Sunday, April 21, 2024

Hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today”  LSB # 463

1    Christ the Lord is ris'n today; Alleluia! Christians, hasten on your way; Alleluia!

Offer praise with love replete, Alleluia! At the paschal victim's feet. Alleluia!

2    For the sheep the Lamb has bled, Alleluia! Sinless in the sinner's stead. Alleluia!

Christ the Lord is ris'n on high; Alleluia! Now He lives no more to die. Alleluia!

3    Hail, the victim undefiled, Alleluia! God and sinners reconciled, Alleluia!

When contending death and life, Alleluia! Met in strange and awesome strife. Alleluia!

4    Christians, on this holy day, Alleluia! All your grateful homage pay; Alleluia!

Christ the Lord is ris'n on high; Alleluia! Now He lives, no more to die. Alleluia!

P:   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

C:   amen.

P:   If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C:   But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   (1 John 1:8-9)

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C:   Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins.  As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”  LSB # 686

1 Come, Thou Fount of ev'ry blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.

While the hope of endless glory Fills my heart with joy and love,

Teach me ever to adore Thee; May I still Thy goodness prove.

2 Here I raise my Ebenezer, Hither by Thy help I've come;

And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wand'ring from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood.

3 Oh, to grace how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be;

Let that grace now, like a fetter Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee:

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it; Prone to leave the God I love.

Here's my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.

4 Oh, that day when freed from sinning, I shall see Thy lovely face;

Clothed then in the bloodwashed linen, How I'll sing Thy wondrous grace!

Come, my Lord, no longer tarry; Take my ransom'd soul away;

Send Thine angels soon to carry Me to realms of endless day.

(Sung)

P:   In peace let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

C:   Amen.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Almighty God, merciful Father, since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep, grant us Your Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who calls us each by name and follow where He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Scripture Readings

First Reading  (Acts 4:1-12)

As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.

5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (1 John 3:16-24)

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

All: Alleluia.  Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  Alleluia, alleluia.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. John the 10th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(John 10:11-18)

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn of the Day  “The King of Love My Shepherd Is”  LSB #709

1   The King of Love my Shepherd is, Whose goodness faileth never;

     I nothing lack if I am His And He is mine forever.

2   Where streams of living water flow, My ransomed soul He leadeth

     And, where the verdant pastures grow, With food celestial feedeth.

3   Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, But yet in love He sought me

     And on His shoulder gently laid And home rejoicing brought me.

4   In death's dark vale I fear no ill With Thee, dear Lord, beside me,

     Thy rod and staff my comfort still, Thy cross before to guide me.

5   Thou spreadst a table in my sight; Thine unction grace bestoweth;

     And oh, what transport of delight From Thy pure chalice floweth!

6   And so through all the length of days Thy goodness faileth never;

     Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise Within Thy house forever!

Sermon

Confession of Faith  --  Nicene Creed

C:   I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,

            maker of heaven and earth

            and of all things visible and invisible.

      And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

            the only‐begotten Son of God,

            begotten of His Father before all worlds,

            God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,

            begotten, not made,

            being of one substance with the Father,

            by whom all things were made;

            who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

            and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

            and was made man;

            and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

            He suffered and was buried.

            And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

                        and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.

            And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

            whose kingdom will have no end.

      And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

            the Lord and giver of life,

            who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

            who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

            who spoke by the prophets.

            And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church

            I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

            and I look for the resurrection of the dead

            and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of the Church

P:         Lord, in Your mercy

C:         hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “He’s Risen, He’s risen”  LSB # 480

1.   He's risen, he's risen, Christ Jesus, the Lord;

      He opened Death's prison, The incarnate, true Word.

      Break forth, hosts of heaven, in jubilant song

      While earth, sea, and mountain their praises prolong.

2.   The foe was triumphant when on Calvary

      The Lord of creation was nailed to the tree.

      In Satan's domain did the hosts shout and jeer,

      For Jesus was slain, whom the evil ones fear.

3.   But short was their triumph, the Savior arose,

      And death, hell, and Satan He vanquished, His foes;

      The conquering Lord lifts his banner on high.

      He lives, yes, he lives, and will nevermore die.

4.   O, where is your sting, death? We fear you no more;

      Christ rose, and now open is fair Eden's door.

      For all our transgressions His blood does atone;

      Redeemed and forgiven, we now are His own.

5.   Then sing your hosannas and raise your glad voice;

      Proclaim the blest tidings that all may rejoice.

      Laud, honor, and praise to the Lamb that was slain;

      With Father and Spirit He ever shall reign.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Hymn “Lord Jesus Christ, Be Present Now”  LSB # 902

1 Lord Jesus Christ, be present now; Our hearts in true devotion bow.

      Your Spirit send with light divine, And let Your truth within us shine.

2 Unseal our lips to sing Your praise In endless hymns through all our days.

      Increase our faith and light our minds; And set us free from doubt that blinds.

3 Then shall we join the hosts that cry, "O holy, holy Lord Most High!"

       in the light of that blest place We then shall see You face to face.

4 All glory to the Father, Son, And Holy Spirit, Three in One!

      To You, O blessed Trinity, Be praise throughout eternity.

P:   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

P:   Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

C:   But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.

P:   Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

C:   Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Savior, When in Dust to Thee”  LSB #419

1 Savior, when in dust to Thee Low we bow the adoring knee;

When, repentant, to the skies Scarce we lift our weeping eyes;

O, by all Thy pains and woe Suffered once for us below,

Bending from Thy throne on high, Hear our penitential cry!

2 By Thy helpless infant years, By Thy life of want and tears,

By Thy days of deep distress In the savage wilderness,

By the dread, mysterious hour Of the insulting tempter's pow'r,

Turn, O turn a fav'ring eye; Hear our penitential cry!

3 By thine hour of dire despair, By thine agony of prayer,

By the cross, the nail, the thorn, Piercing spear, and torturing scorn,

By the gloom that veiled the skies O'er the dreadful sacrifice,

Listen to our humble sigh; Hear our penitential cry!

4 By Thy deep expiring groan, By the sad sepulchral stone,

By the vault whose dark abode Held in vain the rising God,

O, from earth to heav'n restored, Mighty, re-ascended Lord,

Bending from Thy throne on high, Hear our penitential cry!

(Sung)

Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

To God on high be glory and peace to all the earth;

Good will from God in heaven proclaimed at Jesus’ birth!

We praise and bless You, Father; Your holy name, we sing,

Our thanks for Your great glory, Lord God, our heav’nly King.

To You, O sole-begotten, the Father’s Son, we pray;

O Lamb of God, our Savior, You take our sins away.

Have mercy on us, Jesus; Receive our heartfelt cry,

Where You in pow’r are seated at God’s right hand on high.

For You alone are holy; You only are the Lord.

Forever and forever, be worshiped and adored;

You with the Holy Spirit alone are Lord Most High,

In God the Father’s glory. “Amen!” our glad reply.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us pray.

Collect for the day:

Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look upon your people that we may be governed and preserved evermore in body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C:   Amen.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading  (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

      “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Hebrews 5:1-10)

For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,

“You are my Son,

    today I have begotten you”;

6 as he says also in another place,

“You are a priest forever,

    after the order of Melchizedek.”

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 10th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Mark 10:35-45)

       And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” 36 And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant at James and John. 42 And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Confession of Faith  --  Nicene Creed

C:   I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,

            maker of heaven and earth

            and of all things visible and invisible.

      And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

            the only‐begotten Son of God,

            begotten of His Father before all worlds,

            God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,

            begotten, not made,

            being of one substance with the Father,

            by whom all things were made;

            who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

            and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

            and was made man;

            and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

            He suffered and was buried.

            And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

                        and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.

            And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

            whose kingdom will have no end.

      And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

            the Lord and giver of life,

            who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

            who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

            who spoke by the prophets.

            And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church

            I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

            and I look for the resurrection of the dead

            and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Sermon

Hymn  “O Perfect Life of Love”  LSB # 452

1 O perfect life of love! All, all, is finished now,

All that He left His throne above To do for us below.

2 No work is left undone Of all the Father willed;

His toil, His sorrows, one by one, The Scriptures have fulfilled.

3 No pain that we can share But He has felt its smart;

All forms of human grief and care Have pierced that tender heart.

4 And on His thorn-crowned head And on His sinless soul

Our sins in all their guilt were laid That he might make us whole.

5 In perfect love He dies; For me He dies, for me.

O all atoning Sacrifice, I cling by faith to Thee.

6 In ev'ry time of need, Before the judgment throne,

Thy work, O Lamb of God, I'll plead, Thy merits, not mine own.

7 Yet work, O Lord, in me As Thou for me hast wrought;

And let my love the answer be To grace Thy love has brought.

Offering

Prayer of the Church

P:         Lord, in Your mercy

C:         hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Lord, Help Us Walk Your Servant Way”   # 857

1 Lord, help us walk Your servant way Wherever love may lead

And, bending low, forgetting self, Each serve the other’s need.

2 You came to earth, O Christ, as Lord, But pow’r You laid aside.

You lived Your years in servanthood; In lowliness You died.

3 No golden scepter but a towel You place within the hands

Of those who seek to follow You and Live by Your commands.

4 You bid us bend our human pride Nor count ourselves above

The lowest place, the meanest task That waits the gift of love.

5 Lord, help us walk Your servant way Wherever love may lead

And, bending low, forgetting self, Each serve the other’s need.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Hymn:  “Today Your Mercy Calls Us”   LSB # 915

1 Today Your mercy calls us To wash away our sin.

However great our trespass, Whatever we have been,

However long from mercy Our hearts have turned away,

Your precious blood can wash us And make us clean today.

2 Today Your gate is open, And all who enter in

Shall find a Father's welcome And pardon for their sin.

The past shall be forgotten, A present joy be giv'n,

A future grace be promised, A glorious crown in heav'n.

3 Today our Father calls us; The Holy Spirit waits;

His blessed angels gather Around the heav'nly gates.

No question will be asked us How often we have come;

Although we oft have wandered, It is our Father's home.

4 O all-embracing Mercy, O ever-open Door,

What should we do without You When heart and eye run o'er?

When all things seem against us, To drive us to despair,

We know one gate is open, One ear will hear our prayer.

P:   In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

C:   Amen.

P:   If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C:   But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   (1 John 1:8-9)

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C:   Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit

C:   Amen.

Matins (sung)

P     O Lord, open my lips,

C     and my mouth will declare Your praise.

P     Make haste, O God, to deliver me;

C     make haste to help me, O Lord.

C     Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ, Alleluia. (Common response)

Psalmody (Psalm 95) (sung)

P:   Blessed be God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

C:   O come, let us worship Him.

O come, let us sing to the Lord. 
Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hands;
The strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it, and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker.
For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture
And the sheep of His hand.  

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

P:   Blessed be God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

C:   O come, let us worship Him.

Scripture Readings

First Reading (Numbers 21:4-9)

From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” 6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze[a] serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Ephesians 2:1-10)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.[b] 4 But[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:    Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. John the 3rd chapter.

C:  (Sung) Glory to You, O Lord.

(John 3:14-21)

[Jesus said], “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world,[b] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (Sung) Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn “By Grace I’m Saved”  LSB # 566

1 By grace I'm saved, grace free and boundless; My soul, believe and doubt it not.

Why stagger at this word of promise? Has Scripture ever falsehood taught?

No! Then this word must true remain; By grace you too will life obtain.

2 By grace! None dare lay claim to merit; Our works and conduct have no worth.

God in His love sent our Redeemer, Christ Jesus, to this sinful earth;

His death did for our sins atone, And we are saved by grace alone.

3 By grace God's Son, our only Savior, Came down to earth to bear our sin.

Was it because of your own merit That Jesus died your soul to win?

No, it was grace, and grace alone, That brought Him from His heav'nly throne.

4 By grace! This ground of faith is certain; So long as God is true, it stands.

What saints have penned by inspiration, What in His Word our God commands,

Our faith in what our God has done Depends on grace--grace through His Son.

5 By grace to timid hearts that tremble, In tribulation's furnace tried,

By grace, in spite of fear and trouble, The Father's heart is open wide.

Where could I help and strength secure If grace were not my anchor sure?

6 By grace! On this I'll rest when dying; In Jesus' promise I rejoice;

For though I know my heart's condition, I also know my Savior's voice.

My heart is glad, all grief has flown Since I am saved by grace alone.

Sermon

Te Deum (Sung)

We praise You, O God; we acknowledge You to be the Lord.

All the earth now worships You, the Father everlasting.

To You all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the pow'rs therein.

To You cherubim and seraphim continually do cry:

      Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;

      heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Your glory.

The glorious company of the apostles praise You.

The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise You.

The noble army of martyrs praise You.

The holy Church throughout all the world does acknowledge You.

The Father of an infinite majesty; Your adorable, true, and only Son;

      also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. You are the king of glory, O Christ;

      You are the everlasting Son of the Father.

When You took upon Yourself to deliver man,

You humbled Yourself to be born of a virgin.

When You had overcome the sharpness of death,

You opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You sit at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.

We believe that You will come to be our judge.

We therefore pray You to help Your servants,

whom You have redeemed with Your precious blood.

Make them to be numbered with Your saints in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save Your people and bless Your heritage.

Govern them and lift them up forever. Day by day we magnify You.

And we worship Your name forever and ever.

Grant, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.

O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.

O Lord, let Your mercy be upon us, as our trust is in You.

O Lord, in You have I trusted; let me never be confounded.

Prayer of the Church

P:  Lord, in Your mercy,

C:  Hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer”  LSB # 918

1 Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer, Pilgrim through this barren land.

      I am weak, but Thou art mighty; Hold me with Thy pow'rful hand.

      Bread of heaven, bread of heaven Feed me till I want no more;

      Feed me till I want no more.

2 Open now the crystal fountain Whence the healing stream doth flow;

      Let the fiery, cloudy pillar Lead me all my journey through.

      Strong deliv'rer, strong deliv'rer, Be Thou still my strength and shield;

      Be Thou still my strength and shield.

