[B] THE FIRST SUNDAY IN ADVENT INTROIT: See, your righteous King comes bringing salvation. O Lord, I give my soul to YOU. Don't let me suffer shame. Don't let my enemies defeat me. My hope is with YOU, and I will never suffer shame. My enemies will suffer shame. COLLECT: Show YOUR power, O Lord, and come. Protect us and save us from the danger of our sins. We pray to YOU, O Christ, with the Father and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. ISAIAH 63:16b-17; 64:1-8 16b. YOU, O Lord, are our Father, and for many years YOUR name is Savior. 17. O Lord, why do we stray from YOUR ways and make our hearts stubborn, then we don't fear YOU? 64:1. Oh, I wish that YOU will destroy the skies and come to us, then the mountains will shake in-front-of YOUR face. 2. The-same-as we know fire destroys wood and fire makes water boil, the-same way people will know YOUR name by seeing the mountains shake. 3. Happened YOU came-down and the mountains shook, YOU did terrible things that we didn't expect. 4. No one since has heard or seen any god work the-same-as YOU to help the people trusting in YOU. 5. YOU welcome the person that cheerfully does good and those people that remember all YOUR ways. See, YOU ago angry, and we sinned. We sinned a long time. Can we get saved? 6. We become un-clean and our good works are the-same-as dirty clothing. We all droop same-as a leaf, and our sins blow us from YOU. 7. No one prays in YOUR name or begs YOU for mercy. YOU hide YOUR face from us and let our sins destroy us. 8. Yet, O Lord, YOU are our Father. We are the-same-as CLAY, and YOU are the-same-as the POT Maker; we are all made by YOU. I CORINTHIANS 1:3-9 3. Grace and peace to you from God, our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 4. Daily I thank God for you, because God gave grace to you in Jesus Christ. 5. And in everything God made you rich with all speech and all knowledge in Jesus. 6. And God established the Good Story about Jesus in you in the same way. 7. Then you will have every gift, while you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come again. 8. God also will make you strong in faith to the end, and God will keep you without blame on the day when Jesus comes. 9. God is faithful. God invited you to join with HIS Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. GRADUAL: Rejoice, O children of God! Sing praise, children of heaven! See, your righteous King comes bringing salvation. Praise Christ. Jesus comes in the name of the Lord. In YOUR house, O Lord, we praise YOU. MARK 13:33-37 33. Be-careful and watch, because you don't-know the time that will happen. 34. That will happen same-as the story about a man going on a trip. Happened the man left home, he gave each servant his duties to do, and he ordered the servant responsible for the door to watch. 35. You watch, because you don't-know the time the boss of the house is coming; maybe in the evening; maybe at midnight; maybe at sunrise. 36. Be-careful that the boss of the house maybe come quickly and find you asleep. 37. The-same I tell you, I tell everyone: "Watch!" [B] THE SECOND SUNDAY IN ADVENT INTROIT: Make us new people, O God; make YOUR face smile on us, then we can be saved. Listen to us, O Great Shepherd, YOU lead YOUR people same-as sheep; YOU sit amongst the angels. YOU lead YOUR people out-of EGYPT and YOUR people filled the land. Make us new people, O Almighty God; make YOUR face smile on us, then we can be saved. COLLECT: O Lord, come and help us prepare our hearts for YOUR only Son. And because Jesus comes, we can serve YOU with pure minds. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 40:1-11 1. "Comfort, yes, comfort MY people." 2. Your God says, "Speak with kindness to the people in the city JERUSALEM, and tell the people, 'Your sins are forgiven. You received from the Lord double punishment for all your sins--finished!'" 3. A voice shouts: "In the dry land prepare the way for the Lord. Make a straight-highway for our God across the dry land. 4. Every valley will be lifted-up, and every mountain will be pushed-down. The hills will become level, and the rough places become smooth. 5. The glory of the Lord will be seen, and all people together will see HIS glory." 6. A voice commands: "Shout!" I said: "Shout, what say?" The voice said, "All people are same-as grass. The beauty of people is same-as flowers in the field. 7. The grass droops...the flower droops happens God touches that. People are the-same. 8. The grass droops, the flower droops, but the Word of God remains forever. 9. You person announcing the Good Story; you go on a high mountain. Shout with a loud voice. You person announcing the Good Story, shout louder. Don't be afraid. Say to the cities in the country JUDAH: 10. 'Notice! The Lord God comes with power, and HE reigns all things HIMSELF. See HIS gifts are with HIM, and HE knows the things HE will do. 11. HE will feed HIS sheep same-as a shepherd. HE will put-HIS-arms-around the baby sheep and hold-them-against-HIS-breast and gently lead the mother sheep with their young baby sheep.'" II PETER 3:8-14 8. Don't forget, dear friends, with the Lord one day is the-same-as a thousand years, and a thousand years are the-same-as one day. 9. The Lord isn't slow to do HIS promises, as some people think. HE is patient with you and doesn't-want anyone to die, but wants them all from sin look-away to HIM. 10. The Lord HIS Judgment Day will come same-as a thief. On that day the skies will disappear with a terrible noise. Everything in the sky will burn and be destroyed, and the earth and everything on the earth will disappear. 11. All things we see will end in destruction. Now, how shall we live? 12. Your lives must be holy, given to God, while you wait and hope for the future Day of God. On that day the sky will melt in flames and all things will melt in heat. 13. But God promised a new sky and a new earth. Then righteousness will continue with success. 14. Now, my friends, while you wait, do your best to live purely and without blame in-front-of God, and you will have peace with HIM. GRADUAL: Rejoice, O children of God! Sing praise, children of heaven! See, your righteous King comes bringing salvation. Praise Christ. Jesus comes in the name of the Lord. In YOUR house, O Lord, we praise YOU. MARK 1:1-8 1. Beginning the Good Story about Jesus Christ, Son of God: 2. In the book of the prophet ISAIAH God said: "I will send MY announcer before YOU to prepare the way for YOU. 3. A person will be shouting in the dry land: 'Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight-raods for HIM.'" 4. Then JOHN the Baptizer came into the dry land, preaching that people change and get baptized; thier sins forgiven. 5. All the people in the country JUDEA and in the city JERUSALEM came to listen to JOHN. Happened they confessed their sins, JOHN baptized them in the river named JORDAN. 6. JOHN dressed with a coat from CAMEL hair and with a LEATHER belt, and JOHN are GRASSHOPPERS and HONEY. 7. JOHN preached: "One Man greater than me will come. I am not good enough to kneel and untie HIS shoes. 8. I baptized you with water. HE will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." [B] THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT INTROIT: Show us YOUR mercy, O Lord, and give us YOUR salvation. I will hear God the Lord speak, because HE will speak peace to HIS people and to HIS dear children; but HIS people must not change again to foolish living. Truly HIS salvation is near to those people honoring HIM, then glory will stay in our nation. Also the Lord will give good, and our ground will grow much food. Righteousness surrounds our God and prepares a road for HIS walking. COLLECT: Almighty God, through John the BAPTIZER YOU announced salvation; now help us to know about this salvation and serve YOU with a holy and righteous life all the days of our life. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 61:1-3, 10-11 1. The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because the Lord chose me to tell the Good Story to the poor people and to comfort those people with sad hearts. HE sent me to announce freedom to slaves and those people in jail. 2. HE sent me to announce a year that the Lord will accept people, and a day for God's revenge. 3. To all those crying, HE will give beauty instead of ASHES, happiness instead of crying, praise instead of depression; because God blessed HIS people the same-as strong OAK trees, showing HIS glory. 10. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul rejoices in God, becauseHE gives me clothes named salvation. HE covers me with the robe named righteousness. I am the same-as a bridegroom with a wreath of flowers. I am the same-as a bride dressed with jewels. 11. The earth makes good things grow; seeds grow in a growing place. In the same way the Lord will make righteousness and praise grow in-front-of all nations. I THESSALONIANS 5:16-24 16. Always stay happy. 17. Never stop praying. 18. No-matter anything happens, thank God, because God wants you to do that in your life with Christ Jesus. 19. Don't limit the Holy Spirit. 20. Don't laugh happen that God speaks through people. 21. Test everything and accept the good things. 22. But avoid every variety of bad things. 23. God gives us peace. God make you fully HIS people. God keep your whole person - spirit, soul and body, and keep you free from all blame until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24. God names you HIS child. HE will do all HE promised. GRADUAL: Rejoice, O children of God! Sing praise, children of heaven! See, your righteous King comes bringing salvation. Praise Christ. Jesus comes in the name of the Lord. In YOUR house, O Lord, we praise YOU. JOHN 1:6-8, 19-28 6. God sent HIS announcer named JOHN. 7. He came to tell people about the light. He came that all should hear the story and believe. 8. JOHN hinself was not the light; he came to tell about the light. 19. Happen the Jewish leaders in the city JERUSALEM sent priests and church officers to JOHN asking, "Who are you?" 20. JOHN answered, "I am not the promised Savior, the Christ." 21. They asked, "Who are you? ELIJAH? Are you the prophet?" JOHN answered, "No." 22. They asked, "Who are you? We must bring an answer to our leaders. What do you say about yourself?" 23. JOHN said, "I am the person shouting in the dry country, 'Make straight the way for the Lord,' as the prophet ISAIAH said." 24. Some of the group were the Law teachers. 25. They asked, "If you are not the promised Savior, not ELIJAH, not the prophet, why do you baptize?" 26. JOHN answered, "I baptize with water. Among you stands someone you don't-know, 27. That person will come. I am not good enough to untie HIS shoe straps." 28. This happened at the city BETHANY across the river JORDAN at the place JOHN baptized. [B] THE FOURTH SUNDAY IN ADVENT INTROIT: O skies, send joy from above. Let the clouds rain with righteous blessings. Let the earth grow with mercy. The skies show God's glory, and the earth shows the work of HIS hands. COLLECT: O Lord, show YOUR power and come. Help us with YOUR wonderful strength and grace. Then our sins will not bother our service to YOU, but we will obey YOUR wishes through YOUR mercy and power. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. II SAMUEL 7:8-11, 16 8. Now go and tell MY servant DAVID from the Lord of heaven, "I chose you to be leader of MY special people while you were a shepherd working in the field. 9. I was with you every place you went and destroyed your enemies. I will make your name famous, then you will be one of the most famous people on earth. 10. I will choose a home land for MY people, and they will never leave that place. No enemies will worry or bother them. 11. They will have peace same-as during the years of the judges. And your family will reign for many years. 16. I finished choose your family to reign forever." ROMANS 16:25-27 25. Now, to HIM...God can make you strong through the Good Story I tell and the preaching about Jesus Christ and by showing the secret hidden for many years. 26. But now that secret is shown, and by the writings of the prophets as the eternal God commanded them, shown to all the nations that they will believe and obey. 27. To the only wise God through Jesus Christ give glory forever. Amen. GRADUAL: Rejoice, O children of God! Sing praise, children of heaven! See, your righteous King comes bringing salvation. Praise Christ. Jesus comes in the name of the Lord. In YOUR house, O Lord, we praise YOU. LUKE 1:26-38 26. In the sixth month of ELIZABETH'S pregnancy God sent the angel named GABRIEL to the country GALILEE to the town NAZARETH. 27. The angel had a message for a girl engaged to a man named JOSEPH from the family of king DAVID. The girl's name was MARY. 28. The angel came and said, "Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and greatly blessed you!" 29. MARY was truly worried while she listen to the angel's speak, and MARY wondered about the meaning of the words. 30. The angel said, "Don't be afriad, MARY. God is good to you. 31. You will become pregnant and have a son, and you will name the boy, Jesus. 32. That boy will be-truly great and will be named the Son of the Most High God. 33. And the Lord will give Jesus the throne of HIS father DAVID. Jesus will be king over the people of God forever, and HIS kingdom will never end." 34. MARY asked the angel, "How can this happen? I am not married." 35. The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come to you, and God's power will enter you. For this reason the holy boy will be named the Son of God. 36. Remember your cousin ELIZABETH. She before can't have children, but now she is six months pregnant, no-matter she is very old, 37. Because truly God can do anything." 38. MARY said, "I am the Lord's servant. Let it happen to me as you said." Then the angel left. [B] THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD-CHRISTMAS INTROIT: The Lord reigns. HE is dressed beautifully. HE is strong. The Lord reigns. All the earth rejoice; oceans rejoice; clouds surround HIM; HE judges with righteousness and honesty. The skies announce HIS righteousness, and all people see HIS glory. COLLECT: O God, YOU make us happy every-year on the birthday of YOUR Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to happily welcome Jesus our Savior now, and with bravery trust HIM on the Judgment Day. . We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 52:7-10 7. Truly beautiful are the feet of the announcers walking on the mountains telling about peace, salvation, and that God is King. 8. Listen to the watchers sing with joy because they see the Lord leading HIS people home again. 9. Let the destroyed city JERUSALEM begin a happy song, because the Lord comforts and saves HIS people. 10. The Lord showed HIS strength to all the nations of the earth, and they will see our Savior God. HEBREWS 1:1-9 1. Long-ago God spoke many times in different ways to our fathers through prophets. 2. Now God speaks to us through HIS Son. Jesus made the world, and God gave everything to Jesus. 3. The Son shows God's glory. The Son is God, and with the power of HIS Word the Son reigns all the world. The Son died for our sins and now reigns with God the Father in heaven. 4. The Son is greater than all the angels, because HIS name is greater than their name. 5. God never said to any angel, "You are MY Son. Today I give you the honor of MY name. I will be your Father and you will be MY Son." 6. But happened God's Son came into the world, then God said, "Let all the angels of God worship Jesus." 7. God speaks about the angels same-as spirits and servants and fire. 8. But to the Son God says, "O God, YOUR Kingdom remains forever. And YOU reign honestly and correctly. 9. YOU love correct and hate wrong. That is reason God chose YOU and gave YOU the joy of an honor above all others." GRADUAL: For us a baby is born, a Son given to us, and HE will reign. And HIS names will be Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Peace Prince. Sing to the Lord a new song, because HE does wonderful things. JOHN 1:1-14 1. The Word (Christ) was in the beginning. The Word was with God. The Word was truly God. 2. Christ was with God in the beginning. 3. Christ made all things. Everything that was made, that was made by Christ. 4. Life began by Christ. HIS life was the Light for all people. 5. The Light shines in the darkness. And the darkness can't put-out the Light. 6. God sent a man by the name JOHN. 7. And JOHN came to tell the truth about the Savior to help everyone believe. 8. JOHN was not the Savior, but JOHN came to tell the truth about the Savior. 9. The true Savior coming into the world will give light to everyone. 10. The Savior came into the world. The Savior made the world, but the people in the world didn't-know the Savior. 11. The Savior came to HIS home nation, and HIS home people didn't accept HIM. 12. To all those people accepting the Savior and believing in HIM, they became the children of God. 13. The children of God are not born from parents or born from sexual hunger or born because a man wanted that child. No, these children of God are born because God wanted them. 14. Christ became a man and lived among us. We saw HIS shining greatness. This greatness is given only to a much loved Son from the Father, full of love and truth. [B] FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS INTROIT: For us a child is born, for us a Son is given. And HE will be named Wonderful Advisor, Mighty God. Sing to the Lord a new song, because HE does wonderful things; HIS right hand and HIS holy arm is victorious. HE remembered HIS love and HIS faithfulness to the people of ISRAEL; everything on earth sees the salvation of our God. Shout with happiness to the Lord, all the earth, shout with happiness to the Lord, our King. COLLECT: Lead us, O Lord, in all our doings with YOUR glorious love and continually help us with all the works that we begin, continue, and finish in YOUR name, that we will give glory to YOUR holy name and then by YOUR mercy receive eternal life. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 45:22-25 22. Attend to ME for salvation, all people on earth, because I AM God, and there are no other gods. 23. I MYSELF made a promise; I spoke truly, and I will not change MY promise. Every person will kneel in-front-of ME, and everyone will honor ME. 24. The people will say, "Only in the Lord we have righteousness and strength." And all the people angry with God will feel ashamed. 