February 3, 2021
Evening Prayer (Vespers)
You may wish to light a
candle and place it before you as you begin.
PRAYER REQUESTS
OPENING DIALOGUE
Jesus Christ is the light of the world, the
light no darkness can overcome.
The Word became flesh, and lived among us, and
we have beheld Christ’s glory.
To us a child is born, to us a Son is given. In the Word
was life and the life was the light of all people.
HYMN: Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil
YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPvvokVh5qQ&ab_channel=UNITYLutheranBrookfield%2CWI
READINGS
FIRST
READING: Jeremiah 29:1-14
A reading from: Jeremiah
The prophet Jeremiah sent a
letter from Jerusalem to the few surviving elders among the exiles, to the priests
and the prophets, and to all the people Nebuchadnezzar had taken to Babylon
from Jerusalem. 2 The letter was sent after
King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the government leaders of
Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen and smiths had left Jerusalem. 3 It was
delivered to Babylon by Elasah, Shaphan’s son, and Gemariah, Hilkiah’s son—two
men dispatched to Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar by King Zedekiah.
4 The Lord of heavenly forces, the
God of Israel, proclaims to all the exiles I have carried off from Jerusalem to
Babylon: 5 Build
houses and settle down; cultivate gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Get married
and have children; then help your sons find wives and your daughters find
husbands in order that they too may have children. Increase in number there so
that you don’t dwindle away. 7 Promote the welfare of the
city where I have sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because your
future depends on its welfare.
8 The Lord of heavenly forces, the
God of Israel, proclaims: Don’t let the prophets and diviners in your midst
mislead you. Don’t pay attention to your dreams. 9 They are
prophesying lies to you in my name. I didn’t send them, declares the Lord.
10 The Lord proclaims: When
Babylon’s seventy years are up, I will come and fulfill my gracious promise to
bring you back to this place. 11 I know the plans I have in
mind for you, declares the Lord; they are
plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope. 12 When you
call me and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. 13 When you
search for me, yes, search for me with all your heart, you will find me. 14 I will be
present for you, declares the Lord, and I
will end your captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places
where I have scattered you, and I will bring you home after your long
exile, declares the Lord.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be
to God.
PSALM: Psalm 35
Lord, argue
with those who argue with me;
fight with
those who fight against me!
2 Grab a shield and armor;
stand up
and help me!
3 Use your spear and ax
against
those who are out to get me!
Say to
me: “I’m your salvation!”
4 Let those who want me dead
be
humiliated and put to shame.
Let those who intend to hurt me
be thoroughly
frustrated and disgraced.
5 Let them be like dust on the
wind—
and let
the Lord’s messenger be the one who
does the blowing!
6 Let their path be dark and
slippery—
and let
the Lord’s
messenger be the one who does the chasing!
7 Because they hid their net
for me for no reason,
they dug a
pit for me for no reason.
8 Let disaster come to them
when they don’t suspect it.
Let the net
they hid catch them instead!
Let them
fall into it—to their disaster!
9 But I will rejoice
in the Lord;
I will
celebrate his salvation.
10 All my bones will say, “Lord, who could compare to you?
You rescue
the weak from those who overpower them;
you rescue
the weak and the needy from those who plunder them.”
Gospel: Mark 5:1-20
A reading from: Mark
Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the lake, to the
region of the Gerasenes. 2 As soon as Jesus got out
of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out of the tombs. 3 This
man lived among the tombs, and no one was ever strong enough to restrain him,
even with a chain. 4 He had been secured many times
with leg irons and chains, but he broke the chains and smashed the leg irons.
No one was tough enough to control him. 5 Night and
day in the tombs and the hills, he would howl and cut himself with
stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from far away, he ran
and knelt before him, 7 shouting, “What have you to
do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t
torture me!”
8 He said this because Jesus had already commanded
him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”
9 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
He responded, “Legion is my name, because we are many.” 10 They
pleaded with Jesus not to send them out of that region.
11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside. 12 “Send
us into the pigs!” they begged. “Let us go into the pigs!” 13 Jesus
gave them permission, so the unclean spirits left the man and went into the
pigs. Then the herd of about two thousand pigs rushed down the cliff into the
lake and drowned.
14 Those who tended the pigs ran away and told the story in the city
and in the countryside. People came to see what had happened. 15 They
came to Jesus and saw the man who used to be demon-possessed. They saw the very
man who had been filled with many demons sitting there fully dressed and
completely sane, and they were filled with awe. 16 Those
who had actually seen what had happened to the demon-possessed man told the
others about the pigs. 17 Then they pleaded with
Jesus to leave their region.
