MORNING PRAYER (BAS. p. 47) – 10:00 a.m.
St. John’s Minster Anglican Church, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan
Sunday, June 6, 2021 – Second Sunday after Pentecost
Opening Hymn SS #60 – “Fairest Lord Jesus”
Opening Sentences
Lord, open our lips, And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
O God, make speed to save us. O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Invitatory #3, p. 47
The Lord is our refuge and strength: O Come, let us worship.
Canticle #3 (Song of Thanksgiving) p. 76 Isaiah 12.2–6
Surely, it is God who saves me; * I will trust in him and not be afraid.
For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defence, * and he will be my Saviour.
Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing * from the springs of salvation.
And on that day you shall say, * Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name;
Make his deeds known among the peoples; * see that they remember that his name is exalted.
Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, * and this is known in all the world.
Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, * for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.
The Proclamation of the Word
The Readings – First Lesson
A reading from 1 Samuel (1 Samuel 8: 1-20)
Israel Demands a King
When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. Yet his sons did not follow in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted justice.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.’ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to govern us.’ Samuel prayed to the Lord, and the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.’
So Samuel reported all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, ‘These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plough his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers. He will take one-tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and his courtiers. He will take your male and female slaves, and the best of your cattle and donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the Lord will not answer you in that day.’
Israel’s Request for a King Granted
But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, ‘No! but we are determined to have a king over us, so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.’
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
The Psalms: Psalm 138 (p. 895)
Psalm 138 (p. 895)
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; * before the gods I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your name, * because of your love and faithfulness;
For you have glorified your name * and your word above all things.
When I called, you answered me; * you increased my strength within me.
All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord, * when they have heard the words of your mouth.
They will sing of the ways of the Lord, * that great is the glory of the Lord.
Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly; * he perceives the haughty from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; * you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies; your right hand shall save me.
The Lord will make good his purpose for me; * O Lord, your love endures for ever; do not abandon the works of your hands.
God of creation and fulfilment, help us to seek and discover your purposes, that we may become willing instruments of your grace, and that all the world may come to love and praise your name, in the kingdom of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Epistle
A reading from 2 Corinthians (2 Corinthians 4:13 – 5:1)
Living by Faith
But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—‘I believed, and so I spoke’—we also believe, and so we speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.
For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
The word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Hymn SS #40 – “Blessed Assurance”
The Gospel
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark (Mark 3: 20-35). Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus and Beelzebul
Then Jesus went home; and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, ‘He has gone out of his mind.’ And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.’ And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
‘Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin’— for they had said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’
The True Kindred of Jesus
Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.’ And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’
The Gospel of Christ. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Sermon: “Divisions in Life” (Rev. Muriel Foster)
Hymn SS #35 – “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”
Hear, O Israel
Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
This is the first and the great commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.
The Prayers of the People (Litany #6) p. 115
(As we are here in God’s presence, let us pray to the Lord, saying, “Lord, have mercy.”)
For the whole People of God, that each one may be a true and faithful servant of Christ, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
For those drawing near to the light of faith, that the Lord will bring them to true knowledge of himself, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
For our families and friends, that the Lord will give them joy and satisfaction in all that they do, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
For those who are lonely, sick, hungry, persecuted, or ignored, that the Lord will comfort and sustain them, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
For our country, that the Lord will help us to contribute to its true growth and well-being, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
For the whole human family, that we may live together in justice and peace, let us pray to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
Collect of the Day, p. 360
Let us pray together:
O God, you have assured the human family of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Deliver us from the death of sin and raise us to new life in him, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
And now, as our Saviour Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Dismissal
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up the light of His countenance upon you and give you His peace, both now and forever. Amen.
Go in peace to love and bless the Lord. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Closing Hymn SS #36 – “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”