25. But only in the Lord God will forgive HIS people, and they will give glory to HIM. COLOSSIANS 3:12-17 12. Now, dear and holy people; you are the chosen people of God. Now, in your heart put mercy, kindness, humility, quietness, and slowness to anger. 13. Show patience to one-another and forgive one-another. And if one person complains against another, let him forgive that one, the same-as the Lord forgives you. 14. First, become loving, because love is the same-as a perfect chain around all these things. 15. And let the peace of Christ reign in your hearts. God called you to give you peace. Now show thanks. 16. Let the words of Christ live in you much everytime you teach and help one-another in all wisdom. And let the words of Christ live in you much everytime you sing Psalms and music and spiritual songs in your hearts with thanks to God. 17. And all you do in word or work, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give thanks to God the Father through Jesus. GRADUAL: For us a child is born, for us a Son is given, and HE will reign over all. And HE will be named Wonderful Advisor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Sing to the Lord a new song, because HE does wonderful things. LUKE 2:25-40 25. A man lived in the city named JERUSALEM. The man's name was SIMEON. He was a good man and a very religious man. He searched for the Promised Savior of God's people to come. The Holy Spirit was in his heart. 26. The Holy Spirit told SIMEON that he would see the Savior before he died. 27. The Holy Spirit led SIMEON into the house of the Lord. The parents brought the baby Jesus into the house of God. They came in obedience to the Jewish Law. 28. Then SIMEON took Jesus in his arms. SIMEON praised God and said: 29. "Lord, YOU kept YOUR promise, now let me die in peace. My eyes saw the Savior of all people's sins. 30. YOU made the Savior ready for all people to see. 31. Jesus will shine same-as a light on the dark sinful hearts of non-Jewish people. 32. Jesus will show HIS great glory to YOUR chosen people, the Jews." 33. And Jesus' father and mother thought very much about SIMEON'S words about Jesus. 34. And SIMEON blessed them and said to MARY, Jesus' mother, "Look, God sent this child for HIS purpose. This child will make many people rebel against God, but many people will believe in God in the Jewish nation. Many people will speak against HIM. 35. Because HE will show the secret thoughts in many hearts. And you, MARY, will have a pain, same-as a sword piercing your soul." 36. And one woman prophet from the family named ASSHUR came. Her father was named PHANUEL, and the woman's name was ANNA. She was very old and married for seven years. 37. Now her husband died, and she was eighty four years old. She stayed in the temple and worshipped night and day, praying and often not eating so-that she could pray better. 38. ANNA came and gave thanks to God. She told the people in the city JERUSALEM about Jesus. She told that to all those believers waiting for the promised Savior to come. 39. JOSEPH and MARY finished doing everything the Law of the Lord commanded. Then they went home to the city NAZARETH, their home town in the country GALILEE. 40. The little boy Jesus grew and became stronger and wiser, and God blessed HIM. [B] NEW YEARS EVE INTROIT: Our help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Sing to the Lord a new song, because HE does wonderful things; HIS right hand and HIS holy arm is victorious. The Lord informed us about HIS salvation and showed HIS righteousness to the nations. HE remembers HIS love and HIS faithfulness to the people of ISRAEL; and everything on earth sees the salvation of our God. COLLECT: Lord God, heavenly Father, because YOU sent YOUR only Son to save us and YOU gave the name Jesus, help us to begin the New Year trusting in Jesus and live all our days serving HIM and praising HIS glorious name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 51:1-6 1. Attend to me you people searching for correct things; now search for the Lord. Look you came from that place. 2. See ABRAHAM, your father, and SARAH, she birthed you. ABRAHAM was only one man before I called him, but I blessed him and gave him a large family. 3. The Lord comforts HIS people and pities all the destruction; HE will change the dry country into a beautiful growing area. Happiness and pleasure will be there, thanksgiving and hear all the singing. 4. Attend to me, MY people, and hear ME, MY nation; I give MY Laws, and MY judgment is same-as a light for the nations. 5. I come quickly doing correct things. I come to save. I will judge the nations. The land near the sea will eagerly wait for me and trust in me. 6. Look to heaven, and look to the earth. The heavens will disappear in smoke, the earth will melt-away same-as old clothes, and the people living will die same-as FLIES. But I will always save and always do the correct thing. ROMANS 8:31-39 31. What do we say about this? If God supports us, then no person can defeat us. 32. God will do anything for us. God let HIS Son suffer for us. God gave HIS Son for us all. Now with Jesus our friend, then God will truly give us all things. 33. Who will blame God's chosen people? No one! God makes HIS people alright. 34. Who can say that God's people are to blame? No one! Christ Jesus died for us, but that is not all. Jesus also arose from death. And now Jesus is with God in heaven praying to God for us. 35. Can anything separate us from Christ's love? No! Can trouble separate us from Christ's love? No! Can problems or persecution separate us? No! If we have no food or clothes, will that separate us from Christ's love? No! Will danger or death separate us? No! 36. Same-as written in the Holy Writings, "Because of Jesus we are near danger and death all the time. People think we are worth no more than sheep to be killed." 37. But in all these things we are victorious through God showing HIS love to us. 38. Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Not death, not life, not angels, not reigning spirits, nothing now or nothing in the future, 39. No powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, or anything else in the world will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. GRADUAL: Everything on earth sees the salvation of our God. Shout with happiness to the Lord, all you people on earth. The Lord informed us about HIS salvation and showed HIS righteousness to the nations. MATTHEW 1:18-21 18. The mother of Jesus Christ was-named MARY. Jesus became born this way. Mary was-engaged to marry JOSEPH. But before the wedding MARY became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. 19. JOSEPH was a good man and didn't-want to embarrass MARY in-front-of the people. JOSEPH planned to divorce MARY secretly. 20. While JOSEPH thought about everything, an angel of the Lord came in a dream. The angel said, "JOSEPH, son of DAVID, don't be-afraid to accept MARY for your wife. The baby inside her comes from the Holy Spirit. 21. She will birth a Son, and you will name the boy Jesus, because HE will save HIS people from their sins." [B] SECOND SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS INTROIT: The Word became born and lived among us. We saw HIS glory, same-as the only Son from the Father full of love and truth. Truly it-is good to sing praises to our God, pleasant and correct to praise HIM! Our Lord is great and very powerful; HIS understanding has no limit. The Lord loves those people honoring HIM and trusting in HIS never failing love. Praise the Lord, O JERUSALEM; praise your God, O heaven. COLLECT: O God, our Maker and Savior, YOU wonderfully made us and YOU made us YOUR people through the birth of YOUR Son, help us to always live with HIM same-as HE came to live with us. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 61:10-62:3 10. I will rejoice much because of my Lord, and my soul will be happy with my God, because God saved me and made me holy. 11. Same-as the ground grows food and flowers bloom from SEEDS, the same the Lord God will make HIS righteousness and praise to grow in-front-of the nations. 62:1. Because of MY people I will not be-quiet and for MY people in the city JERUSALEM I will not rest until the righteousness shines same-as a light and salvation shines same-as a fire. 2. The nations will see God's righteousness and all the kings will see HIS glory. YOU will have a new name that the Lord HIMSELF will give YOU. 3. YOU will be the same-as a beautiful crown for the Lord, and a shining diamond in the hand of God. EPHESIANS 1:3-6, 15-18 3. Let us give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of Christ God gave every spiritual blessing from heaven. 4. Before God made the world, God chose us that we would be holy and without blame in-front-of HIM. 5. Because of HIS love God decided to make us HIS sons through Jesus Christ agreeing with HIS pleasure and purpose. 6. Let us praise God for HIS wonderful love and for the free gift God gave us in HIS dear Son. 15. For this reason since I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God's people, 16. I have not stopped thanking God for you. I remember you in my prayers. 17. I ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of glory to give you HIS Spirit to make you wise and to show God to you that you will know HIM. 18. I ask that your minds be-opened to see HIS light that you will know the hope that God gives to you and the very rich wonderful blessings God promises HIS people. GRADUAL: For us a child is born, for us a Son is given, and HE will reign over all. And HE will be named Wonderful Advisor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Sing to the Lord a new song, because HE does wonderful things. JOHN 1:1-18 1. The Word (Christ) was in the beginning. The Word was with God. The Word was truly God. 2. Christ was with God in the beginning. 3. Christ made all things. Everything that was made, that was made by Christ. 4. Life began by Christ. HIS life was the Light for all people. 5. The Light shines in the darkness. And the darkness can't put-out the Light. 6. God sent a man by the name JOHN. 7. And JOHN came to tell the truth about the Savior to help everyone believe. 8. JOHN was not the Savior, but JOHN came to tell the truth about the Savior. 9. The true Savior coming into the world will give light to everyone. 10. The Savior came into the world. The Savior made the world, but the people in the world didn't-know the Savior. 11. The Savior came to HIS home nation, and HIS home people didn't accept HIM. 12. To all those people accepting the Savior and believing in HIM, they became the children of God. 13. The children of God are not born from parents or born from sexual hunger or born because a man wanted that child. No, these children of God are born because God wanted them. 14. Christ became a man and lived among us. We saw HIS shining greatness. This greatness is given only to a much loved Son from the Father, full of love and truth. 15. JOHN told about Christ and said, "I told you about this Christ. I said that HE will come later, but HE is more important than me, because HE lived long before me. 16. All of us received from HIM many, many gifts of love. 17. The Law was given to us through MOSES, but God's love and truth came to us through Jesus Christ. 18. No one ever saw God. The only Son of God, that Son of God the Father loves very much, that Son told us about God." [B] THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD INTROIT: All kings bow to HIM and all nations will serve HIM. O God, give YOUR holy Son the power to judge with righteousness and honesty. Because HE will help the poor people shouting for help, and HE will help the suffering people that no one else will help. HE will show mercy and save the weak people from death. HE will save those slave people and those suffering from beatings, because their lives are important to HIM. Let HIS name stay forever, stay same long as the sun shines. COLLECT: Lead us, O Lord, in all our doings with YOUR glorious love and continually help us with all the works that we begin, continue, and finish in YOUR name, that we will give glory to YOUR holy name and then by YOUR mercy receive eternal life. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 60:1-6 1. Stand, shine same-as the sun, because the glory of the Lord is shining on you. 2. Darkness covers the earth and black darkness covers the people, but the light of the Lord shines on you, and HIS glory will be with you. 3. Nations will come to see your light and kings will come near to see. 4. Look-around you and see the things happening. The people meeting together will come home. Your sons will come from far-away. Your daughters will be carried same-as children. 5. You will see this and be filled with joy. You will be nervous with excitement. The riches of the nations will be brought to you; yes, from across the sea riches will come. 6. Many CAMELS will come from the countries MIDIAN and EPHAH. People will come from the country SHEBA bringing gold and perfume. The people will tell the Good Story about the things that the Lord does. EPHESIANS 3:2-12 2. You know that God in HIS mercy gave-me this work, And God blesses you through my work. 3. God showed me HIS secret plan. I already wrote about this in another letter. 4. If you read that other letter, then you will understand the secret about Christ. 5. Long-ago people didn't-know this secret. But now God told HIS secret to HIS holy preachers and prophets. God spoke through the Holy Spirit. 6. And this is HIS secret: people from other nations, not Jewish people, now can have God's blessings through HIS Good Story. They are members of the same family. They share in the promise God made through Jesus Christ. 7. God made me a preacher of this Good Story. God gave me this work through the power of HIS mercy. 8. I am less worthy than any of God's people! But God gave me honor because HE let me preach to people in other nations about the wonderful blessings of Christ. 9. And God let me help all people understand God's secret plan. God made all things, and HE kept HIS plan secret through all past years. 10. Why? For the church to teach the angel managers and spirit powers about God's wisdom now. 11. This agrees with God's eternal plan. And God did and finished the things HE planned through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12. In joining with Jesus and through our faith in HIM, we have the courage to meet God face-to-face. GRADUAL: Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise HIM all you people. Because HIS love is great to us, and HIS faithfulness remains forever. Give glory to the name of the Lord, bring a gift and enter HIS house. MATTHEW 2:1-12 1. After Jesus was born in the city BETHLEHEM in the country JUDEA during the time of king HEROD, wise men from the East arrived in the city JERUSALEM and said, 2. "Where is the new baby King of the Jews? We saw HIS star in the East, and we came to worship HIM." 3. King HEROD heard this and those words bothered him and all the people in the city JERUSALEM. 4. Then HEROD had a meeting with the Jewish priests and Law teachers and asked them about the place of Christ's birth. 5. They answered, "In the city BETHLEHEM in the country JUDEA, because the prophets wrote the words: 6. 'And you BETHLEHEM, in the nation JUDAH. You are not the smallest city in the country JUDAH. Because from you a King will come and HE will lead MY people, ISRAEL.'" 7. Then HEROD called the wise men in a secret meeting and asked them about the time the star first appeared. 8. And HEROD sent the wise men to the city BETHLEHEM and said, "Go and search-for the baby. After you find the baby, come and tell-me, then I can go and worship HIM also." 9. After the wise men listened to the king, they left. And the star they saw before in the Eastern sky now appeared again; and that star moved and stopped over the baby's home. 10. And happened the wise men saw the star, they rejoiced with much happiness. 11. And they came into the house and saw the Baby with MARY, HIS mother. And they knelt-down and worshipped Jesus. They opened their gifts, and gave Jesus: gold, perfume, and sweet incense-smoke. 12. And God warned them in a dream, "Don't go to HEROD again." Now the wise men left for their home nation another way. [B] FIRST SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY INTROIT: Praise to the Lord God of ISRAEL. God does wonderful things. Praise HIS glorious name forever. YOU (Jesus) are the most perfect man and YOUR mouth speaks words of love, because God blesses YOU forever. YOUR throne, O God, will stay forever; YOU will judge YOUR kingdom honestly. YOU love righteousness and hate evil; now God put YOU higher than all angels. COLLECT: Father in heaven, happened our Savior, Jesus Christ, baptized, YOU named Jesus, YOUR dear Son. In our baptism we became joined with Christ, and we receive eternal life through Christ. Help us all to do as YOUR children, as we promised in our baptism. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 42:1-7 1. God says, "Here is MY servant. I support HIM. I chose HIM. HE makes ME happy. I put MY Spirit on HIM. HE will judge the nations. 2. HE will not shout or quarrel in the streets. 3. HE will see a crushed STEM, but HE will not break-it-off. HE will not blow-out a weak burning LAMP. HE will encourage the weak tempted people. HE will judge honestly. 4. HE will not fail. HE will not be disappointed. HE will come to judge the earth; and the people across the seas wait to hear HIS teaching." 5. The Lord God creator of the wide-skies and the large world and all living things giving breath and spirit to all people says, 6. "I, the Lord, named YOU holy and protected YOU, and I gave YOU to show the people MY promise is true. YOU shall shine as a Light to the nations; 7. YOU will let blind people see; YOU will free people from jail; YOU will free also those people in very dark jails." ACTS 10:34-38 34. PETER began speaking. "Now I understand. God really does the same for all people. 35. Because any person that honors God and does right, then God accepts him. The color of skin doesn't-matter. 36. You know God announced to the Jewish people that Jesus Christ gives us peace. Jesus is Lord reigning all people. 37. You know JOHN preached about baptism in the country of the Jews. Then Jesus did wonderful things, starting in the country GALILEE. 