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.