The Sunday Lectionary and Prayers for Sunday, January 1, 2023 — New Year’s Day

 

The Sunday Bible Readings and Prayers
Sunday, January 1, 2023
New Year’s Day
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13; Psalm 8; Revelation 21:1-6a; Matthew 25:31-46

In the beginning was the word, the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Introduction & Theme

Well, you made it. You survived. Advent is officially in the books. The Christmas musicals have been performed. The children have been corralled and dressed up like shepherds and donkeys. The Christmas Eve sermon has been preached and candles have been lifted. Take a deep breath.

Yet, liturgically, we are still in the Christmas season. All of your creative Christmas ideas have been preached, but we continue to celebrate the birth of Christ. What can we say about Jesus’s birth that we have not said already?

Opening Prayer

Loving companion, you give your people visions, allowing us to believe in your words. We come to you today to keep our word, profess our love, and proclaim our faith. Nurture our hearts with your teachings, and nurture our minds with your grace. Amen.

Call to Confession

Father, Abba, like generations before us, we have failed to keep your word and live in your ways. Your glory shines a light on our humanness and our ability to be faithless. Under the lights of your holy city, illuminate the path to your heavenly throne. Guide us by your Spirit, that we may receive the life-giving waters that flows from your heavenly home.

Assurance of Pardon

Holy One, you have left your peace with us, that we may hear you and never become troubled by the world around us.

Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:
2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The new birth experience is exactly what God says it is—a fresh beginning. When we are born again, we not only have our sin forgiven and our guilt removed, but we also receive the Holy Spirit—who comes to indwell us and live Christ’s life through us. We can never be what we were before, because we have been born into His life—with a new spirit and nature. And because of that, our desires and goals should be conformed to those that God has for us.

Today’s Lectionary Readings:
From the Books Wisdom
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13
(To everything a season)

1 There is a time for everything,
      and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2     a time to be born and a time to die,
     a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3     a time to kill and a time to heal,
     a time to tear down and a time to build,
4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
     a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5      time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
     a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6      time to search and a time to give up,
     a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7      time to tear and a time to mend,
     a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8      time to love and a time to hate,
     a time for war and a time for peace.

9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.

A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions

Psalm 8
Domine, Dominus noster

Leader: O LORD our Governor,
People: how exalted is your Name in all the world!

Leader: Out of the mouths of infants and children
People: your majesty is praised above the heavens.

Leader: You have set up a stronghold against your adversaries,
People: to quell the enemy and the avenger.

Leader: When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
People: the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,

Leader: What is man that you should be mindful of him?
People: the son of man that you should seek him out?

Leader: You have made him but little lower than the angels;
People: you adorn him with glory and honor;

Leader: You give him mastery over the works of your hands;
People: you put all things under his feet:

Leader: All sheep and oxen,
People: even the wild beasts of the field,

Leader: The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,
People: and whatsoever walks in the paths of the sea.

Leader: O LORD our Governor,
People: how exalted is your Name in all the world!

O Lord Jesus, risen from the dead and reigning from on high, hear our prayers this day. We praise You for Your mighty deeds in our behalf. We humbly thank You for bearing Your cross for us. Empower us to bear our cross in behalf of others, that we might share the gospel message with them. Fill us with Your Spirit, that others might see Your love for them in the way we live each day. As Christians, we feel honored to bear Your holy name. Help us to bring You honor by the way we treat You and others. And now we pray once again the prayer You taught us:

“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 and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”

From the Apocalypse of John
Revelation 21:1-6a
(New heaven and new earth)

21:1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

6a He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.

Today’s Gospel Reading
Matthew 25:31-46
(Separation of the sheep and goats)

25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Here end the Readings

The Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed

• We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.

• And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried. The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end.

• And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

The Lord's Prayer - Our Father Who Art in Heaven

Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Holy Communion

Holy Communion
A nondenominational serving of bread and wine

Though no video can truly replace the experience of celebrating together in our places of worship, we know that where two or more are gathered, the Lord is present. This table is open to all who recognize Jesus Christ as healer and redeemer. This table is open to all who work to bring God’s Kingdom here on earth. No one is turned away because of life circumstances. No one is barred from this table. No one seeking God’s abundant grace and mercy is turned aside. We see before us the abundance that a life of faith offers as we respond to God’s everlasting mercy in prayer and deed.

Benediction

O Christ, we know that the gifts of our hands are no substitute for the loyalty of our lives. As we go out today, enable us to serve your creation as we have worshiped you, with ourselves as well as our gifts.

The Word — John 1:1-14

Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets].

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2022 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Sunday Lectionary and Prayers for Sunday, January 1, 2023 — New Year’s Day
Ecclesiastes 3:1-13; Psalm 8; Revelation 21:1-6a; Matthew 25:31-46