38. And you know God the Father gave the Holy Spirit and power to Jesus. You know Jesus travelled-around helping people and healing people taking-away the devil's power. Jesus could do these things because God the Father was with HIM." GRADUAL: Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise HIM, all you people. Because HIS love is great to us, and HE stays faithful forever. Give glory to the Lord, and enter HIS house bringing a gift. MARK 1:4-11 4. JOHN lived in the dry country baptizing people and preaching that all people sorry for their sins, God will forgive them. 5. Everyone from the country JUDEA and from the city JERUSALEM went to listen to JOHN. The people confessed their sins, and JOHN baptized the people in the river JORDAN. 6. JOHN'S clothes were made from CAMEL'S hair, tied-with-a-belt. JOHN ate LOCUSTS and HONEY. 7. JOHN preached to the people that someone will come later. "That person is much greater than me. I am not good enough to kneel-down and untie HIS shoes. 8. I baptize you with water, but HE will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 9. A short time later Jesus came from the city NAZARETH in the country GALILEE, and JOHN baptized Jesus in the river JORDAN. 10. When Jesus began walking-out-of the water, the sky opened and the Holy Spirit came-down same-as a DOVE (bird) over Jesus' head. 11. And a voice came from heaven saying, "YOU are MY OWN dear SON. I am very happy with YOU." [B] SECOND SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY INTROIT: I don't hide YOUR righteousness in my heart; I speak about YOUR faithfulness and saving work. O my God, I want to obey YOUR Word. I wait patiently for the Lord, and HE heard my crying. HE helped me out-of my troubles, and HE gave-me strength. HE taught me a new song to praise my God. COLLECT: Almighty and eternal God, YOU reign all things in heaven and earth. With mercy hear YOUR people pray and give us YOUR peace all the days of our life. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. I SAMUEL 3:1-10 1. Now the boy SAMUEL was serving the Lord by helping ELI. The Lord almost never spoke in those days. 2. ELI was almost blind with age, and one night after ELI went to bed and SAMUEL slept in the temple near the ARK, 3. The Lord spoke, "SAMUEL, SAMUEL!" And the boy said, "Here I am," and he ran to ELI. 4. The boy said, "Here I am, I heard you call me." 5. ELI said, "I didn't call you, go to bed again." Now the boy went and lay-down. 6. Then the Lord spoke again, "SAMUEL!" And the boy awoke and went to ELI and said, "Here I am, I heard you call me." ELI said, "No, I didn't call you, go to bed again." 7. Now SAMUEL did-not-yet know the Lord, and he never heard a special word from God before. 8. Now the Lord spoke again the third time. Again SAMUEL awoke and ran to ELI. "Here I am, I heard you call me." Then ELI understood that the Lord spoke to the boy. 9. Now ELI said, "Go and lay-down again, and if God speaks again, then say, "Speak, Lord, because YOUR servant hears.'" Now SAMUEL went to bed again. 10. And the Lord came and stood near-by and spoke as before, "SAMUEL, SAMUEL!" and the boy answered, "Speak, Lord, because YOUR servant hears." I CORINTHIANS 6:12-20 12. Someone will say, "I can do anything I want to do." Yes, but not everything is good for you. I could say, "I can do anything I want to do," but I don't-want anything to make me a slave. 13. Someone will say, "Food is for the stomach, and the stomach is for food." Yes, but God will destroy both. SEXUAL sin is never correct. Our bodies were not made for SEXUAL sin; No, our bodies were made for the Lord, and the Lord wants to fill us with HIMSELF. 14. God raised the Lord Jesus from death, and HE will also raise us by HIS power. 15. You know your bodies are parts of the body of Christ. Then? Shall I join part of Christ with a PROSTITUTE? Shall I take part of Christ and join HIM with a woman that sells SEX? Never, NO! 16. You know, correct? Any man that joins his body with a PROSTITUTE becomes one body with her. The Bible says very clearly, "The two shall become one body." 17. But if you give yourself to the Lord, you and Christ are joined together as one spiritual person. 18. Avoid SEX sin. All other sins happen outside the body, but the person sinning with SEX, sins against his own body. 19. Did you forget? Your body is the temple for the Holy Spirit now living in you, and God gave you HIS Spirit? You don't OWN yourselves. 20. No, HE bought you and paid the price. Now use your bodies to give glory to God. GRADUAL: Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise HIM, all you people. Because HIS love is great to us, and HE stays faithful forever. Give glory to the Lord, and enter HIS house bringing a gift. JOHN 1:43-51 43. The next day Jesus decided to go to the country GALILEE. Jesus found PHILIP and said to him, "Follow ME." 44. PHILIP lived in the city BETHSAIDA, the home city of ANDREW and PETER. 45. PHILIP found his friend NATHANIEL and told him, "We found the promised Savior. Remember MOSES and the prophets wrote about HIM in the Holy Book. HIS name is Jesus, son of JOSEPH, from the city NAZARETH. 46. NATHANIEL answered, "NAZARETH? Can anything good come from that small town?" PHILIP said, "Come and see." 47. Happened that Jesus saw NATHANIEL coming, Jesus said, "Here is a true son of ISRAEL. There is nothing false in him." 48. NATHANIEL asked Jesus, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you while you sat under the FIG tree, before PHILIP invited you." 49. NATHANIEL answered, "Teacher, YOU are the Son of God. YOU are the King of ISRAEL." 50. Jesus asked him, "Do you believe only because I told you I saw you while you sat under the FIG tree? You will see many greater things than that!" 51. Then Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth. You will see heaven open and the angels of God coming and going on the Son of Man." [B] THIRD SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY INTROIT: From the east to the west the name of the Lord is praised. Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord. Praise the Lord now and forevermore. The Lord is praised in all the nations, HIS glory praised in heaven. HE helps the poor people out-of their broken houses, and puts them in seats next-to the princes. To the woman she can't have any babies, HE gives her children to make her happy. COLLECT: O Lord God Almighty, YOU always in the past gave several gifts from the Holy Spirit to YOUR servants, give us YOUR gifts today and give us the knowledge to use the gifts to YOUR honor and glory and the good of other people. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. JONAH 3:1-5, 10 1. Then God spoke to JONAH again, 2. "Go to the city NINEVEH and preach the words I tell you." 3. JONAH obeyed and went to the city NINEVEH. The city was so large that it required three days to go across the city. 4. And JONAH walked one full day into town. JONAH preached to the people, "Forty more days and God will destroy this city." 5. Then the people in the city NINEVEH believed God and announced a time for FASTING. Everyone, including the king, dressed in funeral clothes. 10. And God saw that the people stopped doing evil. Then God decided not to destroy the city and the people. I CORINTHIANS 7:29-31 29. My Christian friends, I mean the time is short. 30. While you still have enough time, if you have a wife, then live as if you had no wife. If you cry, then live as if you will never cry. 31. If you are happy, then live as if you were never happy. If you buy anything, then live as if you had nothing. While you use the things in the world, don't try to get everything you can from the world, because this world as you see it will disappear. GRADUAL: Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise HIM, all you people. Because HIS love is great to us, and HE stays faithful forever. Give glory to the Lord, and enter HIS house bringing a gift. MARK 1:14-20 14. After JOHN was put in jail, Jesus went to the country GALILEE and preached God's Good Story: 15. "The time finished arrived, and God's kingdom is here. Change and believe the Good Story." 16. Happened that Jesus walked near the lake GALILEE, Jesus saw PETER and his brother ANDREW, both fishermen, throwing the nets into the water. 17. Jesus told them, "Come, follow ME and I will make you catch people." 18. Quickly PETER and ANDREW dropped their nets and went with Jesus. 19. Walking a short way Jesus saw JAMES, the son of ZEBEDEE, and his brother JOHN in their boat sewing their nets. 20. Then Jesus called JAMES and JOHN, and they left their father ZEBEDEE and the other workers in the boat and followed Jesus. [B] FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY INTROIT: The Lord watches the way of the righteous, but the way of evil people will be destruction. Happy is the person that doesn't listen to the advice of the evil people and doesn't together-with sinners and doesn't join with the mocking people. But happy is the person that enjoys obeying the laws of the Lord and thinks about the laws day and night. That person is the same-as a tree near the river growing good food and the leafs never wither. Everything the righteous person does succeeds. The evil person always fails. The evil person is the same-as weeds blown-away. Now the evil people will not stand in-front-of the judge; and sinners will not stand among the righteous people. COLLECT: Almighty God, YOU know that we live with many dangers around us every-day and because of our sin we often weak, give us YOUR strength and protection to help us during all dangers and temptations. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. DEUTERONOMY 18:15-20 15. MOSES said to the people, "The Lord your God will send a Prophet. HE will be the-same-as me. HE will come from one of your families. Listen to HIM. 16. Because you asked God to save you from death at Mt. HOREB. You were afraid to see the great fire and hear the voice of the Lord your God near the mountain. 17. The Lord heard your prayer, and HE will do that. 18. The Lord will send a Prophet from among your people, and HE will speak the words that God will command. 19. And God will punish anyone not attending to HIS words. 20. But any prophet falsely speaking for God or any prophet speaking for an idol, that prophet will die." I CORINTHIANS 8:1-13 1. Now about the meat given as a gift to an idol. We know that all of us have some knowledge. That makes a man proud, but love truly helps us to grow. 2. When a person thinks he knows something, truly he still has much more to learn. 3. But if that person loves God, then God knows him. 4. Now about eating meat offered to idols, we know that there is no true idol in the world, but that there is truly only one God. 5. But many people think many gods and lords reign heaven and earth. 6. But we know only one God, the Father. HE made all things, and we live for HIM; and we know one Lord Jesus Christ. HE made everything, and we live with HIM. 7. But some people don't-know that. Some people grew-up thinking idols are alive, and they remember the meat offered to the idol, and their conscience is weak, and they feel it is a sin to eat the idol meat. 8. Food will not improve our relationship to God. We will lose nothing if we don't eat the meat, and we will profit nothing if we eat the meat. 9. But we must be-careful, or maybe weak Christians will sin because they see you doing as you want. 10. If a weak Christian sees you eating in the temple of an idol, that would be encouraging him to eat the meat offered to an idol, Right? 11. And now your knowledge is leading this weak Christian to feel ashamed of his sin, although Christ died for him. 12. But happen you sin against your Christian friend in this way and hurt his weak faith, then you are sinning against Christ. 13. Now if food will make my Christian friend sin, then I will not eat that meat, because I don't-want to make my friend sin. GRADUAL: Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise HIM, all you people. Because HIS love is great to us, and HE stays faithful forever. Give glory to the Lord, and enter HIS house bringing a gift. MARK 1:21-28 21. Jesus and HIS followers arrived at the city CAPERNAUM. And on the next worship day Jesus went into the church and began to teach. 22. The people were surprised with HIS teaching because Jesus didn't teach the-same-as the Law teachers, but Jesus taught with authority. 23. That same time a man came into the church and the man had an evil spirit in him. 24. And the evil spirit shouted, "Leave Jesus from NAZARETH. YOU come to destroy us. I know YOU are God's holy Son." 25. Jesus commanded the evil spirit, "Silence, come-out of the man." 26. The evil spirit shook the man and with a loud shout the evil spirit came-out. 27. The people were all surprised and began talking about that. "Who is this Jesus? A new teacher with strength! Jesus commands the evil spirits, and the evil spirits obey HIM." 28. The story about Jesus quickly spread everywhere in all the country around GALILEE. [B] FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY INTROIT: The light shines for the holy, loving, and righteous person during the darkness. Praise the Lord. Happy is the person that honors the Lord and obeys HIS commands. Much wealth that person has and righteousness stays forever. That person will not fear sad stories, but will stay strong and trust the Lord. That person feels safe and will not fear; finally that person will defeat all the enemies. That person gives gifts to poor people and righteousness stays forever. COLLECT: O God, our loving Father, through YOUR Holy Spirit YOU put YOUR love in the hearts of YOUR faithful people. Give YOUR servants a strong mind and body, that we can love YOU with all our strength and with all our heart and do things pleasing in YOUR sight. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. JOB 7:1-7 1. ?Do people experience trouble on earth? Are we same-as servants working for pay? 2. Same-as a servant wants to rest in the shade and a working person wants to finish his work, 3. The same I suffer pain monthly and every night no rest. 4. Happen I go to bed, I think about time to wake-up. But the night is a long time, and I roll-over back-and forth until sunrise. 5. My body is covered with worms and dirt; my skin becomes hard and cuts again. 6. My time during the day is fast same-as sewing cloth and full of NO hope. 7. Remember, my life is same-as the wind, and I will not be-happy again. I CORINTHIANS 9:16-23 16. I preach the Good Story, but I have nothing to boast. I must tell the Good Story. Warning, if I don't preach the Good Story! 17. If I do that because I want to do it, then I can expect you to pay me. But if I don't-want to do this work, I still have the responsibility to do it. 18. What is my earnings? I have the honor of preaching the Good Story with no cost to anyone, and I never demand my earned pay. 19. Now, I am a free man -- no one controls me. But I give myself same-as a slave to everyone. I do this to lead more people to Christ. 20. Happen I am working with the Jews, I live the-same-as a Jew to lead them to Christ. Although I don't need to follow the rules of MOSES, I still obey those rules while I work with those people, that I can lead them to Christ. 21. In the-same way, happen I am working with not Jewish people, I live the-same-as those people without the rules, that I can lead them to Christ. But I don't break the Law of God; NO, I follow the Law of Christ. 22. Some people are weak. I become weak also to lead them to Christ. 23. I become the-same-as every person, that I can lead them to Christ. I do all that to share the Good Story. I want to share these blessings. GRADUAL: Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise HIM, all you people. Because HIS love is great to us, and HE stays faithful forever. Give glory to the Lord, and enter HIS house bringing a gift. MARK 1:29-39 29. Jesus departed from the Jewish church and arrived at the home of SIMON and ANDREW. Jesus'friends JAMES and JOHN went with HIM. 30. SIMON's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a temperature. SIMON told Jesus about the mother. 31. And Jesus went and took her hand and helped her stand-up. The temperature dissolved and the mother served food to Jesus. 32. Happened that evening after sunset, people brought to Jesus all the sick and all the people with devils inside. 33. All the people from town came in-front-of the house. 34. Jesus healed many people with various sickness, and Jesus threw-out many devils. Jesus would not let the devils speak, because the devils knew Jesus. 35. The next morning before sunrise Jesus awoke and departed from the house. Jesus went outside the town to a lonely place to pray. 36. But SIMON and his friends came searching-for Jesus. 37. Happened that they found Jesus, they said: "Everyone is searching for YOU." 38. But Jesus answered, "We must go to the other cities around here. I must preach to those people also, because that is the reason I came. 39. Then Jesus travelled all over the country GALILEE, preaching in the Jewish churches and throwing-out devils. [B] SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY INTROIT: The evil people have many troubles, but the people trusting in the Lord have HIS eternal love around them. Happy is the person forgiven of his sins. Happy is the person that always speaks the truth, because the Lord doesn't count his sins. I confess my sins to YOU, and I don't hide my law breakings. I will confess my mistakes to the Lord, and HE forgives all of my sins. Now let all the holy people pray to YOU and find YOU, Lord; because happens that the great oceans cover-over us, then we can never find YOU. God, YOU help protect us from all trouble and save us from destruction. COLLECT: Lord God, YOU hear the prayers of YOUR people. Help us to see and to understand the things we should be doing and give to us YOUR love and power to do those things. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. II KINGS 5:1-14 1. The king of the country SYRIA respected and liked the chief officer in his army named NAAMAN, and the Lord God gave him many victories in battle. NAAMAN was famous, but he also had the sickness LEPROSY. 2. Many times the army sent small groups to destroy and steal in the country ISRAEL, and once they took a little girl and gave her to be the servant for NAAMAN'S wife. 3. One day the little girl said to the wife, "I wish your husband would go visit the prophet living in the country SAMARIA. He would heal his sickness LEPROSY." 4. NAAMAN told the king the things the girl said. The king told NAAMAN, "Go and visit the prophet. I will send a letter to the king of the country ISRAEL." 