Sunday February 13, 2022

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!

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 God, the strength of all who put their trust in You, mercifully grant that by Your power we may be defended against all adversity; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Hoy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “Renew Me, O Eternal Light”  LSB # 704

1 Renew me, O eternal Light,

And let my heart and soul be bright,

Illumined with the light of grace

That issues from Your holy face.

2 Remove the pow'r of sin from me

And cleanse all my impurity

That I may have the strength and will

Temptations of the flesh to still.

3 Create in me a new heart, Lord,

That gladly I obey Your Word.

Let what You will be my desire,

And with new life my soul inspire.

4 Grant that I only You may love

And seek those things which are above

Till I behold You face to face,

O Light eternal, through Your grace.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Jeremiah 17:5-8)

          5 Thus says the Lord:

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man

    and makes flesh his strength,

    whose heart turns away from the Lord.

6 He is like a shrub in the desert,

    and shall not see any good come.

He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,

    in an uninhabited salt land.

7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

    whose trust is the Lord.

8 He is like a tree planted by water,

    that sends out its roots by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes,

    for its leaves remain green,

and is not anxious in the year of drought,

    for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (1 Corinthians 15:12-20)

          12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 6th chapter.

C:  (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

(Luke 6:17-26)

          17 [Jesus] came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. 19 And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.

25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.

“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

26 “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
                             

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 “Lord of All Hopefulness”  LSB # 738

1 Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,

Whose trust, ever childlike, no cares can destroy,

Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,

Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

2 Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,

Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe,

Be there at our labors, and give us, we pray,

Your strength in our hearts, Lord at the noon of the day.

3 Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,

Your hands swift to welcome, your arms to embrace,

Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,

Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the eve of the day.

4 Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,

Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm,

Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,

Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.

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 “Almighty Father, Bless the Word”  LSB # 923

1    Almighty Father, bless the Word Which through Your grace we now have heard.

      Oh, may the precious seed take root, Spring up, and bear abundant fruit!

2    We praise You for the means of grace As homeward now our steps we trace.

      Grant, Lord, that we who worshiped here May all at last in heav'n appear.

3    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.

Sunday January 9, 2022

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:   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: “O Savior of Our Fallen Race”  LSB #403

1    O Savior of our fallen race, O Brightness of the Father’s face,

      O Son who shared the Father’s might Before the world knew day or night Alleluia!

2    O Jesus, very Light of Light, Our constant star in sin’s deep night:

      Now hear the prayers Your people pray Throughout the world this holy day.  Alleluia!

3    Remember, Lord of life and grace, How once, to save our fallen race,

      You put our human vesture on And come to us as Mary’s son.  Alleluia!

4    Today, as year by year its light Bathes all the world in radiance bright,

      One precious truth outshines the sun: Salvation comes from You alone.  Alleluia!

5    For from the Father’s throne You came, His banished children to reclaim;

      And earth and sea and sky revere The love of Him who sent You here.  Alleluia!

6    And we are jubilant today, For You have washed our guilt away. 

      O hear the glad new song we sing On this, the birthday of our King!  Alleluia!

7    O Christ, Redeemer virgin-born, Let songs of praise Your name adorn,

      Whom with the Father we adore And Holy Spirit evermore.  Alleluia!

(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 Lord, by Your bountiful goodness release us from the bonds of our sins, which by reason of our weakness we have brought upon ourselves, that we may stand firm until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading  (Isaiah 43:1-7)

1 But now thus says the Lord,

he who created you, O Jacob,

    he who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

    I have called you by name, you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

    and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

    and the flame shall not consume you.

3 For I am the Lord your God,

    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

I give Egypt as your ransom,

    Cush and Seba in exchange for you.

4 Because you are precious in my eyes,

    and honored, and I love you,

I give men in return for you,

    peoples in exchange for your life.

5 Fear not, for I am with you;

    I will bring your offspring from the east,

    and from the west I will gather you.

6 I will say to the north, Give up,

    and to the south, Do not withhold;

bring my sons from afar

    and my daughters from the end of the earth,

7 everyone who is called by my name,

    whom I created for my glory,

    whom I formed and made.”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Romans 6:1-11)

1 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. Luke the 3rd chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Luke 3:15-22)

          15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.

18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; 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:   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 of the Day  “To Jordan’s River Came Our Lord”  LSB # 405

1    To Jordan's river came our Lord, The Christ, whom heav'nly hosts adored,

      The God from God, the Light from Light, The Lord of glory, pow'r and might.

2    The Savior came to be baptized – The Son of God in flesh disguised –

      To stand beneath the Father's will And all his promises fulfill.

3    As Jesus in the Jordan stood And John baptized the Lamb of God,

      The Holy Spirit, heav'nly dove, Descended on him from above.

4    Then from God's throne with thund'rous sound Came God's own voice with words profound:

      "This is my Son," was his decree, "The one I love, who pleases me."

5    The Father's word, the Spirit's flight Anointed Christ in glorious sight

      As God's own choice, from Adam's fall To save the world and free us all.

6    Now rise, faint hearts: be resolute! This man is Christ, our substitute!

      He was baptized in Jordan's stream, Proclaimed Redeemer, Lord supreme

Sermon

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  “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.

Sunday January 2, 2022 Sermon text only

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Sermon - The Wisdom of God - 1/2/22

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen

We heard a lot about wisdom in our readings for this Second Sunday after Christmas.  Our Gospel lesson begins and ends with the child Jesus, who is said first to be filled with wisdom and then, after returning to Nazareth with Mary and Joseph, he is said to be increasing in wisdom.

And, there in the middle, Mary and Joseph are searching frantically for the boy, Jesus.  And they find him in the temple, in his Father’s house.  And what’s he doing?  He’s sitting among the teachers and listening, and asking questions…

And as a former teacher, I know what it’s like to have a really smart student in the classroom, the one who raises his hand and asks that question that’s a really good question, and you as the teacher don’t have an answer.  But I imagine that Jesus, even as a boy of twelve, was able to ask questions in a way that didn’t put the teachers of the Law off, or antagonize them, but make them think and ponder…

He’s listening and asking questions, and everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and at his answers.  And don’t you wonder what it was they were talking about?  Was it about the coming of the Messiah and what freedom that Messiah would bring?  Was Jesus laying groundwork for another day?

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They are all amazed at his understanding and his answers – and maybe we could say they were amazed at his wisdom.  Jesus goes with Mary and Joseph, submits to them, and what did the teachers of the Law say about him amongst themselves afterward? 

·       Did they start texting the district office or the synodical president saying, “We need to keep our eye on this one.  He's going places!  He could really be somebody if we groom him right!”

·       Or did they shake their heads and say, “Too bad he’s from Nazareth.  He would have made a fine priest or rabbi.

·       Were they reminded of the legendary wisdom of King Solomon, and did they think that this young boy would be a much better and wiser king than Herod?

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We also read today how Solomon came to have such wisdom.  He’s very young when David puts him on the throne, and when God appears to him in a dream and asks him to name what God should do for him, Solomon doesn’t ask for riches or long life or for victory in battle.  He asks for an understanding mind to govern the people, and to discern between good and evil.

And this greatly pleases God.  And because Solomon did not ask for blessing and gifts for himself, but something for the good of God’s people, God gives him great wisdom, so that none before and none after Solomon were as wise and discerning as he was.  He taught about the trees and about the animals, and people from all sorts of nations came to hear him speak – most famously the queen of Sheba.  His wisdom was, truly, legendary!

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You and I have just left 2021 behind us.  And in these days of transition, there might be some evaluating going on as we look at the events of the past year.  We might examine the decisions we’ve made, how wisely did we spend our time or our money.  Did our plans work out the way we’d hoped?  What wisdom have we gained from the year gone by that will carry us into the new year?

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I don’t know if you remember the old TV show, The A-Team, where Hannibal and his team of ex-military people would go around helping people out of impossible situations.  And B.A. Baraccus (played by Mr. T) had a  black suped up van that they rode around in, and there was always something blowing up.

In the show, the initials B.A. stand for “Bad Attitude”, and Mr. T played a really tough guy.  But this past New Year’s Eve, Mr. T sent out a tweet.  He said:  “During My A-Team Days, we would ask Hannibal, “What’s the plan”?  He would tell us “The Plan” and then say, “I love it when a plan comes together!”  Well, that was TV!  But in Real Life, no plan has a chance without God!”  It turns out that B.A. stands for “Born Again!”  Mr. T is a Christian and openly speaks about his faith.

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And what Mr. T says is sage advice.  And, by the way, that’s all you’ll get if you go to an herbalist looking for wisdom…

We, as Christians, don’t rely on wisdom gained from this past year to carry us through 2022.  The wisdom of men is worthless if we rely on it instead of on our heavenly Father.  Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools (those who do not fear God) fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Job 12:13 says, “With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.”  God has understanding.  He is omniscient – he knows all things, the past, the future… He knows each one of us, our problems and our pain, our joys and our misgivings.  He knows our fears about what might come to us in this new year.  And when we stand at the end of 2022 looking back, not one moment of it will have been a surprise to God.

