Luke the Evangelist
Luke was a dear friend of the apostle Paul, and is mentioned by him three times in his Letters. Paul describes him as ‘the belovèd physician’ and, in his second Letter to Timothy, as his only companion in prison. He is believed to be the author of two books of the New Testament, firstly the gospel which stands in his name and also the Acts of the Apostles. Luke’s narrative of the life of Christ has a pictorial quality and shows the sequential pattern from the nativity through to the death and resurrection. The developed sense of theology that comes over in Paul’s writings is virtually unknown in those of Luke but, as a Gentile, Luke makes clear that the good news of salvation is for all, regardless of sex, social position or nationality. Traditionally, Luke wrote his gospel in Greece and died in Boeotia at the age of eighty-four. EH
Antiphon https://tinyurl.com/yu5p69st
Jerusalem, arise and stand upon the heights,
and behold the joy which comes to you from God. Baruch 5
Almighty God,
to whom all hearts are open,
all desires, known,
and from whom no secrets are hid:
Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts
by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit,
that we may perfectly love you
and worthily magnify your holy name;
through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Music: https://tinyurl.com/ycn4djk5
O Lord, open my lips.
And my mouth will declare your praise.
Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
make haste to help me, O Lord.
Glory be 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.
Praise to you, O Christ, Alleluia!
HYMN: William Dalyrmple Maclagan
Tune: Deus tuorum militum https://tinyurl.com/hw6aahb9
1 What thanks and praise to Thee we owe,
O Priest and Sacrifice divine,
For Thy dear saint thro’ whom we know
So many a gracious word of Thine;
2 Whom Thou didst choose to tell the tale
Of all Thy manhood’s toils and tears,
And for a moment lift the veil
That hides Thy boyhood’s spotless years.
3 And still the Church through all her days
Uplifts the strains that never cease,
The blessèd Virgin’s hymn of praise,
The aged Simeon’s words of peace.
4 O happy saint! whose sacred page,
So rich in words of truth and love,
Pours on the Church from age to age
This healing unction from above;
5 The witness of the Saviour’s life,
The great apostle’s chosen friend
Through weary years of toil and strife,
And still found faithful to the end.
6 So grant us, Lord, like him to live,
Beloved by man, approved by Thee,
Till Thou at last the summons give,
And we, with him, Thy face shall see.
PSALMS
PRAYER
Omnipotent God,
your glory is incomprehensible,
your majesty infinite,
and your power incomparable.
Found us on the certainty of your promises,
that no matter what happens,
we may be firm in faith
and live uprightly in your church,
bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. Amen. BCW
THE WORD OF GOD
Reading: Daniel 4:28-37
All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon. The king declared, “Isn’t this Babylon, the magnificent city that I built as the royal house by my own mighty strength and for my own majestic glory?”
These words hadn’t even left the king’s mouth when a voice came from heaven: “You, King Nebuchadnezzar, are now informed: Kingship is taken away from you. You will be driven away from other humans and will live with the wild animals. You will eat grass like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you acknowledge that the Most High dominates human kingship, giving it to anyone he wants.”
Nebuchadnezzar’s sentence was immediately carried out. He was driven away from other humans and ate grass like cattle. Dew from heaven washed his body until he grew hair like eagles’ feathers and claws like a bird.
“At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes to heaven. My reason returned to me, and I praised the Most High. I worshipped and glorified the one who lives forever because his rule is everlasting; his kingdom is for all time. All of earth’s inhabitants are nothing in comparison. The Most High does whatever he wants with heaven’s forces and with earth’s inhabitants. No one can contain his power or say to him, ‘What do you think you are doing?’ So at that moment my reason returned to me. My honor and splendor came back to me for the glory of my kingdom. My associates and my princes wanted to be with me again. Not only was I reinstated over my kingdom, I received more power than ever before.
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, worship, magnify, and glorify the king of heaven. All his works are truth, all his paths are justice, and he is able to humble all who walk in pride.”
HYMN: William Cowper
Tune: Dundee https://tinyurl.com/m3dnfhav
1 God moves in a mysterious way
his wonders to perform;
he plants his footsteps in the sea,
and rides upon the storm.
2 Deep in unfathomable mines
of never-failing skill
he treasures up his bright designs,
and works his sovereign will.
3 Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
the clouds ye so much dread
are big with mercy, and shall break
in blessings on your head.
4 Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
but trust him for his grace;
behind a frowning providence
he hides a smiling face.
5 His purposes will ripen fast,
unfolding every hour;
the bud may have a bitter taste,
but sweet will be the flower.
6 Blind unbelief is sure to err,
and scan his work in vain;
God is his own interpreter,
and he will make it plain.
Reading: Colossians 4:7–18
Tychicus will tell you all the news about me; he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow-servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts; he is coming with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.