5. Now NAAMAN began on the trip with gifts; $20,000 of SILVER, $60,000 of GOLD, and 10 different clothing. 6. The letter to the king of the country ISRAEL said; "The man with this letter is my servant NAAMAN. I want you to heal his sickness LEPROSY." 7. Happened the king of the country ISRAEL read the letter, the king tore-his-clothes and said: "That man sent a LEPROSY man to me for healing! Am I God? Can I kill and give life again? He is trying to find a reason to start war again." 8. But happened that the prophet ELISHA heard the king of the country ISRAEL tore-his-clothes, the prophet sent a letter to the king; "Why are you upset? Send the man NAAMAN to me, and he will learn a true prophet of God lives in the country ISRAEL." 9. Now NAAMAN arrived with his horses and several CHARIOTS and stood in-front-of the door to ELISHA'S house. 10. ELISHA sent a servant to tell the man: "Go wash yourself seven times in the river JORDAN, and you will become healed from the sickness LEPROSY." 11. But NAAMAN felt insulted and walked away saying: "I thought he will come out to me and stand in-front-of me and pray to the Lord his God and wave-his-hand over my body and heal the sickness. 12. Truly our rivers at home -- ABANA and PHARPAR rivers -- they are better than any water in the country ISRAEL. I will go home and wash in the river." And NAAMAN departed very angry. 13. But the servants told him, "NAAMAN, if the prophet told you to do something different, you would do it, right? Then you should obey happened he tells you only to go and wash and get healed." 14. Now NAAMAN went and washed himself seven times in the river JORDAN the-same-as the prophet ELISHA told him, and his skin became healthy again the-same-as the skin of a little child. I CORINTHIANS 9:24-27 24. You know that in a race all run, but only one is the winner. The-same you run to win. 25. Those runners must every-day practice. They practice to win something that later dissolves, but we practice to win an eternal gift. 26. Now I always have that goal. I'm not fighting nothing. 27. I force my body to practice and to obey me, then I teach the Good Story to other people and don't let myself become weak. GRADUAL: Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise HIM, all you people. Because HIS love is great to us, and HE stays faithful forever. Give glory to the Lord, and enter HIS house bringing a gift. MARK 1:40-45 40. A man sick with LEPROSY came to Jesus, kneeled, and begged Jesus, "If YOU want, YOU can heal me." 41. Jesus felt sorry for him, and Jesus touched the men and said, "I want-to help you. Sickness, disappear!" 42. Quickly the sickness disappeared and the man became healed. 43. Then Jesus sent-away the man and commanded him, "Don't tell anyone about this, but first go to the Jewish priest and let him examine you. 44. Then you offer that gift MOSES commanded to show proof to all the people that you are now healed." 45. But after the man departed, he talked-so-much about the way Jesus healed him, that Jesus couldn't enter any towns. Jesus tried to stay at places alone, but the people came out to find Jesus from many towns. [B] SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY INTROIT: The Lord is full of mercy and kindness, slow to become angry, and overflowing with love. Praise the Lord, Oh my soul; all inside me, praise HIS holy name. Praise the Lord, Oh my soul, and don't forget all HIS blessings. HE forgives all my sins and heals all my sicknesses; He saves my life from destruction and fills me with love and mercy. HE satisfies all my needs with good things and I become excited same-as a young child. HE doesn't punish us same-as we deserve. Same-as the sky is high above the earth, the same great is HIS love for those people that honor HIM; the same far-away the east from the west, the same far-away HE throws our sins. COLLECT: Lord God, we ask YOU to keep YOUR family, the Church, always faithful to YOU. Let us depend on the hope of YOUR promises and get strength from the power of YOUR love. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 43:18-25 18. The Lord God says: "Don't think about the things that happened before. 19. See, I am doing a new thing. Right-now it begins to happen. Can you see it? I will make a road through the dry places, and I shall make rivers flowing through those places. 20. The animals in the fields will thank ME, yes JACKALS and OSTRICHES, because I give them water in the dry places and water-springs for MY people to drink. 21. The people I made for MYSELF will sing praise to ME. 22. But MY people - you don't pray to ME; you become bored with ME. 23. You didn't bring ME your sheep for burnt offering. You didn't honor me with gifts. I don't ask for many offerings. I don't demand INCENSE. 24. You spend no money on sweet smelling INCENSE for ME. You didn't fill me with your many gifts. NO, instead you give ME only your sins. You make ME tired with your law breakings. 25. I am the one that must forgive your wrongs, and I will not remember your sins." II CORINTHIANS 1:18-22 18. You can trust God. The things we tell you is not both yes and no. We are not the-same-as people that say one thing and meaning another. 19. SILAS, TIMOTHY and I preached to you about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In HIM you don't see yes and no. Instead HE is the YES from God. 20. For all the promises of God, Jesus is the YES that makes the promises happen true. Now, through Christ we give glory to God by saying, "Amen, let it happen." 21. God makes our faith, and your faith becomes strong in Christ. HE separated us special for HIMSELF. 22. HE put HIS mark on us to show we belong to HIM. HIS Spirit is in our hearts to prove this. GRADUAL: Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise HIM, all you people. Because HIS love is great to us, and HE stays faithful forever. Give glory to the Lord, and enter HIS house bringing a gift. MARK 2:1-12 1. Several days later Jesus came again to the city CAPERNAUM, and the story spread that Jesus came home. 2. So-many people came together, they filled the house, and many must stand outside the door. Jesus preached God's Word to them. 3. Then some other people came and four men carried a man PARALYZED. 4. But they couldn't bring the man to Jesus through the crowd of people. Now, they made a hole in the roof above the place Jesus stood. After making the opening, they lowered the man lying on the bed. 5. Happened that Jesus saw their strong faith, HE said the the man PARALYZED, "MY son, your sins are forgiven." 6. Some law teachers sat in the house and thinking, 7. "Why did Jesus say that? HE is talking against God. No man can forgive sins, only God can forgive!" 8. Quickly Jesus knew their secret thoughts and Jesus said to them, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? 9. Which is easy to say to this man PARALYZED: 'Your sins are forgiven' or 'Stand-up, take your bed and walk'? 10. I will prove to you that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins." 11. Then Jesus said to the man PARALYZED, "I tell you, stand-up, take your bed and go home." 12. While all the people watched, the man stood-up, took his bed, and went home. They all were surprized and praised God, saying, "We never saw anything same-as this!" [B] EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY INTROIT: Oh my soul, find rest with God; my salvation and my honor depend on God. My soul finds rest only with God; my salvation comes from HIM. HE is my strength and my savior; HE protects me and I will not fear. O people, trust in HIM always; tell God your problems, becuase HE is YOUR protector. One thing God spoke; two things I heard: that YOU, O God, are strong, and that YOU, O Lord, are loving. Truly YOU will bless each person according to the things that person does. COLLECT: O Lord, in mercy hear our prayers and free us from our sins and defend us against all evil. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. HOSEA 2:14-20 14. But I will encourage MY people again and bring them to the dry places and speak to them with kindness. 15. I will give again the good growing land and change that from a place of trouble to become a place of hope. Then they will sing with happiness the-same-as they sang after leaving the country EGYPT. 16. Then, says the Lord, they will name ME "husband" and no more name ME "Lord". 17. I will make you forget all the idols, and you will not speak idol names anymore. 18. I will make an agreement between you and the animals and the birds and the snakes. I will destroy the swords, spears and bow and arrows and make all wars to stop. Then the people will sleep in peace. 19. And I will join MYSELF to you with righteousness, fairness, love and mercy. 20. I will show you faithfulness, and you will know the Lord. On that day I will answer your prayers. II CORINTHIANS 3:1-6 1. Do you want to see a letter of praise about us? I don't think so. We don't need a letter of praise about you. 2. The only letter I need is to see you yourselves. By looking at the change in your hearts everyone can see your good works. 3. Everyone can see you are the same-as a letter from Christ, prepared by us, not written with INK or on stones, but written with the Holy Spirit of the living God in your hearts. 4. We have this trust in God through Christ; 5. Now we ourselves can't say anything comes from us, but our power comes from God. 6. God made us good and worthy servants of the new agreement. And this agreement is not the written Law, but it is the spiritual promise. Because the written Law kills, but the spiritual promise gives life. GRADUAL: Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise HIM, all you people. Because HIS love is great to us, and HE stays faithful forever. Give glory to the Lord, and enter HIS house bringing a gift. MARK 2:18-22 18. JOHN'S friends and some of the Jewish leaders stopped eating for part of their religious worship. They came to Jesus and asked, "Why don't YOUR friends stop eating?" 19. Jesus asked them, "Do friends of the groom refuse to eat at a wedding? While the groom is with them, they enjoy themselves and eat. 20. But after the groom departs, then they can stop eating. 21. No one sews some new cloth on old clothes. If you do that, then the new cloth will rip the old cloth and the hole will become worse. 22. Same no one puts new wine in an old WINESKIN. If you do that, then the WINESKIN breaks and both the wine and the WINESKIN are destroyed. New wine is put in a new WINESKIN. [B] THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD INTROIT: Praise the Lord our God and worship in HIS holy Church, because the Lord our God is holy. The Lord reigns, let the nations fear; the Lord sits on HIS throne with angels around HIM, let the earth shake. Great is the Lord in heaven; HE reigns over all the nations. Let the nations praise YOUR great and wonderful name -- HE is holy. The King is mighty, HE loves honesty -- YOU always show fairness; in ISRAEL YOU finished doing the correct and fairness thing. Praise the Lord our God and worship HIM; HE is holy. COLLECT: O God, in that glorious transfiguration of YOUR only Son YOU proved the secret of the faith of our fathers, and with YOUR voice from that cloud YOU showed YOUR acceptance of us through Jesus. In mercy give us that same glory that YOU showed in Jesus, and bring us to that glory in heaven. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. II KINGS 2:1-12 1. Now happened the Lord was ready to take ELIJAH to heaven in a wind. ELIJAH and ELISHA departed the city GILGAL. 2. ELIJAH told ELISHA, "Stay here, because the Lord told-me to go to the city BETHEL." But Elisha said, "Since the Lord lives and since you live, I will not leave you." Now both went to BETHEL. 3. And the prophet sons in BETHEL asked, "Do you know today the Lord will take ELIJAH from here?" ELISHA said, "Yes, I know that; be-quiet." 4. ELIJAH told him, "ELISHA, stay here, because the Lord told-me to go to the city JERICHO." But ELISHA said, "Since the Lord lives and since you live, I will not leave you." Now both went to JERICHO. 5. And the prophet sons in JERICHO asked, "Do you know today the Lord will take ELIJAH from here?" And ELISHA said, "Yes, I know that; be-quiet." 6. Then ELIJAH told him, "ELISHA, stay here, because the Lord told-me to go to the river JORDAN." But ELISHA said, "Since the Lord lives and since you live, I will not leave you." Now both went to the river JORDAN. 7. Fifty prophet sons also went with them but stood afar while the two stood near the river. 8. Then ELIJAH took-off his coat, rolled-it-up, and hit the water, and the water separated until both walked on dry land. 9. Happened both finished crossing , ELIJAH asked, "What do you want before I leave?" ELISHA said, "I ask-you for twice your spirit." 10. And ELIJAH said, " You asked for a hard thing; but if you see me ascending, you will get the thing you ask; but if you don't see me, then you get nothing." 11. While both walked and talked, see a CHARIOT flaming and horses flaming separated the two men. And ELIJAH went to heaven. 12. ELISHA saw that and shouted, "My father, my father! The CHARIOTS and horses." Then he saw ELIJAH no more. II CORINTHIANS 3:12 - 4:2 12. Because we have hope, we are very brave. 13. We are not the same-as MOSES. He covered his face that the Jews would not see the face shining dissolve. 14. The Jews had their minds closed, and still today their minds are covered happens they read the Old Testament. If a person believes in Christ, the covering is taken-away. 15. Yes, still today happens the Jews read the Laws of Moses, their minds are covered. 16. But if anyone believes in the Lord, the covering is taken-away. 17. Now the Lord is a Spirit, and the place the Spirit of the Lord lives, you find freedom. 18. Then all of us show the glory of the Lord on our faces, and we are changed to become the same-as HIM. 4:1. God in mercy gave us this service, and now we don't become disappointed. 2. We throw-away all secret and shameful deeds. We don't lie, and we don't use God's Word falsely. GRADUAL: Praise the Lord, all you nations; praise HIM, all you people. Because HIS love is great to us, and HE stays faithful forever. Give glory to the Lord, and enter HIS house bringing a gift. MARK 9:2-9 2. Six days later Jesus brought PETER, JAMES and JOHN and went to a high mountain four-of-them. 3. Jesus' body changed in-front-of their eyes, and HIS clothing became white shining, more white than anyone in the world could wash the clothes. 4. Then the three friends saw ELIJAH and MOSES talking to Jesus. 5. PETER said, "Teacher, it is good for us to be here. We will make three tents, one for YOU, one for MOSES, and one for ELIJAH." 6. PETER didn't think before speaking. All three friends were afraid. 7. A cloud came and covered that place and a voice spoke, "This is MY Son that I love. Attend to HIM." 8. Quickly, the three friends looked around, but they saw only Jesus. 9. Happened they all departed from the mountain, Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone the things that happened until after the Son of Man arise from the dead. [B] ASH WEDNESDAY INTROIT: Offer to God your sorrow, a sad and sorry heart God will attend. Show mercy to me, O God, agreeing-with YOUR love and kindness, agreeing-with YOUR much mercy, forgive my law breaking. Wash-away my wrongs, and make me clean from my sin. Because I know my law breaking, and my sin is always in-front-of me. Look, you want truth in the heart, and in secret you will teach me wisdom. Cleanse me with YOUR Word and I will become clean. YOU wash me and I will become white same-as snow. Let me hear happiness and excitement; then my broken body can become happy. Hide YOUR face from my sins, and forgive all my wrongs. Begin in me a clean heart, O God, and make a new correct spirit in me. Don't throw-away me from in-front-of you, and don't take-away YOUR Holy Spirit from me. Again give me happiness with YOUR saving work, and give-me an eager soul. COLLECT: Almighty and eternal God, YOU don't hate things YOU made, and YOU forgive sins of sorry people. Now in us make and begin new and sorry hearts. Then we will feel sorrow about our sins and cry about our sinful souls, and then we will receive forgiveness from YOU, our God of mercy. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. JOEL 2:12-19 12. Now the Lord your God says: "Come again to ME with all your heart. Come, not eating, crying, and sorrow." 13. Don't rip your clothing, but feel honest sorrow in your hearts. Come again to the Lord your God, because HE shows kindness and mercy. HIS anger is slow, and HE shows much love, and HE wants to change HIS judgment against evil. 14. Don't-know? Maybe HE will change HIS heart and come again and give a blessing while HE passes-by. And maybe that blessing is a food or drink offering to give the Lord, your God. 15. Blow-the-trumpet in the city JERUSALEM. Prepare a holy day with no eating. Announce the day for holy worship. 16. The people meeting together. Call everyone for worship. Bring the old people and the children, also the young babies. Let the groom leave his room and let the bride leave her room. 17. Let the priests -- those servants of the Lord -- let the priests shout in the temple between the altar and the PORCH. Let them say, "Lord, save YOUR people and don't make your gift a shameful thing, or other nations will mock us. Don't let the nations say: 'Where is their God?'" 18. The Lord was jealous for HIS land, and felt mercy for HIS people. 19. And the Lord answered HIS people: "Now I send corn and wine and oil to you, and you will be-satisfied. And I will never again make a thing of shame in-front-of the other nations. II CORINTHIANS 5:20 - 6:2 20. In the name of Jesus Christ and for HIM, we beg you, let God change you from enemies to become friends. 21. Christ had no sin, but God made HIM become our sin offering. God did this for us, so that in Christ we can become alright with God. 6:1. We work together-with HIM, and we beg you: Don't waste this wonderful kindness of God. 2. Because God says: "Your prayer came to ME happened I was ready to attend. I helped you in the day of salvation. Attend, now is the hour to get God's kindness. Today is the day to become saved." GRADUAL: Oh come, let us look-at Jesus; HE gave us our faith and HE makes perfect that faith. HE patiently burdened the cross although that cross is ashamed, and HE reigns in heaven our God. MATTHEW 6:1-6, 16-21 1. Jesus taught them saying, "Be-careful! Don't do your good works in-front-of people; don't let people see the things you do. Because then you will lose the gift from your Father in heaven. 