2.0 KiB
Context
Scripture Reading: Hebrews 1:1-6
Sermon Text: Colossians 1:15-23
Prayer
Father,
We come to you now to recognize that we have sinned against you. In accord with the nature of our birth, sin poured from hearts into our thoughts and actions.
In turning from You, our Creator, we embraced a myriad of sins. In not trusting You, we blasphemed against Your goodness. We in turn have lied to cover and enable our sin.
We regularly fail by neglecting our tasks, prioritizing frivolous achievements over the things that please You. We often regard Your Word with mere momentary interest, and we neglect bringing our troubles to You. We neglect our brothers, and do not pray for one another with diligence that we ought.
We do not boast of our Lord as we should. We forget that You have given to the Church as her head, Him before whom even the angels bow down in worship. Our confidence in His power and glory and the supreme dignity of His name, our confidence in these things falls far short of what it should. We do not count it as our glory to be seen with Him, to be mocked with Him.
We give ourselves to anger, which is the seed of murder. For our own unrighteous vindication, we relish our enmity with others. We try to take for ourselves and our own glory, the vengeance that rightly belongs to You and should vindicate You before any other.
We have even set out to vindicate ourselves against Your Law. In Your love, You have sent many prophets to instruct us and warn us, but the heart of natural man would not receive it. Even when You sent us Your Son, the Adamic heart seethed at His witness against us, and we crucified the Lord of glory who forgives sins.
Yet You did not count that act as unforgivable. You received the murder of Your Son as an atoning sacrifice to cover for the sins of all who would hail Him as King of kings. And so now, on this basis, we come to You seeking the reconciliation that is bought by His blood.
We ask this in the most excellent name of Your Son, Our Lord, Christ Jesus. Amen.