Seventeenth Sunday a. Pentecost 9/15
Pentecost 17 9.15.24. PDF Alt Set
SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S!
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THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE O, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing Settings: 1. J. William Greene 2. Jan Bender
WELCOME
ENTRANCE HYMN O, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing LSB 528
1 Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!
2 My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad,
The honors of Thy name.
3 Jesus! The name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life and health and peace.
4 He breaks the pow’r of canceled sin;
He sets the pris’ner free.
His blood can make the foulest clean;
His blood avails for me.
5 Look unto Him, ye nations; own
Your God, ye fallen race.
Look and be saved through faith alone,
Be justified by grace.
6 See all your sins on Jesus laid;
The Lamb of God was slain.
His soul was once an off’ring made
For ev’ry soul of man.
7 To God all glory, praise, and love
Be now and ever giv’n
By saints below and saints above,
The Church in earth and heav’n.
INVOCATION
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
God of all mercy and consolation, come to the aid of your people, turning us from our sin to live for you alone. Give us the power of your Holy Spirit that, attentive to your Word, we may confess our sins, receive your forgiveness, and grow into the fullness of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.
Kneel. Silence is observed for reflection and self-examination.
Gracious God,
have mercy upon us. In your compassion, forgive us our sins, known and unknown,
things done and left undone. Uphold us by your Spirit so that we may live and serve
you in newness of life, to the honor and glory of your holy name; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in eternal life.
Amen.
KYRIE (Stand) LSB 944
For the peace from above and for our salvation; and for the peace of the whole world and the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord:
Kyrie Eleison; Christe Eleison; Kyrie Eleison.
For the well-being of the Church of God; and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord:
Kyrie Eleison; Christe Eleison; Kyrie Eleison.
Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord.
Kyrie Eleison; Christe Eleison; Kyrie Eleison.
HYMN OF PRAISE Splendor and Honor LSB 950
1 Splendor and honor, majesty and power
Are Yours, O Lord God, fount of ev’ry blessing,
For by Your bidding was the whole creation
Called into being.
2 Praised be the true Lamb, slain for our redemption,
By whose self-off’ring we are made God’s people:
A priestly kingdom, from all tongues and nations,
Called to God’s service.
3 To the Almighty, throned in heav’nly splendor,
And to the Savior, Christ our Lamb and Shepherd,
Be adoration, praise, and glory given,
Now and forever.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, our support and defense in every need,
let Your merciful ears be open to the prayers of Your humble servants and grant
that what they ask may be in accord with Your gracious will; through Jesus Christ,
Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God,
now and forever. Amen.
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THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Isaiah 50:4-10
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.
The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I turned not backward.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(8:00) ANTHEM Old Testament Canticle (LSB 261) Jubilation Choir
(10:30) PSALM 116:1-9 (Sung responsively)
I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
SECOND LESSON James 3:1-12
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 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. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 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. 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! 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. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(10:30) CHILDREN’S SERMON
ALLELUIA VERSE (Stand) LSB 952
Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia, alleluia!
GOSPEL Mark 9:14-29
The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 9th chapter.
Glory to You, O Lord.
When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to [Jesus] and greeted him. And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 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.” 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.” 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. And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 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.” And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 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.” 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.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, O Christ.
SERMON (Be seated)
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus. Amen. Dear friends in Christ:
The main themes of the Gospel lesson just read include the power of Jesus to heal and the importance of faithful prayer. And these are the themes reflected also in today’s Old Testament reading and psalm, which were chosen for that purpose.
Today’s second reading was not chosen to correspond with the theme of the others. As usual, it was simply chosen as the next section in our read-through of one of the Epistles – today from James. It is the second of four readings from that book.
All this being said, there is at least one important point of overlap between all these readings. In the Gospel, Jesus is addressed as “Teacher.” Likewise, the Old Testament reading from Isaiah mentions, twice, “those who are taught.” The Psalm tells of those who are simple, which is a way of describing those who need to be taught – even though God is preserving them here, not teaching them.
