Opening
Through Jesus let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of lips that acknowledge God's name.Open our lips, O Lord: and our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Song of Zechariah
Blessèd are you O ′ Lord our ′ God:
you have come to your ′ people · and ′ set them ′ free.
2 You have raised up for us a ′ mighty ′ Savior:
born of the ′ house · of your ′ servant ′ David.
3 Through your holy prophets you ′ promised of ′ old:
that you would save us from our enemies,
from the ′ hands of ′ all who ′ hate us.
4 You promised to show ′ mercy · to our ′ forbears:
and to re′member · your ′ holy ′ covenant.
5 This was the oath you swore to our ′ father ′ Abraham:
to set us ′ free · from the ′ hands of · our ′ enemies,
6 free to worship you with′out ′ fear:
holy and righteous in your sight ′‿
all the ′ days of · our ′ life.
7 And you, child, shall be called ‿
the prophet of the ′ Most ′ High:
for you will go before the ′ Lord · to pre′pare the ′ way,
8 to give God’s people knowledge ′ of sal′vation:
through the for′giveness ′ of their ′ sins.
9 In the tender compassion ′ of our ′ God:
the dawn from on ′ high shall ′ break up′on us,
10 to shine on those who dwell in darkness‿
and the ′ shadow · of ′ death:
and to guide our feet ′ into · the ′ way of ′ peace. (Luke 1: 68-79) (adapted)
Glory to the Father and ′ to the ′ Son:
and ′ to the ′ Holy ′ Spirit;
as it was in the beginning · is ′ now:
and shall be for ′ ever. ′ A′men.
Psalm 22
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? *
and are so far from my cry and from the words of my distress?
2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer; *
by night as well, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are the Holy One, *
enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
4 Our forefathers put their trust in you; *
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 They cried out to you and were delivered; *
they trusted in you and were not put to shame.
6 But as for me, I am a worm and no man, *
scorned by all and despised by the people.
7 All who see me laugh me to scorn; *
they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,
8 He trusted in the LORD; let him deliver him; *
let him rescue him, if he delights in him.
9 Yet you are he who took me out of the womb, *
and kept me safe upon my mother's breast.
10 I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born; *
you were my God when I was still in my mother's womb.
11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, *
and there is none to help.
12 Many young bulls encircle me; *
strong bulls of Bashan surround me.
13 They open wide their jaws at me, *
like a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water; all my bones are out of joint; *
my heart within my breast is melting wax.
15 My mouth is dried out like a pot-sherd; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; *
and you have laid me in the dust of the grave.
16 Packs of dogs close me in, and gangs of evildoers circle around me; *
they pierce my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones.
17 They stare and gloat over me; *
they divide my garments among them; they cast lots for my clothing.
18 Be not far away, O LORD; *
you are my strength; hasten to help me.
19 Save me from the sword, *
my life from the power of the dog.
20 Save me from the lion's mouth, *
my wretched body from the horns of wild bulls.
21 I will declare your Name to my brethren; *
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
22 Praise the LORD, you that fear him; *
stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel; all you of Jacob's line, give glory.
23 For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty; neither does he hide his face from them; *
but when they cry to him he hears them.
24 My praise is of him in the great assembly; *
I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship him.
25 The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the LORD shall praise him: *
"May your heart live for ever!"
26 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, *
and all the families of the nations bow before him.
27 For kingship belongs to the LORD; *
he rules over the nations.
28 To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; *
all who go down to the dust fall before him.
29 My soul shall live for him; my descendants shall serve him; *
they shall be known as the LORD'S for ever.
30 They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn *
the saving deeds that he has done.
The First Reading
Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. (2 Corinthians 4:1-12)
The Second Reading
They were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them; they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again." James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They replied, "We are able." Then Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:32-45)
Song of Praise: Savior of the World
1 Jesus, Savior of the world, come to us ′ in your ′ mercy:
we look to ′ you to ′ save and ′ help us.
2 By your cross and your life laid down‿
you set your ′ people ′ free:
we look to ′ you to ′ save and ′ help us.
3 When they were ready to perish‿
you ′ saved · your dis′ciples:
we look to ′ you to ′ come to · our ′ help.
4 In the greatness of your mercy loose us ′ from our ′ chains:
forgive the ′ sins of ′ all your ′ people.
5 Make yourself known ‿
as our Saviour and ′ mighty · de′liverer:
save and ′ help us · that ′ we may ′ praise you.
6 Come now and dwell with us,′ Lord Christ ′ Jesus:
hear our ′ prayer · and be ′ with us ′ always.
7 And when you ′ come in · your ′ glory:
make us to be one with you‿
and to ′ share the ′ life of · your ′ kingdom.
8 Thanks be to ′ you o ′ Lord:
Alle′luia. ′ A′men.
The Apostles' Creed
The Lord's Prayer
A Collect of the Day
Most merciful God, by the passion of your Son Jesus Christ you delivered us from the power of darkness; grant that through faith in him who suffered on the cross we may be found acceptable in your sight, through our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Thanksgivings and intercessions
Morning Collect
Loving God, your Son willingly endured agony and shame for us. Give us grace to take up our cross and follow him in newness of life and hope; for he is our Redeemer.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Peace be to us all and love with faith, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Old Testament Lesson for today is Exodus 9:13-35