And that should comfort us, as we stand on the brink of a new year, that the God who keeps the stars burning and ordains the movement of the planets, who makes the sun to shine and the rain to fall and the seed to sprout, that this God also knows every one of our steps through the coming year – not only knows our steps, but walks beside us all the way, never leaving or forsaking us.  And his promise to be with us, and his promise to work all things for our good, these promises are not conditional on our obedience, our right choices or a display of wisdom.  Rather, “We know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

All things in the coming year will work together for your good.  That’s God’s promise to you – to you who have been called according to His purpose!

You see, there is another wisdom that appears today in our readings.  This wisdom appears in the Epistle lesson where Paul speaks of the riches of God’s grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fulness of time.

God’s wisdom is so far above our own.  And here in Ephesians we read that, in God’s wisdom, he made known to us his grace, the mystery of his will…  God’s will is a mystery to us.  Once we walked with God in the Garden, but after the fall, God became hidden to us.  All of our wisdom and musings can’t find him or know him.  Beyond knowing that there must be a God and that he must be good, we can’t know or understand him.

But in his wisdom, he has made himself known to us.  He has revealed what his purpose for us is, and that purpose is that we would be brought back into relationship with him.  This was his plan, this was his will for us, and he set that will forth, he brought it to fruition in Jesus Christ.  “When the time was right, God sent his Son.” 

Paul writes that we were predestined for adoption through Jesus Christ.  Our path back to God, not as enemies brought in chains to be condemned for our sin, but our path back to God as his beloved children, as redeemed people adopted by our heavenly Father, that path was through Jesus Christ.

Paul says, “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.”  Through his blood!  God “chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him” (v 3).  That means that before the world was begun, before God laid its foundation or said “Let there be light,” he had already purposed to adopt you as his child.  His will was that you, a sinner, would be made holy and blameless before him.

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This year, as far as we’re concerned, is a blank slate.  It is still new and unmarred.  What if we resolved right now not to sin once from here on out, so that we could come to December 31st, 2022, and turn and look back at the year and say, “Wow, I did it.  I didn’t sin one time.  Everything was perfect.  This year, finally, I am blameless!”  … I think we’d all agree that that would be a pretty unrealistic outlook.  Maybe we should set our sights a little closer, like maybe the next ten minutes…

God, in his wisdom, sent to us a mediator.  He sent a Savior, to do the work of saving.  Our redemption comes through blood – through the blood that Jesus gave to redeem us, to bring us forgiveness.

And this, Paul says, is in accordance with God’s grace, God’s undeserved love.  God loved the world so that he gave His one and only Son.  And this sacrifice demonstrates just how much God loves you.  It reveals the driving power of his love for you – that this was his plan “for the fullness of time,” that you would be his child to spend, not just this next year, but all of eternity with him in his kingdom.

God’s grace is something unique to Christianity.  All the other religions of the world attach strings to any benevolence from the gods: 

·       The Buddhists have an eight-fold path that one must walk to reach enlightenment

·       The Hindus must live good lives in order to become one with the supreme being

·       A Muslim must give their god obedience since he will come to judge everyone by their deeds

·       Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, all other religions of the world require obedience, or some form of restitution on man’s part to gain favor with god.

Christianity alone is built on the grace of God, on the historical truth that the God who will judge the thoughts, words and deeds of all flesh, became himself flesh, to take our evil thoughts, words and deeds into himself.  And, bearing that burden, also took also God’s punishment for every evil act of mind, body and heart.  That’s grace.  That’s God’s love in action for you.  His actions for your salvation, choosing you before creation, all of his promises of a Savior for you, and the fulfillment of those promises all the way to the cross and the resurrection, all of this shows how powerful God’s love is for you.

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When you were baptized, you received the promised Holy Spirit.  And what did Paul say of that Holy Spirit.  He said, “In [Christ] 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, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

The Holy Spirit within you is the seal and guarantee that you have been chosen by God since the foundation of the world; he is the guarantee that your sins are forgiven by the blood of Christ, that your name is written in the Book of Life, and that you will spend eternity with God in heaven.

That’s a lot to think about in this new year.  May God grant us his grace to think on the mystery of the will of God in Christ Jesus, to gift us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, having predestined us for adoption through our Lord Jesus.  In His name, amen.

Now, may the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen!

Sunday December 26, 2021

Hymn “Now Sing We, Now Rejoice”  LSB # 386

1 Now sing we, now rejoice, Now raise to heav'n our voice;

He from whom joy streameth Poor in a manger lies;

Not so brightly beameth The sun in yonder skies.

Thou my Savior art! Thou my Savior art!

2 Come from on high to me; I cannot rise to thee.

Cheer my wearied spirit, O pure and holy Child;

Through Thy grace and merit, Blest Jesus, Lord most mild,

Draw me unto Thee! Draw me unto Thee!

3 Now through His Son doth shine The Father's grace divine.

Death was reigning o'er us Through sin and vanity

Till He opened for us A bright eternity.

May we praise Him there! May we praise Him there!

4 Oh, where shall joy be found? Where but on heav'nly ground?

Where the angels singing With all His saints unite,

Sweetest praises bringing In heav'nly joy and light,

Oh, that we were there! Oh, that we were there!

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 God, our Maker and Redeemer, You wonderfully created us and in the incarnation of Your Son yet more wondrously restored our human nature.  Grant that we may ever be alive in Him who made Himself to be like us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Hymn “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming”  LSB # 359

1 Lo, how a rose e'er blooming From tender stem hath sprung!

Of Jesse's lineage coming As prophets long have sung,

It came, a flow'ret bright, Amid the cold of winter,

When half-spent was the night.

2 Isaiah 'twas foretold it, The rose I have in mind;

With Mary we behold it, The virgin mother kind.

To show God's love aright, She bore to us a Savior,

When half-spent was the night.

3 This flow'r, whose fragrance tender With sweetness fills the air,

Dispels with glorious splendor The darkness ev'rywhere.

True man, yet very God, From sin and death he saves us

And lightens ev'ry load.

4 O Savior, child of Mary, Who felt our human woe;

O Savior, King of glory, Who dost our weakness know:

Bring us at length we pray To the bright courts of heaven,

And to the endless day.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Exodus 13:1-3a, 11-15)

          4 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.” 3 Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the LORD brought you out from this place…  When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, 12 you shall set apart to the LORD all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the LORD's. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15 For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Colossians 3:12-17)

          12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 9th chapter.

C:  (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

(Luke 2:22-40)

          22 When the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,

    according to your word;

30 for my eyes have seen your salvation

31     that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,

32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

    and for glory to your people Israel.”

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

39 And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
                             

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  “O Sing of Christ”  LSB # 362

1. O sing of Christ, whose birth made known  The kindness of the Lord,

Eternal Word made flesh and bone  So we could be restored.

Upon our frail humanity  God’s finger chose to trace

The fullness of His deity, The icon of His grace.

2. What Adam lost, none could reclaim,  And Paradise was barred

Until the second Adam came  To mend what sin had marred.

For when the time was full and right  God sent His only Son;

He came to us as life and light  And our redemption won.

3. He came to that which was His own,  But He was not received;

Yet still through Him God’s glory shone,  And some His name believed.

To these He gave the right to be  The heirs of heav’n above,

Born not of human ancestry  But born of God in love.

4. Lord Jesus Christ, you deigned to dwell  Among us here on earth

As God with us, Emmanuel,  To bring this holy birth.

Though rich, you willingly became  One with our poverty,

That we might share your wealth and name  For all eternity.

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 “A Great and Mighty Wonder”  LSB # 383

1 A great and mighty wonder, A full and holy cure:

The virgin bears the infant With virgin honor pure!

Proclaim the Savior's birth: "To God on high be glory And peace to all the earth!"

2 The Word becomes incarnate And yet remains on high,

And cherubim sing anthems To shepherds from the sky.
Proclaim the Savior's birth: "To God on high be glory And peace to all the earth!"

3 While thus they sing your Monarch, Those bright angelic bands,

Rejoice, O vales and mountains, And oceans, clap your hands.

Proclaim the Savior's birth: "To God on high be glory And peace to all the earth!"

4 Since all He comes to ransom, By all be He adored,

The infant born in Bethl'em, The Savior and the Lord.

Proclaim the Savior's birth: "To God on high be glory And peace to all the earth!"

5 All idols then shall perish And Satan's lying cease,

And Christ shall raise His scepter, Decreeing endless peace.

Proclaim the Savior's birth: "To God on high be glory And peace to all the earth!"