And James speaks very directly about teaching. Today’s section begins with him saying: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers.” In fact, this point about teaching is his main concern.
In today’s sermon I will begin by addressing this subject of teaching. And I will speak to James’ concern with people becoming teachers.
From there I will move on to speak about the use of our tongues in general. For this is what James does.
James actually spends more time on the subject of our tongues than he does on our teaching. But the two are related of course. Teachers use their tongues and so do we all.
This message is therefore for all of us. May God bless us as we seek to faithfully learn the lessons here and to live them out.
When the man in the Gospel reading called Jesus “teacher,” he was addressing him with a title that showed respect but that was also somewhat non-committal. This form of address worked well because Jesus certainly had a lot to say and was drawing big crowds, but most people weren’t quite sure what he was all about or what they felt about him.
Jesus’ disciples, at some point, started to call him Rabbi. This was a more honorary term, and one that didn’t yet have the specific usage that it does today. Just so you know, in the Gospel of John, Jesus is addressed with this term by lots of people, not just his followers. And this probably speaks more to John’s desire to honor him.
In the ancient world, teachers were given much more respect and honor than they are today. They were greatly valued for their ability to acquire knowledge, to remember it and to convey it in helpful ways.
People today seem to think that teachers aren’t as valuable – at least that’s what the market would lead us to believe. We all know that teachers don’t get paid as much as other professions. And maybe this is because information is so easily available to everyone – in books and on the internet.
But with all the information out there, I believe teachers are more important than ever. And that’s because they’re the ones who have culled through the mass of all this information and found out what’s actually helpful and real. At least that’s what good teachers do.
Most of us do understand the value of a good teacher. And today is a great day for us to thank our teachers and to pray for them.
When James speaks of teachers in today’s reading, he no doubt has in mind those who teach the message of Christ. And in his day, as with ours, these were primarily pastors. Others can and certainly do engage in the teaching task at church as well, but pastors are the ones we should think about first when reading this message.
When we hear James say: “Not many of you should become teachers,” we perhaps chafe a bit because we know the church needs more pastors and teachers and we don’t want potential recruits to be scared off. But here James is simply echoing what his brother Paul has to say about having high standards for the church’s teachers. The church needs these high standards because correct doctrine is extremely important and this will require the sifting through of competing ideas and interpretations. Those who teach in the church need to be educated. It’s not about the ability to just gather a crowd.
When issuing his warning, James explains himself by saying: “for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” Hearing this perhaps causes us to think of all the judgment teachers receive from students, parents, politicians and others. Teachers, as we know, get rated very publicly and blamed when things go wrong. I think we would all agree that teachers tend to get more than their fair share of this judgment from others.
But James is referring here to the judgment which comes from God. And this judgment is ultimately much more important. We should recall that many of the Old Testament prophets spoke very forcefully about God’s judgment on false teachers. And Jesus did too.
When James goes on to speak about the power of the tongue, he undoubtedly has the idea of doctrine in mind. Teachers in the church teach theology. And James knows that correct doctrine is essential.
But notice that he doesn’t say this directly. Nor even imply it. And perhaps this is because he wants us to think about all of our speech, not just our teaching of theology.
Anything a teacher says conveys a message. Even their comments not directed towards the class subject still have an impact. In fact, sometimes these comments actually have more of an impact. Here we think of messages such as approval and disapproval, kindness and harshness, patience and impatience.
Understanding this, we see why today’s reading from James is an especially important one for pastors. Pastors do a lot of talking; about all kinds of subjects. And sometimes their talking misses the mark.
Most of us pastors try to present a spirit of joy, welcome and acceptance when we address the congregation or speak to individuals. We try to mirror God’s love and convey his grace.
But sometimes our attempts fall flat. Sometimes our cheerfulness doesn’t match the mood of the room. Sometimes our humor misses the mark. And sometimes we’re just careless or even clueless.
