Festival of St. Andrew, Apostle
Posted on November 30, 2023 by under
Scripture: Zephaniah 3:8-9 (NKJV)
3:8 “Therefore wait for Me,” says the Lord, “Until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination is to gather the nations to My assembly of kingdoms, to pour on them My indignation, all My fierce anger; All the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy.
9 “For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord.”
Devotion
In his book the prophet Zephaniah proclaims that Judah and Jerusalem will be destroyed, and unrepentant Israel will be carried away into captivity in Babylon. However, for those who come to repentance “before the day of the Lord’s anger comes,” there will be grace. “You will be hidden” from the judgment (Zeph. 2:3, the theme of Zephaniah’s book).
For those who seek the Lord and His righteousness, the Lord says, “Wait for Me.” Yes, there is great wickedness all around. And yes, God uses a more wicked nation than Israel to punish Israel. Although there will be disastrous consequences for the whole nation, the believers should not despair. They should wait for the Lord’s timing. God has not forgotten His faithful people. He will punish the evildoers and those who oppress His Church. Zephaniah announces that a day is coming in which God will punish all who have rejected his Word. On that judgment day God will gather the nations, and justice will prevail.
However, God’s people will be spared (or as Zephaniah says, they will be hidden). On that judgment day God will bring them redemption on account of their faith in Jesus, the promised Messiah. Their redemption will result in everlasting blessings and rejoicing. The present false teaching will be replaced with “a pure language” (correct doctrine). God’s people “will call on the name of the Lord.” And they will be united “with one accord” in one holy Christian Church to serve their Lord Jesus Christ in thanksgiving.
Collect: O Lord, we humbly implore Thee that as Thine Apostle Saint Andrew didst heed the call of Thy Son Jesus Christ, Thou wouldst grant us Thy grace to serve Thee faithfully in our various vocations, through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Last Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Absolve, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy people from their offenses, that from the bonds of our sins which, by reason of our frailty, we have brought upon us, we may be delivered by Thy bountiful goodness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
