the Baptiser, differs from that in the Synoptic Gospels. John himself spoke and testified to what he had seen and two of his disciples went to follow Jesus. Andrew told Simon and took him to Jesus, who prophetically gave him the new name ‘Cephas’, the Greek word for a rock.
Collect
Eternal Lord, our beginning and our end:
bring us with the whole creation to the glory hidden through past ages
and now made known in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Post Communion
God of glory,
you nourish us with your Word who is the bread of life:
fill us with your Holy Spirit
that through us the light of your glory may shine in all the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Next Sunday’s (25th) Readings:
Acts 9.1-22
Matthew 19.27-30
Please remember in your prayers this week: *See footnote
Those who are unable to be with us in church, including Diana & Edmund Urquhart, Linda Torr, Arthur and Barbara Williams.
Those who are ill, especially Graham Price, Pam Phillips and Reina Hammond.
The recently bereaved, especially the relatives and friends of Martin Likeman, John Oakes, Janice Winfield and Julian Galvin.
Areas of conflict: the Ukraine, the Middle East and too many others.
Our local churches.
Our Ministry Team: Dwayne, Maggie, Nigel & Lynda.
*The Prayer List
Please do not give out personal names when intercessing in the Thursday recording.