MALAGASY LUTHERAN CHURCH
Communion’s prayer, 4thSunday after Epiphany
Week from 05thto 10th February 2018
“God vouches for his people”
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Introduction: God vouches for his people, since He greatly loves them. In this regard He declared through the prophet Jeremiah: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” Jer 31:3. The Apostle Paul explained this thus: “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” 1 Jn 4:10. And so it is written: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Rom 5: 8b. Indeed, Jesus has accomplished on behalf of us sinners a redemption work that is beyond understanding, as Paul stated it: “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross”Col 2:13-14. This is all about the justification work that Jesus did for us before God, as He accepted to vouch for us before the Father by redeeming us with his precious blood (1 Pet 1:18-19). Therefore, “who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” Rom 8: 33-34. Surely God vouches for his people through his Son Jesus Christ, who takes care of them until the end, and who will stand to say: ““Here am I, and the children God has given me”Heb 2:13. To them He says: “I am with you and will rescue you” Jer 1:8.
Monday 05: God vouches for his people and justifies them.
“I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” Is43:1b.
Reading 1: Mt28:16-20; Reading 2: Is43:1-3; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Is 43:1. Other references:
- “Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, ‘Take off his filthy clothes.’ Then he said to Joshua, ‘See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you”Zec3:3-4.
- “And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified” Rm8:30.
Tuesday 06: God vouches for his people for their lives.
“Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” 2Tim 1:10b.
Reading : Mt4:23-25; Reading 2: 2 Tim 1:7-10; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: 1Tim 1:10b. Other references:
- “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me” Is 49:15-16.
- “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” Jn 3:16.
Wednesday 07: Jesus is the One who vouches for his people.
“Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” Mt 14:27.
Reading 1: Is 41:8-14; Reading 2: Mt 14:24-33; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Mt 14:26-27. Other references:
- “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened— burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, ‘Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart’”Ps40:6-8.
- “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand”Jn10:27-28.
Thursday 08: Jesus’ blood guarantees our redemption.
“In him we have redemption through his blood” Eph1:7a.
Reading 1: Mr 15:33-39; Reading 2: Eph 1:1-11; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Eph 1:7. Other references:
- “In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” Heb 9:21-22.
- “But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 Jn 2:1b-2.
Friday 09: God guarantees victory for his people.
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” Jn16:33b.
Reading 1: 1 Jn5:1-4; Reading 2: Jn 16:25-33; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2:Jn 16:33. Other references:
- “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” Ex 14:14.
- “As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” 8:36-37
Saturday 10: God will forever vouch for his people.
“But He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining2 eternal redemption” Heb 9: 12b.
Reading 1: Lv 5:11-13; Reading 2: Heb 9:11-14; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Heb 9:12. Other references:
- “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” Jer 31:3.
- “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife5 or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life” Mt 19: 29.
Note: This pericope is published in Malagasy, French, English and German and can be seen on the site www.hifi-madanet.org and on Facebook “Hifi – English” © Madanet