2. Happen you give a gift to a poor person, don't boast about that to others. Don't copy hypocrites. They blow-trumpets in the churches and on the streets so that people will praise them. Remember this! They already received their gift. 3. NO, happen you help a poor person, don't tell your left hand the things your right hand does. Don't tell your best friend about it, but do good things secretly. 4. And your Father sees the things you do secretly and HE will bless you. 5. Now about prayer, happen you pray, don't do same-as hypocrites. They enjoy standing and praying in the churches and on the streets so that everyone will see them. Remember this! They already received their gift. 6. NO, happen you pray, go to your room alone and close the door, and pray to your Father secretly, and your Father sees the things you do secretly and HE will bless you. 16. Happen you give-up eating, don't copy the hypocrites with their sad faces. They walk around with a hungry face so that everyone will see their giving-up eating. Remember this! They already received their gift. 17. Happen you give-up food, wash-your-face and comb-your-hair. 18. Then others can't know that you are giving-up eating. But your Father will know. YES, your Father sees secret things and HE will bless you. 19. Don't save-money riches on earth, because that can be-destroyed by worms or fire, or robbers can steal that. 20. Instead save-money things in heaven, because no worms or fire can destroy in heaven, and no robbers can steal that. 21. Because the things you love most, that you will attend-to. [B] FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT INTROIT: Anyone praying to ME, I will answer you; I will stay with you during trouble, save you and honor you. I will give-you long life and show you MY salvation. If you live everyday with the Lord, our protector and Most High God, then HE will not let any hurt happen to you and no trouble in your house. Because God commands the angels to stay with you and protect you always. The angels will lift-you-up that you don't hurt yourself. You will walk among lions and snakes and walk on them. The Lord says: Because you love ME, I will save you. I will protect you because you know MY name. You will pray to ME and I will answer you. I will stay with you during trouble, save you and honor you. COLLECT: O almighty and eternal God, we ask YOU to lead, make holy, and reign-over our hearts and bodies that we will obey all YOUR laws; and watch-over and protect us in body and soul. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. GENESIS 22:1-18 1. Later God tested ABRAHAM. God called: "ABRAHAM!" and he answered, "Here I am." 2. God said, "Bring your son, your only son ISAAC -- you love him very much; bring him and go to the country MORIAH. Then offer him same-as a burnt gift on the mountain I choose." 3. The next morning ABRAHAM awoke early-in-the-morning, chopped wood for the ALTAR fire and rode on his donkey. Then with ISAAC and two young servants, ABRAHAM began his journey to the place God showed him. 4. On the third day ABRAHAM looked-up and saw the place far-away. 5. ABRAHAM told the servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go-there and worship and come here again." 6. Abraham brought the wood for the burnt gift and gave the wood to ISAAC. ABRAHAM brought the knife and the fire. Then the father and son departed. 7. ISAAC asked, "Father!" ABRAHAM said, "Yes, my son?" "We have the wood and the fire, but where is the lamb for the burnt gift?" 8. ABRAHAM answered, "God HIMSELF will give the lamb for the burnt gift." The two continued walking. 9. They arrived at the place God chose for them and ABRAHAM built an ALTAR and arranged the wood. Then he tied-the-hands of ISAAC and laid-him on the ALTAR. 10. ABRAHAM took-the-knife for killing his son. 11. But the Angel of the Lord called from heaven and said, "ABRAHAM! ABRAHAM!" And he answered, "Yes, Lord?" 12. The Angel said, "Don't raise-your-hand-against-the-boy. Don't hurt him, because now I know you honor God. You don't refuse to give ME your son, your only son." 13. Then ABRAHAM noticed a RAM stuck in the bush its horns. ABRAHAM went and brought the RAM and offered it same-as a burnt gift instead-of his son. 14. Now ABRAHAM named that place, "The Lord gives help", and today people still say, "On the mountain the Lord gives help." 15. Again the Angel of the Lord said to ABRAHAM from heaven, 16. "I make a promise because you didn't refuse to give-ME your son, 17. I will bless you with riches and give-you many future children same-as many stars in the sky and SAND on the BEACH, and your family will defeat the enemy cities. 18. Because ABRAHAM obeyed God, all nations on earth will get blessed through your son. ROMANS 8:31-39 31. What does this mean? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32. HE didn't hold HIS own Son but gave-HIM-up for all of us - HE will truly with HIM give us everything. 33. Who will blame those people God chose? God, HE makes us righteous. 34. Who will condemn? Christ died. More than that HE arose, HE reigns in heaven, and HE prays for us. 35. Who will separate us from God's love? Will sorrow, a hard life, or persecution, hunger or nakedness, danger or a sword? 36. Old Testament Psalms writes, "Because of you, we are killed all-day-long. We are same-as sheep ready for killing." 37. But during all this HE loved us and helps us win a great victory. 38. I know that death or life, angels or devils, nothing now or in the future, no power things; 39. Nothing above or below, or any other thing can ever separate us from God. God loves us in Christ Jesus, our Lord. GRADUAL: Oh come, let us look-at Jesus; HE gave us our faith and HE makes perfect that faith. HE patiently burdened the cross although that cross is ashamed, and HE reigns in heaven our God. MARK 1:12-15 12. Then the Holy Spirit led Jesus out into the dry country. 13. And HE stayed forty days while the devil tempted HIM. HE stayed among the WILD animals, and the angels served HIM. 14. After JOHN finished put in jail, Jesus went to the country GALILEE and preached God's Good Story. 15. "The time now arrived, and God's Kingdom is here. Change and believe the Good Story." [B] SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT INTROIT: Remember, O Lord, YOUR great mercy and love, because YOUR mercy and love are eternal. You people honoring the Lord, now trust in HIM; The Lord helps and protects you. Lord, remember us and bless us. HE will bless the house of ISRAEL; HE will bless the house of AARON; HE will bless the people honoring HIM both children and adults. We must praise the Lord now and always. Praise the Lord. COLLECT: O God, YOU always show mercy, now show YOUR mercy to all people that turned-away from YOUR Word, and turn-them-back again with sorry hearts and a strong faith to believe YOUR true Word. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. GENESIS 28:10-17 10. JACOB departed the city BEERSHEBA and began a journey to the city HARAN. 11. Happened the sunset, he stopped to rest that night. He found a rock to use for a PILLOW and lay-down to sleep. 12. He dreamed: He saw a LADDER touching heaven, and he saw the angels of God coming-down and going-up. 13. And notice: The Lord stood above the LADDER and said: "I am the Lord, the God of ABRAHAM and the God of ISAAC your father. I will give to you and your future children the land place you are laying-down. 14. Your future children will be the same-as the dirt of the earth. You will spread to the west and the east, to the north and the south, and all nations of the earth will be blessed through you and your family. 15. Notice! I am with you and I will protect you any place you go, and I will bring you again to here land. I will not drop you until I finished all MY promise to you." 16. Then JACOB awoke from sleeping and said, "Truly, the Lord is in here place and I never knew it!" 17. He felt afraid and said, "Wonderful is here place. This is the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." ROMANS 5:1-11 1. Now that we believers are righteous, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. Jesus gave us the way to go to God's love that we enjoy now. And we feel happy while waiting for God's glory. 3. More than that we feel happy while suffering. 4. We know suffering gives us strength for patience. And this patience proves we are strong and that proof gives us hope. 5. And this hope will never disappoint us; Why, becuase God gave us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with love. 6. Christ died for us while we still are weak people. At the correct time Christ died for sinners. 7. Very few people will die to save the life of another person, no-matter that person is a good person. If that person is a very good person, maybe someone would die to save his life. 8. But God shows HE loves us, because we still are sinners Christ died for us. 9. Now HIS blood makes us righteous and we know truly that HE will save us from God's anger. 10. We before were God's enemies, but we became God's friends by the death of HIS Son. Now we are HIS friends and we know truly that HE will save us by HIS life. 11. More than that, we rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus made us friends with God. GRADUAL: Oh come, let us look-at Jesus; HE gave us our faith and HE makes perfect that faith. HE patiently burdened the cross although that cross is ashamed, and HE reigns in heaven our God. MARK 8:31-38 31. Then Jesus began to teach HIS friends: "The Son of Man must suffer much, be rejected by the leaders, the reigning priests, and the Law teachers; 32. Get killed, and then arise on the third day." Jesus spoke very clearly to them. 33. But PETER spoke to Jesus secretly and began to criticize HIM. Jesus looked-around-at the friends and criticized PETER. "Depart from ME, devil! Your thinking is a man's thinking, but God thinks differently." 34. Jesus spoke to all the people and HIS friends and said, "IF you want to follow ME, you must forget your own wishes, carry your cross, and follow ME. 35. IF you want to save your life, you will lose it. But IF you will give your life for ME and for the Good Story, you will save it. 36. It is worth nothing for a person to profit all the world and then lose his soul in hell. 37. A person can never pay enough to buy his soul again. 38. IF you are ashamed of ME today in the world of non-believing and sinful people, then I will be ashamed of you on the day I come with the holy angels in the glory of God the Father." [B] THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT INTROIT: My eyes always watch the Lord, because HE will save my feet from stumbling. I shout to the Lord; I pray to the Lord for mercy. I shout to YOU, O Lord, and I say, "YOU protect me and bless me." Listen to my prayer because I need YOUR help; save me from my enemies because they are strong. Free me from my sins that I can praise YOUR name. Then I will stand among holy people because YOU are good to me. COLLECT: Almighty God, YOU know that we are weak people, now YOU protect us both inside and outside from all bodily hurts and bad thoughts that hurt our soul. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. EXODUS 20:1-17 1. And God spoke all these words: 2. "I am the Lord your God. I brought you out-of the country EGYPT; I brought you out-of that house of slavery. 3. You shall have no other gods, only ME. 4. You shall not make yourselves any idols; you shall not copy anything in heaven,or on earth, or in the waters. 5. You shall not bow-down to idols, and you shall not serve them. Because I am the Lord your God, and I am a jealous God. Happen I punish the sinful people hating ME, that punishment continues on their children and their grand-children and their great-grand-children of those hating ME. 6. But I show MY kindness to many thousands of those loving ME and obeying MY commandments. 7. You must not use the name of the Lord your God in a false promise or in any way not showing respect, because if you use the name of the Lord wrong, you will not escape punishment. 8. Remember the Worship Day and keep it holy. 9. For six days you shall work and do everything, but the seventh day is for worshipping the Lord your God. 10. You shall do no work on that day...not you, not your son, not your daughter, not your men or women servants, not your animals, and not the visitors living in your house. 11. Because in six days the Lord God made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them, and HE rested on the seventh day. That's the reason the Lord blessed the Worship Day and made that holy. 12. Honor your father and your mother. Then you will have a long life in the country the Lord your God gave you. 13. You shall not kill. 14. You shall not break the holy marriage Law. 15. You shall not steal. 16. You shall not tell the false stories against your neighbor. 17. You shall not jealously want your neighbor's house. You shall not jealously want your neighbor's wife, or his men or women servants, or his cow, or donkey, or anything that-is-his." I CORINTHIANS 1:22-25 22. The Jews ask to see wonderful works for proof, and the Greeks want to hear wise lectures. 23. But we preach that Christ died on a cross. That is a big problem for the Jews, and that seems foolish to the Greeks. 24. But to those people God called no-matter Jew or Greek, Christ is God's power and God's wisdom. 25. The foolish thing God does is wiser than people, and the weak thing God does is stronger than people. GRADUAL: Oh come, let us look-at Jesus; HE gave us our faith and HE makes perfect that faith. HE patiently burdened the cross although that cross is ashamed, and HE reigns in heaven our God. JOHN 2:13-22 13. The Jewish PASSOVER time was near, now Jesus went to the city JERUSALEM. 14. In the temple HE found men selling cows, sheep, and birds, and the money changing people sat there. 15. Now Jesus made a whip from ropes and chased the sheep and cows out-of the temple. HE scattered the coins of the money changing people and turned-over their tables. 16. "Take-away these birds!" Jesus told those selling the birds. "Don't make MY Father's house a place for business." 17. Jesus' friends began thinking of the things the Bible said: My excitement for YOUR house will kill me. 18. Then the Jewish leaders asked Jesus, "Show us a wonderful work to prove YOU have the power to do this!" 19. Jesus said, "Destroy this temple, and I will build that in three days." 20. The Jews said, "People worked forty-six years to build this temple, and you will build that in three days?" 21. But the temple Jesus meant was HIS own body. 22. After Jesus arising from the dead, HIS friends remembered the words Jesus spoke, and they believed the Bible and the things Jesus spoke. [B] FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT INTROIT: Be excited and happy with the city JERUSALEM all you people; be excited you people that grieve. Give praise to the Lord because HE heard my asking for mercy. Wait for the Lord; stay strong, trust, and wait for HIM. One thing I ask from the Lord; that I will live all my days in HIS house and watch HIS beautiful face. The Lord protects and helps me; my heart trusts HIM. The Lord gives strength to HIS people and protects HIS chosen people. Save YOUR people and bless them; become their shepherd and take-care-of them forever. COLLECT: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, YOU show mercy new every morning. We don't earn YOUR good love, but still YOU give us all we need for our body and soul. Give us YOUR Holy Spirit that we will accept YOUR good love and give thanks for all YOUR blessings and obediently serve YOU. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. NUMBERS 21:4-9 4. The people ISRAEL departed from Mt. HOR going south on the road to the Red Sea around the country EDOM. On the way the people's patience melted-away. 5. They spoke against God and against MOSES. "Why? Why did you bring us from the country EGYPT to die in this dry country, Why? We have no bread and no water here. We hate that ugly food MANNA." 6. Then the Lord sent POISONOUS snakes among the people, and the snakes bit the people and many died. 7. The people came to MOSES saying, "We sinned, because we spoke against the Lord and against you. Please pray for us and ask the Lord to save us from these snakes." MOSES prayed for the people and the Lord answered him. 8. "Make a BRONZE snake and set-it-on-a-pole. Then happen a snake bites anyone, that person looks at the snake-on-the-pole, then he shall live." 9. Now MOSES made a BRONZE snake and set-it-on-a-pole. And happened a snake bit someone, that person looked at the BRONZE snake, then he lived. EPHESIANS 2:4-10 4. But God's mercy is very great, and HIS love for us is very great. 5. That while we were spiritually dead in our sins, God made us alive again in Christ. You are saved by God's love. 6. In our joining with Christ Jesus God lifts us with Jesus to reign with Jesus in heaven. 7. God did this to show for all future the wonderful greatness of HIS love by showing kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8. You are saved by the gift of God's love that you get by faith. You did nothing. You received God's gift. 9. You can't boast about anything, because you did nothing good. 10. God made us, and in our joining with Christ Jesus God wants us to do good works that God finished prepared for us to do. GRADUAL: Oh come, let us look-at Jesus; HE gave us our faith and HE makes perfect that faith. HE patiently burdened the cross although that cross is ashamed, and HE reigns in heaven our God. JOHN 3:14-21 14. The same-as MOSES put the-snake-on-the-pole in the dry country, in the same way the Son of Man must be put on a cross. 15. Now everyone that believes in Jesus has eternal life. 16. God loved the world that God gave HIS only Son, then everyone believing in Jesus will not die but will have eternal life. 17. Because God didn't send HIS Son into the world to judge the world, but to save the world. 18. If you believe in Jesus, you aren't condemned. But if you don't believe, you are finished condemned, because you don't believe in God's only Son. 19. This is the reason people are condemned; the Light came into the world, but people loved the darkness instead-of the Light, because they do bad things. 20. Anyone doing bad things hates the Light and will not come into the Light, because he doesn't-want his bad doings shown in the Light. 