PRESERVICE MUSIC / PIANO DUET “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise"
WELCOME
OPENING 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
INVOCATION
P In the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
OPENING SENTENCES Psalm 124:8; 130:3–4
P Our help is in the name of the LORD,
C who made heaven and earth.
P If You, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
C But with You there is forgiveness, that You may be feared.
CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS
P The Spirit of God calls forth sacrifices pleasing to God: brotherly love, hospitality to strangers, care for all in need, faithfulness in marriage and the family, fearless joy in the Lord, right faith, and right worship. Let us ask God to forgive our sinful neglect of faith’s power to have free course in our life.
C Almighty God, we confess to You that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed. We have not loved You with our entire being, and we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. Alone we remain without hope, health, or help. Have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
P May the God of peace equip you with everything good that you may do His will. 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 T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
INTROIT Psalm 75:1–2, 6, 9; antiphon: v. 7
P It is God who executes judgment,
C putting down one and lifting up another.
P We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near.
C We recount your wondrous deeds.
P At the set time that I appoint
C I will judge with equity.
P For not from the east or from the west
C and not from the wilderness comes lifting up.
P But I will declare it forever;
C I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
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 It is God who executes judgment,
C putting down one and lifting up another.
HYMN OF PRAISE Earth and All Stars LSB 817
1 Earth and all stars, loud rushing planets, sing to the Lord a new song!
O victory, loud shouting army, sing to the Lord a new song!
He has done marvelous things. I, too, will praise him with a new song!
2 Hail, wind, and rain, loud blowing snowstorms, sing to the Lord a new song!
Flowers and trees, loud rustling leaves, sing to the Lord a new song!
He has done marvelous things. I, too, will praise him with a new song!
3 Trumpet and pipes, loud clashing cymbals, sing to the Lord a new song!
Harp, lute, and lyre, loud humming cellos, sing to the Lord a new song!
He has done marvelous things. I, too, will praise him with a new song!
4 Engines and steel! Loud pounding hammers! Sing to the Lord a new song!
Limestone and beams! Loud building workers! Sing to the Lord a new song!
He has done marvelous things. I, too, will praise him with a new song!
5. Classrooms and labs! Loud boiling test tubes! Sing to the Lord a new song!
Athlete and band! Loud cheering people! Sing to the Lord a new song!
He has done marvelous things. I, too, will praise him with a new song!
6. Knowledge and truth! Loud sounding wisdom! Sing to the Lord a new song!
Daughter and son! Loud praying members! Sing to the Lord a new song!
He has done marvelous things. I, too, will praise him with a new song!
7. Children of God, Dying and rising, Sing to the Lord a new song!
Heaven and earth, Hosts everlasting, Sing to the Lord a new song!
He has done marvelous things. I, too, will praise him with a new song!
SALUTATION & COLLECT OF THE DAY
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
All: Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd of the sheep, give to us the power of Your Spirit and equip us with everything good that we may do Your will in lives that are pleasing in Your sight; for You live and reign with the Father and the same Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.
OLD TESTAMENT READING Proverbs 25:2–10
2It is the glory of God to conceal things,
but the glory of kings is to search things out.
3As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth,
so the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4Take away the dross from the silver,
and the smith has material for a vessel;
5take away the wicked from the presence of the king,
and his throne will be established in righteousness.
6Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great,
7for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
What your eyes have seen
8do not hastily bring into court,
for what will you do in the end,
when your neighbor puts you to shame?
9Argue your case with your neighbor himself,
and do not reveal another’s secret,
10lest he who hears you bring shame upon you,
and your ill repute have no end.
L This is the Word of the Lord. C Thanks be to God.
EPISTLE Hebrews 13:1–17
1Let brotherly love continue. 2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
7Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
A This is the Word of the Lord. C Thanks be to God.
ALLELUIA VERSE Luke 14:11
All: Alleluia. Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Alleluia.