Sunday December 19, 2021

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:   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 “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.

(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:   Let us pray.  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  (Micah 5:2-5a)

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

    one who is to be ruler in Israel,

whose coming forth is from of old,

    from ancient days.

3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time

    when she who is in labor has given birth;

then the rest of his brothers shall return

    to the people of Israel.

4 And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,

    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great

    to the ends of the earth.

5 And he shall be their peace.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Hebrews 10:5-10)

5 W hen Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

    but a body have you prepared for me;

6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings

    you have taken no pleasure.

7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,

    as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for 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. Luke the 1st chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Luke 1:39-45)

      39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn “The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns”  LSB # 348 

1 The King shall come when morning dawns And light triumphant breaks,
   When beauty gilds the eastern hills And life to joy awakes.

2 Not as of old a little child, To bear and fight and die,
   But crowned with glory like the sun That lights the morning sky.

3 Oh, brighter than the rising morn When Christ, victorious rose
   And left the lonesome place of death Despite the rage of foes.

4 Oh, brighter than that glorious morn Shall dawn upon our race
   The day when Christ in splendor comes And we shall see His face.

5 The King shall come when morning dawns And light and beauty brings.
   Hail, Christ the Lord! Your people pray: Come quickly, King of kings!

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

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  “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!

Advent Wednesday Worship December 15, 2021

Opening Versicles

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

C:   Amen.

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, King who comes to save us.

Hymn: “Arise, O Christian People”

1 Arise, O Christian people! Prepare yourselves today;

Prepare to greet the Savior, Who takes you sins away.

To us by grace alone The truth and light were given;

The promised Lord from heaven To all the world is shown.

2 Prepare the way before Him; Prepare for Him the best.

Cast out what would offend Him, This great, this heav'nly guest.

Make straight, make plain the way: The lowly valleys raising,

The heights of pride abasing, His path, all even lay.

3 The humble heart and lowly God raises up on high;

Beneath His feet in terror The haughty soul shall lie.

The heart sincere and right, That heeds God's invitation

And makes true preparation-- It is the Lord's delight.

4 Prepare my heart, Lord Jesus; Turn not from me aside,

And help me to receive You This blessed Advent-tide.

From stall and manger low Come now to dwell within me;

I'll sing Your praises gladly And forth Your glory show.

Holden Evening Prayer (Sung)

P:   Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world;

C:   the light no darkness can overcome;

P:   Stay with us now, for it is evening,

C:   and the day is almost over.

P:   Let your light scatter the darkness,

C:   and shin within your people here….

All: Joyous light of heav’nly glory, loving glow of God’s own face,

      you who sing creation’s story, shine on ev’ry land and race.

      Now as evening falls around us, we shall raise our songs to you,

      God of daybreak, God of shadows, come and light our hearts anew.

      In the stars that grace the darkness, in the blazing sun of dawn,

      in the light of peace and wisdom, we can hear your quiet song.

      Love that fills the night with wonder, love that warms the weary soul,

      Love that burst all chains asunder, set us free and make us whole.

      You who made the heaven’s splendor, ev’ry dancing star of night,

      make us shine with gentle justice, let us each reflect your light.

      Mighty God of all creation, gentle Christ who lights our way,

      Loving Spirit of salvation, lead us on to endless day.

P:   May God be with you all

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us sing our thanks to God.

C:   It is right to give God thanks and praise.

P:   Blessed are you, Creator of the universe--from old you have led your people by night and day. May the light of your Christ make our darkness bright, for your Word and your Presence are the light of our pathways, and you are the light and life of all creation.

C:   Amen.

All: Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. O God, I call to you, come to me now; O hear my voice when I cry to you. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting of my hands as an offering to you. Keep watch within me, God; deep in my heart may the light of your love be burning bright, Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting of my hands as an offering to you. All praise to the God of all--Creator of life; all praise be to Christ and the Spirit of love. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

(Silence for Meditation)

P:   May our prayers come before you, O God, as incense, and may your presence surround and fill us, so that in union with all creation, we might sing your praise and love in our lives.

C:   Amen.

Scripture Readings

Isaiah 22:1-14

1 The oracle concerning the valley of vision.

What do you mean that you have gone up,

    all of you, to the housetops,

2 you who are full of shoutings,

    tumultuous city, exultant town?

Your slain are not slain with the sword

    or dead in battle.

3 All your leaders have fled together;

    without the bow they were captured.

All of you who were found were captured,

    though they had fled far away.

4 Therefore I said:

“Look away from me;

    let me weep bitter tears;

do not labor to comfort me

    concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people.”

5 For the Lord God of hosts has a day

    of tumult and trampling and confusion

    in the valley of vision,

a battering down of walls

    and a shouting to the mountains.

6 And Elam bore the quiver

    with chariots and horsemen,

    and Kir uncovered the shield.

7 Your choicest valleys were full of chariots,

    and the horsemen took their stand at the gates.

8 He has taken away the covering of Judah.

In that day you looked to the weapons of the House of the Forest, 9 and you saw that the breaches of the city of David were many. You collected the waters of the lower pool, 10 and you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. 11 You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago.

12 In that day the Lord God of hosts

    called for weeping and mourning,

    for baldness and wearing sackcloth;

13 and behold, joy and gladness,

    killing oxen and slaughtering sheep,

    eating flesh and drinking wine.

“Let us eat and drink,

    for tomorrow we die.”

14 The Lord of hosts has revealed himself in my ears:

“Surely this iniquity will not be atoned for you until you die,”

    says the Lord God of hosts.

P:  The Light shines in the darkness

C:  and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 11:30-36

          30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

P:  This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Luke 19:41-44

41 When he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

P:  The Light shines in the darkness

C:  and the darkness has not overcome it.

Responsory for Advent

P:   Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous

      Branch.

C:   This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

P:   In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely.

C:   This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

P:   Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

C:   This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

Hymn:  “O Christ, Who Shared Our Mortal Life”  LSB # 552

O Christ, who shared our mortal life And ended death’s long reign,

Who healed the sick and raised the dead And bore our grief and pain:

We know our years on earth are few, That death is always near.

Come now to us, O Lord of Life; Bring hope that conquers fear!

Two weeping sisters, worn by grief And mired in depths of gloom,

Stood watching where their brother lay Within a rock-sealed tomb.

When, Lord, You met them as they mourned,  You wept compassion’s tear.

But Martha, sore with sorrow, said,“He’d lived had You been here!”

10) “I am the Lord of life and death!” You answered Martha’s cry,

“And all who hear and trust My Word Shall live, although they die!”

You walked the path to Laz’rus’ tomb, You called him forth by name,

And living, loving once again, From death to life he came!

4) Death’s power holds us still in thrall And bears us toward the tomb.

Death’s dark’ning cloud hangs like a pall That threatens earth with doom.

But You have broken death’s embrace And torn away its sting.

Restore to life our mortal race! Raise us, O Risen King!

Sermon  Hard questions that hardly anybody’s asking, but that have answers in Advent

Holden Evening Prayer (con’t)

P:   An angel went from God to a town called Nazareth to a woman whose name was Mary. The angel said to her, “Rejoice, O highly favored, for God is with you. You shall bear a child, and his name shall be Jesus, the Chosen One of God Most High.” And Mary said, “I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will.”

C:   My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, You have looked with love on your servant here, and blessed me all my life through. Great and mighty are you, O Holy One, strong is your kindness evermore. How you favor the weak and lowly one, humbling the proud of heart. You have cast the mighty down from their thrones, and up lifted the humble of heart, You have filled the hungry with wondrous things, and left the wealthy no part. Great and mighty are you, O Faithful One, strong is your justice strong your love, as you promised to Sarah and Abraham, kindness forevermore. My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, You have looked with love on your servant here, and blessed me all my life through.

Prayers

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:   In peace, in peace, we pray to you

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For peace and salvation, we pray to you:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For peace between nations, for peace between peoples:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For us who are gathered to worship and praise you:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For all those who govern, that justice might guide them:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For all those who labor in service to others:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     Grant weather that nourishes all of creation:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     Keep watch on our loved ones and keep us from danger:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For all the beloved who rest in your mercy:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     Help us, comfort us, all of our days:

All: Keep us, hold us, gracious God.

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:  Let us bless the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:   The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless us and

      preserve us.

C:   Amen.

Closing Hymn  “All Praise to Thee, My God This Night”

1 All praise to Thee, my God, this night For all the blessings of the light.

Keep me, O keep me, King of kings, Beneath Thine own almighty wings.

2 Forgive me, Lord, for Thy dear Son, The ill that I this day have done,

That with the world, myself, and Thee, I, ere I sleep, at peace may be.

3 Teach me to live that I may dread The grave as little as my bed.

Teach me to die that so I may Rise glorious at the awe-full Day.

