All Saints’ Day November
1
Lessons for ALL SAINTS
Revelation
7:(2-8) 9-17 ~ John saw the multitude of
saints in glory serving the Lamb at His throne.
Psalm 31:1-5 (antiphon Rev. 7:14)
1 John 3:1-3 ~ God loves us so much that He called us to
be His children, and made us His for eternity!
Matthew 5:1-12 ~ Jesus revealed the true nature of blessings in the Kingdom of God.
GATHERING THE TEXTS:
From Death to Life
"Do not
fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are
Mine!" (Isaiah 43:1) With these words, God reminds us that we and
those believers who have gone before us are saints (that is "holy
ones") because of His action. No
other truth brings as much comfort. If
sainthood were up to us by good works, our hope would be uncertain at best and
futile at worst. We would be lost for
sure and there would be no celebration today.
Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus
Christ. (1 Cor. 15:57)
PRAYER BEFORE THE SERVICE: Gracious and eternal God, be with me in
suffering and in death to strengthen and comfort me by your Holy Spirit. Keep me in the true faith and give me peace
and joy in the assurance of the resurrection of the dead and the glory of life
everlasting through Jesus Christ, your Son, my risen Lord. Amen.
STEWARDSHIP THOUGHT:
Because we know that our citizenship is in heaven where we have an
everlasting inheritance, we are free to be generous with the earthly goods God
places in our care. Our use of these
blessings should bring eternal blessing to the lives of the poor, the meek, the
mournful, and those who seek justice.
OFFERING PRAYER: Blessings
abound in the power of Your Word;
Blessed
are we in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Grant that these
offerings we bring may secure
Blessings
eternal for meek and for poor.
CONVICTION AND
COMFORT: We do not recognize the
saints of God because we see things from earth’s perspective
and our point of view, where joy and wealth and power and fame are the
blessings we seek. Surely the Lord knows
who His saints are because He has clothed them with the robe of Christ’s
righteousness. When we are known by Him,
we are called children of God – and called to be His children. Then opportunities to serve become blessings,
and even persecution becomes a sign of our identity as a saint of God’s grace
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