Epiphany 04 B

As We Gather

As He promised, the God raised up a new prophet, Jesus, our brother in the flesh, the incarnate Word who speaks “a new teaching with authority.” By His Word of the Cross He removes the accusations of the law and of the devil, cleansing our consciences before God the Father, setting us free from bondage and commending us to God. We use your freedom to care for our brothers and sisters, neither causing them to stumble nor wounding their consciences, but cleansing and strengthening them with the Gospel.

—www.LCMS.org

Introit

P:
Many are the sorrows of the wicked,* but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts | in the Lord.
C:
Blessed is the one whose transgression is for- | given,* whose sin is | covered.

P:
Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no in- | iquity,* and in whose spirit there is | no deceit.
C:
I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my in- | iquity;* I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and you forgave the iniquity | of my sin.

P:
Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you | may be found;* surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not | reach him.
C:
You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from | trouble;* you surround me with shouts of de- | liverance. (Psalm 32: 1–2, 5–7)

C:
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son* and to the Holy | Spirit; as it was in the be- | ginning,* is now and will be forever. | Amen.

Collect of the Day

Almighty God, you know we live in the midst of so many dangers that in our frailty we cannot stand upright. Grant strength and protection to support us in all dangers and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Deuteronomy 18:15–20

The Old Testament reading is from Deuteronomy, chapter eighteen.

The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’

This is the word of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 8:1–13

The Epistle is from First Corinthians, chapter eight.

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

This is the word of the Lord.

Mark 1:21–28

The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the first chapter.

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

Psalm 111

P:
Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my | whole heart,* in the company of the upright, in the congre- | gation.
C:
Great are the works | of the Lord,* studied by all who de- | light in them.

P:
Full of splendor and majesty | is his work,* and his righteousness endures for- | ever.
C:
He has caused his wondrous works to be re- | membered;* the Lord is gracious and | merciful.

P:
He provides food for those who | fear him;* he remembers his covenant for- | ever.
C:
He has shown his people the power | of his works,* in giving them the inheritance of the | nations.

P:
The works of his hands are faith- | ful and just;* all his precepts are | trustworthy;
C:
they are established forever and | ever,* to be performed with faithfulness and up- | rightness.

P:
He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant for- | ever.* Holy and awesome | is his name!
C:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good under- | standing* His praise endures for- | ever!

C:
Glory be to the Father and | to the Son* and to the Holy | Spirit; as it was in the be- | ginning,* is now and will be forever. | Amen.