4 Oh, may my soul in Thee repose, And may sweet sleep mine eyelids close,

Sleep that shall me more vig'rous make To serve my God when I awake!

5 When in the night I sleepless lie, My soul with heav'nly thoughts supply;

Let no ill dreams disturb my rest, No pow'rs of darkness me molest.
 

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.

Sunday December 12, 2021

Hymn “Come, Thou Bright and Morning Star”  LSB # 872

1 Come, Thou bright and Morning Star, Light of Light without beginning;

Shine upon us from afar That we may be kept from sinning.

Drive away by Thy clear light Our dark night.

2 Let Thy grace, like morning dew Falling soft on barren places,

Comfort, quicken, and renew Our dry souls and dying graces;

Bless Thy flock from Thy rich store Evermore.

3 May Thy fervent love destroy Our cold works, in us awaking

Ardent zeal and holy joy At the purple morn's first breaking.

Let us truly rise ere yet Life has set.

4 Ah! Thou Dayspring from on high, Grant that at Thy next appearing

We who in the graves do lie May arise, Thy summons hearing,

And rejoice in our new life, Far from strife.

5 Light us to those heav'nly spheres, Sun of grace, in glory shrouded;

Lead us through this vale of tears To the land where days unclouded,

Purest joy, and perfect peace Never cease.

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: “Jesus Came, the Heavens Adoring”  LSB #353

1 Jesus came, the heav'ns adoring, Came with peace from realms on high;

Jesus came to win redemption, Lowly came on earth to die;

Alleluia! Alleluia! Came in deep humility.

2 Jesus comes again in mercy When our hearts are worn with care;

Jesus comes again in answer To an earnest, heart-felt prayer;

Alleluia! Alleluia! Comes to save us from despair.

3 Jesus comes to hearts rejoicing, Bringing news of sins forgiv'n;

Jesus comes with words of gladness, Leading souls redeemed to heav'n.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Hope to all the world is giv'n.

4 Jesus comes in joy and sorrow, Shares alike our hopes and fears;

Jesus comes, whate'er befalls us, Cheers our hearts and dries our tears;

Alleluia! Alleluia! Comforts us in failing years.

(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:

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.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading  (Zephaniah 3:14-20)

14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart,  O daughter of Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil. 16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. 17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. 18 I will gather those of you who mourn for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach. 19 Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors. And I will save the lame and gather the outcast, and I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. 20 At that time I will bring you in, at the time when I gather you together; for I will make you renowned and praised  among all the peoples of the earth, when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says the Lord.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Philippians 4:4-7)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds 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 13th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Luke 7:18-28)

          18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
     24 When John's messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings' courts. 26 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written,

“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’

28 I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn of the Day  “Hark! A Thrilling Voice Is Calling”  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!

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

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 of the Day  “O Savior, Rend the Heavens Wide”  LSB #355

1.   O Savior, rend the heavens wide; Come down, come down with mighty stride;

      Unlock the gates, the doors bread down; Unbar the way to heaven’s crown.

2.   O Father, light from heaven send; As morning dew, O Son, descend.

      Drop down, you clouds, the life of spring; To Jacob’s line rain down the King.

3.   O earth, in flow’ring bud be seen; Clothe hill and dale in garb of green.

      Bring forth, O earth, a blossom rare, Our Savior, sprung from meadow fair.

4.   O Fount of hope, how long, low long? When will You come with comfort strong?

      O come, O come, Your throne forego; Console us in our vale of woe.

5.   O Morning Star, O radiant Sun, When will our hearts behold Your dawn?

      O Sun, arise; without Your light We grope in gloom and dark of night.

6.   Sin’s dreadful doom upon us lies; Grim death looms fierce before our eyes.

      O come, lend us with mighty hand From exile to our promised land.

7.   There shall we all our praises bring And sing to You, our Savior King;

      There shall we laud You and adore Forever and forevermore.

Advent Wednesday Worship December 8, 2021

Opening Versicles

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

C: Amen.

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, King who comes to save us.

Hymn: “Hark the Glad Sound”

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.

Holden Evening Prayer (Sung)

P:   Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world;

C:   the light no darkness can overcome;

P:   Stay with us now, for it is evening,

C:   and the day is almost over.

P:   Let your light scatter the darkness,

C:   and shine within your people here….

All: Joyous light of heav’nly glory, loving glow of God’s own face,

      you who sing creation’s story, shine on ev’ry land and race.

      Now as evening falls around us, we shall raise our songs to you,

      God of daybreak, God of shadows, come and light our hearts anew.

      In the stars that grace the darkness, in the blazing sun of dawn,

      in the light of peace and wisdom, we can hear your quiet song.

      Love that fills the night with wonder, love that warms the weary soul,

      Love that burst all chains asunder, set us free and make us whole.

      You who made the heaven’s splendor, ev’ry dancing star of night,

      make us shine with gentle justice, let us each reflect your light.

      Mighty God of all creation, gentle Christ who lights our way,

      Loving Spirit of salvation, lead us on to endless day.

P:   May God be with you all

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us sing our thanks to God.

C:   It is right to give God thanks and praise.

P:   Blessed are you, Creator of the universe--from old you have led your people by night and day. May the light of your Christ make our darkness bright, for your Word and your Presence are the light of our pathways, and you are the light and life of all creation.

C:   Amen.

All: Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. O God, I call to you, come to me now; O hear my voice when I cry to you. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting of my hands as an offering to you. Keep watch within me, God; deep in my heart may the light of your love be burning bright, Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting of my hands as an offering to you. All praise to the God of all--Creator of life; all praise be to Christ and the Spirit of love. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

(Silence for Meditation)

P:   May our prayers come before you, O God, as incense, and may your presence surround and fill us, so that in union with all creation, we might sing your praise and love in our lives.

C:   Amen.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 89:1-4

1 I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
2 For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever;
in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.”
3 You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one;
I have sworn to David my servant:
4 ‘I will establish your offspring forever,
and build your throne for all generations.’”

P:  The Light shines in the darkness,

C:  and the darkness has not overcome it.

Luke 2:41-52

41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man

P:  The Light shines in the darkness,

C:  and the darkness has not overcome it.

Responsory for Advent

P:   Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous
      Branch.

C:   This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

P:   In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely.

C:   This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

P:   Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

C:   This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

Hymn:  “Within the Father’s House” 

1 Within the Father's house The Son has found His home,
And to His temple suddenly The Lord of life has come.

2 The doctors of the Law Gaze on the wondrous child
And marvel at His gracious words Of wisdom undefiled.

3 Yet not to them is giv'n The mighty truth to know,
To lift the earthly veil which hides Incarnate God below.

4 The secret of the Lord Escapes each human eye,
And faithful pond'ring hearts await The full epiphany.

5 Lord, visit Thou our souls And teach us by Thy grace
Each dim revealing of Thyself With loving awe to trace

6 Till we behold Thy face And know as we are known
Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Coequal Three in One.

Sermon  Hard questions that hardly anybody’s asking, but that have answers in Advent

Holden Evening Prayer (con’t)

P:   An angel went from God to a town called Nazareth to a woman whose name was Mary. The angel said to her, “Rejoice, O highly favored, for God is with you. You shall bear a child, and his name shall be Jesus, the Chosen One of God Most High.” And Mary said, “I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will.”

C:   My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, You have looked with love on your servant here, and blessed me all my life through. Great and mighty are you, O Holy One, strong is your kindness evermore. How you favor the weak and lowly one, humbling the proud of heart. You have cast the mighty down from their thrones, and up lifted the humble of heart, You have filled the hungry with wondrous things, and left the wealthy no part. Great and mighty are you, O Faithful One, strong is your justice strong your love, as you promised to Sarah and Abraham, kindness forevermore. My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, You have looked with love on your servant here, and blessed me all my life through.

Prayers

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:   In peace, in peace, we pray to you

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For peace and salvation, we pray to you:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For peace between nations, for peace between peoples:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For us who are gathered to worship and praise you:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For all those who govern, that justice might guide them:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For all those who labor in service to others:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     Grant weather that nourishes all of creation:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     Keep watch on our loved ones and keep us from danger:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For all the beloved who rest in your mercy:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     Help us, comfort us, all of our days:

All: Keep us, hold us, gracious God.

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:  Let us bless the Lord.
C:   Thanks be to God.
P:   The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless us and
preserve us.

C:   Amen.

Closing Hymn  “Abide with Me”

1 Abide with me, fast falls the eventide. The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

2 I need Thy presence ev'ry passing hour; What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's pow'r?
Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be? Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

3 Come not in terrors, as the King of kings, But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings;
Tears for all woes, a heart for ev'ry plea. Come, Friend of sinners, thus abide with me.

4 Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day; Earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see; O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

5 I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless; Ills have no weight and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory? I triumph still if Thou abide with me!