3 When I tread the verge of Jordan, Bid my anxious fears subside;

      Death of death and hell's destruction, Land me safe on Canaan's side.

      Songs of praises, songs of praises I will ever give to Thee;

      I will ever give to Thee.

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Hymn “Glorious Things of You Are Spoken”  LSB # 648

1 Glorious things of you are spoken, Zion, city of our God;

He whose word cannot be broken Formed you for His own abode.

On the Rock of Ages founded, What can shake your sure repose?

With salvation's walls surrounded, You may smile at all your foes.

2 See, the streams of living waters, Springing from eternal love,

Well supply your sons and daughters And all fear of want remove.

Who can faint while such a river Ever will their thirst assuage?

Grace, which like the Lord, the giver, Never fails from age to age.

3 Round each habitation hov'ring, See the cloud and fire appear

For a glory and a cov'ring, Showing that the Lord is near.

Thus deriving from their banner Light by night and shade by day,

Safe they feed upon the manna Which God gives them on their way.

4 Savior, since of Zion's city I through grace a member am,

Let the world deride or pity, I will glory in Your name.

Fading are the world's vain pleasures, All their boasted pomp and show;

Solid joys and lasting treasures None but Zion's children know.

P:   In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

C:   Amen.

P:   Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C:   and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   O almighty God, merciful Father,

C:   I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You, and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

P:   Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

The Introit is read…

(Sung)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

The Antiphon is read…

(Sung)

Lord, have mercy upon us.  Christ have mercy upon us.  Lord, have mercy upon us.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us pray.

Collect of the Day:

P:   O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy, be gracious to all who have gone astray from Your ways and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of Your Word; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “We Sing the Praise of Him Who Died”  LSB # 429

1 We sing the praise of Him who died, Of Him who died upon the cross.

The sinner's hope let all deride; For this we count the world but loss.

2 Inscribed upon the cross we see In shining letters, "God is love."

He bears our sins upon the tree; He brings us mercy from above.

3 The cross! It takes our guilt away; It holds the fainting spirit up;

It cheers with hope the gloomy day And sweetens ev'ry bitter cup.

4 It makes the coward spirit brave And nerves the feeble arm for fight;

It takes the terror from the grave And gilds the bed of death with light;

5 The balm of life, the cure of woe, The measure and the pledge of love,

The sinner's refuge here below, The angels' theme in heav'n above.

6 To Christ, who won for sinners grace By bitter grief and anguish sore,

Be praise from all the ransomed race Forever and forevermore.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Exodus 20:1-17)

And God spoke all these words, saying,

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. John, the 2nd chapter.

C:  (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

(John 2:13-22)

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.                   

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (sung) Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Confession of Faith  --  Apostles’ Creed

C:   I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

      maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

      who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

      born of the Virgin Mary,

      suffered under Pontius Pilate,

      was crucified, died and was buried.
      He descended into hell.

      The third day He rose again from the dead.

      He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

      From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,

      the holy Christian Church,
      the communion of saints,

      the forgiveness of sins,

      the resurrection of the body,

      and the life + everlasting. Amen.

Hymn “Jesus Shall Reign”  LSB # 832

1    Jesus shall reign where'er the sun Does its successive journeys run;

His kingdom stretch from shore to shore Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

2    To Him shall endless prayer be made, And endless praises crown His head;

His name like sweet perfume shall rise With ev'ry morning sacrifice.

3    People and realms of ev'ry tongue Dwell on His love with sweetest song;

And infant voices shall proclaim Their early blessings on His name.

4    Blessings abound where'er He reigns; The pris'ners leap, unloose their chains,

The weary find eternal rest, And all who suffer want are blest.

5    Let ev'ry creature rise and bring Honors peculiar to our King;

Angels descend with songs again, And earth repeat the loud amen.

Sermon

Offertory

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from Thy presence,

And take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation,

And uphold me with Thy free Spirit.  Amen.

Prayer of the Church

Offering

Prayer of the Church

P:   Lord, in your mercy,

C:   Receive our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And with thy spirit.

P:   Bless we the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Closing Hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”  LSB # 809

1 Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;

There is no shadow of turning with Thee.

Thou changest not: Thy compassions, they fail not;

As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Refrain:

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

2 Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. [Refrain]

3 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! [Refrain]

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Hymn “Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun”  LSB # 868

1    Awake, my soul, and with the sun Thy daily stage of duty run;

Shake off dull sloth and joyful rise To pay thy morning sacrifice.

2    In conversation be sincere, Thy conscience as the noon-day clear;

Think how the all-seeing God thy ways And all thy secret thoughts surveys.

3    All praise to Thee, who safe hast kept And hast refreshed me while I slept;

Grant, Lord, when I from death shall wake, I may of endless light partake.

4    Lord, I my vows to Thee renew; Disperse my sins as morning dew;

Guard my first springs of thought and will And with Thyself my spirit fill.

5    Direct, control, suggest this day All I design or do or say

That all my pow'rs with all their might In Thy sole glory may unite.

6    Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host: Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

P:   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

C:   amen.

P:   If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C:   But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   (1 John 1:8-9)

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C:   Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins.  As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “My Song Is Love Unknown”  LSB # 430

1    My song is love unknown, My Savior’s love to me,

      Love to the loveless shown That they might lovely be.

      Oh, who am I That for my sake

      My Lord should take Frail flesh and die?

2    He came from His blest throne Salvation to bestow;

      But men made strange, and none The longed-for Christ would know.

      But, oh, my friend, My Friend indeed,

      Who at my need His life did spend!

3    Sometimes they strew His way And His sweet praises sing;

      Resounding all the day Hosannas to their King.

      Then “Crucify!” Is all their breath,

      And for His death They thirst and cry.

4    Why, what hath my Lord done? What makes this rage and spite?

      He made the lame to run, He gave the blind their sight.

      Sweet injuries! Yet they at these

      Themselves displease And 'gainst Him rise.

5    They rise and needs will have My dear Lord made away;

      A murderer they save, The Prince of Life they slay.

      Yet cheerful He To suff'ring goes

      That He His foes From thence might free.

6    In life no house, no home My Lord on earth might have;

      In death no friendly tomb But what a stranger gave.

      What may I say? Heav'n was His home

      But mine the tomb Wherein He lay.

7    Here might I stay and sing, No story so divine!

      Never was love, dear King, Never was grief like Thine.

      This is my friend, In whose sweet praise

      I all my days Could gladly spend!

(Sung)

P:   In peace let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

C:   Amen.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength.  By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading  (Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16)

When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, 2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, 4 “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you… And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Romans 5:1-11)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

All: Alleluia.  Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  Alleluia, alleluia.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 8th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Mark 8:27-38)

And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn of the Day  “Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness”  LSB #563

1   Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness My beauty are, my glorious dress;

     Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed, With joy shall I lift up my head.

2   Bold shall I stand in that great day, Cleansed and redeemed, no debt to pay;

     Fully absolved through these I am From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.

3   Lord, I believe Thy precious blood, Which at the mercy seat of God

     Pleads for the captives' liberty, Was also shed in love for me.

4   Lord, I believe, were sinners more Than sands upon the ocean shore,

     Thou hast for all a ransom paid, For all a full atonement made.

5   When from the dust of death I rise To claim my mansion in the skies,

     This then shall be my only plea: Jesus hath lived and died for me.

6   Jesus, be endless praise to Thee, Whose boundless mercy hath for me,

     For me, and all Thy hands have made, An everlasting ransom paid.

Sermon

Confession of Faith  --  Nicene Creed

C:   I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,

            maker of heaven and earth

            and of all things visible and invisible.

      And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

            the only‐begotten Son of God,

            begotten of His Father before all worlds,

            God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,

            begotten, not made,

            being of one substance with the Father,

            by whom all things were made;

            who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

            and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

            and was made man;

            and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

            He suffered and was buried.

            And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

                        and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.

            And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

            whose kingdom will have no end.

      And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

            the Lord and giver of life,

            who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

            who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

            who spoke by the prophets.

            And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church

            I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

            and I look for the resurrection of the dead

            and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of the Church

P:         Lord, in Your mercy

C:         hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus”  LSB # 685

1    Let us ever walk with Jesus, follow his example pure,

      Through a world that would deceive us And to sin our spirits lure.

      Onward in his footsteps treading, Pilgrims here, our home above,

      Full of faith and hope and love, Let us do our Savior's bidding.

      Faithful Lord, with me abide; I shall follow where you guide.

2 Let us suffer here with Jesus, And with patience bear our cross.

      Joy will follow all our sadness; Where he is there is no loss.

      Though today we sow no laughter, We shall reap celestial joy:

      All discomforts that annoy Shall give way to mirth hereafter.

      Jesus, here I share your woe; Help me there your joy to know.

3 Let us gladly die with Jesus. Since by death he conquered death,

      He will free us from destruction, Give to us immortal breath.

      Let us mortify all passion That would lead us into sin;

      And the grave that shuts us in Shall but prove the gate to heaven.

      Jesus, here with you I die, there to live with you on high.

4 Let us also live with Jesus. He has risen from the dead

      That to life we may awaken. Jesus, you are now our head,

      We are your own living members; Where you live, there we shall be

      In your presence constantly, Living there with you forever.

      Jesus, let me faithful be; Life eternal grant to me.

Sunday, February 11, 2024

Hymn:  “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus”   LSB # 821

1    Alleluia! Sing to Jesus; His the scepter, His the throne;

Alleluia! His the triumph, His the victory alone.

Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion Thunder like a mighty flood:

"Jesus out of ev'ry nation Has redeemed us by His blood."

2    Alleluia! Not as orphans Are we left in sorrow now;

Alleluia! He is near us; Faith believes, nor questions how.

Though the cloud from sight received Him When the forty days were o'er,

Shall our hearts forget His promise: "I am with you evermore"?

3    Alleluia! Bread of heaven, Here on earth our food, our stay;

Alleluia! Here the sinful Flee to You from day to day.

Intercessor, Friend of sinners, Earth's Redeemer, hear our plea

Where the songs of all the sinless Sweep across the crystal sea.

4    Alleluia! King eternal, Lord omnipotent we own;

Alleluia! Born of Mary, Earth Your footstool, heav'n Your throne.

As within the veil You entered, Robed in flesh, our great High Priest,

Here on earth both priest and victim In the eucharistic feast.

5    Alleluia! Sing to Jesus; His the scepter, His the throne;

Alleluia! His the triumph, His the victory alone.

Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion Thunder like a mighty flood:

"Jesus out of ev'ry nation Has redeemed us by His blood."

P:   In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

C:   Amen.

P:   If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C:   But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   (1 John 1:8-9)

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C:   Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit

C:   Amen.

Matins (sung)

P     O Lord, open my lips,

C     and my mouth will declare Your praise.

P     Make haste, O God, to deliver me;

C     make haste to help me, O Lord.

C     Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ, Alleluia. (Common response)

Psalmody (Psalm 95) (sung)

P:   Blessed be God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

C:   O come, let us worship Him.

O come, let us sing to the Lord. 
Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hands;
The strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it, and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker.
For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture
And the sheep of His hand.  

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

P:   Blessed be God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

C:   O come, let us worship Him.

Scripture Readings

First Reading (2 Kings 2:1-12)

when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets who were in Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he said, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”

4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that today the Lord will take away your master from over you?” And he answered, “Yes, I know it; keep quiet.”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets also went and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Elijah took his cloak and rolled it up and struck the water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of them could go over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (2 Corinthians 3:12-13; 4:1-6)

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end…. Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 1st chapter.

C:  (Sung) Glory to You, O Lord.

(Mark 9:2-9)

After six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only. 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (Sung) Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn “O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair”  LSB # 413

1    O wondrous type! O vision fair Of glory that the Church may share,

      Which Christ upon the mountain shows, Where brighter than the sun He glows!

2    With Moses and Elijah nigh The incarnate Lord holds converse high;

      And from the cloud the Holy One Bears record to the only Son.

3    With shining face and bright array Christ deigns to manifest today

      What glory shall be theirs above Who joy in God with perfect love.

4    And faithful hearts are raised on high By this great vision's mystery,

      For which in joyful strains we raise The voice of prayer, the hymn of praise.

5    O Father, with the eternal Son And Holy Spirit ever one,

      We pray Thee, bring us by Thy grace To see Thy glory face to face.

Sermon

Te Deum (Sung)

We praise You, O God; we acknowledge You to be the Lord.

All the earth now worships You, the Father everlasting.

To You all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the pow'rs therein.

To You cherubim and seraphim continually do cry:

      Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;

      heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Your glory.

The glorious company of the apostles praise You.

The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise You.

The noble army of martyrs praise You.

The holy Church throughout all the world does acknowledge You.

The Father of an infinite majesty; Your adorable, true, and only Son;

      also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. You are the king of glory, O Christ;

      You are the everlasting Son of the Father.

When You took upon Yourself to deliver man,

You humbled Yourself to be born of a virgin.

When You had overcome the sharpness of death,

You opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You sit at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.

We believe that You will come to be our judge.

We therefore pray You to help Your servants,

whom You have redeemed with Your precious blood.

Make them to be numbered with Your saints in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save Your people and bless Your heritage.

Govern them and lift them up forever. Day by day we magnify You.

And we worship Your name forever and ever.

Grant, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.

O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.

O Lord, let Your mercy be upon us, as our trust is in You.

O Lord, in You have I trusted; let me never be confounded.

Prayer of the Church

P:  Lord, in Your mercy,

C:  Hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “Alleluia, Song of Gladness”  LSB # 417

1 Alleluia, song of gladness, Voice of joy that cannot die;

Alleluia is the anthem Ever raised by choirs on high;

In the house of God abiding Thus they sing eternally.

2 Alleluia, thou resoundest, True Jerusalem and free;

Alleluia, joyful mother, All thy children sing with thee,

But by Babylon's sad waters Mourning exiles now are we.

3 Alleluia cannot always Be our song while here below;

Alleluia, our transgressions Make us for a while for-go;

For the solemn time is coming When our tears for sin must flow.

