Hymn of the Day “Rejoice, O Pilgrim Throng” LSB #813
1 Rejoice, O pilgrim throng! Rejoice, give thanks, and sing;
Your festal banner wave on high, The cross of Christ, your king.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
2 With voice as full and strong As ocean's surging praise,
Send forth the sturdy hymns of old, The psalms of ancient days.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
3 With all the angel choirs, With all the saints on earth
Pour out the strains of joy and bliss, True rapture, noblest mirth.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
4 Yet on and onward still, With hymn and chant and song,
Through gate and porch and columned aisle The hallowed pathways throng.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
5 Still lift your standard high, Still march in firm array,
As pilgrims through the darkness wend Till dawns the golden day.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
6 At last the march shall end; The wearied ones shall rest;
The pilgrims find their home at last, Jerusalem the blest.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
7 Praise Him who reigns on high, The Lord whom we adore;
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, One God forevermore.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice, give thanks, and sing!
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 “We Sing for All the Unsung Saints” LSB # 678
1 We sing for all the unsung saints, That countless, nameless throng,
Who kept the faith and passed it on With hope steadfast and strong
Through all the daily griefs and joys No chronicles record,
Forgetful of their lack of fame, But mindful of their Lord.
2 Though uninscribed with date or place, With title, rank, or name,
As living stones their stories join To form a hallowed frame
Around the myst'ry in their midst: The Lamb once sacrificed,
The Love that wrested life from death, The wounded, risen Christ.
3 So we take heart from unknown saints Bereft of earthly fame,
Those faithful ones who have received A more enduring name:
For they reveal true blessing comes When we our pride efface
And offer back our lives to be The vessels of God's grace.
(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: Let us pray. Almighty and merciful God, it is by Your grace that we live as Your people who offer acceptable service. Grant that we may walk by faith, and not by sight, in the way that leads to eternal life; 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 (Genesis 15:1-6)
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness
P: This is the Word of the Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.
Epistle Reading (Hebrews 11:1-16)
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
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. Luke the 12th chapter.
C: Glory to You, O Lord.
(Luke 12:22-34)
And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. 24 Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! 25 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 26 If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? 27 Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 28 But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. 30 For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.
32 “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
P: This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
Hymn of the Day “Fight the Good Fight” LSB # 664
1 Fight the good fight with all your might; Christ is your strength, and Christ your right.
Lay hold on life, and it shall be Your joy and crown eternally.
2 Run the straight race through God's good grace; Lift up your eyes, and seek His face.
Life with its way before us lies; Christ is the path, and Christ the prize.
3 Cast care aside, lean on your guide; His boundless mercy will provide.
Trust, and enduring faith shall prove Christ is your life and Christ your love.
4 Faint not nor fear, His arms are near; He changes not who holds you dear;
Only believe, and you will see That Christ is all eternally.
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.
Closing Hymn “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!