6 Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies.
Heav'n's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee; In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Sunday December 5, 2021

Hymn “Prepare the Royal Highway” LSB# 343

1    Prepare the royal highway; the King of kings is near!

      Let ev’ry hill and valley a level road appear!

      Then greet the King of glory, foretold in sacred story:

      Hosanna to the Lord, for he fulfills God’s word!

2    God’s people, see him coming: your own eternal king!

      Palm branches strew before him! Spread garments! Shout and sing!

      God’s promise will not fail you! No more shall doubt assail you!

      Hosanna to the Lord, for he fulfills God’s word!

3    Then fling the gates wide open to greet your promised king!

      Your king, yet ev’ry nation its tribute too may bring.

      All lands, bow down before him; All nations, now adore Him!

      Hosanna to the Lord, for he fulfills God’s word!

4    His is no earthly kingdom; it comes from heav’n above.

      His rule is peace and freedom and justice, truth, and love.

      So let your praise be sounding for kindness so abounding:

      Hosanna to the Lord, for he fulfills God’s word!

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:   In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for His sake God forgives us all our sins.  To those who believe in Jesus Christ He gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit.  May the Lord, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 (Malachi 3:1-7b)

          3 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 7 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Philippians 1:2-11)

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

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

C:  (Sung) Glory to You, O Lord.

(Luke 3:1-14)

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

    make his paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled,

    and every mountain and hill shall be made low,

and the crooked shall become straight,

    and the rough places shall become level ways,

6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”

7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (Sung) Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn of the Day “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry”  LSB # 344

1    On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry Announces that the Lord is nigh;
Awake and hearken, for he brings Glad tidings of the King of kings!

2    Then cleansed be ev'ry life from sin; Make straight the way for God within,
And let us all our hearts prepare For Christ to come and enter there.

3    We hail Thee as our Savior, Lord, Our refuge and our great reward;
Without Thy grace we waste away Like flow'rs that wither and decay.

4    Lay on the sick Thy healing hand And make the fallen strong to stand;
Show us the glory of Thy face Till beauty springs in ev'ry place.

5    All praise, eternal Son, to Thee Whose advent sets Thy people free.
Whom with the Father we adore And Holy Spirit evermore.

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.

Closing Hymn  “Herald, Sound the Note of Judgment”  LSB #511

1 Herald, sound the note of judgment, warning us of right and wrong,

   turning us from sin and sadness till once more we sing the song.

   Sound the trumpet! Tell the message: Christ, the Savior king, is come!

2 Herald, sound the note of gladness; tell the news that Christ is here;

   make a pathway through the desert for the one who brings God near.

   Sound the trumpet! Tell the message: Christ, the Savior king, is come!

3 Herald, sound the note of pardon--those repenting are forgiven;

   God receives his wayward children, and to them new life is given.

   Sound the trumpet! Tell the message: Christ, the Savior king, is come!

4 Herald, sound the note of triumph; Christ has come to share our life,

   Bringing God’s own love and power, granting victory in our strife.

   Sound the trumpet! Tell the message: Christ, the Savior king, is come!

Advent Wednesday Worship December 1, 2021

Opening Versicles

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, King who comes to save us.

Hymn: “Come Thou Long-Expected Jesus”

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.

Holden Evening Prayer (Sung)

P:   Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world;

C:   the light no darkness can overcome;

P:   Stay with us now, for it is evening,

C:   and the day is almost over.

P:   Let your light scatter the darkness,

C:   and shine within your people here….

All: Joyous light of heav’nly glory, loving glow of God’s own face,

      you who sing creation’s story, shine on ev’ry land and race.

      Now as evening falls around us, we shall raise our songs to you,

      God of daybreak, God of shadows, come and light our hearts anew.

      In the stars that grace the darkness, in the blazing sun of dawn,

      in the light of peace and wisdom, we can hear your quiet song.

      Love that fills the night with wonder, love that warms the weary soul,

      Love that burst all chains asunder, set us free and make us whole.

      You who made the heaven’s splendor, ev’ry dancing star of night,

      make us shine with gentle justice, let us each reflect your light.

      Mighty God of all creation, gentle Christ who lights our way,

      Loving Spirit of salvation, lead us on to endless day.

P:   May God be with you all

C:   And also with you.

P:   Let us sing our thanks to God.

C:   It is right to give God thanks and praise.

P:   Blessed are you, Creator of the universe--from old you have led your people by night and day. May the light of your Christ make our darkness bright, for your Word and your Presence are the light of our pathways, and you are the light and life of all creation.

C:   Amen.

All: Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. O God, I call to you, come to me now; O hear my voice when I cry to you. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting of my hands as an offering to you. Keep watch within me, God; deep in my heart may the light of your love be burning bright, Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting of my hands as an offering to you. All praise to the God of all--Creator of life; all praise be to Christ and the Spirit of love. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

(Silence for Meditation)

P:   May our prayers come before you, O God, as incense, and may your presence surround and fill us, so that in union with all creation, we might sing your praise and love in our lives.

C:   Amen.

Scripture Reading

Psalm 2

1 Why do the nations rage
    and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers take counsel together,
    against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us burst their bonds apart
    and cast away their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs;
    the Lord holds them in derision.
5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
    and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6 “As for me, I have set my King
    on Zion, my holy hill.”

7 I will tell of the decree:
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
    today I have begotten you.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
    and the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron
    and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”

10 Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
    be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear,
    and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
    lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
    for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

P:  This is the Word of the Lord.

C:  Thanks be to God.

Luke 1:26-38

          26 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.

Responsory for Advent

P:   Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous
      Branch.

C:   This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

P:   In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely.

C:   This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

P:   Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

C:   This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness.

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  Hard questions that hardly anybody’s asking, but that have answers in Advent

Holden Evening Prayer (con’t)

P:   An angel went from God to a town called Nazareth to a woman whose name was Mary. The angel said to her, “Rejoice, O highly favored, for God is with you. You shall bear a child, and his name shall be Jesus, the Chosen One of God Most High.” And Mary said, “I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will.”

C:   My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, You have looked with love on your servant here, and blessed me all my life through. Great and mighty are you, O Holy One, strong is your kindness evermore. How you favor the weak and lowly one, humbling the proud of heart. You have cast the mighty down from their thrones, and up lifted the humble of heart, You have filled the hungry with wondrous things, and left the wealthy no part. Great and mighty are you, O Faithful One, strong is your justice strong your love, as you promised to Sarah and Abraham, kindness forevermore. My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, You have looked with love on your servant here, and blessed me all my life through.

Prayers

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:   In peace, in peace, we pray to you

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For peace and salvation, we pray to you:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For peace between nations, for peace between peoples:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For us who are gathered to worship and praise you:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For all those who govern, that justice might guide them:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For all those who labor in service to others:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     Grant weather that nourishes all of creation:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     Keep watch on our loved ones and keep us from danger:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     For all the beloved who rest in your mercy:

All: God of Mercy, hold us in love.

P:     Help us, comfort us, all of our days:

All: Keep us, hold us, gracious God.

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:  Let us bless the Lord.
C:   Thanks be to God.
P:   The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless us and
preserve us.

C:   Amen.

Closing Hymn  “Christ, Mighty Savior”

Christ, mighty Savior, Light of all creation, You make the daytime radiant with the sunlight
And to the night give glittering adornment, Stars in the heavens.

Now comes the day’s end as the sun is setting, Mirror of daybreak, pledge of resurrection;
While in the heavens choirs of stars appearing Hallow the nightfall.

Therefore we come now evening rights to offer, Joyfully chanting holy hymns to praise You,
With all creation joining hearts and voices Singing Your glory.

Give heed, we pray You, to our supplication, That You may grant us pardon for offenses,
Strength for our weak hearts, rest for aching bodies, Soothing the weary.

Though bodies slumber, hearts shall keep their vigil, Forever resting in the peace of Jesus,
In light or darkness worshipping our Savior Now and forever.

Sunday Worship November 28, 2021

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:   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:   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.

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.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Jeremiah 33:14-16)

          14 ”Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (1 Thessalonians 3:9-13)

          9 What thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, 10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?       

        11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Luke, the 19th chapter.

C:  (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

(Luke 19:28-40)

          28 When [Jesus] had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
                             

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 “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

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 “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believers”  LSB # 515

1    Rejoice, rejoice, believers, And let your lights appear;
The evening is advancing, And darker night is near.
The Bridegroom is arising And soon is drawing nigh.
Up, pray and watch and wrestle; At midnight comes the cry.

2    The watchers on the mountain Proclaim the Bridegroom near;
Go forth as He approaches With allelujahs clear.
The marriage feast is waiting; The gates wide open stand.
Arise, O heirs of glory; The Bridegroom is at hand.