4 Therefore in our hymns we pray Thee, Grant us, blessed Trinity,

At the last to keep Thine Easter With Thy faithful saints on high;

There to Thee for ever singing Alleluia joyfully.

Sunday, February 4, 2024

Hymn “Hail to the Lord’s Anointed”  LSB # 398

1    Hail to the Lord's anointed, Great David's greater Son!

Hail, in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun!

He comes to break oppression, To set the captive free,

To take away transgression And rule in equity.

2    He comes with rescue speedy To those who suffer wrong,

To help the poor and needy And bid the weak be strong;

To give them songs for sighing, Their darkness turn to light,

Whose souls, condemned and dying, Were precious in His sight.

3    He shall come down like showers Upon the fruitful earth;

Love, joy, and hope, like flowers, Spring in His path to birth.

Before Him on the mountains Shall peace, the herald, go;

And righteousness in fountains From hill to valley flow.

4    Kings shall fall down before Him And gold and incense bring;

All nations shall adore Him, His praise all people sing.

To Him shall prayer unceasing And daily vows ascend;

His kingdom still increasing, A kingdom without end.

5    O'er ev'ry foe victorious, He on His throne shall rest,

From age to age more glorious, All blessing and all-blest.

The tide of time shall never His covenant remove;

His name shall stand forever– That name to us is Love.

P:   In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

C:   Amen.

P:   Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C:   and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   O almighty God, merciful Father,

C:   I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You, and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

P:   Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

The Introit is read…

(Sung)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

The Antiphon is read…

(Sung)

Lord, have mercy upon us.  Christ have mercy upon us.  Lord, have mercy upon us.

(Glory be to God on high)

…and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.  We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee, we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory.  O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.  O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.  Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.  For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.  Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us pray.

Collect of the Day:

P:   O Lord, keep your family the Church continually in the true faith that, relying on the hope of your heavenly grace, we may ever be defended by your mighty power; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “My Soul, Now Praise Your Maker”  LSB # 820

1 My soul, now praise your Maker! Let all within me bless His name

Who makes you full partaker Of mercies more than you dare claim.

Forget Him not whose meekness Still bears with all your sin,

Who heals your ev'ry weakness, Renews your life within;

Whose grace and care are endless And saved you through the past;

Who leaves no suff'rer friendless But rights the wronged at last.

2 He offers all His treasure Of justice, truth, and righteousness,

His love beyond all measure, His yearning pity o'er distress,

Nor treats us as we merit But sets His anger by.

The poor and contrite spirit Finds His compassion nigh;

And high as heav'n above us, As dawn from close of day,

So far, since He has loved us, He puts our sins away.

3 For as a tender father Has pity on His children here,

God in His arms will gather All who are His in childlike fear.

He knows how frail our powers, Who but from dust are made.

We flourish like the flowers, And even so we fade;

The wind but through them passes, And all their bloom is o'er.

We wither like the grasses; Our place knows us no more.

4 His grace remains forever, And children's children yet shall prove

That God forsakes them never Who in true fear shall seek His love.

In heav'n is fixed His dwelling, His rule is over all;

O hosts with might excelling, With praise before Him fall.

Praise Him forever reigning, All you who hear His Word--

Our life and all sustaining. My soul, O praise the Lord!

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Isaiah 40:21-31)

Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness.

Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.

Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”?  Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;  but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (1 Corinthians 9:16-27)

If I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 1st chapter.

C:  (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

(Mark1:29-39)

Immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (sung) Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Confession of Faith  --  Apostles’ Creed

C:   I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

      maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

      who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

      born of the Virgin Mary,

      suffered under Pontius Pilate,

      was crucified, died and was buried.
      He descended into hell.

      The third day He rose again from the dead.

      He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

      From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,

      the holy Christian Church,
      the communion of saints,

      the forgiveness of sins,

      the resurrection of the body,

      and the life + everlasting. Amen.

Hymn “On Eagles’ Wings”  LSB # 727

1    You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord Who abide in His shadow for life

      Say to the Lord, "My refuge, my rock in whom I trust!"

      And He will raise you up on eagles' wings Bear you on the breath of dawn

      Make you to shine like the sun And hold you in the palm of His hand

2    The snare of the fowler will never capture you And famine will bring you no fear

      Under His wings your refuge, His faithfulness your shield

      And He will raise you up on eagles' wings Bear you on the breath of dawn

      Make you to shine like the sun And hold you in the palm of His hand

3    You need not fear the terror of the night Nor the arrow that flies by day

      Though thousands fall about you, near you it shall not come

      And He will raise you up on eagles' wings Bear you on the breath of dawn

      Make you to shine like the sun And hold you in the palm of His hand

4    For to His angels He's given a command To guard you in all of your ways

      Upon their hands they will bear you up Lest you dash your foot against a stone

      And He will raise you up on eagles' wings Bear you on the breath of dawn

      Make you to shine like the sun And hold you in the palm of His hand

Sermon

Prayer of the Church

P:   Lord, in your mercy,

C:   Receive our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And with thy spirit.

P:   Bless we the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Closing Hymn “Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness”  LSB # 849

1    Praise the One who breaks the darkness With a liberating light;

Praise the One who frees the pris'ners  Turning blindness into sight.

Praise the One who preached the Gospel, Healing ev'ry dread disease,

Calming storms, and feeding thousands With the very Bread of peace.

2    Praise the One who blessed the children With a strong, yet gentle word;

Praise the One who drove out demons With the piercing two-edged sword.

Praise the one who brings cool water To the desert's burning sand;

From this Well comes living water Quenching thirst in ev'ry land.

3    Let us praise the Word incarnate, Christ, who suffered in our place.

Jesus died and rose victorious That we may know God by grace.

Let us sing for joy and gladness, Seeing what our God has done;

Let us praise the true Redeemer, Praise the One who makes us one.

Sunday, January 7, 2024

Hymn “All Christians Who Have Been Baptized”  LSB # 596

1 All Christians who have been baptized, Who know the God of heaven,

And in whose daily life is prized The name of Christ once given:

Consider now what God has done, The gifts He gives to ev’ryone

Baptized into Christ Jesus!

2 You were before your day of birth, Indeed, from your conception,

Condemned and lost with all the earth, None good, without exception.

For like your parents’ flesh and blood, Turned inward from the highest good,

You constantly denied Him.

3 But all of that was washed away-- Immersed and drowned forever.

The water of your Baptism day Restored again whatever

Old Adam and his sin destroyed And all our sinful selves employed

According to our nature.

4 In Baptism we now put on Christ-- Our shame is fully covered

With all that He once sacrificed And freely for us suffered.

For here the flood of His own blood Now makes us holy, right, and good

Before our heav’nly Father.

5 O Chrisian, firmly hold this gift and give God thanks forever!

It gives the power to uplift in all that you endeavor.

Shen nothing else revives your soul, your baptism stands and makes you whole

And then in death completes you.

6 So use it well! You are made new—in Christ a new creation!

As faithful Christians, live and do within your own vocation,

Until that day when you possess His glorious robe of righteousness

Bestowed on you forever!

P:   In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

C:   Amen.

P:   Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C:   and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   O almighty God, merciful Father,

C:   I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You, and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

P:   Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

The Introit is read…

(Sung)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

The Antiphon is read…

(Sung)

Lord, have mercy upon us.  Christ have mercy upon us.  Lord, have mercy upon us.

(Glory be to God on high)

…and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.  We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee, we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory.  O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.  O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.  Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.  For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.  Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us pray.

Collect of the Day:

P:   Father in heaven, at the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan river, you proclaimed Your beloved Son and anointed Him with Your Holy Spirit.  Make all who are baptized in His name faithful in their calling as Your children, and inheritors with Him in everlasting life; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “Songs of Thankfulness and Praise”  LSB # 394

1    Songs of thankfulness and praise, Jesus, Lord, to thee we raise,

      Manifested by the star To the sages from afar,

      Branch of royal David's stem In Thy birth at Bethlehem:

      Anthems be to Thee addressed, God in man made manifest.

2    Manifest at Jordan's stream, Prophet, Priest, and King supreme;

      And at Cana wedding guest In Thy Godhead manifest;

      Manifest in pow'r divine, Changing water into wine;

      Anthems be to Thee addressed, God in man made manifest.

3    Manifest in making whole Palsied limbs and fainting soul;

      Manifest in valiant fight, Quelling all the devil's might;

      Manifest in gracious will, Ever bringing good from ill;

      Anthems be to Thee addressed, God in man made manifest.

4    Sun and moon shall darkened be, Stars shall fall, the heav'ns shall flee;

      Christ will then like lightning shine, All will see His glorious sign;

      All will then the trumpet hear, All will see the Judge appear;

      Thou by all wilt be confessed, God in man made manifest.

5    Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord, Present in Thy holy Word–

      Grace to imitate Thee now And be pure, as pure art Thou;

      That we might become like Thee At Thy great epiphany

      And may praise Thee, ever blest, God in man made manifest.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Genesis 1:1-5)

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Romans 6:1-11)

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 1st chapter.

C:  (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

(Mark 1:4-11)

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”  9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (sung) Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Confession of Faith  --  Apostles’ Creed

C:   I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

      maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

      who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

      born of the Virgin Mary,

      suffered under Pontius Pilate,

      was crucified, died and was buried.
      He descended into hell.

      The third day He rose again from the dead.

      He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

      From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,

      the holy Christian Church,
      the communion of saints,

      the forgiveness of sins,

      the resurrection of the body,

      and the life + everlasting. Amen.

Hymn “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright”  LSB # 395

O Morning Star, how fair and bright! You shine with God’s own truth and light,

Aglow with grace and mercy!

Of Jacob’s race, King David’s son, Our Lord and master, you have won

Our hearts to serve you only!

Lowly, holy! Great and glorious, All victorious, rich in blessing!

Rule and might, o’er all possessing!

Come, heav’nly Bridegroom, Light divine, And deep within our hearts now shine;

There light a flame undying!

In Your one body let us be As living branches of a tree, Your life our lives supplying.

Now, though daily Earth’s deep sadness May perplex us And distress us,

Yet with heav’nly joy you bless us.

Lord, when you look on us in love, at once there falls from God above

A ray of purest pleasure.

Your word and Spirit, flesh and blood, refresh our souls with heav’nly food.

You are our dearest treasure!

Let your mercy warm and cheer us! O draw near us! For you teach us

God’s own love through you has reached us.

Almighty Father, in Your Son You loved us when not yet begun

Was this old earth’s foundation!

Your Son has ransomed us in love to live in Him here and above:

This is your great salvation.

Alleluia! Christ the living, to us giving life forever,

Keeps us Yours and fails us never!

O let the harps break forth in sound! Our joy be all with music crowned,

Our voices gladly blending!

For Christ goes with us all the way today, tomorrow, ev’ry day!

His love is never ending!

Sing out! Ring out! Jubilation! Exultation! Tell the story!

Great is He, the King of glory!

What joy to know, when life is past, the Lord we love is first and last,

The end and the beginning!

He will one day, oh, glorious grace, transport us to that happy place

Beyond all tears and sinning!

Amen! Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! Crown of gladness!

We are yearning for the day of your returning!

Sermon

Prayer of the Church

P:   Lord, in your mercy,

C:   Receive our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And with thy spirit.

P:   Bless we the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Closing Hymn “O God, O Lord of Heaven and Earth”  LSB # 834

1    O God, O Lord of heav’n and earth, thy living finger never wrote

      That life should be an aimless mote, a deathward drift from futile birth.

      Thy Word meant life triumphant hurled in splendor through thy broken world.

      Since light awoke and life began, thou hast desired thy life for man.

2    Our fatal will to equal thee, our rebel will wrought death and night.

      We seized and used in prideful spite thy wondrous gift of liberty.

      We housed us in this house of doom where death had royal scope and room,

      Until thy servant, Prince of Peace, breached all its walls for our release.

3    Thou camest to our hall of death, O Christ, to breathe our poisoned air,

      To drink for us the dark despair that strangled our reluctant breath.

      How beautiful the feet that trod the road that leads us back to God!

      How beautiful the feet that ran to bring the great good news to man!

4    O Spirit, who didst once restore thy Church that it might be again

      The bringer of good news to men, breathe on thy cloven Church once more,

      That in these gray and latter days there may be those whose life is praise,

      Each life a high doxology to Father, Son, and unto thee.

Sunday, December 24, 2023

Hymn “Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates”  LSB # 341

1    Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates! Behold, the King of glory waits.

The King of kings is drawing near; The Savior of the world is here.

Life and salvation He doth bring; Therefore rejoice and gladly sing.

To God the Father raise Your joyful songs of praise.

2    A righteous Helper comes to thee; His chariot is humility,

His kingly crown is holiness, His scepter, pity in distress.

The end of all our woe He brings; Therefore the earth is glad and sings.

To Christ the Savior raise Your grateful hymns of praise.

3    How blest the land, the city blest, Where Christ the ruler is confessed!

O peaceful hearts and happy homes To whom this King in triumph comes!

The cloudless sun of joy is He Who comes to set His people free.

To God the Spirit raise Your happy shouts of praise.

4 Fling wide the portals of your heart; Make it a temple set apart

From earthly use for heav'n's employ, Adorned with prayer and love and joy.

So shall your Sov'reign enter in And new and nobler life begin.

To God alone be praise For word and deed and grace!

5 Redeemer, come and open wide My heart to Thee; here, Lord, abide!

O enter with Thy grace divine; Thy face of mercy on me shine.

Thy Holy Spirit guide us on Until our glorious goal is won.

Eternal praise and fame We offer to Thy name.

P:   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

P:   Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

C:   But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.

P:   Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

C:   Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Come, Thou Precious Ransom, Come”  LSB # 350

1 Come, Thou precious Ransom, come, Only hope for sinful mortals!
Come, O Savior of the world! Open are to Thee all portals.
Come, Thy beauty let us see; Anxiously we wait for Thee.

