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ConfessionsSixth PetitionLord’s Prayer

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WORSHIP

L Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, C have mercy and hear us.

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 and ever. Amen  

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Worship - 2

C . 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 power of the

◦ Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. 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

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Worship - 3

L Show us your mercy, O Lord, C and grant us your salvation. L Clothe your ministers with righteousness. C Let your people sing with joy. L Give peace, O Lord, in all the world; C for only in you can we live in safety. L Lord, keep this nation under your care, C and guide us in the way of justice and truth. L Let your way be known upon earth; C your saving health among all nations. L Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten, C nor the hope of the poor be taken away. L Create in us clean hearts, O God, C and sustain us with your Holy Spirit.   L The Lord be with you. C And also with you.

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Worship - 4

L We give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have this day so graciously protected us. We beg you to forgive us all our sins and the wrong which we have done. By your great mercy defend us from all the perils and dangers of this night. Into your hands we commend our bodies and souls, and all that is ours. Let your holy angels have charge of us, that the wicked one have no power

over us. C Amen

L Let us bless the Lord. C Thanks be to God.   L The + Lord bless us, defend us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. C Amen

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Experience

Remember your list of stress busters from last week?

What would life be like without these?

How would that affect your faith?

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Discussion & reflection:

The Lord’s Prayer

Save us from the time of trial

Q. What is this?

A. It is true that God tempts no one, but we ask in the prayer that God would preserve and keep us, so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us or mislead us into false belief, despair, and other great and shameful sins, and that, although we may be attacked by them, we may finally prevail and gain the victory.

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Discussion & reflection:

On the back of your paper, or on a separate piece of paper, make two columns. Mark one column “Good” and the second column “Bad.”

Write the highlight words which follow under their respective columns, good traits under the good column, bad traits under the bad column.

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Discussion & reflection:

Shepherd of Hermas (c.145) “Hear now,” said he, “in regard to faith. There are two angels  The impure spirit, and the healing angel. And I said to him, ‘How, sir, am I to know the powers of these, for both angels dwell with me?’ ‘Hear,’ said he, and ‘understand them.’

“The angel of righteousness is gentle and modest, meek and peaceful. When, therefore, he ascends into your heart, right away he talks to you of righteousness, purity, chastity, contentment, and of every righteous deed and glorious virtue. When all these ascend into your heart, know that the angel of righteousness is with you. These are the deeds of the angel of righteousness. Trust him, then, and his works.

“Look now at the works of the angel of sin. First, he is angry, and bitter, and foolish, and his works are evil, and ruin the servants of God. When, then, he ascends into your heart, know him by his works.

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Discussion & reflection:

” And I said to him, ‘How, sir, I shall perceive him, I do not know.’ ‘Hear and understand’ said he.

“When anger comes upon you, or harshness, know that he is in you; and you will know this to be the case also, when you are attacked by a longing after many actions, and the richest delicacies, and drunken times, and various luxuries, and things improper, and by a lusting after women (or men), and by asking for too much, and pride, and pretending to be what your aren’t, and by whatever is like to these. When these ascend into your heart, know that the angel of iniquity is in you.

“Now that you know his works, depart from him, and in no respect trust him, because his deeds are evil, and unprofitable to the servants of God.

“These, then, are the actions of both angels. Understand them, and trust the angel of righteousness; but depart from the angel of sin, because his instruction is bad in every deed.”

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Discussion & reflection:

Cyprian of Carthage (fl 248-258) Now this is the will of God which Christ both did and taught: humility in

conversation; steadfastness in faith; modesty in words; justice in deeds; mercifulness in works; discipline in morals; to be unable to do a wrong, and to be able to bear a wrong when done; to keep peace with the brethren;

to love God with all one’s heart; to love Him in that He is a Father; to fear Him in that He is God; to prefer nothing whatever to Christ, because He did not prefer anything to us; to adhere inseparably to His love;

to stand by His cross bravely and faithfully; when there is any contest on behalf of His name and honor, to exhibit in conversation that constancy by which with we make confession; in torture, that confidence wherewith we do battle; in death, that patience whereby we are crowned;—this is to desire to be fellow-heirs with Christ; this is to do the commandment of God; this is to fulfill the will of the Father.

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Discussion & reflection:

To not be led into temptation is to do the commandment of God.

Not to do the commandment of God is to reject God as our God. That is the meaning of sin.

We pray to saved from the time of trial, not so that we can be free to do what we want to do, but to do what is pleasing in His sight.

What do you prefer to Christ?

Do you really want the Father to protect you from this temptation?

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Discussion & reflection:

Matthew 5:48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect

Clement of Alexandria (150-215) Who then is perfect? He who professes abstinence from what is bad. Well, this is the way to the Gospel and to well-doing.

A water-bearer carries two large pots on a yoke across his shoulders, up the hill from the river, to his master's house each day. One, has a crack and leaks half its water out each day before arriving at the house. The other pot, is perfect and always delivered a full portion of water after the long walk from the river.

Finally, after years of arriving half-empty and feeling guilty, the cracked pot apologized to the water-bearer. It was miserable. "I'm sorry that I couldn't accomplish what the perfect pot did."

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Discussion & reflection:

The water-bearer says, "What do you have to apologize for?"

"After all this time, I still only deliver half my load of water. I make more work for you because of my flaw."

The man smiled and told the pot. "Take note of all the lovely flowers growing on the side of the path where I carried you. The flowers grew so lovely because of the water you leaked. There are no flowers on the perfect pot's side."

Know that you will be tempted, broken and God can use your brokenness. Who can your brokenness help?