3    The saints, who here in patience Their cross and suff'rings bore,
Shall live and reign forever When sorrow is no more.
Around the throne of glory The Lamb they shall behold;
In triumph cast before Him Their diadems of gold.

4    Our hope and expectation, O Jesus, now appear;
Arise, O Sun so longed for, O'er this benighted sphere.
With hearts and hands uplifted, We plead, O Lord, to see
The day of earth's redemption That sets Your people free!

Sunday Worship November 21, 2021

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!

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 “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.

(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.  Lord Jesus Christ, so govern our hearts and minds by Your Holy Spirit that, ever mindful of Your glorious return, we may persevere in both faith and holiness of living; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and foreve

C:   Amen.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading  (Isaiah 51:4-6)

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    (Jude 20-25)

            20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

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 13th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Mark 13:24-37)

        24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

        28 “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

        32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. 34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. 35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

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!

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

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 “Christ the Eternal Lord”  LSB # 829

1 Christ the eternal Lord, Whose promise here we claim,

Whose gifts of grace are freely poured On all who name Your name;

With thankfulness and praise We stand before Your throne,

Intent to serve You all our days And make Your glory known.

2 Christ the unchanging Word To ev'ry passing age,

Whose timeless teachings still are heard Set forth on Scripture's page;

Transform our thought and mind, Enlighten all who read,

Within Your word by faith to find The bread of life indeed.

3 Christ the redeeming Son, Who shares our human birth,

And by His death salvation won For ev'ry child of earth;

Inspire our hearts, we pray, To tell Your love abroad,

That all may honor Christ today And follow Him as Lord.

4 Christ the unfading Light Of everlasting day,

Our Morning Star in splendor bright, The Life, the Truth, the Way;

That light of truth You give To servants as to friends,

Your way to walk, Your life to live, Till earth's brief journey ends.

5 Christ the ascended King Exalted high above,

Whose praise unending ages sing, Whom yet unseen we love;

When mortal life is past Your voice from heaven's throne

Shall call Your children home at last To know as we are known.

Sunday Worship November 14, 2021

Hymn “Earth and All Stars”  LSB # 817 (1-3, 6, 7)

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!

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!

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: “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!"

(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 Lord, by Your bountiful goodness release us from the bonds of our sins, which by reason of our weakness we have brought upon ourselves, that we may stand firm until the day of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:   Amen.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading  (Daniel 12:1-3)

1 At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Hebrews 10:11-25)

1 Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

15 The Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,

16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them
    after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
    and write them on their minds,”

17 then he adds,

“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 13th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Mark 13:1-13)

          14 As [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

          3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.

          9 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn of the Day  “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

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  “Jesus Christ My Sure Defense”  LSB # 741 (1-4, 7, 8)

1 Jesus Christ, my sure defense And my Savior, now is living!
Knowing this, my confidence Rests upon the hope here given,
Though the night of death be fraught Still with many an anxious thought.

2 Jesus, my Redeemer, lives; Likewise I to life shall waken.
He will bring me where He is; Shall my courage then be shaken?
Shall I fear, or could the Head Rise and leave His members dead?

3 No, too closely I am bound By my hope to Christ forever;
Faith's strong hand the Rock has found, Grasped it, and will leave it never;
Even death now cannot part From its Lord the trusting heart.

4 I am flesh and must return To the dust, whence I am taken;
But by faith I now discern That from death I shall awaken
With my Savior to abide In His glory, at His side.

7 Laugh to scorn the gloomy grave And at death no longer tremble;
He, the Lord, who came to save Will at last His own assemble.
They will go their Lord to meet, Treading death beneath their feet.

8 O, then, draw away your hearts From all pleasures base and hollow;
Strive to share what He imparts While you here His footsteps follow.
As you now still wait to rise, Fix your hearts beyond the skies!

Sunday Worship November 7, 2021

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!

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:   In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for His sake God forgives us all our sins.  To those who believe in Jesus Christ He gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit.  May the Lord, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 (Revelation 7:9-17)

          7 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)

1 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:  (Sung) Glory to You, O Lord.

(Matthew 5:1-12)

5 Seeing 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:   (Sung) Praise to You, O Christ.

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!

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.

Closing 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 Worship October 31, 2021

PRESERVICE MUSIC / PIANO & ORGAN DUET         “Reformation Chorale”

WELCOME

OPENING HYMN                      Glory Be to God the Father           LSB 506

1 Glory be to God the Father, Glory be to God the Son,
Glory be to God the Spirit: Great Jehovah, Three in One!
Glory, glory While eternal ages run!

2 Glory be to Him who loved us, Washed us from each spot and stain:
Glory be to Him who bought us, Made us kings with Him to reign!
Glory, glory To the Lamb that once was slain!

3 Glory to the King of angels, Glory to the Church’s King,
Glory to the King of nations; Heav'n and earth, your praises bring!
Glory, glory To the King of glory sing!

4 Glory, blessing, praise eternal! Thus the choir of angels sings:
Honor, riches, pow'r, dominion! Thus its praise creation brings.
Glory, glory, Glory to the King of kings!           

INVOCATION & OPENING SENTENCES                                         John 8:31-32

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

C     Amen.

P     Jesus said, “If you abide in My word,

C     you are truly My disciples,

P     and you will know the truth,

C     and the truth will set you free.”

CONFESSION & FORGIVENESS                                                        John 8:36

P     With humble hearts, let us approach our Father’s throne of grace.

[Silence to reflect on our sin and our need for the Savior]

P     Together, we pray:

C     Gracious Father, because our entire lives are to be ones of repentance, we bow before You and confess our sins. We have turned away from the truth of Your Word, choosing to go our own way. By what we have thought, by what we have done, and by what we have failed to do, we have broken Your commands and are deserving of Your wrath and punishment. By the mercy of Christ, Your Son, set us free from our captivity. Enable us by Your Holy Spirit to live under You in Your kingdom and to serve You in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. Amen.

P     Just as Christ is risen from the dead, He lives and reigns to all eternity! It is most certainly true that He died and rose again for you to make you right with God, to adopt you as children of the heavenly Father, and to set you free from sin and death. 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 T Son and of the Holy Spirit.

C     Amen.

P     “So if the Son sets you free,

C     you will be free indeed!”

INTROIT                                          Psalm 34:1–2, 11, 22; antiphon: Psalm 119:46

P     I will speak of your testimonies before kings, [O Lord,]

C     and shall not be put to shame.

P     I will bless the Lord at all times;

C     his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

P     My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

C     let the humble hear and be glad.

P     Come, O children, listen to me;

C     I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

P     The Lord redeems the life of his servants;

C     none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

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     I will speak of your testimonies before kings, [O Lord,]

C     and shall not be put to shame.

HYMN OF PRAISE                      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.          

SALUTATION & COLLECT OF THE DAY

P    The Lord be with you.

C    And also with you.

P    Let us pray.

All: Almighty and gracious Lord, pour out Your Holy Spirit on Your faithful people. Keep us steadfast in Your grace and truth, protect and deliver us in times of temptation, defend us against all enemies, and through the abiding Word of Your Son, set us free from our sin that we may know Your saving peace; 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.

HYMN OF RESPONSE                God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage LSB 582

God's Word is our great heritage And shall be ours forever;
To spread its light from age to age Shall be our chief endeavor.
Through life it guides our way, In death it is our stay.
Lord, grant, while worlds endure, We keep its teachings pure
Throughout all generations.           

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

All: Alleluia. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 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

                                                   Pastor David Vanderhyde; University Hills Lutheran Church

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                                     “Amazing Grace”               by Kevin Sadowski

OFFERTORY                  Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ                LSB 565

1 Thy works, not mine, O Christ, Speak gladness to this heart;
They tell me all is done, They bid my fear depart.
To whom, save Thee, Who canst alone For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

2 Thy wounds, not mine, O Christ, Can heal my bruised soul;
Thy stripes, not mine, contain The balm that makes me whole.
To whom, save Thee, Who canst alone For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

3 Thy cross, not mine, O Christ, Has borne the crushing load
Of sins that none could bear But the incarnate God.
To whom, save Thee, Who canst alone For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

4 Thy death, not mine, O Christ, Has paid the ransom due;
Ten thousand deaths like mine Would have been all too few.
To whom, save Thee, Who canst alone For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

5 Thy righteousness, O Christ, Alone can cover me;
No righteousness avails Save that which is of Thee.    
To whom, save Thee, Who canst alone For sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?         

PRAYER OF THE CHURCH

P     Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs. Lord Jesus, You have freed us from the captivity to sin and death, from the delusion of trying to earn and maintain our own righteousness, and from the chains of condemnation and fear. That is why we rejoice in Your Word: If the Son sets you free,

C     you will be free indeed!