I know I’ve made poor word choices at times in my interactions with you. I’ve been short and unclear. I’ve been defensive. And I’ve perhaps even been dismissive or unkind.
I can honestly say that I have not meant to speak in these ways. I have no ill will towards anyone. But that doesn’t excuse my mistakes. I should do better.
And so should you. You’ve certainly made mistakes as well. It’s not just pastors and teachers who have trouble with their tongues. Church worker mistakes may be particularly impactful, but each of us has spread some hurt in our time.
Today is a day for all of us to examine our speech. And especially in those cases when we are teaching – which includes parents and leaders and any of us in positions of authority and responsibility. What kind of teachers are we? And what does our speech say about us?
St. Paul once urged us to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). Here we are reminded that pure and accurate doctrine will do us no good if not conveyed with care and concern.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews once admonished his readers by saying: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food” (5:12). Like James, this writer knew the importance of the teaching task and that it must be grounded in the fundamentals, which include both Christ’s being and Christ’s love.
In today’s section of his epistle, James addresses the importance of controlling our tongues by reminding us of their power. Like bits in the mouth of horses and rudders on a ship, the tongue drives and controls much of our existence.
Such power and control would be wonderful if it led us exclusively towards that which is good. But that’s not how it works. “The tongue is a fire,” James says, “a world of unrighteousness.” In other words, it’s constantly bringing chaos and unholiness.
James goes on to say: “The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and (is itself) set on fire by hell.” Here he tells us that not only don’t we have power over our tongues, but that our tongues actually control us – and lead us to harm.
We may think that James is being a little over-the-top here. But his view is consistent with what Jesus taught. Jesus taught that our tongues mirror our hearts. And here we think specifically of his words from two weeks ago where he said: “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander” (Mt 15:18–19). Notice that this list includes sins which are specific to the tongue: those being false witness and slander.
James then culminates his teaching by saying: “no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” And this is a strong statement, but one that is certainly true. We can learn to control our tongues to a degree, but we can’t control them completely.
In our society today, it seems that the uncontrolled tongue is rewarded. People seem to like those who are unpredictable and edgy. They find them interesting. And so do we. To a degree.
At the same time, the people of our day also love to point out when others speak incorrectly. In fact, doesn’t it seem like half or more of our news articles today are about a supposedly controversial thing that someone said?
James urges that our tongues be used properly. To a Christian, words matter. When pointing out that both blessings and curses come from the same mouth, James says bluntly: “These things ought not to be.”
To help us do better, James tells us to seek the “wisdom that comes down from above.” He does this in the verses following our text today – verses which we will read and think more about next Sunday.
This wisdom from God will indeed help us with our control and lead us to improved speech. Isaiah the prophet was one who experienced this. Notice how our Old Testament reading begins. Isaiah says: “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.” Isaiah had learned how to help people with his words. And he learned this through God’s teaching.
In a world of ugly words promoting aggression and me-first messages, God’s teachings are more important than ever. His pure and holy words are in fact the only antidote to our tongue problem.
Of greatest importance in this help from God is his teaching on forgiveness. We who continually fail with our words will only be freed from despair by understanding that God forgives our sins when we ask him.
In his epistle, James doesn’t convey this aspect of God’s wisdom very often. Christians have noted this absence from early times. And Luther was one who especially noted this. But he, like most others, also understood that James’ overall message is sound and that James did indeed know of God’s grace. In his first chapter (v.17,18) James says: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” Here he mentions the “wisdom from above” just like in chapter three.
James then goes on to say: “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” And this is a reference to the new life which is given to the follower of Christ – a new life which comes about because God has enabled it.
Our other scripture readings today are even clearer about God’s grace. Our Isaiah reading is a portion of a servant song, where the prophet speaks of the servant who will give his life to save his people. And this is a prophecy about Jesus, who served us by going to the cross. Because of his sacrifice on that cross we can say with him: “Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty?”