2 Enter now my waiting heart, Glorious King and Lord most holy.
Dwell in me and ne'er depart, Though I am but poor and lowly.
Ah, what riches will be mine When Thou art my guest divine!

3 My hosannas and my palms Graciously receive, I pray Thee;
Evermore, as best I can, Savior, I will homage pay Thee,
And in faith I will embrace, Lord, Thy merit through Thy grace.

4 Hail! Hosanna, David's Son! Jesus, hear our supplication!
Let Thy kingdom, scepter, crown, Bring us blessing and salvation,
That forever we may sing: Hail! Hosanna to our King.

(Sung)

Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us pray.

Collect for the day:

Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come and help us by Your might, that the sins which weigh us down may be quickly lifted by Your grace and mercy; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C:  Amen.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading  (2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16)

Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.

16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Romans 16:25-27)

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Luke the 1st chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Luke 1:26-38)

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Confession of Faith  --  Nicene Creed

C:   I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,

            maker of heaven and earth

            and of all things visible and invisible.

      And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

            the only‐begotten Son of God,

            begotten of His Father before all worlds,

            God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,

            begotten, not made,

            being of one substance with the Father,

            by whom all things were made;

            who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

            and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

            and was made man;

            and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

            He suffered and was buried.

            And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

                        and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.

            And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

            whose kingdom will have no end.

      And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

            the Lord and giver of life,

            who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

            who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

            who spoke by the prophets.

            And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church

            I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

            and I look for the resurrection of the dead

            and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Hymn  “The Angel Gabriel from Heaven Came”  LSB # 356

1    The angel Gabriel from heaven came, With wings as drifted snow, with eyes as flame:
      "All hail to thee, O lowly maiden Mary, Most highly favored lady." Gloria!

2    "For know a blessed mother thou shalt be, All generations laud and honor thee;
      Thy son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold, Most highly favored lady." Gloria!

3    Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head; "To me be as it pleaseth God," she said.
      "My soul shall laud and magnify God's holy name." Most highly favored lady, Gloria!

4    Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ, was born In Bethlehem all on a Christmas morn,
      And Christian folk throughout the world will ever say: "Most highly favored lady." Gloria!

Sermon

Offering

Prayer of the Church

P:         Lord, in Your mercy

C:         hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Jesus! Name of Wondrous Love”  LSB # 900

1 Jesus! Name of wondrous love, Name all other names above,

Unto which must ev'ry knee Bow in deep humility.

2 Jesus! Name decreed of old, To the maiden mother told,

Kneeling in her lowly cell, By the angel Gabriel.

3 Jesus! Name of priceless worth To the fallen sons of earth

For the promise that it gave, "Jesus shall His people save."

4 Jesus! Name of mercy mild, Given to the holy Child

When the cup of human woe First He tasted here below.

5 Jesus! Only name that's giv'n Under all the mighty heav'n

Whereby those to sin enslaved Burst their fetters and are saved.

6 Jesus! Name of wondrous love, Human name of God above;

Pleading only this, we flee Helpless, 0 our God, to Thee.

Sunday, December 17, 2023

Hymn “Hark! The Glad Sound”  LSB # 349

1 Hark the glad sound! The Savior comes, The Savior promised long;

Let ev'ry heart prepare a throne  And ev'ry voice a song.

2 He comes the pris'ners to release,In Satan's bondage held.

The gates of brass before Him burst, The iron fetters yield.

3 He comes the broken heart to bind, The bleeding soul to cure,

And with the treasures of His grace To enrich the humble poor.

4 Our glad hosannas, Prince of Peace, Thy welcome shall proclaim,

And heav'n's eternal arches ring With Thy beloved name.

P:   In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

C:   Amen.

P:   Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C:   and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   O almighty God, merciful Father,

C:   I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You, and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

P:   Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

The Introit is read…

(Sung)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

The Antiphon is read…

(Sung)

Lord, have mercy upon us.  Christ have mercy upon us.  Lord, have mercy upon us.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us pray.

Collect of the Day:

P:  Lord Jesus Christ, we implore you to hear our  prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts  by Your gracious visitation; for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever, Amen.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”  LSB # 338

1 Come, Thou long-expected Jesus, Born to set Thy people free;

From our fears and sins release us; Let us find our rest in Thee.

Israel's strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth Thou art,

Dear desire of ev'ry nation, Joy of ev'ry longing heart.

2 Born Thy people to deliver; Born a child and yet a king!

Born to reign in us forever, Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.

By Thine own eternal Spirit Rule in all our hearts alone;

By Thine all-sufficient merit Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11)

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

    because the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor;

    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,

    and the day of vengeance of our God;

    to comfort all who mourn;

3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion—

    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;

that they may be called oaks of righteousness,

    the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.

4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;

    they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

    the devastations of many generations.

8 For I the Lord love justice;

    I hate robbery and wrong;

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations,

    and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;

all who see them shall acknowledge them,

    that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;

    my soul shall exult in my God,

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

    he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,

    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

    and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,

so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise

    to sprout up before all the nations.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24)

Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.  23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. John, the 1st chapter.

C:  (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

(John 1:6-8, 19-28)

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (sung) Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Hymn “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Sounding”  LSB #345

1 Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding! "Christ is near," we hear it say.

"Cast away the works of darkness, All you children of the day!"

2 Startled at the solemn warning, Let the earth-bound soul arise;

Christ, its sun, all sloth dispelling, Shines upon the morning skies.

3 See, the Lamb, so long expected, Comes with pardon down from heav'n.

Let us haste, with tears of sorrow, One and all, to be forgiv'n:

4 So, when next He comes in glory And the world is wrapped in fear,

He will shield us with His mercy And with words of love draw near.

5 Honor, glory, might, dominion to the Father and the Son

With the ever-living Spirit While eternal ages run!

Sermon

Confession of Faith  --  Apostles’ Creed

C:   I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

      maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

      who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

      born of the Virgin Mary,

      suffered under Pontius Pilate,

      was crucified, died and was buried.
      He descended into hell.

      The third day He rose again from the dead.

      He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

      From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,

      the holy Christian Church,
      the communion of saints,

      the forgiveness of sins,

      the resurrection of the body,

      and the life + everlasting. Amen.

Offering

Prayer of the Church

P:   Lord, in your mercy,

C:   Receive our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And with thy spirit.

P:   Bless we the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Closing Hymn “At the Name of Jesus”  LSB # 512

1    At the name of Jesus Ev'ry knee shall bow,

Ev'ry tongue confess Him King of glory now.

’Tis the Father’s pleasure We should call Him Lord,

Who from the beginning Was the mighty Word.

2    At His voice creation Sprang at once to sight,

All the angel faces, All the hosts of light,

Thrones and bright dominions, Stars upon their way,

All the heav'nly orders In their great array.

3    Humbled for a season, To receive a name

From the lips of sinners Unto whom He came,

Faithfully He bore it Spotless to the last,

Brought it back victorious When from death He passed;

4    Bore it up triumphant With its human light,

Through all ranks of creatures To the central height,

To the throne of Godhead, To the Father’s breast,

Filled it with the glory Of that perfect rest.

5    In your hearts enthrone Him; There let Him subdue

All that is not holy, All that is not true:

Crown Him as your Captain In temptation's hour;

Let His will enfold you In its light and pow'r.

6    Christians, this Lord Jesus Shall return again

In His Father's glory, With His angel train;

For all wreaths of empire Meet upon His brow,

And our hearts confess Him King of glory now.

7    Glory then to Jesus, Who, the Prince of light,

To a world in darkness Brought the gift of sight:

Praise to God the Father; In the Spirit's love

Praise we all together Him who reigns above.

Sunday, December 3, 2023

Hymn “The Advent of Our King”  LSB # 331

1 The advent of our King Our prayers must now employ,

And we must hymns of welcome sing In strains of holy joy.

2 The everlasting Son Incarnate deigns to be,

Himself a servant's form puts on To set His servants free.

3 O Zion's daughter, rise To meet your lowly King,

Nor let your faithless heart despise The peace He comes to bring.

4 As judge, on clouds of light, He soon will come again

And His true members all unite With Him in heav'n to reign.

5 Before the dawning day Let sin's dark deeds be gone,

The sinful self be put away, The new self now put on.

6 All glory to the Son, Who comes to set us free,

With Father, Spirit, ever one Through all eternity.

P:   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

P:   Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

C:   But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.

P:   Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

C:   Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “All Glory Be to God Alone”  LSB # 948

1. All glory be to God alone, For evermore the Highest One.

Who did our sinful race befriend And grace and peace to us extend.

Among us may His gracious will All hearts with deep thanksgiving fill.

2. We praise you, God; Your name we bless And worship you in humbleness;

From day to day we glorify The everlasting God on high.

Of Your great glory do we sing And to Your throne our thanks we bring.

3. Lord God, Our King on heaven's throne, Our Father, the Almighty One.

O Lord, the sole-begotten One, Lord Jesus Christ, the Father's Son,

True God from all eternity, O Lamb of God, to you we flee.

4. You take the whole world's sin away; Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.

You take the whole world's sin away; Oh Lord, receive our prayer this day.

From God's right hand, Your mercy send, To all the world your grace extend.

5. You only are the Holy One, And over all are Lord alone.

O Jesus Christ, we glorify You and the Spirit, Lord Most High;

With Him You evermore shall be One in the Father’s majesty.

(Sung)

Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us pray.

Collect for the day:

Stir up Your power, O Lord, and come, that by Your protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins and saved by Your mighty deliverance; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy spirit, one God, now and forever.
C:  Amen.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading  (Isaiah 64:1-9)

Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down,

    that the mountains might quake at your presence—

2 as when fire kindles brushwood

    and the fire causes water to boil—

to make your name known to your adversaries,

    and that the nations might tremble at your presence!

3 When you did awesome things that we did not look for,

    you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.

4 From of old no one has heard

    or perceived by the ear,

no eye has seen a God besides you,

    who acts for those who wait for him.

5 You meet him who joyfully works righteousness,

    those who remember you in your ways.

Behold, you were angry, and we sinned;

    in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?

6 We have all become like one who is unclean,

    and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.

We all fade like a leaf,

    and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

7 There is no one who calls upon your name,

    who rouses himself to take hold of you;

for you have hidden your face from us,

    and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.

8 But now, O Lord, you are our Father;

    we are the clay, and you are our potter;

    we are all the work of your hand.

9 Be not so terribly angry, O Lord,

    and remember not iniquity forever.

    Behold, please look, we are all your people.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (1 Corinthians 1:3-9)

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 11th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Mark 11:1-10)

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’” 4 And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. 5 And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. 8 And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!”
P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Confession of Faith  --  Nicene Creed

C:   I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,

            maker of heaven and earth

            and of all things visible and invisible.

      And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

            the only‐begotten Son of God,

            begotten of His Father before all worlds,

            God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,

            begotten, not made,

            being of one substance with the Father,

            by whom all things were made;

            who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

            and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

            and was made man;

            and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

            He suffered and was buried.

            And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

                        and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.

            And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

            whose kingdom will have no end.

      And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

            the Lord and giver of life,

            who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

            who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

            who spoke by the prophets.

            And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church

            I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

            and I look for the resurrection of the dead

            and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Hymn  “Savior of the Nations, Come”  LSB # 332

1.   Savior of the nations, come, Virgin’s Son, make here Your home!

      Marvel now, O heaven and earth, That the Lord chose such a birth.

2.   Not by human flesh and blood, By the Spirit of our God,

      Was the Word of God made flesh-- Woman’s offspring, pure and fresh.

3.   Here a maid was found with child, Yet remained a virgin mild.

      In her womb this truth was shown: God was there upon His throne.

4.   Then stepped forth the Lord of all From His pure and kingly hall;

      God of God, yet fully man, His heroic course began.

5.   God the Father was His source Back to God He ran His course.

      Into hell His road went down, Back then to His throne and crown.

6.   For You are the Father’s Son Who in flesh the victory won.

      By Your mighty power make whole All our ills of flesh and soul.

7.   From the manger newborn light Shines in glory through the night.

      Darkness there no more resides; In this light faith now abides.

Sermon

Offering

Prayer of the Church

P:         Lord, in Your mercy

C:         hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying”  LSB # 516

1 "Wake, awake, for night is flying," The watchmen on the heights are crying;

      "Awake, Jerusalem, arise!"

      Midnight hears the welcome voices And at the thrilling cry rejoices;

      "Oh, where are ye, ye virgins wise?

      The Bridegroom comes, awake! Your lamps with gladness take! Allelujah!

      With bridal care Yourselves prepare To meet the Bridegroom, who is near."

2 Zion hears the watchmen singing, And all her heart with joy is springing;

      She wakes, she rises from her gloom.

      For her Lord comes down all-glorious, The strong in grace, in truth victorious;

      Her star is ris'n, her light is come.

      Now come, Thou Blessed One, Lord Jesus, God's own Son, Hail! Hosanna!

      We enter all The wedding hall To eat the Supper at Thy call.

3 Now let all the heav'ns adore Thee, Let saints and angels sing before Thee

      With harp and cymbals' clearest tone.

      Of one pearl each shining portal, Where, joining with the choir immortal,

      We gather round Thy radiant throne.

      No eye has seen the light, No ear has heard the might Of Thy glory;

      Therefore will we Eternally Sing hymns of praise and joy to Thee!

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Hymn:  “Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us”   LSB # 851

1          Lord of Glory, You have bought us With Your life-blood as the price,

Never grudging for the lost ones That tremendous sacrifice;

And with that have freely given Blessings countless as the sand

To the unthankful and the evil With Your own unsparing hand.

2          Grant us hearts, dear Lord, to give You Gladly, freely of Your own.

With the sunshine of Your goodness Melt our thankless hearts of stone

Till our cold and selfish natures, Warmed by You, at length believe

That more happy and more blessed 'Tis to give than to receive.

3          Wondrous honor You have given To our humblest charity

In Your own mysterious sentence, "You have done it all to Me."

