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Divine worship service

Worship Service

Sunday
November 19, 2023

Services

10:00

Holy Communnion Service in English

Lectionary Theme: Annunciation to Zechariah: God’s Intervention that paves the way of Salvation

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    2. There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren, having borne no children.

    3. And the angel of the Lord appeared to the woman and said to her, “Although you are barren, having borne no children, you shall conceive and bear a son.

    4. Now be careful not to drink wine or strong drink or to eat anything unclean,

    5. for you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor is to come on his head, for the boy shall be a nazirite to God from birth. It is he who shall begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines.”

    6. Then the woman came and told her husband, “A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like that of an angel of God, most awe-inspiring; I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name,

    7. but he said to me, ‘You shall conceive and bear a son. So then, drink no wine or strong drink and eat nothing unclean, for the boy shall be a nazirite to God from birth to the day of his death.’ ”

    8. Then Manoah entreated the Lord and said, “O my Lord, I pray, let the man of God whom you sent come to us again and teach us what we are to do concerning the boy who will be born.”

    9. God listened to Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field, but her husband Manoah was not with her.

    10. So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, “The man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.”

    11. Manoah got up and followed his wife and came to the man and said to him, “Are you the man who spoke to this woman?” And he said, “I am.”

    12. Then Manoah said, “Now when your words come true, what is to be the boy’s rule of life; what is he to do?”

    13. The angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Let the woman give heed to all that I said to her.

    14. She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine. She is not to drink wine or strong drink or eat any unclean thing. She is to observe everything that I commanded her.”

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    9. Even though we speak in this way, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that belong to salvation.

    10. For God is not unjust; he will not overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do.

    11. And we want each one of you to show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope to the very end,

    12. so that you may not become sluggish but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

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    6. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would approach God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

    7. By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.

    8. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance, and he set out, not knowing where he was going.

    9. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

    10. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

    11. By faith, with Sarah’s involvement, he received power of procreation, even though he was too old, because he considered him faithful who had promised.

    12. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”

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    5. In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

    6. Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.

    7. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.

    8. Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty,

    9. he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense.

    10. Now at the time of the incense-offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.

    11. Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

    12. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him.

    13. But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.

    14. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,

    15. for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.

    16. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

    17. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’

    18. Zechariah said to the angel, ‘How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.’

    19. The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

    20. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.’

    21. Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary.

    22. When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak.

    23. When his time of service was ended, he went to his home.