Today is Thursday,
February 11,
2021.
Oh Lord,
Let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun.
Glory to God,
The three in one,
Creator,
Redeemer,
And sustainer,
As it was in the beginning,
Is now and will be forever.
Amen.
Come,
Let us sing to the Lord.
Let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.
Please repeat these words.
The Lord has done it this very day.
Let us rejoice today and be glad.
Our scripture today is John chapter 3 verses 9 through 21.
Nicodemus said to Jesus,
How are these things possible?
Jesus answered,
You are a teacher of Israel and you don't know these things?
I assure you that what we speak about,
We know and testify about what we have seen.
But you don't receive our testimony.
If I have told you about earthly things and you don't believe,
How will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
No one has gone up to heaven except the one who came down from heaven.
The human one.
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness,
So must the human one be lifted up so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.
God so loved the world that God gave the only begotten son so that everyone who believes in him won't perish,
But will have eternal life.
God didn't sin the only begotten into the world to judge the world,
But that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him isn't judged.
Whoever doesn't believe in him is already judged because they don't believe in the name of God's only son.
This is the basis for judgment.
God came into the world and people loved darkness more than light for their actions are evil.
All who do wicked things hate the light and don't come to the light for fear that their actions will be exposed to the light.
Whoever does the truth comes to the light so that it can be seen that their actions were done in God.
Please repeat these words.
The Lord has done it this very day.
Let us rejoice today and be glad.
I invite you now to hold someone before God.
Whoever the Spirit of God leads your mind to rest on.
Lift that person up before God in this space.
Don't worry about diagnosing anyone's needs or telling God what to do simply hold someone before the Lord this morning.
Bless all who call on you Almighty God from the rising of the sun to its setting.
Give us strength.
Give us hope.
Give us peace.
Give us joy.
We might navigate uncertain days trusting in your unfailing love.
We pray in the name of Jesus who taught us to pray.
Our Father which art in heaven.
Eternal God,
Earth maker,
Pain bearer,
Life giver,
Source of all that is and all that shall be.
Not only Father but Mother of us all.
May the hallowing of your name echo through the universe.
May the way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world.
May your heavenly will be done by all created beings.
May your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today feed us.
In the hurts we absorb from one another forgive us.
In times of temptation and test strengthen us.
From trials too great to endure spare us.
From the grip of all that is evil free us.
For you reign in the glory of the power that is love now and forever.
Amen.
And now my friends may the peace of the Lord Jesus Christ go with you wherever he may send you today.
May he guide you through the wilderness protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
Go in peace.