Can it be, O gracious Master, That You deign for alms to sue,

Saying by Your poor and needy, "Give as I have giv'n to you"?

4          Lord of glory, You have bought us With Your life-blood as the price,

Never grudging for the lost ones That tremendous sacrifice.

Give us faith to trust You boldly, Hope, to stay our souls on You;

But, oh, best of all Your graces, With Your love our love renew.

P:   In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

C:   Amen.

P:   If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C:   But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   (1 John 1:8-9)

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C:   Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit

C:   Amen.

Matins (sung)

P     O Lord, open my lips,

C     and my mouth will declare Your praise.

P     Make haste, O God, to deliver me;

C     make haste to help me, O Lord.

C     Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ, Alleluia. (Common response)

Psalmody (Psalm 95) (sung)

P:   Blessed be God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

C:   O come, let us worship Him.

O come, let us sing to the Lord. 
Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hands;
The strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it, and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker.
For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture
And the sheep of His hand.  

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

P:   Blessed be God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

C:   O come, let us worship Him.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24)

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice.

“Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: Behold, I, I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. 21 Because you push with side and shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, till you have scattered them abroad, 22 I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. 23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 25th chapter.

C:  (Sung) Glory to You, O Lord.

(Matthew 25:31-46)

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (Sung) Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn of the Day “The Head That Once Was Crowned with Thorns”  LSB # 532

1 The Head that once was crowned with thorns Is crowned with glory now;

A royal diadem adorns The mighty Victor's brow.

2 The highest place that heav'n affords Is His, is His by right,

The King of kings and Lord of lords, And heav'n's eternal Light;

3 The Joy of all who dwell above, The Joy of all below

To whom He manifests His love And grants His name to know.

4 To them the cross, with all its shame, With all its grace, is giv'n;

Their name an everlasting name, Their joy the joy of heav'n.

5 They suffer with their Lord below, They reign with Him above,

Their profit and their joy to know The myst'ry of His love.

6 The cross He bore is life and health, Though shame and death to Him:

His people's hope, His people's wealth, Their everlasting theme.

Sermon

Te Deum (Sung)

We praise You, O God; we acknowledge You to be the Lord.

All the earth now worships You, the Father everlasting.

To You all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the pow'rs therein.

To You cherubim and seraphim continually do cry:

      Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;

      heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Your glory.

The glorious company of the apostles praise You.

The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise You.

The noble army of martyrs praise You.

The holy Church throughout all the world does acknowledge You.

The Father of an infinite majesty; Your adorable, true, and only Son;

      also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. You are the king of glory, O Christ;

      You are the everlasting Son of the Father.

When You took upon Yourself to deliver man,

You humbled Yourself to be born of a virgin.

When You had overcome the sharpness of death,

You opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You sit at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.

We believe that You will come to be our judge.

We therefore pray You to help Your servants,

whom You have redeemed with Your precious blood.

Make them to be numbered with Your saints in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save Your people and bless Your heritage.

Govern them and lift them up forever. Day by day we magnify You.

And we worship Your name forever and ever.

Grant, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.

O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.

O Lord, let Your mercy be upon us, as our trust is in You.

O Lord, in You have I trusted; let me never be confounded.

Prayer of the Church

P:  Lord, in Your mercy,

C:  Hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “Christ Is Surely Coming”  LSB # 509

1    Christ is surely coming Bringing His reward,

      Alpha and Omega, First and Last and Lord:

      Root and stem of David, Brilliant Morning Star:

      Meet your Judge and Savior, Nations near and far!

2    See the holy city! There they enter in,

      All by Christ made holy, Washed from ev'ry sin:

      Thirsty ones, desiring All he loves to give,

      Come for living water, Freely drink, and live!

3    Grace be with God's people! Praise His holy name!

      Father, Son, and Spirit, Evermore the same;

      Hear the certain promise From the eternal home:

      "Surely I come quickly! Come, Lord Jesus, come!"

Sunday, November 19, 2023

Hymn “O Worship the King”  LSB # 804

1    O worship the King, all-glorious above.

O gratefully sing His pow'r and His love;

Our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,

Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.

2    O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,

Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space;

His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,

And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.

3    This earth, with its store of wonders untold,

Almighty, Thy pow'r hath founded of old,

Established it fast by a changeless decree,

And round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea.

4    Thy bountiful care what tongue can recite?

It breathes in the air, it shines in the light,

It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,

And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.

5    Frail children of dust and feeble as frail,

In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail.

Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,

Our maker, defender, redeemer, and friend!

6    O measureless Might, ineffable Love.

While angels delight to hymn Thee above,

Thy humbler creation, though feeble their lays,

With true adoration shall sing to Thy praise.

P:   In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

C:   Amen.

P:   Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C:   and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   O almighty God, merciful Father,

C:   I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You, and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

P:   Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

The Introit is read…

(Sung)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

The Antiphon is read…

(Sung)

Lord, have mercy upon us.  Christ have mercy upon us.  Lord, have mercy upon us.

(Glory be to God on high)

…and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.  We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee, we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory.  O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.  O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.  Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.  For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.  Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us pray.

Collect of the Day:

P:  Almighty and ever-living God, You have given exceedingly great and precious promises to those who trust in You.  Dispel from us the works of darkness and grant us to live in the light of Your Son, Jesus Christ, that our faith may never be found wanting; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “We Praise You and Acknowledge You, O God”  LSB # 941

We praise You and acknowledge You, O God, to be the Lord,

The Father everlasting, by all the earth adored.

To You all angel powers cry aloud, the heavens sing,

The cherubim and seraphim their praises to You bring:

“O holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;

Your majesty and glory fill the heavens and the earth!”

The band of the apostles in glory sing Your praise;

The fellowship of prophets their deathless voices raise.

The martyrs of Your kingdom, a great and noble throng,

Sing with the holy Church throughout all the world this song:

“O all majestic Father, Your true and only Son,

And Holy Spirit, Comforter forever Three in One!”

You, Christ, are King of glory, the everlasting Son,

Yet You, with boundless love, sought to rescue ev’ry one:

You laid aside Your glory, were born of virgin’s womb,

Were crucified for us and were placed into a tomb;

Then by Your resurrection You won for us reprieve

You opened heaven’s kingdom to all who would believe.

You sit in splendid glory, enthroned at God’s right hand,

Upholding earth and heaven by forces You command.

We know that you will come as our Judge that final day,

So help Your servants You have redeemed by blood, we pray;

May we with saints be numbered where praises never end,

In glory everlasting. Amen, O Lord, amen!

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Zephaniah 1:7-16)

Be silent before the Lord God!

    For the day of the Lord is near;

the Lord has prepared a sacrifice

    and consecrated his guests.

8 And on the day of the Lord's sacrifice—

“I will punish the officials and the king's sons

    and all who array themselves in foreign attire.

9 On that day I will punish

    everyone who leaps over the threshold,

and those who fill their master's house

    with violence and fraud.

10 “On that day,” declares the Lord,

    “a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,

a wail from the Second Quarter,

    a loud crash from the hills.

11 Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar!

    For all the traders are no more;

    all who weigh out silver are cut off.

12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,

    and I will punish the men

who are complacent,

    those who say in their hearts,

‘The Lord will not do good,

    nor will he do ill.’

13 Their goods shall be plundered,

    and their houses laid waste.

Though they build houses,

    they shall not inhabit them;

though they plant vineyards,

    they shall not drink wine from them.”

14 The great day of the Lord is near,

    near and hastening fast;

the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter;

    the mighty man cries aloud there.

15 A day of wrath is that day,

    a day of distress and anguish,

a day of ruin and devastation,

    a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and thick darkness,

16     a day of trumpet blast and battle cry

against the fortified cities

    and against the lofty battlements.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11)

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 25th chapter.

C:  (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

(Matthew 25:14-30)

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (sung) Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Confession of Faith  --  Apostles’ Creed

C:   I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

      maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

      who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

      born of the Virgin Mary,

      suffered under Pontius Pilate,

      was crucified, died and was buried.
      He descended into hell.

      The third day He rose again from the dead.

      He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

      From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,

      the holy Christian Church,
      the communion of saints,

      the forgiveness of sins,

      the resurrection of the body,

      and the life + everlasting. Amen.

Hymn “The Day Is Surely Drawing Near”  LSB #508

1 The day is surely drawing near When Jesus, God's anointed,

In all His power shall appear As judge whom God appointed.

Then fright shall banish idle mirth, And flames on flames shall ravage earth

As Scripture long has warned us.

2 The final trumpet then shall sound And all the earth be shaken,

And all who rest beneath the ground Shall from their sleep awaken.

But all who live will in that hour, By God's almighty, boundless pow'r,

Be changed at His commanding.

3 The books are opened then to all, A record truly telling

What each has done, both great and small, When he on earth was dwelling,

And ev'ry heart be clearly seen, And all be known as they have been

In thoughts and words and actions.

4 Then woe to those who scorned the Lord And sought but carnal pleasures,

Who here despised His precious Word And loved their earthly treasures!

With shame and trembling they will stand And at the judge's stern command

To Satan be delivered.

5 My Savior paid the debt I owe And for my sin was smitten;

Within the Book of Life I know My name has now been written.

I will not doubt, for I am free, And Satan cannot threaten me;

There is no condemnation!

6 May Christ our intercessor be And through His blood and merit

Read from His book that we are free With all who life inherit.

Then we shall see Him face to face, With all His saints in that blest place

Which He has purchased for us.

7 O Jesus Christ, do not delay, But hasten our salvation;

We often tremble on our way In fear and tribulation.

O hear and grant our fervent plea; Come, mighty judge, and make us free

From death and ev'ry evil.

Sermon

Prayer of the Church

P:   Lord, in your mercy,

C:   Receive our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And with thy spirit.

P:   Bless we the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Closing Hymn “O God, Our Help in Ages Past”  LSB # 733

1 O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come,

      Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home.

2 Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure;

      Sufficient is Thine arm alone, And our defense is sure.

3 Before the hills in order stood Or earth received her frame,

      From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same.

4 A thousand ages in Thy sight Are like an evening gone,

      Short as the watch that ends the night Before the rising sun.

5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream, Soon bears us all away;

      We fly forgotten as a dream Dies at the op'ning day.

6 O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come,

      Be Thou our guard while life shall last And our eternal home!

Sunday, November 12, 2023

Hymn “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”  LSB # 802

1 Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

2 Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,

Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;

Thy justice like mountains high soaring above

Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

3 To all life Thou givest--to both great and small--

In all life Thou livest, the true Life of all;

We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree

And wither and perish--but naught changes Thee.

4 Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,

Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;

All laud we would render: O help us to see

'Tis only the splendor of light that hides Thee.

P:   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

C:   amen.

P:   If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C:   But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   (1 John 1:8-9)

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C:   Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins.  As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Lo! He Comes with Clouds Descending”  LSB # 336

1 Lo! He comes with clouds descending, Once for ev'ry sinner slain;

Thousand thousand saints attending Swell the triumph of His train;

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Christ the Lord returns to reign.

2 Ev'ry eye shall now behold Him Robed in glorious majesty;

Those who set at naught and sold Him, Pierced and nailed Him to the tree,

Deeply wailing, deeply wailing, deeply wailing, Shall their true Messiah see.

3 Those dear tokens of His passion Still His dazzling body bears,

Cause of endless exultation To His ransomed worshipers.

With what rapture, with what rapture, with what rapture

Gaze we on those glorious scars!

4 Yea, amen, let all adore Thee, High on Thine eternal throne;

Savior, take the pow'r and glory, Claim the kingdom as Thine own.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Thou shalt reign, and Thou alone!

(Sung)

P:   In peace let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

C:   Amen.

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are his.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Sing with all the people of God and join in the hymn of all creation.
Blessing and honor and glory and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

For the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign. Alleluia.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Lord God, heavenly Father, send forth Your Son to lead home His bride, the Church, that with all the company of the redeemed we may finally enter into His eternal wedding feast; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading  (Amos 5:18-24)

Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!

    Why would you have the day of the Lord?

It is darkness, and not light,

19     as if a man fled from a lion,

    and a bear met him,

or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,

    and a serpent bit him.

20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,

    and gloom with no brightness in it?

21 “I hate, I despise your feasts,

    and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,

    I will not accept them;

and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,

    I will not look upon them.

23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;

    to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

24 But let justice roll down like waters,

    and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

All: Alleluia.  Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  Alleluia, alleluia.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 25th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Matthew 25:1-13)

[Jesus said:] “The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn of the Day  “Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying”  LSB #516

1 "Wake, awake, for night is flying," The watchmen on the heights are crying;

     "Awake, Jerusalem, arise!"

     Midnight hears the welcome voices And at the thrilling cry rejoices;

     "Oh, where are ye, ye virgins wise?

     The Bridegroom comes, awake! Your lamps with gladness take! Allelujah!

     With bridal care Yourselves prepare To meet the Bridegroom, who is near."

2 Zion hears the watchmen singing, And all her heart with joy is springing;

     She wakes, she rises from her gloom.

     For her Lord comes down all-glorious, The strong in grace, in truth victorious;

     Her star is ris'n, her light is come.

     Now come, Thou Blessed One, Lord Jesus, God's own Son, Hail! Hosanna!

     We enter all The wedding hall To eat the Supper at Thy call.

3 Now let all the heav'ns adore Thee, Let saints and angels sing before Thee

     With harp and cymbals' clearest tone.

     Of one pearl each shining portal, Where, joining with the choir immortal,

     We gather round Thy radiant throne.

     No eye has seen the light, No ear has heard the might Of Thy glory;

     Therefore will we Eternally Sing hymns of praise and joy to Thee!

Sermon

Confession of Faith  --  Nicene Creed

C:   I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,

            maker of heaven and earth

            and of all things visible and invisible.

      And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

            the only‐begotten Son of God,

            begotten of His Father before all worlds,

            God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,

            begotten, not made,

            being of one substance with the Father,

            by whom all things were made;

            who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

            and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

            and was made man;

            and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

            He suffered and was buried.

            And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

                        and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.