P     Lord Jesus, only Your mercy and grace enable us to know, find, and live in the freedom of Your eternal Gospel. Send Your Spirit upon Your Church that we continue in the truths of the Reformation, and that, to all the peoples of the world, we proclaim this truth: If the Son sets you free,

C     you will be free indeed!

P     Lord Jesus, free us from self-centeredness and pride. Turn our focus toward You first in faith and then toward others in love. Bless all who serve You and others in their homes, in the church, in the workplace, and in our community to rejoice in knowing that if the Son sets you free,

C     you will be free indeed!

P     Lord Jesus, You proclaim freedom for the captives and recovery for those with infirmities. Grant Your healing, in both soul and body, to those we name before You, [especially . . .]. Rejoicing in Your healing touch, grant that all who receive Your Good News boldly say: If the Son sets you free,

C     you will be free indeed!

P     Lord Jesus, for these and all other concerns we have, please hear and answer our prayers according to Your gracious will

C     that we live each day in the freedom we have come to know. 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

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                        Amazing Grace                             LSB 744

1 Amazing grace--how sweet the sound-- That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found, Was blind but now I see!

2 The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.

3 Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come;
His grace has brought me safe thus far, His grace will lead me home.

4 Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail And mortal life shall cease,
Amazing grace shall then prevail In heaven's joy and peace.

5 When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.         

POSTLUDE                                    “A Mighty Fortress”        by Johann Pachelbel

Sunday Worship October 24, 2021

Hymn “Praise the Almighty”  LSB # 797

1 Praise the Almighty, my soul, adore Him! Yes, I will laud Him until death;
With songs and anthems I come before Him As long as He allows me breath.
From Him my life and all things came; Bless, O my soul, His holy name.
Allelujah, allelujah!

2 Trust not in rulers; they are but mortal; Earth-born they are and soon decay.
Vain are their counsels at life's last portal, When the dark grave engulfs its prey.
Since mortals can no help afford, Place all your trust in Christ, our Lord.
Allelujah, allelujah!

3 Blessed, oh, blessed are they forever Whose help is from the Lord Most High,
Whom from salvation can nothing sever, And who in hope to Christ draw nigh.
To all who trust in Him, our Lord Will aid and counsel now afford.
Allelujah, allelujah!

4 Penitent sinners, for mercy crying, Pardon and peace from Him obtain;
Ever the wants of the poor supplying, Their faithful God He will remain.
He helps His children in distress, The widows and the fatherless.
Allelujah, allelujah!

5 Praise, all you people, the name so holy Of Him who does such wondrous things!
All that has being, to praise Him solely, With happy heart its amen sings.
Children of God, with angel host Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!
Allelujah, allelujah!

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 God, the helper of all who call on You, have mercy on us and give us eyes of faith to see Your Son that we may follow Him on the way that leads to eternal 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 “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name”  LSB # 549

1    All hail the pow’r of Jesus’ name!  Let angels prostrate fall;

      Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all. (repeat)

2    Crown Him, ye martyrs of our God, who from His altar call;

      Extol the stem of Jesse’s rod and crown Him Lord of all. (repeat)

3    Ye Seed of Israel’s chosen race, now ransomed from the fall,

      Hail Him who saves you by His grace and crown Him Lord of all. (repeat)

4    Hail Him, ye heirs of David’s line, whom David Lord did call,

      The God incarnate, man divine, and crown Him Lord of all. (repeat)

5    Sinners whose love can ne’er forget the wormwood and the gall,

      Go, spread your trophies at His feet and crown Him Lord of all. (repeat)

6    Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe on this terrestrial ball

      To Him all majesty ascribe and crown Him Lord of all. (repeat)

7    Oh, that with yonder sacred throng we at His feet may fall!

      We’ll join the everlasting song and crown Him Lord of all! (repeat)

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Jeremiah 31:7-9)

7 Thus says the Lord:
“Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,
    and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;
proclaim, give praise, and say,
    ‘O Lord, save your people,
    the remnant of Israel.’
8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country
    and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,
among them the blind and the lame,
    the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;
    a great company, they shall return here.
9 With weeping they shall come,
    and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back,
I will make them walk by brooks of water,
    in a straight path in which they shall not stumble,
for I am a father to Israel,
    and Ephraim is my firstborn.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Hebrews 7:23-28)

                    23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

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:  (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

(Mark 10:46-52)

          46 They came to Jericho. And as [Jesus] was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” 50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
                             

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  “Rise, Shine, You People”  LSB # 825

1 Rise, shine, you people! Christ the Lord has entered

Our human story; God in him is centered.

He comes to us, by death and sin surrounded, With grace unbounded.

2 See how he sends the pow’rs of evil reeling;

He brings us freedom, light and life and healing.

All men and women, who by guilt are driven, Now are forgiven.

3 Come, celebrate, your banners high unfurling,

Your songs and prayers against the darkness hurling.

To all the world go out and tell the story Of Jesus’ glory.

4 Tell how the Father sent his Son to save us.

Tell of the Son, who life and freedom gave us.

Tell how the Spirit calls from ev’ry nation His new creation.

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 “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 Worship October 3, 2021

Hymn “Only-Begotten , Word of God Eternal”  LSB # 916

1    Only-begotten, Word of God eternal,
Lord of creation, merciful and mighty:
Hear us, Your servants, as our tuneful voices
Rise in Your presence.

2    Holy this temple where our Lord is dwelling;
This is none other than the gate of heaven.
Ever Your children, year by year rejoicing,
Chant in Your temple.

3    Hear us, O Father, as we throng Your temple.
By Your past blessings, by Your present bounty,
Smile on Your children, and in grace and mercy
Hear our petition.

4    God in three persons, Father everlasting,
Son co-eternal, ever blessed Spirit:
To You be praises, thanks, and adoration,
Glory forever.

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:   In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for His sake God forgives us all our sins.  To those who believe in Jesus Christ He gives the power to become the children of God and bestows on them the Holy Spirit.  May the Lord, who has begun this good work in us, bring it to completion in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 (Genesis 2:18-25)

            18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
    because she was taken out of Man.”

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

L:   O Lord, have mercy on us.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (Hebrews 2:1-13)

            1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

            5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere,

      “What is man, that you are mindful of him,
          or the son of man, that you care for him?
            7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
          you have crowned him with glory and honor,
            8     putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

      Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

            10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 saying,

      “I will tell of your name to my brothers;
          in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”

13 And again,

      “I will put my trust in him.”

And again,

      “Behold, I and the children God has given me.”

L:   O Lord, have mercy on us.

C:   Thanks be to God.

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

C:  (sung) Glory to You, O Lord.

(Mark 10:2-16)

            2 Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.” 5 And Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, 8 and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

            10 And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. 11 And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, 12 and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

            13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” 16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   (sung) Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn of the Day  “If Your Beloved Son, O God”  LSB # 568

1    If Your beloved Son, O God, Had not to earth descended
And in our mortal flesh and blood Had not sin's power ended,
Then this poor, wretched soul of mine In hell eternally would pine
Because of my transgression.

2    But now I find sweet peace and rest; Despair no more reigns o'er me.
No more am I by sin oppressed, or Christ has borne sin for me.
Upon the cross for me He died That, reconciled, I might abide
With You, my God, forever.

3    I trust in Him with all my heart; Now all my sorrow ceases.
His words abiding peace impart; His blood from guilt releases.
Free grace through Him I now obtain; He washes me from ev'ry stain,
And pure I stand before Him.

4    All righteousness by works is vain; The Law brings condemnation.
True righteousness by faith I gain; Christ's work is my salvation.
His death, that perfect sacrifice, Has paid the all-sufficient price;
In Him my hope is anchored.

5    My guilt, O Father, You have laid On Christ, Your Son, my Savior.
Lord Jesus, You my debt have paid And gained for me God's favor.
O Holy Spirit, Fount of grace, The good in me to You I trace;
In faith and hope preserve me.

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.

Closing Hymn “Jerusalem, My Happy Home”  LSB # 673

1 Jerusalem, my happy home, When shall I come to thee?
When shall my sorrows have an end? Thy joys when shall I see?

2 O happy harbor of the saints, O sweet and pleasant soil!
In thee no sorrow may be found, No grief, no care, no toil.

3 Thy gardens and thy gallant walks Continually are green;
There grow such sweet and pleasant flow'rs As nowhere else are seen.

4 There trees forevermore bear fruit And evermore do spring;
There evermore the angels dwell And evermore do sing.

5 Apostles, martyrs, prophets, there Around my Savior stand;
And soon my friends in Christ below Will join the glorious band.

6 O Christ, do Thou my soul prepare For that bright home of love
That I may see Thee and adore With all Thy saints above.

Sunday Worship September 26, 2021

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:   Everlasting Father, source of every blessing, mercifully direct and govern us by Your Holy Spirit that we may complete the works You have prepared for us to do;  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 “Lord, Jesus Christ, with Us Abide”  LSB # 585

1.   Lord Jesus Christ, with us abide, For round us falls the eventide.

      O let Your Word, that saving light, Shine forth undimmed into the night.

