Isaiah 49:1-7 Listen to me, all of you in far-off lands! The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name. 2He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver. 3He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory." 4I replied, "But my work all seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose at all. Yet I leave it all in the Lord's hand; I will trust God for my reward." 5And now the Lord speaks—he who formed me in my mother's womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring his people of Israel back to him. The Lord has honored me, and my God has given me strength. 6He says, "You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." 7The Lord, the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel, says to the one who is despised and rejected by a nation, to the one who is the servant of rulers: "Kings will stand at attention when you pass by. Princes will bow low because the Lord has chosen you. He, the faithful Lord, the Holy One of Israel, chooses you." (NLT) Psalm 40:1-12 L. I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. C. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. L. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. C. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. L. Many will see what he has done and be astounded. They will put their trust in the Lord. C. Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord, who have no confidence in the proud, or in those who worship idols. L. O Lord my God, you have done many miracles for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. C. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them. L. You take no delight in sacrifices or offerings. Now that you have made me listen, I finally understand— you don't require burnt offerings or sin offerings. C. Then I said, "Look, I have come. And this has been written about me in your scroll: L. I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your law is written on my heart." C. I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you, O Lord, well know. 12. I have not kept this good news hidden in my heart; I have talked about your faithfulness and saving power. C assembly. I have told everyone in the great of your unfailing love and faithfulness. L. Lord, don't hold back your tender mercies from me. My only hope is in your unfailing love and faithfulness. C. For troubles surround me—too many to count! They pile up so high I can't see my way out. They are more numerous than the hairs on my head. I have lost all my courage. (NLT) The second lesson 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes. 2We are writing to the church of God in Corinth, you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did all Christians everywhere—whoever calls upon the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and theirs. 3May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you his grace and peace.4I can never stop thanking God for all the generous gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5He has enriched your church with the gifts of eloquence and every kind of knowledge. 6This shows that what I told you about Christ is true. 7Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8He will keep you strong right up to the end, and he will keep you free from all blame on the great day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9God will surely do this for you, for he always does just what he says, and he is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (NLT) The Gospel Lesson John 1:29-42 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." 32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." 35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. 40 Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter). (NIV)