Aristarchus my fellow-prisoner greets you, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him. And Jesus who is called Justus greets you. These are the only ones of the circumcision among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills. For I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you. Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, ‘See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord.’
I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.
HYMN: Anne Steele
Tune: Caithness https://tinyurl.com/vyzs9avt
1 Father of mercies, in Thy word,
What endless glory shines!
Forever be Thy name adored
For these celestial lines.
2 Here the fair tree of knowledge grows,
And yields a free repast;
Sublimer sweets than nature knows
Invites the longing taste.
3 Here the Redeemer’s welcome voice
Spreads heavenly peace around;
And life and everlasting joys
Attend the blissful sound.
4 O may these heavenly pages be
My ever dear delight.
And still new beauties may I see,
And still increasing light.
Reading: Luke 1:1-4
Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.
CANTICLE Te Deum
(Chant by Joe Cox: https://tinyurl.com/ybzyundx)
We praise thee, O God; we acknowledge thee to be the Lord.
All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting.
To thee all Angels cry aloud,
the Heavens and all the Powers therein.
To thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;
Heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory.
The glorious company of the apostles praise thee.
The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise thee.
The noble army of martyrs praise thee.
The holy Church throughout all the world
doth acknowledge thee,
the Father, of an infinite majesty,
thine adorable, true, and only Son,
also the Holy Ghost the Comforter.
Thou art the King of glory, O Christ.
Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.
When thou tookest upon thee to deliver man,
thou didst humble thyself to be born of a Virgin.
When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death,
thou didst open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
Thou sittest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.
We believe that thou shalt come to be our judge.
We therefore pray thee, help thy servants,
whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.
Make them to be numbered with thy saints,
in glory everlasting.
PRAYER (Rick Morley, alt.)
Our souls proclaim the greatness of you, O Lord, and we rejoice; for you have looked with favor on us, your servants; and you hear our prayers.
We rejoice for the church, and for all your ministers; for you always come to our help, and you always remember your promise of mercy.
The Almighty has done great things for us, and holy is his Name.
We rejoice for our nation, and for all the nations of the earth; for you fill the hungry with good things and lift up the lowly.
The Almighty has done great things for us, and holy is his Name.
We pray for the sick and the suffering (especially), and we pray for the fearful and the poor, that you would show the strength of your arm and scatter every bond which hold your people down.
The Almighty has done great things for us, and holy is his Name.
We rejoice for those who have been granted the fullness of the promise you have made to our ancestors, and who now dwell with you in your heavenly kingdom. (Especially…)
The Almighty has done great things for us, and holy is his Name.
O Lord, you do great things for your us; you hear our prayers, you bring us your salvation, you give us the gift of your son, and holy is your Name now and forevermore. Amen.
(Traditional chant: http://oremus.org/chant/LP-1940.mp3)
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,
for ever and ever. Amen.
God of the gathering storm,
calling us to announce
the nearness of your rule:
we praise you for the good news of Luke,
for stories of searching love
and grace found in the foreigner;
of women of strength and rebellion
and men called from the margins;
may we be bearers of that word
to a world hungry for you;
through Jesus Christ, who feasted with sinners. Amen. PIC
Music: https://tinyurl.com/y9efvwm5
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen. 2 Cor. 13:14
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BCW Book of Common Worship, Presbyterian Church U.S.A., 1993.
PWC PRAY WITHOUT CEASING: Morning and Evening Prayer for the Seasons of the Church Year Prepared by The Rev’d Dr Richard Geoffrey Leggett on behalf of The Liturgy Task Force of the Anglican Church of Canada, May 2016.
PIC Prayers for An Inclusive Church. Steven Shakespeare © 2008 Canterbury Press.
The intercession is based on the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) and is by Rick Morley, http://www.rickmorley.com/archives/2170
The Lord’s Prayer is the traditional chant as set in The Hymnal 1940 and sung by Kathryn Mannyng https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsJ2TB9pLbU
The three main scripture readings are from the The New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Edition, The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The traditional language psalms are from The Book of Common Prayer (1662). Psalm 93 is in the version from Lutheran Service Book © Concordia Publishing House. Sung to LSB Tone A and sourced from here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doYQAH0xA6k. Psalms 94 is in the version sung by Karl Kohlhase http://www.k4communications.com/karl/index.html.
Musical links are usually either to artists’ albums posted on Spotify or to recordings made available at smallchurchmusic.com. Audio stripped from YouTube videos is footnoted accordingly above.
Compilation © 2022 Stephen T. Benner. All links worked at the time they were created, but I cannot accept responsibility for their content or any damage resulting from their use. The linked content is under the control of the respective content creators and is subject to change at any time. Any copyright texts included in this compilation are provided for non-commercial purposes related to study or worship. Please contact the respective copyright holders for permission to use the texts in other contexts.
Oremus 