We are continuing to post our digital services for the time being for those who feel more comfortable worshiping at home. Full, in-person worship has now resumed at 2695 S. Franklin St. in Denver at 12:00pm. Please click the audio bar below to listen to today’s service. Scroll down to follow along with the service text.
Hymn “O Holy Spirit, Enter In” LSB # 913
1 O Holy Spirit, enter in, And in our hearts Your work begin,
Your dwelling place now make us.
Sun of the soul, O Light divine, Around and in us brightly shine,
To joy and gladness wake us
That we may be Truly living, To You giving Prayer unceasing
And in love be still increasing.
2 Give to Your Word impressive pow'r, That in our hearts from this good hour
As fire it may be glowing,
That in true Christian unity We faithful witnesses may be,
Your glory ever showing.
Hear us, cheer us By Your teaching; Let our preaching And our labor
Praise You, Lord, and serve our neighbor.
3 O mighty Rock, O Source of Life, Let Your dear Word, in doubt and strife,
In us be strongly burning
That we be faithful unto death And live in love and holy faith,
From You true wisdom learning.
Your grace and peace On us shower; By Your power Christ confessing,
Let us see our Savior's blessing.
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, You granted Your prophets strength to resist the temptations of the devil and courage to proclaim repentance. Give us pure hearts and minds to follow Your Son faithfully even into suffering and death; 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 “O God of God, O Light of Light” LSB # 810
1 O God of God, O Light of Light, O Prince of Peace and King of kings:
To You in heaven's glory bright The song of praise forever rings.
To Him who sits upon the throne, The Lamb once slain but raised again,
Be all the glory He has won, All thanks and praise! Amen, amen.
2 For deep in the prophets' sacred page, And grand in poets' winged word,
Slowly in type, from age to age The nations saw their coming Lord;
Till through the deep Judean night Rang out the song, "Good will to men!"
Sung once by first-born sons of light, It echoes now, "Good will!" Amen.
3 That life of truth, those deeds of love, That death so steeped in hate and scorn--
These all are past, and now above He reigns, our King once crowned with thorn.
Lift up your heads, O mighty gates! So sang that host beyond our ken.
Lift up your heads, your King awaits. We lift them up. Amen, amen.
4 Then raise to Christ a mighty song, And shout His name, His mercies tell!
Sing, heav'nly host, your praise prolong, And all on earth, your anthem swell!
All hail, O Lamb for sinners slain! Forever let the song ascend!
Worthy the Lamb, enthroned to reign, All glory, pow'r! Amen, amen.
Scripture Readings
Old Testament Reading (Amos 7:7-14)
7 This is what he showed me: behold, the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. 8 And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,
“Behold, I am setting a plumb line
in the midst of my people Israel;
I will never again pass by them;
9 the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.”
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words. 11 For thus Amos has said,
“‘Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel must go into exile
away from his land.’”
12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”
14 Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading (Ephesians 1:3-14)
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
P: The holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 6th chapter.
C: (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.
(Mark 6:14-29)
14 King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.
21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
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 of the Day “Jesus, Priceless Treasure” LSB # 743
1 Jesus, priceless treasure, Fount of purest pleasure, Truest friend to me.
Ah, how long in anguish Shall my spirit languish, Yearning, Lord, for Thee?
Thou art mine, O Lamb divine!
I will suffer naught to hide Thee, Naught I ask beside Thee.
2 In Thine arms I rest me; Foes who would molest me Cannot reach me here.
Though the earth be shaking, ev'ry heart be quaking, Jesus calms my fear.
Lightnings flash And thunder crash;
yet, though sin and hell assail me, Jesus will not fail me.
3 Satan, I defy thee; Death, I now decry thee; Fear, I bid thee cease.
World, thou shalt not harm me Nor thy threats alarm me While I sing of peace.
God's great pow'r Guards ev'ry hour;
Earth and all its depths adore Him, Silent bow before Him.
4 Hence, all earthly treasure! Jesus is my pleasure, Jesus is my choice.
Hence all empty glory! Naught to me the story Told with tempting voice.
Pain or loss, Or shame or cross,
Shall not from my Savior move me Since He deigns to love me.
5 Evil world, I leave thee; Thou canst not deceive me, Thine appeal is vain.
Sin that once did blind me, Get thee far behind me, Come not forth again.
Past thy hour, O pride and pow'r;
Sinful life, thy bonds I sever, Leave thee now forever.
6 Hence, all fear and sadness! For the Lord of gladness, Jesus, enters in.
Those who love the Father, Though the storms may gather, Still have peace within.
Yea, whate'er I here must bear,
Thou art still my purest pleasure, Jesus, priceless treasure!
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
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 “Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name We Raise” LSB # 917
1 Savior, again to Thy dear name we raise
With one accord our parting hymn of praise;
Once more we bless Thee ere our worship cease,
Then, lowly bending, wait Thy word of peace.
2 Grant us thy peace upon our homeward way;
With Thee began, with Thee shall end, the day.
Guard Thou the lips from sin, the hearts from shame,
That in this house have called upon Thy name.
3 Grant us Thy peace, Lord, through the coming night;
Turn Thou for us its darkness into light.
From harm and danger keep Thy children free;
For dark and light are both alike to Thee.
4 Grant us Thy peace throughout our earthly life,
Our balm in sorrow and our stay in strife;
Then, when Thy voice shall bid our conflict cease,
Call us, O Lord, to Thine eternal peace.