            And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

            whose kingdom will have no end.

      And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

            the Lord and giver of life,

            who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

            who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

            who spoke by the prophets.

            And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church

            I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

            and I look for the resurrection of the dead

            and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of the Church

P:         Lord, in Your mercy

C:         hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “I Know That My Redeemer Lives”  LSB # 461

1    I know that my Redeemer lives; What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

      He lives, He lives, who once was dead; He lives, my ever-living head.

2    He lives triumphant from the grave; He lives eternally to save;

      He lives all-glorious in the sky; He lives exalted there on high.

3    He lives to bless me with His love; He lives to plead for me above;

      He lives my hungry soul to feed; He lives to help in time of need.

4    He lives to grant me rich supply; He lives to guide me with His eye;

      He lives to comfort me when faint; He lives to hear my soul's complaint.

5    He lives to silence all my fears; He lives to wipe away my tears;

      He lives to calm my troubled heart; He lives all blessings to impart.

6    He lives, my kind, wise, heav'nly Friend; He lives and loves me to the end;

      He lives, and while He lives, I'll sing; He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

7    He lives and grants me daily breath; He lives, and I shall conquer death;

      He lives my mansion to prepare; He lives to bring me safely there.

8    He lives, all glory to His name! He lives, my Jesus, still the same;

      Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives; I know that my Redeemer lives!

Sunday, November 5, 2023 All Saints Day

Hymn of the Day “For All the Saints”  LSB # 677

1    For all the saints who from their labors rest,

      Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,

      Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.  Alleluia! Alleluia!

2    Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;

      Thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;

      Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true light.  Alleluia! Alleluia!

3    Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,

      Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old

      And win with them the victor's crown of gold!  Alleluia! Alleluia!

4    Oh, blest communion, fellowship divine!

      We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;

      Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.  Alleluia! Alleluia!

5    And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,

      Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,

      And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.  Alleluia! Alleluia!

6    The golden evening brightens in the west;

      Soon, soon to faithful warriors cometh rest;

      Sweet is the calm of paradise the blest.  Alleluia! Alleluia!

7    But lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day;

      The saints triumphant rise in bright array;

      The King of glory passes on His way.  Alleluia! Alleluia!

8    From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,

      Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,

      Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:  Alleluia! Alleluia!

P:   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

P:   Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

C:   But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.

P:   Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

C:   Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Savior, like a Shepherd Lead Us”  LSB #711

Closing Hymn “By All Your Saints in Warfare”  LSB # 518 (vv.1, 15, 24, 3)

1    By all Your saints in warfare, For all Your saints at rest,

      Your holy name, O Jesus, Forevermore be blest!

      For You have won the battle That they might wear the crown;

      And now they shine in glory Reflected from Your throne.

4    Apostles, prophets, martyrs, and all the noble throng

      Who wear the spotless raiment and raise the ceaseless song –

      For these, passed on before us, we offer praises due

      And, walking in their footsteps, would live our lives for You.

3    Then let us praise the Father And worship God the Son

      And sing to God the Spirit, Eternal Three in One,

      Till all the ransomed number Fall down before the throne,

      Ascribing pow’r and glory And praise to God alone.

(Sung)

Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

To God on high be glory and peace to all the earth;

Good will from God in heaven proclaimed at Jesus’ birth!

We praise and bless You, Father; Your holy name, we sing,

Our thanks for Your great glory, Lord God, our heav’nly King.

To You, O sole-begotten, the Father’s Son, we pray;

O Lamb of God, our Savior, You take our sins away.

Have mercy on us, Jesus; Receive our heartfelt cry,

Where You in pow’r are seated at God’s right hand on high.

For You alone are holy; You only are the Lord.

Forever and forever, be worshiped and adored;

You with the Holy Spirit alone are Lord Most High,

In God the Father’s glory. “Amen!” our glad reply.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us pray.

Collect for the day:

O God, from whom all good proceeds, grant to us, Your humble servants, Your holy inspiration, that we may set our minds on the things that are right and, by Your merciful guiding, accomplish them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C:         Amen.

Scripture Readings

First Reading  (Revelation 7:9-17)

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God,

    and serve him day and night in his temple;

    and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.

16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;

    the sun shall not strike them,

    nor any scorching heat.

17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,

    and he will guide them to springs of living water,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (1 John 3:1-3)

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 5th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Matthew 5:1-12)

Seing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Confession of Faith  --  Nicene Creed

C:   I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,

            maker of heaven and earth

            and of all things visible and invisible.

      And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

            the only‐begotten Son of God,

            begotten of His Father before all worlds,

            God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,

            begotten, not made,

            being of one substance with the Father,

            by whom all things were made;

            who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

            and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

            and was made man;

            and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

            He suffered and was buried.

            And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

                        and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.

            And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

            whose kingdom will have no end.

      And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

            the Lord and giver of life,

            who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

            who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

            who spoke by the prophets.

            And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church

            I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

            and I look for the resurrection of the dead

            and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Hymn “Behold a Host, Arrayed in White” LSB# 676

1    Behold a host, arrayed in white, Like thousand snow-clad mountains bright!

      With palms they stand; Who is this band Before the throne of light?

      These are the saints of glorious fame, Who from the great affliction came

      And in the flood Of Jesus' blood Are cleansed from guilt and shame.

      They now serve God both day and night; They sing their songs in endless light.

      Their anthems ring As they all sing With angels shining bright.

2    Despised and scorned, they sojourned here; But now, how glorious they appear!

      Those martyrs stand, A priestly band, God's throne forever near.

      On earth they wept through bitter years; Now God has wiped away their tears,

      Transformed their strife To heav'nly life, And freed them from their fears.

      They now enjoy the Sabbath rest, The heav'nly banquet of the blest;

      The Lamb, their Lord, At festal board Himself is host and guest.

3 O blessed saints in bright array Now safely home in endless day,

      Extol the Lord, Who with His Word Sustained you on the way.

      The steep and narrow path you trod; You toiled and sowed the Word abroad;

      Rejoice and bring Your fruits and sing Before the throne of God.

      The myriad angels raise their song; O saints, sing with that happy throng!

      Lift up one voice; Let heav'n rejoice In our Redeemer's song!

Sermon

Offering

Prayer of the Church

P:         Lord, in Your mercy

C:         hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Jerusalem the Golden”  LSB # 672

1    Jerusalem the golden, With milk and honey blest--

      The promise of salvation, The place of peace and rest--

      We know not, oh, we know not What joys await us there;

      The radiancy of glory, The bliss beyond compare!

2    Within those halls of Zion Sounds forth the joyful song,

      As saints join with the angels and all the martyr throng.

      The Prince is ever with them; The daylight is serene;

      The city of the blessed Shines bright with glorious sheen.

3    Around the throne of David, The saints, from care released,

      Raise loud their songs of triumph To celebrate the feast.

      They sing to Christ their leader, Who conquered in the fight,

      Who won for them forever Their gleaming robes of white.

4    O sweet and blessèd country, The home of God's elect!

      O sweet and blessed country That faithful hearts expect!

      In mercy, Jesus, bring us To that eternal rest

      With You and God the Father And Spirit, ever blest.

Sunday, October 29, 2023 Reformation

OPENING HYMN                                             Thy Strong Word         LSB 578

1    Thy strong word did cleave the darkness; At thy speaking it was done.

      For created light we thank thee While thine ordered seasons run.

      Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise to thee who light dost send!

      Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia without end!

2    Lo, on those who dwelt in darkness, Dark as night and deep as death,

      Broke the light of thy salvation, Breathed thine own life-giving breath.

      Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise to thee who light dost send!

      Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia without end!

3    Thy strong Word bespeaks us righteous; Bright with thine own holiness,

      Glorious now, we press toward glory, And our lives our hope confess.

      Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise to thee who light dost send!

      Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia without end!

4    From the cross Thy wisdom shining Breaketh forth in conquering might;

      From the cross forever beameth All Thy bright redeeming light.

      Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise to thee who light dost send!

      Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia without end!

5    Give us lips to sing Thy glory, Tongues Thy mercy to proclaim,

      Throats that shout the hope that fills us, Mouths to speak Thy holy name.

      Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise to thee who light dost send!

      Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia without end!

6    God the Father, light-creator, To Thee laud and honor be.

      To Thee, Light of Light begotten, Praise be sung eternally.

      Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise to thee who light dost send!

               Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia without end!
           

INVOCATION & OPENING SENTENCES            Jeremiah 18:4, 6; Romans 3:20, 26; adapted

P          In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C          Amen.

P          By works of the law no human being will be justified in God’s sight.

C          God is the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

P          Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.

C          The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

P          As You reshaped the Church at the time of Luther,

C          reshape us in this generation, LORD, to love You with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves, all as a joyful response to Your first loving us.

CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS                                       Romans 3:23–24; 2 Corinthians 5:21

P          All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

C          and are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

P          God calls us to confess our sins. We observe a moment of silence for personal reflection and confession.

[A time of silence.]

P          God, You formed us in the womb, and You shape our lives to love and honor You and our neighbors.

C          Yet we are by nature sinful and separated from You. We sin against You in thoughts, words, and actions. For the sake of Jesus, who was tempted in every way as we are and yet without sin, we pray for Your forgiveness.

P          “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Therefore, by the command of Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C          Thanks be to God. Amen.

PSALM                                                 Psalm 46

P          God is our refuge and strength,

C          a very present help in trouble.

P          Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,

C          though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

P          though its waters roar and foam,

C          though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

P          There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

C          the holy habitation of the Most High.

P          God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;

C          God will help her when morning dawns.

P          The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;

C          He utters His voice, the earth melts.

P          The LORD of hosts is with us;

C          the God of Jacob is our fortress.

P          Come, behold the works of the Lord,

C          how he has brought desolations on the earth.

P          He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

C          he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.

P          “Be still, and know that I am God.

C          I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

P          The LORD of hosts is with us;

C          The God of Jacob is our fortress.

All:      Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.  Amen.

P          God is our refuge and strength,

C          a very present help in trouble.

HYMN OF PRAISE                                The Lord, My God, Be Praised LSB 794

1     The Lord, my God, be praised, My light, my life from heaven;

My maker, who to me Has soul and body given;

My Father, who will shield And keep me day by day

And make each moment yield New blessings on my way.

2     The Lord, my God, be praised, My trust, my life from heaven,

The Father's own dear Son, Whose life for me was given,

Who for my sin atoned With His most precious blood

And gives to me by faith The highest heav'nly good.

3     The Lord, my God, be praised, My hope, my life from heaven,

The Spirit, whom the Son In love to me has given.

His grace revives my heart And gives my spirit pow'r,

Help, comfort, and support In sorrow's gloomy hour.

4     The Lord, my God, be praised, My God, the ever-living,

To whom the heav'nly host Their laud and praise are giving.

The Lord, my God, be praised, In whose great name I boast,

God Father, God the Son, And God the Holy Ghost.
                         

SALUTATION & COLLECT OF THE DAY

P          The Lord be with you.

C          And also with you.

P          Let us pray.

All:      Lord God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, gave His life for ours on the cross that we now stand righteous before You by faith. Grant us to trust not in our own righteous actions but always in Jesus alone, that we may live now and forever in the peace of God, which surpasses human understanding, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

FIRST READING                                   Revelation 14:6–7

            6Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

L          This is the Word of the Lord.          

C          Thanks be to God.

EPISTLE                                                           Romans 3:19–28

            19Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

            21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

            27Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

L          This is the Word of the Lord.         

C          Thanks be to God.

ALLELUIA VERSE         Luke 12:32

P          Alleluia.

C          Alleluia.

P          Fear not, little flock,

C          for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

P          Alleluia.

C          Alleluia.

HOLY GOSPEL                         John 8:31–36

P          The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the eighth chapter.         

C          Glory to You, O Lord.

            31So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

            34Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

P          This is the Gospel of the Lord.         

C           Praise to You, O Christ.

HYMN OF THE DAY                 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God LSB 656

1 A mighty fortress is our God, A trusty shield and weapon;

He helps us free from ev'ry need That hath us now o'ertaken.

The old evil foe Now means deadly woe;

Deep guile and great might Are his dread arms in fight;

On earth is not his equal.

2 With might of ours can naught be done, Soon were our loss effected;

But for us fights the Valiant One, Whom God Himself elected.

Ask ye, Who is this? Jesus Christ it is,

Of Sabaoth Lord, And there's none other God;

He holds the field forever.

3 Though devils all the world should fill, All eager to devour us.

We tremble not, we fear no ill; They shall not overpow'r us.

This world's prince may still Scowl fierce as he will,

He can harm us none. He's judged; the deed is done;

One little word can fell him.

4 The Word they still shall let remain Nor any thanks have for it;

He's by our side upon the plain With His good gifts and Spirit.

And take they our life,Goods, fame, child, and wife,

Though these all be gone, Our vict'ry has been won;

The Kingdom ours remaineth.                      

SERMON                                             Rev. David Vanderhyde, University Hills Lutheran Church

NICENE CREED           

C          I believe in One God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth and of all things visible and invisible.  And in One Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of His Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made; who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven and was incarnate by the  Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary and was made Man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.  He suffered and was buried.  And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.  And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead, whose kingdom will have no end.  And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets.  And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church, I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.  Amen.

OFFERING / HANDBELL SELECTION    "Gracious God, You Send Great Blessings”

OFFERTORY                 Gracious God, You Send Great Blessings        LSB 782

1 Gracious God, You send great blessings New each morning all our days.

For Your mercies never ending, For Your love we offer praise.

Lord, we pray that we, Your people Who Your gifts unnumbered claim,

Through the sharing of Your blessings May bring glory to Your name.

2 By Your Word You formed creation Filled with creatures large and small;

As we tend that endless treasure May our care encircle all. Refrain

Lord, we pray that we, Your people Who Your gifts unnumbered claim,

Through the sharing of Your blessings May bring glory to Your name.

3 In His earthly life, our Savior Knew the care of faithful friends;

May our deeds of dedication Offer love that never ends.