21. But anyone doing good things comes into the Light that he can show his good works are obeying God. [B] FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT INTROIT: O God, judge me and defend me against the unbelieving nations. Save me from sinful and lying people. I love the Lord, because HE heard my prayers; HE heard my shouts for mercy. I will pray to the Lord all my life, because HE attends to me. Death surrounds me, and the grave grieves me; I am filled with trouble and sadness. Then I prayed to the Lord, "O Lord, save me!" Because YOU, Lord, saved my soul from death, YOU wiped-away my tears, and YOU protected my feet from stumbling. COLLECT: Almighty and eternal God, help us remember and give thanks to YOU for Jesus' suffering on the cross that we are forgiven of our sins, and that YOU took-away the devil's power that we can be saved from eternal death. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. JEREMIAH 31:31-34 31. The Lord speaks: The days will happen that I will make a new agreement with the people ISRAEL and JUDAH. 32. The new agreement will not be-the-same-as the old agreement I made before with their fathers after I lead them out-of the country EGYPT. They broke that old agreement and I showed them that I am Lord. 33. The Lord speaks: No, this is the new agreement I will make with them on that day. The Lord speaks: I will put MY Law deep within them and I will write MY Law on their hearts. Then I will stay their God, and they shall stay MY people. 34. They will not need anymore to try to teach his neighbor or brother saying, "Learn to know the Lord!" No, they will all know ME, both children and adults. The Lord speaks: And I will forgive them and not remember their sin. HEBREWS 5:7-9 7. During HIS humble life here on earth Jesus prayed and shouted and cryed to God, because God can save Jesus from death. 8. But no-matter Jesus is God's Son, Jesus learned obedience through HIS suffering. 9. And happened Jesus' work finished, Jesus became the giver of eternal salvation to all obeying HIM. GRADUAL: Oh come, let us look-at Jesus; HE gave us our faith and HE makes perfect that faith. HE patiently burdened the cross although that cross is ashamed, and HE reigns in heaven our God. JOHN 12:20-33 20. Some Greek people came to worship at the city JERUSALEM. 21. They came to PHILIP and said, "We want to see Jesus." 22. PHILIP went and told ANDREW. Then both went and told Jesus. 23. Jesus said, "The time is near for the Son of Man to receive glory. 24. Truly, I tell you that if a seed doesn't fall into the ground and die, then nothing grows. But if that seed falls into the ground and dies, then it grows much food. 25. Anyone loving his-own life will lose his life. But anyone giving-up his life in this world will keep his life in heaven. 26. Anyone wanting to serve ME must follow ME, and the place I go MY servant goes-there too. If you serve ME, the Father will honor you. 27. My heart is troubled now. What should I say? Father, don't let this happen to ME? No! I came to suffer this now. 28. Father, I give glory to YOUR name." Then a voice spoke from heaven, "I give glory to MY name, and I will give glory again." 29. The people standing nearby heard that but they thought that was thunder. Some people said, "An angel spoke to Jesus." 30. But Jesus said, "That voice didn't come to help ME, but to help you. 31. Now is the time for the world to be judged. Now the devil will be conquered. 32. Happen I am put on the cross above the earth, I will make all people attend to ME. 33. Jesus said that to show HIS death will happen on a cross. [B] PALM SUNDAY INTROIT: Into YOUR hands I give my spirit; YOU saved me, O Lord God of truth. In YOU, O Lord, I trust; let me never become ashamed; save me with YOUR correct doings. Because YOU are my strong support and my defense, now guide me and reign over me because of YOUR name. Into YOUR hands I give my spirit; save me, O Lord God of truth. I hate people honoring foolish idols, but I trust in YOU, Lord. My time remains in YOUR hand; save me from the hands of my enemies and from people hurting me. Let YOUR face smile on YOUR servant; save me because-of YOUR great love. COLLECT: Almighty and eternal God the Father, YOU sent YOUR Son same-as a man to suffer death on the cross that all people will follow HIS example of humility, we ask YOU to help us follow Jesus' example of patience, then we can join in HIS arising. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ZECHARIAH 9:9-10 9. Excitement with heart and soul, O children of God. Shout with happiness, O children of heaven. See now, your king comes to you. HE is victorious, but HE is humble and riding on a donkey, on a young donkey. 10. I will stop war chariots, and war horses will not enter the city JERUSALEM. The bow-and-arrow for war will be destroyed. HE will announce peace for the nations. HIS reign will all-over from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth. PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11 5. Now think in your minds same-as Christ Jesus. 6. Now Jesus is the person of God HIMSELF and equal with God; but Jesus didn't rest with that honor. 7. HE hid HIS glory, and Jesus came in the body of a servant; and HE was born same-as true man. 8. Through obedience Christ humbled HIMSELF until death, and that death on the cross. 9. Now God gave Jesus much honor and put HIS name over all names. 10. And hearing Jesus' name every one must bow-down, all in heaven and on earth and under the earth. 11. And every mouth will confess that Jesus is Lord. This honors God the Father. GRADUAL: Christ enetered the Most Holy Place once for all by HIS OWN blood, freeing us forever. Christ brings a new agreement from God to HIS people that they can have the things God promised. God gives salvation to HIS people; HE established HIS agreement forever. MARK 15:1-39 1. In the morning the reigning priests, the older Jewish leaders, the teachers of the Law, and all the Jewish advisors decided about Jesus. The soldiers tied Jesus and led Jesus to PILATE, the governor and gave Jesus to him. 2. PILATE asked Jesus, "?YOU King of Jews?" Jesus said, "Yes, correct!" 3. The reigning priests blamed Jesus of many things. 4. PILATE asked Jesus, "?All these things blamed against YOU, what is YOUR answer?" 5. But Jesus won't answer. PILATE was surprised. 6. Every-year during PASSOVER celebration the governor will free one person from jail. The governor freed any person all the people wanted free. 7. Now a man named BARABBAS in jail because he rebelled against the government and killed a man. 8. The people asked PILATE to free one man same-as in the past. 9. PILATE asked, "?Do you want me to free the king of the Jews?" 10. PILATE knew the Jewish priests were-truly jealous of Jesus. 11. But the reigning priests influenced the people to ask for BARABBAS freed, not Jesus. 12. PILATE asked, "?Then I will do with the king of the Jews what?" 13. The people shouted, "Kill HIM on a cross!" 14. PILATE asked, "?Why? What wrong Jesus do?" But the people shouted louder, "Kill HIM on a cross!" 15. PILATE wanted to make the people happy, now he freed BARABBAS. Then he told the soldiers to whip Jesus and then bring Jesus to be killed on the cross. 16. The soldiers brought Jesus into the governor's house and called all the soldiers together. 17. They put-on Jesus a purple coat. Then with thorns made a crown and put it on Jesus' head. 18. Then they laughed at Jesus and said, " Hello, king of the Jews1" 19. The soldiers hit-on-the-head Jesus and spit on HIM and mocked Jesus by kneeling and worshipping HIM. 20. After finishing playing with Jesus, the soldiers took-off-the-coat and gave Jesus HIS OWN clothes and led Jesus outside to be killed on the cross. 21. Now a man from the country CYRENE came walking into town. His name was SIMON, he had two sons ALEXANDER and RUFUS. The soldiers forced SIMON to carry Jesus' cross. 22. They led Jesus to the place GOLGOTHA. That means SKULL. 23. The soldiers gave Jesus a wine drink mixed with medicine, but Jesus won't drink that. 24. The soldiers nailed-the-hands to the cross. Then they divided Jesus' clothes and threw-dice to decide the winner of the coat. 25. The time was-9:00am that Jesus was-nailed to the cross. 26. A wooden-sign was-put over Jesus' head with the words "The King of the Jews." 27. Two robbers also were-nailed to crosses, Jesus in the center, one robber on the right and one robber on the left. 28. And the Bible words happened true, "They killed HIm with robbers." 29. People came and said bad things to Jesus; they shook-their-heads and said, "You can destroy the temple and build that in three days. 30. Now save YOURSELF and come-down from the cross!" 31. The reigning priests and teachers of the Law stood there and mocked Jesus and said to one-another, "HE saved other people, but HE can't save HIMSELF. 32. If HE is the Christ, the king of the Jews, then HE can save HIMSELF by coming-down from the cross now. We will see this and believe in HIM." The robbers also spoke bad things against Jesus. 33. Time 12noon the whole country became dark and stayed dark until 3:00pm. 34. Time 3:00pm Jesus shouted, "ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI!" That means, "MY God, MY God, why do YOU leave me alone?" 35. Some people standing there heard and said, "Listen! HE is praying to ELIJAH." 36. One man ran and got a SPONGE and filled that with vinegar and put-it-on-a-stick and gave it to Jesus to drink. The man said, "Wait now and see if ELIJAH will come to take-HIM-down from the cross." 37. Then Jesus shouted and died. 38. Happened that Jesus died, the curtain in the temple tore-in-half from the top to the bottom. 39. One soldier standing there saw all the things that happened and said, "This man really-was the Son of God!" [B] HOLY THURSDAY INTROIT: I will take the cup of salvation and pray in the name of the Lord. What will I give to the Lord for all HIS gifts to me? I will take the cup of salvation and pray in the name of the Lord. Important in the eyes of the Lord is the death of HIS dear people. O Lord, I am truly YOUR servant; the son of YOUR servant girl; YOU freed me from my slavery. I will give a thank-offering to YOU and pray in the name of the Lord. COLLECT: Lord Jesus, YOU asked us to remember YOUR suffering and death every time we worship with this Lord's Supper. Let this gift of body and blood work in our hearts and lives so that we will announce the things YOU finished done. We ask this knowing YOU live and reign with the Father and the Spirit eternally one God. Amen. EXODUS 24:3-11 3. MOSES went and told the people all the Lord said and all HIS laws. And the people of ISRAEL answered together: "We promise we will obey every one of these laws." 4. Now MOSES wrote everything the Lord commanded. Then the next morning MOSES built an altar near the mountain with twelve PILLARS around the holy table because ISRAEL had twelve families. 5. Then MOSES sent young Jewish men to give to the Lord burnt offerings and to kill OXEN for peace gifts. 6. Half the blood of these animals MOSES saved in bowls; the other half MOSES sprinkled on the altar. 7. And MOSES read for the people the book of God's laws, and the people listened; and they said: "All the things the Lord commands, we will obediently do." 8. Then MOSES took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said: "This is the blood that shows the agreement the Lord made with you the same time HE gave you all these laws." 9. MOSES, AARON, NADAB, ABIHU and seventy leaders of the Jewish people went-up the mountain. 10. And they saw the God of ISRAEL, and under God's feet was a pavement same-as shining stones and clear same-as the sky. 11. God didn't hurt the leaders of ISRAEL while they saw God and ate and drank. I CORINTHIANS 10:16-17 16. Happens we drink from the cup after thanking God, we are sharing the blood of Christ. Correct? Happens we eat the bread that we break, we are sharing the body of Christ. Correct? 17. Because we have one bread, and we all share eating this bread, so-also we are joined together in one group. GRADUAL: Christ enetered the Most Holy Place once for all by HIS OWN blood, freeing us forever. Christ brings a new agreement from God to HIS people that they can have the things God promised. God gives salvation to HIS people; HE established HIS agreement forever. MARK 14:12-26 12. On the first day of the PASSOVER celebration happened the lambs were-killed for the eating, Jesus' friends asked, "Where should we go and prepare the PASSOVER eating for YOU." 13. Then Jesus sent two of HIS friends and said, "Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a jar of water. 14. Follow the man to the house, and tell the man in that house, 'The Teacher wants to know where is a room to eat the PASSOVER?' 15. Then the man will show you a large room with table and chairs. Prepare everything to eat in that room." 16. The two friends departed and went to the city and found everything happened the-same-as Jesus said. 17. And the friends prepared the PASSOVER eating. That evening Jesus arrived with the twelve freinds. 18. While they ate, Jesus said, "One of you will betray ME. Someone eating now with ME." 19. The friends became worried and each one asked, "YOU mean me?" 20. Jesus said, "Yes, one of you twelve. One of you dipping bread in the bowl with ME. 21. The Son of Man will die the-same-as-it-is finished written, but truly terrible for that man betraying the Son of Man! Truly better for that man if he never before born." 22. While they ate, Jesus took the bread, gave a thanks-prayer, broke the bread and gave the bread to HIS friends saying, "Take eat, this is MY body." 23. Then Jesus took the cup, gave a thanks-prayer, and gave the cup to HIS friends saying, 24. "This is MY blood shed for many people to show God's promise. 25. Truly I tell you that I will not drink again this wine until the day I drink the new wine in God's kingdom." 26. Then they sang and then departed to go to Mt. OLIVET. [B] GOOD FRIDAY INTROIT: O Lord, don't stay far-away; O my strength, hurry and help me. My God, my God, why YOU forget me? Why are-YOU not helping me and not listening to my prayers? In YOU our fathers trusted; they trusted and YOU saved them. But I am same-as a worm and not a man; people are-ashamed of me and hate me. But YOU led me since my birth; YOU taught me to trust since my mother fed me from her breast. YOU took-care of me from the day of my birth until now; YOU are my God since my birth. Don't stay far-away, because trouble is near, and none other can help. COLLECT: Almighty God, in mercy look-down upon YOUR family; YOUR Son, Jesus, accepted betrayal and let HIMSELF get-arrested and suffered death on the cross for us. Jesus now lives and reigns with YOU Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. ISAIAH 52:13 - 53:12 13. See! MY Servant will succeed. HE will arise, be-praised, and given high honor. 14. Many people were-surprised seeing HIM, because HIS face was more ugly than any other man, HIS body more ugly than any man. 15. HE will cleanse many nations. Kings will be-open-mouthed in-front-of HIM, because they will see things they never before saw, and they will hear things they never before thought about. 53:1. Lord, who believes the things we hear? And who sees the arm of the Lord? 2. We announced in-front-of HIM that HE is same-as a young child and a ROOT in dry ground. HIS face is nothing, and HE shows no glory. Now we didn't look-at HIM, and HIS face had no beauty. 3. And HIS face was without honor in-front-of all people. HE was a man with STRIPES of punishment, and HE knew sadness. Because no one saw HIS face, people hated HIM and gave HIM no praise. 4. This man accepted our sins and our sadness. And we thought HE HIMSELF was in trouble and punishment and suffering. 5. Our law breaking gave HIM much suffering, and our sins made HIM suffer pain. The punishment for our peace was on HIM, and with HIS STRIPES of punishment we get healed. 6. All we finished strayed same-as sheep. Each person strayed in his-own way. And the Lord put our sin on HIM. 7. And in HIS bad suffering HE didn't shout. Same-as people lead a sheep to their death offering, and same-as a lamb is silent in-front-of the SHEARER; also HE didn't shout. 8. They took-away HIS judgment with shame. And who among HIS people announce that they take HIM from the world of living people? HE went to HIS death for the sins of my people. 9. People gave HIM a grave with sinners and a grave with a rich man in HIS death. No-matter HE didn't break laws, and no lies HE spoke. 10. But the Lord wanted to punish HIM with STRIPES. You gave HIM to take-away sin. HIS soul will see HIS children, and HE will make HIS life long. And the Lord wants to take-away some suffering from HIS soul. 11. Show HIM light and lead HIM with understanding. My righteous Servant will decide many people righteous, because HE will burden their sins. 12. Now I will give HIM many people for a gift, and HE will share the riches with the strong people. Because HE poured-out HIS soul to death, people named HIM a law breaker. And HE burdened the sins of many people and prayed for sinners. HEBREWS 4:14-16; 5:7-9 14. Because we have a great Chief Priest in heaven, Jesus, God's Son, let us hold to our faith. 15. We have a Chief Priest that can sympathize with our weaknesses. HE got tempted in every way the-same-as us, but HE didn't sin. 16. Let us boldly go to God's throne of love to get mercy and find love to help us happen we need it. 5:7. During HIS life here on earth Jesus prayed and begged with much crying to God the Savior from death. Because HE honored God, then God heard HIS prayer. 8. No-matter Jesus is the Son, HE learned from HIS suffering about obedience. 9. Because HE was perfect, Jesus became the giver of eternal salvation to all obeying HIM. GRADUAL: Christ enetered the Most Holy Place once for all by HIS OWN blood, freeing us forever. Christ brings a new agreement from God to HIS people that they can have the things God promised. God gives salvation to HIS people; HE established HIS agreement forever. JOHN 19:17-30 17. Jesus carried HIS cross to the place named SKULL; the Jews named that place GOLGOTHA. 18. Jesus got crucified with two other men, Jesus in the middle. 19. PILATE out the wooden-sign on the cross - JESUS FROM NAZARETH, KING OF THE JEWS. 20. Many Jews read the words because that place was near the city, and the words were-written in Jewish, Latin and Greek. 