The psalm tells us that our God is “gracious and merciful.” It also shares that because of him, “our soul will be delivered from death” and we will “walk in the land of the living.” This is a promise which gives tremendous comfort.
The Gospel tells how Jesus declared: “all things are possible for one who believes.” And it tells as well how he healed a man from an unclean spirit despite his father’s struggling faith. In this reading we are reminded that the healing of unclean spirits is what Jesus does, and that he does this for all who turn to him in faith, even if that faith isn’t always so strong.
James knew of all this. And his message today is definitely given in that spirit.
Still, James knows that Jesus’ followers also need to hear the law. And his law for us today is about using our tongues well. Not many of us should become teachers, since using our tongues is such a hard thing to get right. But all of us still teach in our vocations, and we should do so with a kind and caring tongue, according to the wisdom that comes down from above.
May God then lead us in our teaching. And also in our hearing of his gracious words.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness LSB 849
1 Praise the One who breaks the darkness
With a liberating light;
Praise the One who frees the pris’ners,
Turning blindness into sight.
Praise the One who preached the Gospel,
Healing ev’ry dread disease,
Calming storms, and feeding thousands
With the very Bread of peace.
2 Praise the One who blessed the children
With a strong, yet gentle, word;
Praise the One who drove out demons
With the piercing, two-edged sword.
Praise the One who brings cool water
To the desert’s burning sand;
From this Well comes living water,
Quenching thirst in ev’ry land.
3 Let us praise the Word Incarnate,
Christ, who suffered in our place.
Jesus died and rose victorious
That we may know God by grace.
Let us sing for joy and gladness,
Seeing what our God has done;
Let us praise the true Redeemer,
Praise the One who makes us one.
APOSTLES’ CREED LSB, Back cover
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.
OFFERING
Offerings support the church’s mission work – both here and through our many partners. Offerings may be placed in the box at the sanctuary entrance or sent to the church through our website or the mail. Fellowship Cards help us welcome new people and track participation. Please fill one out and place it in the offering box following the service.
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Lord God, we believe; help our unbelief! Sustain us through the many troubles and trials of this world. When unclean spirits afflict us and those that we love, revive our trust in You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, You have given Your beloved Son the tongue of one who is taught, that He may know how to sustain with a word those who are weary. Prosper in every place the preaching of Your Gospel. By Your Spirit, enable Your pastors to proclaim the Word with clarity and joy, and by the same Spirit open the ears of Your children to believe it with gladness and action. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, guard our tongues as we speak to one another, that we may build one another up with our words and not tear one another down. Bless also the words and speech of our governing authorities, that they may speak wisely as they lead us – doing so in accordance with Your will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, You have promised that “all things are possible for one who believes.” In such faith, we bring before You all on our prayer list and all whom we name in our hearts … asking You to grant them healing, renewal, and all that they need. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, we know that Your Son is near in His Holy Supper, giving in His body and blood His saving righteousness for the forgiveness of sins. Grant repentance and faith to all who come to His table, that they may welcome Him with joy, praying, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, heavenly Father, we gratefully remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Rejoicing in His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
OFFERTORY Create in Me (LSB 956)
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from Thy presence;
and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation;
and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Amen.
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SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE (Stand)
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
It is truly good, right and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ our Lord…
Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify your glorious name, evermore praising you and saying:
SANCTUS (LSB 961)
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth;
heav’n and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessèd, blessèd, blessèd is He
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Blessed are you, Lord of heaven and earth. In mercy for our fallen world you gave your only Son, that all those who believe in him should not perish but have eternal life. We give thanks to you for the salvation you have prepared for us through Jesus Christ. Send now your Holy Spirit into our hearts, that we may receive our Lord with a living faith as he comes to us in his holy supper.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
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.
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI (LSB 962)
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world;
grant us Your peace,
grant us Your peace,
grant us Your peace.