Lord, we pray that we, Your people Who Your gifts unnumbered claim,

Through the sharing of Your blessings May bring glory to Your name.

4 Heav’nly Father, may our caring Bear the imprint of Your grace;

With the Son and Holy Spirit, Praise be Yours in ev’ry place! Refrain                      

Lord, we pray that we, Your people Who Your gifts unnumbered claim,

Through the sharing of Your blessings May bring glory to Your name.

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

P          Filled with God’s grace, founded in faith, and nourished by the Word, let us offer our prayers for the Church, the world, and for all people according to their needs. For the Church, that we faithfully use our freedom in the Gospel to love and to serve both God and neighbor. Preserve the Church from discord and strife. Let the world see that we are Yours, O Lord, by our love for one another. Lord, in Your mercy,

C          hear our prayer.

P          For those entrusted to govern our nation, state, and local community: Guide them and help them to care justly and mercifully for all the people they serve. For the members of our armed forces, for victims of warfare and violence, and for our enemies, we pray that peace may prevail for all. Lord, in Your mercy,

C          hear our prayer.

P          Let us pray for those who are suffering, those we have named and those we name silently in our hearts. [Time of silence]. We pray that their pain and anxiety be relieved according to God’s will. For those who mourn the death of loved ones, we pray that God calm their troubled hearts and give them peace to face the days ahead in the confidence that He will never forsake them. Lord, in Your mercy,

C          hear our prayer.

P          Let us pray for those who visit our congregations, that they may find here a hospitality that bears witness to the kingdom of heaven. For all who travel, we pray that they arrive safely at their destinations. For all the households of this congregation, grant that they be havens of peace and places where Christ is proclaimed and lived. Lord, in Your mercy,

C          hear our prayer.

P          Let us pray for this holy assembly, that together we use our Gospel freedom responsibly. By the Holy Spirit, grant that we all undergo ongoing reformation of our hearts and minds and in the proper stewardship of our time, talents, and money, continuing to be faithful partners in ministry. Lord, in Your mercy,

C          hear our prayer.

P          Let us give thanks for those who have gone before us and are with the Lord, especially Martin Luther and all reformers of the Church. Sustain us in this earthly journey so that, trusting in the promises of Jesus, we, too, will know the joy of all those who have died in the faith. Lord, in Your mercy,

C          hear our prayer.

P          Holy God, hear these prayers of Your faithful people. By Your grace, grant us those things You see that we need for the sake of our Redeemer and Lord, Jesus Christ.

C          Amen.

P          Remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:

C          Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever.  Amen.

BENEDICTION

P          God has remembered His steadfast love and faithfulness.

C          Amen.

P          By grace you have been saved through faith.

C          Amen.

P          God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. In Christ, you are blessed.

C          Amen.

P          The Lord bless you and keep you.  The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you His peace.         

C          Amen.

CLOSING HYMN          The Church's One Foundation           LSB 644

1    The Church’s one foundation Is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
      She is His new creation By water and the Word.
      From heav'n He came and sought her To be His holy bride;
      With His own blood He bought her, And for her life He died.

2    Elect from ev'ry nation, Yet one o’er all the earth;
      Her charter of salvation: One Lord, one faith, one birth.
      One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food,
      And to one hope she presses With ev'ry grace endued.

3    Though with a scornful wonder The world sees her oppressed,
      By schisms rent asunder, By heresies distressed,
      Yet saints their watch are keeping; Their cry goes up, “How long?”
      And soon the night of weeping Shall be the morn of song.

4    Through toil and tribulation And tumult of her war
      She waits the consummation Of peace forevermore
      Till with the vision glorious Her longing eyes are blest,
      And the great Church victorious Shall be the Church at rest.

5    Yet she on earth has union With God, the Three in One,
      And mystic sweet communion With those whose rest is won.
      O blessed heav'nly chorus! Lord, save us by Your grace
      That we, like saints before us, May see You face to face.

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Hymn “Blessed Jesus, at Your Word”  LSB # 904

1    Blessed Jesus, at Your Word We are gathered all to hear You.

Let our hearts and souls be stirred Now to seek and love and fear You,

By Your teachings, sweet and holy, Drawn from earth to love You solely.

2    All our knowledge, sense, and sight Lie in deepest darkness shrouded

Till Your Spirit breaks our night With the beams of truth unclouded.

You alone to God can win us; You must work all good within us.

3    Gracious Savior, good and kind, Light of Light, from God proceeding,

Open now our heart and mind; Help us by Your Spirit’s pleading.

Hear the cry Your Church now raises; Hear and bless our prayers and praises.

4    Father, Son, and Spirit, Lord, Praise to You and adoration!

Grant that we may trust Your Word, Confident of our salvation,

While we here below must wander, Till we sing Your praises yonder.

P:   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

P:   Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?

C:   But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.

P:   Since we are gathered to hear God’s Word, call upon Him in prayer and praise, and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the fellowship of this altar, let us first consider our unworthiness and confess before God and one another that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition. Together as His people let us take refuge in the infinite mercy of God, our heavenly Father, seeking His grace for the sake of Christ, and saying: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.

C:   Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Savior, like a Shepherd Lead Us”  LSB #711

1    Savior, like a shepherd lead us; Much we need Your tender care.

In Your pleasant pastures feed us, For our use Your fold prepare.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, You have bought us; we are Yours.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, You have bought us; we are Yours.

2    We are Yours; in love befriend us, Be the guardian of our way;

Keep Your flock, from sin defend us, Seek us when we go astray.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Hear us children when we pray.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Hear us children when we pray.

3    You have promised to receive us, Poor and sinful though we be;

You have mercy to relieve us, Grace to cleanse, and pow'r to free.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Early let us turn to You.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Early let us turn to You.

4    Early let us seek Your favor, Early let us do Your will;

Blessed Lord and only Savior, With Your love our spirits fill.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, You have loved us, love us still.

Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, You have loved us, love us still.

(Sung)

Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.

To God on high be glory and peace to all the earth;

Good will from God in heaven proclaimed at Jesus’ birth!

We praise and bless You, Father; Your holy name, we sing,

Our thanks for Your great glory, Lord God, our heav’nly King.

To You, O sole-begotten, the Father’s Son, we pray;

O Lamb of God, our Savior, You take our sins away.

Have mercy on us, Jesus; Receive our heartfelt cry,

Where You in pow’r are seated at God’s right hand on high.

For You alone are holy; You only are the Lord.

Forever and forever, be worshiped and adored;

You with the Holy Spirit alone are Lord Most High,

In God the Father’s glory. “Amen!” our glad reply.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us pray.

Collect for the day:

O God, from whom all good proceeds, grant to us, Your humble servants, Your holy inspiration, that we may set our minds on the things that are right and, by Your merciful guiding, accomplish them; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C:         Amen.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading  (Ezekiel 33:7-9)

“So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Romans 13:1-10)

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 18th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Matthew 18:1-20)

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! 8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Confession of Faith  --  Nicene Creed

C:   I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,

            maker of heaven and earth

            and of all things visible and invisible.

      And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

            the only‐begotten Son of God,

            begotten of His Father before all worlds,

            God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,

            begotten, not made,

            being of one substance with the Father,

            by whom all things were made;

            who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

            and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

            and was made man;

            and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

            He suffered and was buried.

            And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

                        and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.

            And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

            whose kingdom will have no end.

      And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

            the Lord and giver of life,

            who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

            who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

            who spoke by the prophets.

            And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church

            I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

            and I look for the resurrection of the dead

            and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Hymn  “Shepherd of Tender Youth”  LSB # 864

1    Shepherd of tender youth, Guiding in love and truth

Through devious ways; Christ, our triumphant king,

We come Your name to sing And here our children bring

To join Your praise.

2    You are our holy Lord, The all-subduing Word,

Healer of strife. Yourself You did abase

That from sin's deep disgrace You so might save our race

And give us life.

3    You are the great High Priest; You have prepared the feast

Of holy love; And in our mortal pain

None calls on You in vain; Our pleas do not disdain;

Help from above.

4    O ever be our guide, Our shepherd, and our pride,

Our staff and song. Jesus, O Christ of God,

By your enduring Word Lead us where You have trod;

Make our faith strong.

5    So now, and till we die, Sound we Your praises high

And joyful sing: Infants, and all the throng,

Who to the Church belong, Unite to swell the song

To Christ, our king!

Sermon

Offering

Prayer of the Church

P:         Lord, in Your mercy

C:         hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Oh, That the Lord Would Guide My Ways”  LSB # 707

1 Oh, that the Lord would guide my ways To keep His statutes still!

Oh, that my God would grant me grace To know and do His will!

2 Order my footsteps by Thy Word And make my heart sincere;

Let sin have no dominion, Lord, But keep my conscience clear.

3 Assist my soul, too apt to stray, A stricter watch to keep;

And should I e'er forget Thy way, Restore Thy wand'ring sheep.

4 Make me to walk in Thy commands--'Tis a delightful road--

Nor let my head or heart or hands Offend against my God.

Sunday, September 3, 2023

Hymn:  “Lord of Glory, You Have Bought Us”   LSB # 851

1          Lord of Glory, You have bought us With Your life-blood as the price,

Never grudging for the lost ones That tremendous sacrifice;

And with that have freely given Blessings countless as the sand

To the unthankful and the evil With Your own unsparing hand.

2          Grant us hearts, dear Lord, to give You Gladly, freely of Your own.

With the sunshine of Your goodness Melt our thankless hearts of stone

Till our cold and selfish natures, Warmed by You, at length believe

That more happy and more blessed 'Tis to give than to receive.

3          Wondrous honor You have given To our humblest charity

In Your own mysterious sentence, "You have done it all to Me."

Can it be, O gracious Master, That You deign for alms to sue,

Saying by Your poor and needy, "Give as I have giv'n to you"?

4          Lord of glory, You have bought us With Your life-blood as the price,

Never grudging for the lost ones That tremendous sacrifice.

Give us faith to trust You boldly, Hope, to stay our souls on You;

But, oh, best of all Your graces, With Your love our love renew.

P:   In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

C:   Amen.

P:   If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C:   But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   (1 John 1:8-9)

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C:   Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit

C:   Amen.

Matins (sung)

P     O Lord, open my lips,

C     and my mouth will declare Your praise.

P     Make haste, O God, to deliver me;

C     make haste to help me, O Lord.

C     Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
Praise to You, O Christ, Alleluia. (Common response)

Psalmody (Psalm 95) (sung)

P:   Blessed be God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

C:   O come, let us worship Him.

O come, let us sing to the Lord. 
Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving,
Let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise.
For the Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods.
The deep places of the earth are in His hands;
The strength of the hills is His also.
The sea is His, for He made it, and His hand formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down,
Let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker.
For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture
And the sheep of His hand.  

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

P:   Blessed be God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

C:   O come, let us worship Him.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Jeremiah 15:15-21)

O Lord, you know;

    remember me and visit me,

    and take vengeance for me on my persecutors.

In your forbearance take me not away;

    know that for your sake I bear reproach.

16 Your words were found, and I ate them,

    and your words became to me a joy

    and the delight of my heart,

for I am called by your name,

    O Lord, God of hosts.

17 I did not sit in the company of revelers,

    nor did I rejoice;

I sat alone, because your hand was upon me,

    for you had filled me with indignation.

18 Why is my pain unceasing,

    my wound incurable,

    refusing to be healed?

Will you be to me like a deceitful brook,

    like waters that fail?

19 Therefore thus says the Lord:

“If you return, I will restore you,

    and you shall stand before me.

If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,

    you shall be as my mouth.

They shall turn to you,

    but you shall not turn to them.

20 And I will make you to this people

    a fortified wall of bronze;

they will fight against you,

    but they shall not prevail over you,

for I am with you

    to save you and deliver you,

declares the Lord.

21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,

    and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Romans 12:9-21)

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 16th chapter.

C:  (Sung) Glory to You, O Lord.

(Matthew 16:21-28)

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? 27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. 28 Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (Sung) Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn of the Day “Hail! Thou Once Despised Jesus”  LSB # 531

1 Hail, Thou once despised Jesus! Hail, Thou Galilean King!

Thou didst suffer to release us; Thou didst free salvation bring.

Hail, Thou universal Savior, Bearer of our sin and shame!

By Thy merit we find favor; Life is given through Thy name.

2 Paschal Lamb, by God appointed, All our sins on Thee were laid;

By almighty love anointed, Thou hast full atonement made.

All Thy people are forgiven Through the virtue of Thy blood;

Opened is the gate of heaven, Reconciled are we with God.

3 Jesus, hail! Enthroned in glory, There forever to abide;

All the heav'nly host adore Thee, Seated at Thy Father's side.

There for sinners Thou art pleading; There Thou dost our place prepare,

Ever for us interceding Till in glory we appear.

4 Worship, honor, pow'r, and blessing Thou art worthy to receive;

Highest praises, without ceasing, Right it is for us to give.

Help, ye bright angelic spirits, All your noblest anthems raise;

Help to sing our Savior's merits, Help to chant Immanuel's praise!

Sermon

Te Deum (Sung)

We praise You, O God; we acknowledge You to be the Lord.

All the earth now worships You, the Father everlasting.

To You all angels cry aloud, the heavens and all the pow'rs therein.

To You cherubim and seraphim continually do cry:

      Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth;

      heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Your glory.

The glorious company of the apostles praise You.

The goodly fellowship of the prophets praise You.

The noble army of martyrs praise You.

The holy Church throughout all the world does acknowledge You.

The Father of an infinite majesty; Your adorable, true, and only Son;

      also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. You are the king of glory, O Christ;

      You are the everlasting Son of the Father.

When You took upon Yourself to deliver man,

You humbled Yourself to be born of a virgin.

When You had overcome the sharpness of death,

You opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You sit at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father.

We believe that You will come to be our judge.

We therefore pray You to help Your servants,

whom You have redeemed with Your precious blood.

Make them to be numbered with Your saints in glory everlasting.

O Lord, save Your people and bless Your heritage.