21. The chief priests told PILATE to change the words. Not "KING OF THE JEWS" but "HE SAID I AM KING OF THE JEWS." 22. Pilate said, "I wrote that finished!" 23. The soldiers crucifying Jesus divided HIS clothes, some for each soldier, except Jesus' coat; that was-sewn-from-top-to-bottom all one coat. 24. The soldiers said, "Let's not rip the coat but throw-dice to see the winner." The Bible wrote about this, "They divided MY clothes and for MY coat threw-dice." The soldiers did that. 25. Now Jesus' mother and HIS aunt MARY, the wife of CLEOPAS, and MARY from the city MAGDALA stood near the cross. 26. Jesus saw HIS mother and HIS dear friend standing near the cross. Jesus said to HIS mother, "Woman, there is your son!" Then HE said to JOHN, "There is your mother!" 27. From that day forward JOHN took-care-of MARY in his home. 28. Then Jesus knew that everything was-finished, and that the Bible verse would truly happen Jesus said, "I thirst." 29. Near the cross was a jar of sour wine. A soldier put a sponge filled with wine on a stick and held that near HIS mouth. 30. Happened Jesus tasted the wine, Jesus said, "IT IS FINISHED!" Then HIS head bowed-down and HIS breathing-stopped. [B] EASTER SUNDAY INTROIT: Praise God! Christ arose same-as HE said. Christ arose from the dead. Praise God. Give thanks to the Lord, because HE is good; HIS love continues forever. Let HIS people now say that HIS mercy continues forever. People pushed me and I almost fell, but the Lord helped me. I will thank YOU because YOU answered me and saved me. The stone that the builders threw-away now becomes the chief stone for the corner. Now is the day that the Lord made; we will be-excited and be-happy in HIM. Blessed is the person coming in the name of the Lord; in the house of the Lord we bless YOU. COLLECT: O God, YOU gave YOUR only Son to suffer death on the cross for our salvation, and YOU freed us from the pain of death by Jesus' glorious arising. Help us to kill our sins every day so-that we can live with Jesus forever in happiness. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ISAIAH 25:6-9 6. Here in the city JERUSALEM on Mt. ZION the Lord of heaven will prepare a wonderful feast for everyone in the world - a delicious feast with good wines and fine beef. 7. Then HE will take-away the dark cloud, the fear of death that covers the earth. 8. HE will destroy death forever. The Lord God will all tears wipe-away and all insults and mockery against HIS country and people will take-away. 9. On that day HIS people will say, "HE is our God; we trust HIM; we waited for HIM. Now HE is here. Today is a wonderful day! We will be-happy in HIS saving work!" I CORINTHIANS 15:19-28 19. If Christ is our hope only for now life, we deserve more pity than other people. 20. But now Christ truly arose from the dead to show proof that those sleeping in death will also arise. 21. Because death happened from one man, ADAM, in the-same way arising from death happens because of one Man, Jesus. 22. The same way all people die because of joining with ADAM, in the same way all people joined with Christ will arise from death to life. 23. But everyone in his-own group. First Christ arose, then those that are joined to Christ will arise happen HE comes. 24. Then the end of the world will happen. Christ will defeat all spiritual managers, leaders, governments, and give the kingdom to God the Father. 25. Jesus must reign same-as King until God puts every enemy under Jesus' feet. 26. The last enemy Jesus will defeat is death. 27. The Bible says, "God puts everything under HIS feet." This clearly doesn't include God under HIS feet. 28. But happen that everything is-finished put under Jesus' feet, then the Son will put HIMSELF under God, and God will reign fully over all. GRADUAL: Christ arose from the dead. God the Father blessed Jesus with honor and glory. God made Jesus the King to reign everything God made; God put everything under Jesus' feet. MARK 16:1-8 1. After the worship day, MARY from the city MAGDALA, and MARY the mother of JAMES, and SALOME brought perfumes, because they intended to go and pour it on Jesus' body. 2. And on the first day of the week in the morning those women went to the grave at sunrise. 3. And the women said to one-another, "Who will help us with the stone on the grave door?" 4. And the women looked and saw someone finished moved that large stone. 5. Then the women entered the grave and saw a young man in white clothing sitting on the right. The women were-surprised. 6. The young man said to them, "Don't fear. You search-for Jesus of the city NAZARETH, that Man crucified. Jesus arose and is not here. Look, people laid Jesus' body in this place. 7. But go and tell Jesus' friends and PETER. Jesus goes into the country GALILEE and you will see Jesus there same-as HE told you." 8. And the women departed and hurried from the grave. They were-nervous with excitement and they said nothing to anyone, because they were-afraid. [B] SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER INTROIT: You must want the pure spiritual milk, same-as new born babies want milk, that you can grow in your faith, now that you tasted that the Lord is good. Praise God! Thank the Lord, shout HIS name, tell the nations all the things God did. Sing to God, sing praise to HIM; tell all HIS wonderful works. Give glory to HIS holy name; you people searching-for the Lord be-happy in your heart. Search-for the Lord and HIS strength; search continually. Remember the wonderful things HE did, HIS works and HIS judgments. HE remembers HIS agreement forever that HE ordered for thousands of years. COLLECT: Almighty God, we celebrated with happiness the day of our Lord's arising. Now we ask for the help of YOUR love to show the power of the arising in all we say and all we do. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ACTS 3:13-15, 17-26 13. No! God did it! HE is the God of ABRAHAM, the God of ISAAC, and the God of JACOB. HE is the God of all our fathers. HE gave glory to HIS special servant, Jesus. But you gave Jesus to be killed. PILATE decided to let Jesus go free. But you told PILATE you didn't-want Jesus. 14. Jesus was pure and good, but you said you didn't want Jesus. You told PILATE to give you a killer instead-of Jesus. 15. And now you killed the One Man that gives life! But God arose HIM from the dead. 17. My friends, I know you did those things to Jesus because you didn't understand. Your leaders also didn't understand. 18. God said these things would happen. God spoke through the prophets that Christ would suffer and die. I told you the way God made that happen. 19. Now you must change your hearts and lives! Come again to God and HE will forgive your sins. 20. Then the Lord will give you a time for spiritual rest. HE will give you Jesus, HIS chosen Christ. 21. But Jesus must stay in heaven until the time happens that all things are made correct again. God spoke about these things long ago through HIS prophets. 22. MOSES said, "The Lord your God will give you a prophet same-as me. That prophet will be-born from your-own people. You must obey everything HE tells you. 23. And if any person refuses to obey that prophet, then that person will die, separated from God's people." 24. SAMUEL, and all the other prophets speaking for God after SAMUEL, talked about this time now. 25. You heard the things the prophets spoke. You heard the agreement God made with your fathers. God said to your father ABRAHAM, "I will bless all people on earth. I will use one of your children to do that." 26. God sent HIS special servant. God sent Jesus to you first. God sent Jesus to bless you. HE does that by making each of you change from doing bad things. I JOHN 5:1-6 1. If you believe that Jesus is the Christ - that HE is God's Son and your Savior - then you are a child of God. And all loving the Father love HIS children too. 2. Now you can know how-much you love God's children by how-much you love and obey God. 3. If you really love God, you will obey HIS commandments, and that isn't hard. 4. Because every child of God can obey HIM, defeating sin and evil pleasure by trusting Christ to help him. 5. Who can fight against sin and win? Only the person believing Jesus is God's Son. 6. And we know Jesus is God's Son, because God HIMSELF told us. God said that with a voice from heaven while JOHN baptized Jesus, and God said that again on the holy mountainbefore Jesus died. GRADUAL: Christ arose from the dead. God the Father blessed Jesus with honor and glory. God made Jesus the King to reign everything God made; God put everything under Jesus' feet. JOHN 20:19-31 19. On the first day of the week in the evening, Jesus' friends locked the doors, because they feared the Jewish leaders. Then Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace to you." 20. After Jesus said that, HE showed them HIS hands and HIS side. Then the friends were happy because they saw the Lord. 21. Then Jesus said again, "Peace to you. Same-as MY Father sent ME, I also send you." 22. And after saying that Jesus breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit 23. If you forgive the sins of anyone, their sins I forgive. If you refuse to forgive their sins, I will not forgive their sins." 24. But THOMAS was-not with the friends during Jesus' appearance. And THOMAS was one of the twelve. 25. Then the other friends told THOMAS, "We finished saw the Lord." But Thomas said, "Except I see the nail holes in HIS hands, and except I touch that, and except my hand touches HIS side, I will not believe." 26. After eight days Jesus' friends again were in the house. And THOMAS was with them. They locked the doors. But Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace to you." 27. Then Jesus said to THOMAS, "Your finger, touch MY hand and see. And touch MY side. Don't doubt, but believe." 28. THOMAS answered, "My Lord and my God." 29. Jesus said to him, "Because you see ME, you believe! Happy are people with faith in ME, no-matter they have-not seen ME." 30. Jesus did many other wonderful works in-front-of HIS friends, but all those things are-not written in this book. 31. But this story is written in this book that you can believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And through your faith you can have eternal life in Jesus' name. [B] THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER INTROIT: With YOU, Lord, is perfect happiness. Near YOUR right hand is happiness forver. I shall praise YOU, O Lord, because YOU helped me, and YOU didn't let my enemies laugh at me. O Lord, my God, I called to YOU and YOU healed me. O Lord, YOU led my soul from the grave; YOU saved me from going to hell. Sing to the Lord, you dear people; praise HIS holy name. Because HIS anger is for a short time, but HIS love stays for a long time; crying maybe will continue all-night, but happiness begins in the morning. COLLECT: O Almighty and eternal God, YOU show us that YOU finished saving us through the arising of our Lord Jesus, help us to show in our lives the same-as we confess with our lips. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ACTS 4:8-12 8. The Holy Spirit filled PETER and he said, "Leaders of the people and teachers: 9. You question us about a kindness done to help a cripples man, and you wonder how he became healed. I am happy to tell you all, and yes, I want happily to tell all the Jewish people. 10. This man stands here in-front-of you fully healed by the power of the name of Jesus Christ from the city NAZARETH. Remember, you crucified HIM, but God arose HIM from death. 11. HE is the stone you builders rejected, and HE became the most important stone. 12. No one else can save us, because in all the world God gives us only one name. We pray to HIM and are-saved." I JOHN 1:1 - 2:2 1. IT was there from the beginning, we heard IT, we saw IT with our eyes, we looked at IT, and our hands touched IT. We are-writing about the Word of Life. 2. That Life showed ITSELF, and we saw IT, and now we preach and tell you about the eternal Life that was with the Father and showed ITSELF to us. 3. We saw and heard IT, and we tell you about IT that you, too, will have IT in fellowship with us. 4. Our fellowship is with the Father and with HIS Son, Jesus Christ. We are-writing that our happiness will-be full. 5. This is the thing we heard HIM tell us, and we are-telling you; God is light, and there is nothing dark in HIM. 6. If we say we share the things HE has, but live in the dark, we are-lying and not living the truth. 7. If we live in the light same-as HE is in the light, we have fellowship with one-another, and the blood of Jesus, HIS Son, washes us clean from every sin. 8. If we say we don't have any sin, we lie to ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9. If we confess our sins, we can depend on HIM to do the thing correct...HE will forgive our sins and wash-away every wrong. 10. If we say we haven't sinned, we make HIM a liar, and HIS Word is not in us. 2:1. My children, I am writing this to you to stop you from sinning. If anyone sins, we have One to pray for us with the Father...Jesus Christ; HE is righteous. 2. HE paid for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for the sins of the whole world. GRADUAL: Christ arose from the dead. God the Father blessed Jesus with honor and glory. God made Jesus the King to reign everything God made; God put everything under Jesus' feet. LUKE 24:36-49 36. While the friends talked to one-another, Jesus HIMSELF stood among them. 37. But they were-surprised and afraid and thought they saw a spirit. 38. And Jesus said, "Why are you full with trouble? And why do questions arise in your hearts? 39. See MY hands and MY feet. I am MYSELF. Touch ME and see; because a spirit doesn't have flesh and bones same-as you see ME have." 40. And then Jesus finished speaking, HE showed them HIS hands and HIS feet. 41. And while they still doubted from happiness, and they thought about this; Jesus said to them, "Have you any food?" 42. They gave HIM some cooked fish. 43. And HE took and ate in-front-of them. 44. Then HE said to them, "These are MY words I spoke to you while I was with you. I finished all things the law of MOSES and the prophets and the PSALMS wrote about ME." 45. Then HE opened their minds, and they understood the Holy Bible. 46. And HE said to them, "In the Holy Bible we read, Christ must suffer and arise from the dead on the third day; 47. And people must preach about changing lives and forgiveness of sins in Christ's name to all nations. This will begin in the city JERUSALEM. 48. You are WITNESSES about these things. 49. I am sending to you the One that MY Father promised. Wait here in the city until you have power from above." [B] FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER INTROIT: I am the Good Shepherd; I know MY sheep and MY sheep know ME, and I give-up MY life for the sheep. The Lord is my shepherd, I need nothing. HE makes me lay-down in green growing places, HE leads me near the quiet rivers, HE supports my soul. HE leads me on the correct ways because-of HIS name. Happens I walk through the dark valley named death, I will not fear trouble, because YOU are with me. YOUR wooden stick and YOUR shepherd's staff comfort me. YOU prepare for me a table in-front-of my enemies; YOU pour perfume on my head; my cup is full and overflowing. Yes, YOUR goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will live in the Lord's house forever. COLLECT: Almighty God, mercy filled Father, because YOU awake from death the Shepherd of YOUR sheep, fill us with the Holy Spirit that we will hear the voice of our Shepherd and follow HIM that sin and death will never take-away us from YOU. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ACTS 4:23-33 23. PETER and JOHN departed from the meeting of Jewish leaders and went to their friends and told them everything the Jewish priests and leaders said. 24. After they heard that, they all prayed to God and said, "Lord, YOU made the sky and the earth and the sea, and everything in the world. 25. Our father, DAVID, YOUR servant wrote the words with the Holy Spirit's help: 'Why are the nations angry? Why do the people plan things against God? That is silly! 26. The kings on earth prepared to fight, and the leaders all came together against the Lord and against Christ.' 27. That truly happened because HEROD, and PONTIUS PILATE, and the Jewish people all came together against Jesus here in the city JERUSALEM. Jesus is YOUR holy servant. HE is the Christ. 28. These people came against Jesus making YOUR plan happen because-of YOUR power and decision 29. And now, Lord, hear the things the people are-saying. We are YOUR servants; help us to speak without fear YOUR words. 30. Help us show YOUR power by healing the sick people, doing wonderful happenings by the power of Jesus, YOUR holy servant." 31. The believers finished praying and the house began shaking, and the Holy Spirit came into their hearts and they spoke God's word without fear. 32. All the believers agreed in heart and soul the same. No person in the group selfishly kept his-own things, but they shared everything. 33. With power Jesus' friends told the people about Jesus arising from death. And God blessed all the believers much. I JOHN 3:1-2 1. See how-much the Father loves us. God loves us so-much HE names us HIS children, and that is true. That is the reason the world doesn't-know us because the world didn't-know HIM. 2. My dear friends, we are now God's children, but it is not-yet clear our future. But we know that happens Christ comes, we will become the same-as HIM, beause we will see HIM in HIS glorious body. GRADUAL: Christ arose from the dead. God the Father blessed Jesus with honor and glory. God made Jesus the King to reign everything God made; God put everything under Jesus' feet. JOHN 10:11-18 11. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives-up HIS life for the sheep. 12. The HIRED man is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his. Happens he sees the wolf coming, the HIRED man leaves the sheep and runs-away. And the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them all. 13. The HIRED man runs-away because he works only for himself, and that man doesn't-care about the sheep. 14. But I am the Good Shepherd. I know MY sheep, and MY sheep know ME. 15. The same-as the Father knows ME, and I know the Father, and I give-up MY life for the sheep. 16. And I have other sheep. They are not in this sheep group, but I must lead them also. And they will hear MY voice. Then all the sheep will join one sheep group and have one Shepherd. 