HOLY GOSPEL Luke 14:1–14
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the fourteenth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
1One Sabbath, when [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. 2And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. 3And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. 5And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 6And they could not reply to these things.
7Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
HYMN OF THE DAY Son of God, Eternal Savior LSB 842
1 Son of God, eternal Savior, Source of life and truth and grace,
Word made flesh, whose birth among us Hallows all our human race,
You our Head, who, throned in glory, For Your own will ever plead:
Fill us with Your love and pity, Heal our wrongs, and help our need.
2 As You, Lord, have lived for others, So may we for others live.
Freely have Your gifts been granted; Freely may Your servants give.
Yours the gold and Yours the silver, Yours the wealth of land and sea;
We but stewards of Your bounty Held in solemn trust will be.
3 Come, O Christ, and reign among us, King of Love and Prince of Peace;
Hush the storm of strife and passion, Bid its cruel discords cease.
By Your patient years of toiling, By Your silent hours of pain,
Quench our fevered thirst of pleasure, Stem our selfish greed of gain.
4 Son of God, eternal Savior, Source of life and truth and grace,
Word made flesh, whose birth among us Hallows all our human race:
By your praying, by Your willing, That Your people should be one,
Grant, O grant our hope’s fruition; Here on earth Your will be done.
SERMON “WHAT SACRIFICE LOOKS LIKE” Hebrews 13:1-17
I. In the Old Testament, many animals were sacrificed for forgiveness, leading up to Jesus’ final sacrifice for sin on the cross.
II. We no longer offer sacrifices to gain forgiveness. Instead, we offer sacrifices of time, talent and treasure to serve God and our neighbor.
APOSTLE’S 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 there 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 / HANDBELL SELECTION “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
OFFERTORY I Love You, Lord
BLESSING FOR RENEE ORTADO
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
P Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we give You thanks for all the goodness and loving kindness You have bestowed on us, especially for redeeming us through the great sacrifice of the death and resurrection of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and for giving us the gift of true repentance, faith, hope, and love by Your Holy Spirit. Work in us a right understanding of Your will, and grant us hearts, lips, and lives that show forth true thanksgiving in all we say and do. Lord, in Your mercy, C hear our prayer.
P Guide and govern Your Church throughout the world that all may walk in the way of truth and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Send Your grace on all ministers of the Gospel and upon the congregations committed to their care that they may please You in all things. Lord, in Your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
P Have mercy upon all who are in authority over us, those who keep watch over our souls, as well as those in the authority of worldly government that we may have free course to live as Your redeemed people and serve one another in love. Bless all who serve to protect us in our nation and our community. Lord, in Your mercy, C hear our prayer.
P Preserve those who travel and help all who call upon You in any need, [especially…] that they may have patience and trust in the midst of suffering and, according to Your will, be released from their afflictions. Lord, in Your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
P We remember with thanksgiving those who have loved and served You in Your Church on earth, who now rest from their labors. Keep us in fellowship with all Your saints and bring us at last to the joys of Your heavenly kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy,
C hear our prayer.
P Into Your hands, O Lord, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy, through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. C Amen.
LORD'S PRAYER
P O Lord Jesus Christ, 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 Numbers 6:24-26
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 Lord of All Nations LSB 844
1. Lord of all nations, grant me grace Too love all people, every race;
And in each person may I see My kindred, loved, redeemed by Thee.
2. Break down the wall that would divide Thy children, Lord, on every side.
My neighbor’s good let me pursue; Let Christian love bind warm and true.
3. Forgive me, Lord, where I have erred By loveless act and thoughtless word.
Make me to see the wrong I do Will grieve my wounded Lord anew.
4. Give me Thy courage, Lord, to speak Whenever strong oppress the weak.
Should I myself the victim be, Help me forgive, rememb’ring Thee.
5. With Thine own love may I be filled And by Thy Holy Spirit willed,
That all I touch, where’er I be, May be divinely touched by Thee.