Govern them and lift them up forever. Day by day we magnify You.

And we worship Your name forever and ever.

Grant, O Lord, to keep us this day without sin.

O Lord, have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us.

O Lord, let Your mercy be upon us, as our trust is in You.

O Lord, in You have I trusted; let me never be confounded.

Prayer of the Church

P:  Lord, in Your mercy,

C:  Hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “Lord, Take My Hand and Lead Me”  LSB # 722

1    Lord, take my hand and lead me upon life’s way;

      Direct, protect, and feed me from day to day.

      Without Your grace and favor I go astray;

      So take my hand. O Savior, and lead the way.

2)   Lord, when the tempest rages, I need not fear;

      For You, the Rock of Ages, are always near.

      Close by Your side abiding, I fear no foe,

      For when Your hand is guiding, in peace I go.

3)   Lord, when the shadows lengthen and night has come,

      I know that You will strengthen my steps toward home,

      And nothing can impede me, O blessed Friend!

      So take my hand and lead me unto the end.

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Hymn “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus”  LSB # 821

1    Alleluia! Sing to Jesus; His the scepter, His the throne;

Alleluia! His the triumph, His the victory alone.

Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion Thunder like a mighty flood:

"Jesus out of ev'ry nation Has redeemed us by His blood."

2    Alleluia! Not as orphans Are we left in sorrow now;

Alleluia! He is near us; Faith believes, nor questions how.

Though the cloud from sight received Him When the forty days were o'er,

Shall our hearts forget His promise: "I am with you evermore"?

3    Alleluia! Bread of heaven, Here on earth our food, our stay;

Alleluia! Here the sinful Flee to You from day to day.

Intercessor, Friend of sinners, Earth's Redeemer, hear our plea

Where the songs of all the sinless Sweep across the crystal sea.

4    Alleluia! King eternal, Lord omnipotent we own;

Alleluia! Born of Mary, Earth Your footstool, heav'n Your throne.

As within the veil You entered, Robed in flesh, our great High Priest,

Here on earth both priest and victim In the eucharistic feast.

5    Alleluia! Sing to Jesus; His the scepter, His the throne;

Alleluia! His the triumph, His the victory alone.

Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion Thunder like a mighty flood:

"Jesus out of ev'ry nation Has redeemed us by His blood."

P:   In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. 

C:   Amen.

P:   Beloved in the Lord! Let us draw near with a true heart and confess our sins unto God our Father, beseeching Him in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness. Our help is in the name of the Lord,

C:   who made heaven and earth.

P:   I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,

C:   and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   O almighty God, merciful Father,

C:   I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You, and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

P:   Upon this your confession, I, by virtue of my office as a called and ordained servant of the Word, announce the grace of God unto all of you, and in the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

The Introit is read…

(Sung)

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.

Amen.

The Antiphon is read…

(Sung)

Lord, have mercy upon us.  Christ have mercy upon us.  Lord, have mercy upon us.

(Glory be to God on high)

…and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.  We praise Thee, we bless Thee, we worship Thee, we glorify Thee, we give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory.  O Lord God, heav’nly King, God the Father Almighty.  O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ; O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, that takest away the sin of the world, receive our prayer.  Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.  For Thou only art holy; Thou only art the Lord.  Thou only, O Christ, with the Holy Ghost, art most high in the glory of God the Father.  Amen.

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us pray.

Collect of the Day:

P:  Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know Your Son, Jesus, to be the way, the truth, and the life that we may boldly confess Him to be the Christ and steadfastly walk in the way that leads to life eternal; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “I Know My Faith Is Founded”  LSB # 587

1 I know my faith is founded On Jesus Christ, my God and Lord;

And this my faith confessing, Unmoved I stand on His sure Word.

Our reason cannot fathom The truth of God profound;

Who trusts in human wisdom Relies on shifting ground.

God's Word is all-sufficient, It makes divinely sure;

And trusting in its wisdom, My faith shall rest secure.

2 Increase my faith, dear Savior, For Satan seeks by night and day

To rob me of this treasure And take my hope of bliss away.

But, Lord, with You beside me, I shall be undismayed;

And led by Your good Spirit, I shall be unafraid.

Abide with me, O Savior, A firmer faith bestow;

Then I shall bid defiance To ev'ry evil foe.

3 In faith, Lord, let me serve You; Though persecution, grief, and pain

Should seek to overwhelm me, Let me a steadfast trust retain;

And then at my departure, Lord, take me home to You,

Your riches to inherit As all You said holds true.

In life and death, Lord, keep me Until Your heav'n I gain,

Where I by Your great mercy The end of faith attain.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Isaiah 21:1-6)

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,

    you who seek the Lord:

look to the rock from which you were hewn,

    and to the quarry from which you were dug.

2 Look to Abraham your father

    and to Sarah who bore you;

for he was but one when I called him,

    that I might bless him and multiply him.

3 For the Lord comforts Zion;

    he comforts all her waste places

and makes her wilderness like Eden,

    her desert like the garden of the Lord;

joy and gladness will be found in her,

    thanksgiving and the voice of song.

4 “Give attention to me, my people,

    and give ear to me, my nation;

for a law will go out from me,

    and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.

5 My righteousness draws near,

    my salvation has gone out,

    and my arms will judge the peoples;

the coastlands hope for me,

    and for my arm they wait.

6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,

    and look at the earth beneath;

for the heavens vanish like smoke,

    the earth will wear out like a garment,

    and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;

but my salvation will be forever,

    and my righteousness will never be dismayed.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Romans 11:33-12:8)

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,

    or who has been his counselor?”

35 “Or who has given a gift to him

    that he might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the 16th chapter.

C:  (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

(Matthew 16:13-20)

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (sung) Praise be to Thee, O Christ.

Confession of Faith  --  Apostles’ Creed

C:   I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

      maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

      who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

      born of the Virgin Mary,

      suffered under Pontius Pilate,

      was crucified, died and was buried.
      He descended into hell.

      The third day He rose again from the dead.

      He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

      From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,

      the holy Christian Church,
      the communion of saints,

      the forgiveness of sins,

      the resurrection of the body,

      and the life + everlasting. Amen.

Hymn “Built on the Rock”  LSB #645

1    Built on the Rock the Church shall stand Even when steeples are falling.

Crumbled have spires in ev'ry land; Bells still are chiming and calling,

Calling the young and old to rest, But above all the soul distressed,

Longing for rest everlasting.

2    Surely in temples made with hands God, the Most High, is not dwelling;

High above earth His temple stands, All earthly temples excelling.

Yet He who dwells in heav'n above Chooses to live with us in love,

Making our bodies His temple.

3    We are God's house of living stones, Built for His own habitation.

He through baptismal grace us owns Heirs of His wondrous salvation.

Were we but two His name to tell, Yet He would deign with us to dwell

With all His grace and His favor.

4    Here stands the font before our eyes, Telling how God has received us.

Th'altar recalls Christ's sacrifice And what His Supper here gives us.

Here sound the Scriptures that proclaim Christ yesterday, today, the same,

And evermore, our Redeemer.

5    Grant, then, O God, Your will be done, That, when the church bells are ringing,

Many in saving faith may come Where Christ His message is bringing:

"I know MY own; My own know Me. You, not the world, My face shall see.

My peace I leave with you. Amen."

Sermon

Prayer of the Church

P:   Lord, in your mercy,

C:   Receive our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And with thy spirit.

P:   Bless we the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Closing Hymn “We Are Called to Stand Together”  LSB # 828

1    We are called to stand together With the saints of ages past,

      With the patriarchs and prophets In the faith they once held fast;

      Promises and hopes they treasured Now we find fulfilled at last!

2    Those whom Jesus called apostles Journeyed with Him side by side,

      Heard His teaching, felt His power, Saw the way He lived and died;

      Then the news of resurrection They delivered far and wide.

3    Through the intervening ages Round the world the Gospel spread:

      Faithful heralds took the message, Guided where the Spirit led;

      So the body grew in stature, Serving Christ, the living head.

4    Now in many tongues and cultures Songs of celebration ring;

      Millions who confess our Savior Honor Him as Lord and King

      And, for courage, grace and guidance Ev’ry day their prayers they bring.

5    To each coming generation Tell the truth, persuade, explain,

      Till the time when time is ended, Till the Savior comes again—

      Till the saints are all united Under Christ’s eternal reign!

Sunday, August 20, 2023

Hymn “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven”  LSB # 793

1 Praise, my soul, the King of heaven; To His feet your tribute bring;

Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, Evermore His praises sing:

Alleluia, alleluia! Praise the everlasting King.

2 Praise Him for His grace and favor To His people in distress;

Praise Him still the same as ever, Slow to chide and swift to bless:

Alleluia, alleluia! Glorious in His faithfulness.

3 Father-like He tends and spares us; Well our feeble frame He knows;

In His hand He gently bears us, Rescues us from all our foes.

Alleluia, alleluia! Widely yet His mercy flows.

4 Angels, help us to adore Him; You behold Him face to face;

Sun and moon, bow down before Him, All who dwell in time and space.

Alleluia, alleluia! Praise with us the God of grace.

P:   In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

C:   amen.

P:   If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

C:   But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   (1 John 1:8-9)

(We reflect on God’s Word and examine ourselves)

P:   Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.

C:   Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

P:   Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins.  As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C:   Amen.

Hymn  “Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness”  LSB # 849

1    Praise the One who breaks the darkness With a liberating light;

Praise the One who frees the pris'ners  Turning blindness into sight.

Praise the One who preached the Gospel, Healing ev'ry dread disease,

Calming storms, and feeding thousands With the very Bread of peace.

2    Praise the One who blessed the children With a strong, yet gentle word;

Praise the One who drove out demons With the piercing two-edged sword.

Praise the one who brings cool water To the desert's burning sand;

From this Well comes living water Quenching thirst in ev'ry land.

3    Let us praise the Word incarnate, Christ, who suffered in our place.

Jesus died and rose victorious That we may know God by grace.

Let us sing for joy and gladness, Seeing what our God has done;

Let us praise the true Redeemer, Praise the One who makes us one.

(Sung)

P:   In peace let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.

C:   Lord, have mercy.

P:   Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.

C:   Amen.

This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessing, and glory are his.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

Sing with all the people of God and join in the hymn of all creation.
Blessing and honor and glory and might be to God and the Lamb forever. Amen.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

For the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign. Alleluia.
This is the feast of victory for our God. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

P:   The Lord be with you.

C:   And also with you.

P:   Almighty and everlasting Father, You give Your children many blessings even though we are undeserving.  In every trial and temptation grant us steadfast confidence in Your loving-kindness and mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading  (Isaiah 56:1, 6-8)

Thus says the Lord:

“Keep justice, and do righteousness,

for soon my salvation will come,

    and my righteousness be revealed…

6 “And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,

    to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,

    and to be his servants,

everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,

    and holds fast my covenant—

7 these I will bring to my holy mountain,

    and make them joyful in my house of prayer;

their burnt offerings and their sacrifices

    will be accepted on my altar;

for my house shall be called a house of prayer

    for all peoples.”

8 The Lord God,

    who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares,

“I will gather yet others to him

    besides those already gathered.”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Romans 11:1-2a, 13-15, 28-32)

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew…

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?

28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

All: Alleluia.  Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  Alleluia, alleluia.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 15th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Matthew 15:21-28)

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” 24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn of the Day  “Sing Praise to the God of Israel”  LSB #936

1. Sing praise to the God of Israel! Sing praise for His visitation!

     Redeeming His people from their sin, Accomplishing their salvation,

     Upraising a mighty horn within The house of His servant David.

2. God spoke by the prophets long ago, His promise an oath recalling

     To Abraham made in former years; Of vanquishing foes appalling,

     That those He delivered from their fears Might gladly and truly serve Him.

3. You, child will go on before the Lord As prophet, His way preparing;

     To speak on behalf of God Most High, His counsel of truth declaring;

     Rich mercy and grace for all whereby Iniquity is forgiven.

4. O, bright, rising Sun, now shine on us In need of illumination;

     Come scatter the shades of sin and death And shatter their domination.

     Be guiding our footsteps on the path, of peace, in Your presence dawning!

Sermon

Confession of Faith  --  Nicene Creed

C:   I believe in one God, the Father Almighty,

            maker of heaven and earth

            and of all things visible and invisible.

      And in one Lord Jesus Christ,

            the only‐begotten Son of God,

            begotten of His Father before all worlds,

            God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,

            begotten, not made,

            being of one substance with the Father,

            by whom all things were made;

            who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven

            and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary

            and was made man;

            and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.

            He suffered and was buried.

            And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures

                        and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father.

            And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,

            whose kingdom will have no end.

      And I believe in the Holy Spirit,

            the Lord and giver of life,

            who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

            who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,

            who spoke by the prophets.

            And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church

            I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,

            and I look for the resurrection of the dead

            and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayer of the Church

P:         Lord, in Your mercy

C:         hear our prayer.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,
      hallowed be thy name,
      Thy kingdom come,
      Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
      Give us this day our daily bread;
      and forgive us our trespasses
            as we forgive those
            who trespass against us;
      and lead us not into temptation,
      but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom
      and the power and the glory
      forever and ever. Amen

Benediction

P:  The Lord bless you and keep you.

      The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.

      The Lord look upon you with favor and + give you peace.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “Jesus Shall Reign”  LSB # 832

1    Jesus shall reign where'er the sun Does its successive journeys run;

His kingdom stretch from shore to shore Till moons shall wax and wane no more.

2    To Him shall endless prayer be made, And endless praises crown His head;

His name like sweet perfume shall rise With ev'ry morning sacrifice.

3    People and realms of ev'ry tongue Dwell on His love with sweetest song;

And infant voices shall proclaim Their early blessings on His name.

4    Blessings abound where'er He reigns; The pris'ners leap, unloose their chains,

The weary find eternal rest, And all who suffer want are blest.

5    Let ev'ry creature rise and bring Honors peculiar to our King;

Angels descend with songs again, And earth repeat the loud amen.