18 While he was climbing into the boat, the one who had been
demon-possessed pleaded with Jesus to let him come along as one of his
disciples. 19 But Jesus wouldn’t allow it. “Go
home to your own people,” Jesus said, “and tell them what the Lord
has done for you and how he has shown you mercy.” 20 The
man went away and began to proclaim in the Ten Cities all that Jesus had done
for him, and everyone was amazed.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.
REFLECTION:
In one way, these texts
are about answering prayers. For decades the Israelites have been living in exile
in Babylon. Jeremiah writes from Jerusalem, a desolated city after it was
conquered in 487 BCE. He writes to reassure the people that God has not forgotten
them. They are to remain strong, and together as a people. They should marry
and have children. When the time comes – Jeremiah suggests 70 years, though it
is actually about 40 – God will bring them back home to Jerusalem.
We often see this quote, “For I know the plans I have to prosper you.” It shows up as posters and wall hangings in many homes. We take it as a personal promise that God cares for each of us as individuals. But in context, it is a promise to the whole people of Israel that God has not abandoned them, that God has plans to help them. In that way, this is a promise to everyone, to you and me and to them – whoever “them” is.
Several
hundred years later, Jesus has arrived and physically demonstrates God’s desire
to offer hope and healing to all people.
We have already read
in Mark how Jesus heals people and casts out demons. In this story, Jesus is in
foreign territory, among non-Jewish people. It’s probably in modern day Jordan.
Here a man who has been plagued by demons has been living in terrible
conditions, because he is not able to live safely in town.
Jesus and the man and the demons have a conversation. Once again, the demons recognize Jesus for who he is. “What is your name?” “Legion, because so many demons live in me.” “Get out, demons!” “Please don’t send us away from this area. Please, send us into the pigs instead.” “OK. Done.” And the demons went into the pigs and the pigs were so upset, they ran into the river and drowned. I do wonder what the men would do for a living after they lost all their pigs. Since they were not kosher animals, I’m sure it wasn’t a prime concern for the Jewish storyteller.
I imagine this man and
his family had been praying for years for healing. Maybe they were holding to promises
like the one in Jeremiah – for I know the plans I have to prosper you, to give
you hope and a future.
The story goes on.
Not only does the man get healed, he now wants to join Jesus and the disciples.
What does Jesus say? “No, I need you to stay here and tell your story. Tell as many
as you can about the coming reign of God. Tell everyone about God’s mercy!” And
the man did just that.
This is how God’s
promise was shared with the Gerasenes, the people living on the other side of
the sea. This is one more example of God’s care for all people.
We can think about
today and how we see the promise in action. “I know the plans I have for you.” For
example, in the way scientists were able to use previous studies to develop a
vaccine in record time. For example, the number of towels and soap bars that
were collected so homeless people could get a shower. For example, in the way
the congregation seems willing to use reserve funds to call a full-time pastor.
But it will take more
than a commitment to spend money. God’s plan is for us to be involved in
sharing the good news of God’s mercy with those who need to hear it, just as
the healed man ran to tell his story.
Let’s listen to God
as we move forward in the Call Process. Let’s listen to God as we pay attention
to our needy neighbors. And let’s listen to God as we notice people who need to
know God’s mercy is for them, too. Amen
SCRIPTURE DIALOGUE
Jesus
said, I am the Light of the world,
Whoever
follows me will never walk in darkness.
PRAYERS
In peace let us pray to
the Lord, saying, “We pray to you, Lord.”
That this evening may be
holy, good, and peaceful, We pray to you, Lord.
That the work we have
done this day and the people we have met may bring us closer to you, We
pray to you, Lord.
That we may be forgiven
our sins and offences, We pray to you, Lord.
That we may hear and
respond to your call to peace and justice, We pray to you, Lord.
That you will sustain
the faith and hope of the weary, the lonely, and the oppressed, We pray
to you, Lord.
That you will strengthen
us in your service, and fill our hearts with longing for your kingdom, We
pray to you, Lord.
Other
prayer petitions may be offered here.
For all this and more, We pray to you, Lord. Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
Let us pray as Jesus taught us. Please mute
yourself and pray the version you prefer.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our
daily bread. Forgive us our sins, as we
forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us
from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory, are yours now and
forever. Amen.
HYMN: All
Creatures Worship God Most High
YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8UJdvDgeKk&ab_channel=St.PaulQuadCities
BLESSING
May the Lord of
peace give us peace in all ways and at all times. Amen
ANNOUNCEMENTS
GROUP CHAT
Scripture from Common English Bible © 2012
Liturgy from ELW Annual Liturgy License 26504