17. The Father loves ME because I give-up MY life so-that I can receive MY life again. 18. None takes MY life from ME. No, I MYSELF freely give-up MY life. I have the power to give-up MY life and I have the power to take that again. This is the thing MY Father commanded ME to do. [B] FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER INTROIT: In a short time you will not see ME, and then later you will see ME. I will give glory to YOU, my God, my King, and I will praise YOUR name forever. Every-day I will praise YOU and celebrate YOUR name forever. The Lord is full-of mercy and kindness, slow to anger and full-of much love. All YOUR works will thank YOU, O Lord, and YOUR holy people will praise YOU. My mouth will speak words of praise to the Lord, and let all people praise HIS holy name forever. COLLECT: O God, make the wishes of YOUR faithful people the same-as YOUR wishes. Make us love the things YOU command and make us want to have the gifts that YOU promise. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ACTS 8:26-40 26. An angel of the Lord spoke to PHILIP. The angel said, "Get-ready and go south on the road from the city JERUSALEM to GAZA - that road through the dry country." 27. PHILIP got-ready and went. On the road he saw a man from the country ETHIOPIA and he was an important officer for the queen CANDACE. He took-care of the queens monies. He went to JERUSALEM to worship. 28. Now he was-going home sitting in his CHARIOT and reading from the Bible book named ISAIAH, the prophet. 29. The Holy Spirit told PHILIP, "Go to that CHARIOT and stand near it." 30. PHILIP went and stood near it and heard the man reading thhe book of ISAIAH. PHILIP asked, "Do you understand your reading?" 31. The man said, "I can't understand. I need some person to explain that to me!" Then he invited PHILIP to come and sit with him. 32. The verse from ISAIAH he read: "HE same-as a sheep was-lead to be killed. HE same-as a baby sheep makes no voice while the man cuts-wool-off. HE says nothing. 33. People shamed HIM and all HIS things were-taken-away. HIS life on earth ended. No story about his family will continue. 34. The man said to PHILIP, "Please, tell me, the prophet talks about who? Himself or someone else?" 35. PHILIP began to explain the verse from ISAIAH and then told him the Good Story about Jesus. 36. While they travelled on the road, they passed some water. The man said, "Look! Here is water! Why not baptize me?" 37. PHILIP said, "If you believe with all your heart, you can be baptized." The man said, "I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God." 38. Then the man commanded the CHARIOT to stop, and both he and PHILIP went to the water, and PHILIP baptized him. 39. Happened they came out-of the water, the Holy Spirit lead PHILIP away, and the officer never saw him again. The officer went home very happy. 40. PHILIP then was in the city AZOTUS on the road to the city CAESAREA. He preached the Good Story of Jesus in all the small cities on that road. I JOHN 3:18-24 18. Children, let us not love only in words or talk, but let us show our love in action. 19. This is the way we will know that we have the truth, and that we will have trust in our God. 20. If our conscience condemns us, we know God is greater than our conscience, and HE knows everything. 21. Dear friends, if our conscience doesn't condemn us, we can talk bravely to God. 22. We received from God everything we ask because we obey HIS commands and do things to please HIM. 23. God commands us to believe in HIS Son Jesus Christ and to love one-another same-as Christ commands. 24. Anyone doing the thing God commands lives with God and God lives with him. We know that God lives in us because HE gave the Holy Spirit to us. GRADUAL: Christ arose from the dead. God the Father blessed Jesus with honor and glory. God made Jesus the King to reign everything God made; God put everything under Jesus' feet. JOHN 15:1-8 1. I am the true Tree and MY Father is the farmer. 2. The farmer breaks-off every branch that grows no more fruit, and cuts every branch that grows fruit to make it grow more fruit. 3. The things I said to you finished forgave you. 4. Stay joined to ME, and I will stay with you. A branch can't grow fruit by itself separate from the tree. You can't grow in faith without ME. 5. I am the Tree, you are the branches. If you stay with ME, and I stay with you, then you will grow in faith. Without ME you can do nothing. 6. If anyone doesn't stay with ME, then they are thrown-out same-as a branch and becomes dead wood. Those branches are gathered-up and thrown into the fire. 7. If you stay with ME and you remember MY words, then you will ask for anything and you will have it. 8. You give glory to MY Father everytime you grow in faith and show that you are MY friends. [B] SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER INTROIT: Come and listen, all you people honoring God; let me tell-you the things God did for me. Shout with happiness to God all you on earth! Sing about the glory of HIS name; give glory to God with praise! Praise your God, all you nations, let all people hear your praise; because God keeps us alive and doesn't let our feet slip. Praise God, because HE heard my prayers and showed much love to me. COLLECT: Lord, because YOU promised to give us the things we ask in the name of YOUR only Son, teach us correctly to pray and with all YOUR holy people to give-YOU worship and praise. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ACTS 11:19-30 19. The believers escaped after STEPHEN got-killed because the Jews punished people believing in Jesus. Some believers went to places far-away - PHOENICIA, CYPRUS, and ANTIOCH. The believers told the Good Story in these places; but they told that only to other Jews. 20. Some believers from CYPRUS and CYRENE came to the city ANTIOCH and told the Good Story to Greek people. 21. The Lord helped the believers and many people believed and followed the Lord. 22. The church in the city JERUSALEM heard about the new believers in the city ANTIOCH, then they sent BARNABAS to ANTIOCH. 23. BARNABAS was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit with a strong faith. Happen BARNABAS arrived in ANTIOCH, he saw that God blessed those people much. 24. That made him happy and he encouraged all the believers and said, "Never give-up your faith. Always obey the Lord with all your hearts." And many people became followers of the Lord Jesus. 25. Then BARNABAS went to the city TARSUS searching-for SAUL. 26. He found SAUL and brought him to ANTIOCH and both men taught the people. In the city ANTIOCH the followers of Jesus were-named CHRISTIANS the first time. 27. The same time some prophets went from the city JERUSALEM to ANTIOCH. 28. One prophet named AGABUS stood-up in ANTIOCH andspoke with the help of the Holy Spirit and said, "A very bad time is coming to the world. There will be no food for people to eat." That happened during the time of King CLAUDIUS. 29. The believers decided to help their friends living in the country JUDEA. Each believer planned to give something. 30. They gave the money to BARNABAS and SAUL to bring to the church leaders in the country JUDEA. I JOHN 4:1-11 1. Dear friends, don't believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God. Many false prophets are in the world. 2. You can notice God's Spirit: every spirit confessing Jesus was born, that spirit is from God. 3. And any spirit not confessing Jesus, that spirit is not from God. That spirit is against Christ and you heard he is coming into the world. I tell you he is-finished here. 4. Children, you are God's family, and you won a victory over them, because God is with you and God is stronger than them. 5. These false teachers are-joined to the world, and that is the reason they speak worldly thoughts, and the people in the world listen to them. 6. We are God's children. Anyone that knows God listens to us. Anyone not God's child will not listen to us. We can see which-one is the spirit of truth and which-one is the spirit of error. 7. Dear friends, let us love one-another because love comes from God, and everyone showing love is God's child and knows God. 8. Anyone not showing love has-not-yet learned to know God, because God is Love. 9. God has-shown us HIS love by sending HIS only Son into the world for us to live through HIM. 10. This is love, not that we loved God, but that HE loved us and sent HIS Son to pay for our sins. 11. Dear friends, if God loves us that much, then we should love one-another. GRADUAL: Christ arose from the dead. God the Father blessed Jesus with honor and glory. God made Jesus the King to reign everything God made; God put everything under Jesus' feet. JOHN 15:9-17 9. The same-as the Father loved ME, the same I loved you. Stay in MY love. 10. If you obey MY commandments, you will stay in MY love, the same-as I obeyed MY Father and stay in HIS love. 11. I told you that MY happiness will stay in you, and you will stay very happy. 12. This I command you to do: Love one-another the same-as I loved you. 13. Anyone giving-up his life for his friends shows the greatest love. 14. You are MY friends if you do the things I command you to do. 15. I don't name you servants any more, because a servant doesn't-know the thing the lord is-doing. But I named you friends, because I told you everything I heard from MY Father. 16. You didn't choose ME, but I chose you, and I gave you this work - go and make fruit that will continue. Then the Father will give you anything you ask in MY name. 17. This I command: Love one-another. [B] THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD INTROIT: God ascended with shouting; the Lord ascended with trumpets. The Lord God says to my Lord: "Sit near MY right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." The Lord promised and HE will not change; "You are a priest forever, same-as the family MELCHIZEDEK." The Lord near your right hand will destroy kings in the day of HIS anger. COLLECT: Almighty God, we believe YOUR only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ascended into heaven, we ask that we can also with heart and mind ascend and continually live in heaven with HIM. HE lives and reigns with YOU, Father, and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ACTS 1:1-11 1. Dear friend of God, in the book I wrote before, I told about everything that Jesus did and taught. 2. Until that day Jesus went-up to heaven after HE gave orders from the Holy Spirit to HIS chosen friends. 3. After Jesus' suffering and crucifixion HE in many ways with strong proofs showed HIS friends HE was-alive while HE appeared to them for 40 days and talked to them about the kingdom of God. 4. Meeting with HIS followers, Jesus commanded them not to depart from the city JERUSALEM, but to wait for the promise from the Father - Jesus before told them about that promise. 5. Jesus reminded them, "JOHN baptized with water, but in a few days you will get-baptized with the Holy Spirit." 6. Again, happened Jesus met with HIS followers, they asked HIM, " Lord, do YOU intend now to establish again the free kingdom of ISRAEL?" 7. And Jesus answered them, "It-is-not for you to know the plans of the Father. Only HE has the power to decide the time and day. 8. But happens the Holy Spirit comes on you, then you will receive power and will teach and preach about ME 1) in JERUSALEM; 2) in all JUDEA; 3) in SAMARIA; and 4) to the far places on earth." 9. Happened Jesus finished speaking, while the followers watched, HE ascended, and a cloud took-hid HIM and they couldn't see HIM anymore. 10. While they stood staring-up into the sky watching Jesus ascend, two persons clothed in white stood next-to them. 11. The two asked, "You men from the country GALILEE, why do you stand here staring-up into the sky? That Jesus, exact same-as you see HIM ascend - HE will come-down here again exact same-as you see HIM go-up!" EPHESIANS 1:16-23 16. I remember you in my prayers and always thank God for you. 17. I ask the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, to give-you HIS Spirit to make you wise and to show the truth to you while you are learning to know HIM better. 18. And to open your minds so-that you will know the reason HE called you, the wonderful glorious gift HE gives to all HIS holy people. 19. And the great power working in us believers. 20. That is the same power that arose Jesus from the dead and made Jesus the King in heaven; 21. Reigning over all kings, government people, strong leaders, lords, and every person in this world and in heaven. 22. And God put everything under Jesus' reign, and made Jesus the Chief reigning over all the Church. 23. The Church is HIS body-group, and HE fills every part of HIS body-group in every way. GRADUAL: Christ arose from the dead. God the Father blessed Jesus with honor and glory. God made Jesus the King to reign everything God made; God put everything under Jesus' feet. LUKE 24:44-53 44. Then Jesus said to them, "These are MY words I spoke to you, while I was with you. I finished all things the law of MOSES and the prophets and the PSALMS wrote about ME." 45. Then HE opened their minds, and they understood the Holy Writings. 46. And HE said to them, "In the Holy Writings we read, 'Christ must suffer and arise from the dead on the third day. 47. And people must preach REPENTANCE and forgiveness of sins in Christ's name to all nations beginning in the city JERUSALEM.' 48. You are WITNESSES about these things. 49. I will send to you the One MY Father promised. Wait in the city until you receive the power from heaven." 50. Jesus led them out to the place named BETHANY, and HE raised-HIS-hands and blessed them. 51. While Jesus blessed them, HE ascended and went to heaven. 52. They knelt and worshipped Jesus, and then happily went again to the city JERUSALEM. 53. And they continually were in the temple praising God. [B] SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER INTROIT: Hear, O Lord, I pray to YOU; show mercy to me and answer me. The Lord is my light and my savior; I will not fear. One thing I asked the Lord; that is the thing I search-for; that I can live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to look-at the beauty of the Lord, and to think about HIS temple. Because in the time of trouble HE will hide me safe in HIS room; HE will hide me in HIS tent; HE will put me high on a rock. Happens my father and mother depart from me, then the Lord will accept me. Wait for the Lord; stay strong; let your heart be-brave; wait for the Lord. COLLECT: O King of glory, Lord of heaven, YOU live in heaven, we ask YOU please don't leave us without comfort, but send us the Spirit of Truth that YOU promised to us. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, YOUR Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, eternally one God. Amen. ACTS 1:15-26 15. During this meeting with 120 people PETER stood-up and spoke. 16. "Friends, it-must happen exactly same-as the Holy Writings prophecied about JUDAS. The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet DAVID that JUDAS would lead the people that arrested Jesus. 17. JUDAS was-before one of us. Jesus chose him to be a friends the same-as Jesus chose us. 18. JUDAS bought land with the money he received for his bad deed, and happened he killed himself his stomach burst-open and all his insides spilled-out. 19. The story about his death spread quickly among all the people in the city JERUSALEM, and they named the place, "The land of blood.' 20. King DAVID'S prophecy we can read in the Book PSALMS, the writing, 'Let his home become vacant. Let no one live in it. Let someone else take his place as a follower.' 21. Now we must choose someone else to take JUDAS' place, and to join us same-as WITNESSES of Jesus' arising. 22. Let us choose someone with us since we first began to follow the Lord, from the time JOHN baptized HIM until the day God took HIM to heaven." 23. They named two men: JOSEPH JUSTUS, his second name was BARSABBAS, and MATTIAS. 24. Then they all prayed and said, "O Lord, YOU know every heart; show us which of these men YOU choose, 25. For a follower to take-the-place-of JUDAS the betrayer, he went to the place he deserves." 26. Then they voted and MATTIAS was-chosen to become a follower with the other eleven. I JOHN 4:13-21 13. We know that we live in God, and God lives in us. God gave us the Holy Spirit. 14. We saw and can tell the truth that the Father sent HIS Son to save the world. 15. If you confess that Jesus is God's Son, then God lives in you, and you live in God. 16. God is love. And if a person stays in love, then he stays in God, and God stays in that person. 17. Love becomes perfect in us through this, and we can trust on the day of judgment, because the same-as God is in the world, the same we are in this world. 18. No fear is in love, but perfect love throws-out fear; because fear has punishment. Anyone with fear is not perfect in love. 19. We love because God first loved us. 20. If anyone says, "I love God," but hates his brother, then that person is a liar. Because you can see your brother and you don't love your brother; now, you can't love God, because you can't see God. 21. And we have this commandment from HIM; everyone with love to God also loves their brothers. GRADUAL: Christ arose from the dead. God the Father blessed Jesus with honor and glory. God made Jesus the King to reign everything God made; God put everything under Jesus' feet. JOHN 17:11-19 11. Holy Father! Keep MY friends safe by the power of YOUR name, the same name YOU gave to ME, so-that they will be-joined same-as one group the same-as we-two are-joined in one. 12. While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of YOUR name. I protected them and not one of them was-lost, except the one JUDAS, that the words of the Holy Writings would happen true. 13. But now I am-going to YOU, and I say this while I am in the world so-that they will feel all my happiness in their hearts. 14. I gave them YOUR Word. But the world hated them, because they aren't joined to the world; same-as I am-not joined to the world. 15. I don't ask YOU to take them out of the world, but I do ask YOU to keep them safe from the devil. 16. Same-as I am-not joined to the world, they aren't joined to the world. 17. Make them holy by the truth; YOUR Word is truth. 18. Same-as YOU sent ME into the world, I send them into the world. 19. In this holy way I give MYSELF to YOU, that now they in a holy way will give themselves to YOU.