2.   In those last days of great distress Grant us, dear Lord, true steadfastness

      That we keep pure till life is spent Your holy Word and Sacrament.

3.   To hope grown dim, to hearts turned cold Speak tongues of fire and make us bold

      To shine Your Word of saving grace Into each dark and loveless place.

4.   May glorious truths that we have heard, The bright sword of Your mighty Word,

      Spurn Satan that Your Church be strong, Bold, unified in act and song.

5.   Restrain, O Lord, the human pride That seeks to thrust Your truth aside

      Or with some man-made thoughts or things Would dim the words Your Spirit sings.

6.   Stay with us, Lord, and keep us true; Preserve our faith our whole life through –

      Your Word alone our heart’s defense, The Church’s glorious confidence.

Scripture Readings

Old Testament Reading (Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29)

            4 Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. 6 But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at…”

      10 Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. 11 Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

            16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you…”

      24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.

            26 Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” 29 But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (James 5:13-20)

            5 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

            19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 9th chapter.

C:  (sung) Glory be to Thee, O Lord.

(Mark 9:38-50)

            38 John said to [Jesus], “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

            42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. 45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. 47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
                       

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  “When to Our World the Savior Came”  LSB # 551

1 When to our world the Saviour came The sick and helpless heard His name,
And in their weakness longed to see The healing Christ of Galilee.

2 That good physician! Night and day The people thronged about His way;
And wonder ran from soul to soul, "The touch of Christ has made us whole!"

3 His praises then were heard and sung By opened ears and loosened tongue,
While lightened eyes could see and know The healing Christ of long ago.

4 Of long ago: yet living still, Who died for us on Calv'ry's hill;
Who triumphed over cross and grave, His healing hands stretched forth to save.

5 His sov'reign purpose still remains Who rose in pow'r, and lives and reigns;
Till ev'ry tongue confess His praise, The healing Christ of all our days.

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 “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.

Sunday Worship September 19, 2021

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:   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 “Father Welcomes”  LSB # 605

1  Father welcomes all his children To His family Through His Son.

Father giving His salvation, Life eternal has been won.

Little children, come to Me, For My kingdom is of these.

Life and love I have to give, Mercy for your sin.

Father welcomes all his children To His family Through His Son.

Father giving His salvation, Life eternal has been won.

In the water, in the Word, In His promise, be assured:

Those who are baptized and believe Shall be born again.

Father welcomes all his children To His family Through His Son.

Father giving His salvation, Life eternal has been won.

Let us gladly die to sin; Let us daily rise with Him,

Walk in the love of Christ our Lord, Live in the peace of God.

Father welcomes all his children To His family Through His Son.

Father giving His salvation, Life eternal has been won.

(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.  Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our leaning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through 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  (Jeremiah 11:18-20)

 18 The Lord made it known to me and I knew;
    then you showed me their deeds.
19 But I was like a gentle lamb
    led to the slaughter.
I did not know it was against me
    they devised schemes, saying,
“Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,
    let us cut him off from the land of the living,
    that his name be remembered no more.”
20 But, O Lord of hosts, who judges righteously,
    who tests the heart and the mind,
let me see your vengeance upon them,
    for to you have I committed my cause.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (James 3:13-4:10)

      13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. 18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

      4 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

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 9th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Mark 9:30-37)

      30 [The disciples] went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

            33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

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.                

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  “The Son of God Goes Forth to War”  LSB #661

1    The Son of God goes forth to war A kingly crown to gain.
His blood-red banner streams afar; Who follows in His train?
Who best can drink His cup of woe, Triumphant over pain,
Who patient bears his cross below-- He follows in His train.

2    The martyr first, whose eagle eye Could pierce beyond the grave,
Who saw his Master in the sky And called on Him to save.
Like Him, with pardon on His tongue In midst of mortal pain,
He prayed for them that did the wrong-- Who follows in his train?

3    A glorious band, the chosen few, On whom the Spirit came,
Twelve valiant saints--their hope they knew And mocked the cross and flame.
They met the tyrant's brandished steel, The lion's gory mane;
They bowed their necks their death to feel-- Who follows in their train?

4    A noble army, men and boys, The matron and the maid,
Around the Savior's throne rejoice, In robes of light arrayed.
They climbed the steep ascent of heav'n Through peril, toil, and pain.
O God, to us may grace be giv'n To follow in their train!

Sunday Worship September 12, 2021

Hymn “From All That Dwell Below the Skies”  LSB # 816

1    From all that dwell below the skies Let the Creator's praise arise;
Alleluia, alleluia!
Let the Redeemer's name be sung Through ev'ry land by ev'ry tongue.
Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

2    Eternal are Thy mercies, Lord; Eternal truth attends Thy Word.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Thy praise shall sound from shore to shore Till suns shall rise and set no more.
Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

3    All praise to God the Father be, All praise, eternal Son, to Thee.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Whom with the Spirit we adore Forever and forevermore:
Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, 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 “Word of God, Come Down on Earth”  #545

1 Word of God, come down on earth, Living rain from heav’n descending;

Touch our hearts and bring to birth Faith and hope and love unending.

Word almighty, we revere You; Word made flesh, we long to hear You.

2 Word eternal, throned on high, Word that brought to life creation,

Word that came from heav’n to die, Crucified for our salvation,

Saving Word, the world restoring, Speak to us, Your love outpouring.

3 Word that caused blind eyes to see, Speak and heal our mortal blindness;

Deaf we are: our healer be; Loose our tongues to tell Your kindness.

Be our Word in pity spoken, Heal the world, by sin now broken.

4 Word that speaks God’s tender love, One with God beyond all telling,

Word that sends us from above, God the Spirit, with us dwelling,

Word of truth, to all truth lead us; Word of life, with one bread feed us.

(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:

Lord Jesus Christ, our support and defense in every need, continue to preserve Your Church in safety, govern her by Your goodness, and bless her with Your peace; 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 50:4-10)

4 The Lord God has given me
    the tongue of those who are taught,
that I may know how to sustain with a word
    him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
    he awakens my ear
    to hear as those who are taught.
5 The Lord God has opened my ear,
    and I was not rebellious;
    I turned not backward.
6 I gave my back to those who strike,
    and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard;
I hid not my face
    from disgrace and spitting.

7 But the Lord God helps me;
    therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
    and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
8     He who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
    Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
    Let him come near to me.
9 Behold, the Lord God helps me;
    who will declare me guilty?
Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment;
    the moth will eat them up.

10 Who among you fears the Lord
    and obeys the voice of his servant?
Let him who walks in darkness
    and has no light
trust in the name of the Lord
    and rely on his God.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

Epistle Reading    (James 3:1-12)

            1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

      How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

P:   This is the Word of the Lord.

C:   Thanks be to God.

P:  The holy Gospel according to St. Mark the 9th chapter.

C:  Glory to You, O Lord.

(Mark 9:14-29)

      14 When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”

P:   This is the Gospel of the Lord.

C:   Praise to You, O Christ.

Hymn of the Day  “Christ, the Lord of Hosts, Unshaken”  LSB # 521

1    Christ, the Lord of hosts, unshaken By the devil’s seething rage,

Thwarts the plan of Satan’s minions; Wins the strife from age to age;

Conquers sin and death forever; Slams them in their steely cage.

2    Michael fought the heavenly battle, Godly angels by his side;

Warred against the ancient serpent, Foiled the beast, so full of pride,

Cast him earthbound with his angels; Now he prowls, unsatisfied.

3    Long on earth the battle rages, Since the serpent’s first deceit;

Twisted God’s command to Adam, Made forbidden fruit look sweet. 

Then the curse of God was spoken: “You’ll lie crushed beneath His feet!”

4    Jesus came, this word fulfilling, Trampled Satan, death defied;

Bore the brunt of our temptation, On the wretched tree He died

Yet to life was raised victorious; By His life our life supplied.

5    Swift as lightning falls the tyrant From his heavenly perch on high,

As the word of Jesus’ victory Floods the earth and fills the sky. 

Wounded by a wound eternal Now his judgment has drawn nigh!

6    Jesus, send Your angel legions When the foe would us enslave.  

Hold us fast when sin assaults us; Come, then, Lord, Your people save.  

Overthrow at last the dragon; Send him to his fiery grave.

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  “How Great Thou Art”  LSB # 801

1 O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder

Consider all the works Thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout the universe displayed;
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee.

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

2 When through the woods and forest glades I wander,

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze;

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee.

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

3 But when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in--
That on the cross my burden gladly bearing
He bled and died to take away my sin;

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee.

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!

4 When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee,

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee.

How great Thou art! How great Thou art!