THE PRAYERS, January 15, 2023: 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany
Isaiah 49:1-7 (God’s Servant given as light to all nations)
Psalm 40:1-11 (Happy are they who make the Lord their trust; he does not require burnt
offerings but a willing heart)
1 Corinthians 1:1-9 (Thanksgiving that the Corinthians are enriched with every spiritual gift)
John 1:29-42a (John says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!”
2 of his disciples become Jesus’ disciples)
Let us pray that the light of Christ may shine upon the Church, the world, and all people according to their need.
A brief silence
Thank you, Father, for Jesus. Thank you for making him our doorway into your heart. Thank you for making him your dear Lamb, the sacrifice for our sin. Thank you for making him the light of the world, and of our lives.
Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.
Lord, cause your Church to preach like John the Baptist. May it always point to Jesus, and say, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Prune away every program or teaching that does not serve that end. Let Jesus use the Church to draw new disciples to himself, and to shape them into his likeness.
Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.
Make disciples of everyone in this congregation. Help us to use our spiritual gifts to glorify you and build up our community of faith. Make us bold to tell others, “We have found him of whom the Scriptures speak! Come and see the Son of God who takes away the sins of the world!”
Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.
Bless the Church wherever it is persecuted on account of Jesus. By its patient witness, turn its enemies from hatred to repentance. For missionaries throughout the world, for our seminaries, church colleges, and schools, and for all who seek to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed, we also lift our hands, hearts, and voices in fervent supplication.
Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.
Tomorrow we commemorate the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Thank you for his witness. Teach us to value one another not based on race, creed, or gender, but because you have created all people in your image, and have given your Son as the sacrifice for all our sin. By your Holy Spirit, make the content of our character reflect your will, so that we treat each other with respect, justice, and charity.
Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.
Enlighten the minds and purify the hearts of those who take counsel for the nations. Turn them from the idols of power, prestige, and ideology, and teach them your ways. Heal the divisions that beset our country. Bestow your favor upon it, so it may be a beacon of righteousness, justice, and freedom for all.
Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.
Stoop down, O Lord, and hear the cry of all who are afflicted by suffering or sorrow, especially: {List}. Lift them out of their desolation; make their footing sure; and put a new song into their mouths. Restore them to all who love them. Let them proclaim your merciful deliverance.
Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.
Most gracious Father, thank you for those who have died to us, but whose lives are safely in your hand. Sustain us with that same strong and merciful hand. Help us trust and follow Jesus as he touches the lives of those who need him so much. Sustained in fellowship with Christ and his family, may we be found guiltless on that day when he is revealed to the world. Then, make us fit to dwell with him in the glory he shares with you and the Holy Spirit forever.
Lord, in your mercy, please hear our prayer.
All these things, and whatever else you see that we need, grant to us, dear Father, for the sake of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