THE COMMUNION (Be seated)
Those wishing to commune at the foot of the steps should come forward first. Those wishing to commune at the altar rail should come forward after these, front rows first, from both sides of the aisle. After receiving, all should return to their seats. A common dismissal will be given at the end.
DISTRIBUTION HYMN Jesus Comes Today with Healing LSB 620
1 Jesus comes today with healing,
Knocking at my door, appealing,
Off’ring pardon, grace, and peace.
He Himself makes preparation,
And I hear His invitation:
“Come and taste the blessèd feast.”
2 Christ Himself, the priest presiding,
Yet in bread and wine abiding
In this holy sacrament,
Gives the bread of life, once broken,
And the cup, the precious token
Of His sacred covenant.
3 Under bread and wine, though lowly,
I receive the Savior holy,
Blood and body, giv’n for me,
Very Lamb of God from heaven,
Who to bitter death was given,
Hung upon the cursèd tree.
4 God descends with heav’nly power,
Gives Himself to me this hour
In this ordinary sign.
On my tongue His pledge receiving,
I accept His grace, believing
That I taste His love divine.
5 Let me praise God’s boundless favor,
Whose own feast of love I savor,
Bidden by His gracious call.
Wedding garments He provides me,
With a robe of white He hides me,
Fits me for the royal hall.
6 Now have I found consolation,
Comfort in my tribulation,
Balm to heal the troubled soul.
God, my shield from ev’ry terror,
Cleanses me from sin and error,
Makes my wounded spirit whole.
NUNC DIMITTIS (LSB 937)
1 Lord, bid Your servant go in peace,
Your word is now fulfilled.
These eyes have seen salvation’s dawn,
This child so long foretold.
2 This is the Savior of the world,
The Gentiles’ promised light,
God’s glory dwelling in our midst,
The joy of Israel.
3 With saints of old, with saints to come,
To You we lift our voice;
To Father, Son, and Spirit blest
Be honor, love, and praise.
PRAYER (Stand)
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN Christ Be My Leader LSB 861
SENDING HYMN From God Can Nothing Move Me Sts. 1-5 LSB 713
1 From God can nothing move me;
He will not step aside
But gently will reprove me
And be my constant guide.
He stretches out His hand
In evening and in morning,
My life with grace adorning
Wherever I may stand.
2 When those whom I regarded
As trustworthy and sure
Have long from me departed,
God’s grace shall still endure.
He rescues me from sin
And breaks the chains that bind me.
I leave death’s fear behind me;
His peace I have within.
3 The Lord my life arranges;
Who can His work destroy?
In His good time He changes
All sorrow into joy.
So let me then be still:
My body, soul, and spirit
His tender care inherit
According to His will.
4 Each day at His good pleasure
God’s gracious will is done.
He sent His greatest treasure
In Jesus Christ, His Son.
He ev’ry gift imparts.
The bread of earth and heaven
Are by His kindness given.
Praise Him with thankful hearts!
5 Praise God with acclamation
And in His gifts rejoice.
Each day finds its vocation
Responding to His voice.
Soon years on earth are past;
But time we spend expressing
The love of God brings blessing
That will forever last!
ANNOUNCEMENTS (Be seated)
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Fanfare for a New Day Wayne Kerr
FLOWERS: With thankfulness to God for his caring and healing hand for many of us along with the daily blessings he provides. By Marge Glass
FELLOWSHIP CONTRIBUTORS: The LWML
Those serving:
8:00 a.m.
Greeter: Bob Juenger
Comm. Assist.: Judy Koucky
Reader: Rich Kauzlarich
10:30 a.m.:
Greeter: Jason Starck
Comm. assist: Dede Dixon
Reader: Bill Muller
Acolyte: Noah Starck
AV Assistants: Hannes Buuck, Andreas Buuck
Acknowledgments
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Created by Lutheran Service Builder © 2024 Concordia Publishing House. LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
528 Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing Text: Charles Wesley, 1707–88, alt. Tune: Carl G. Gläser, 1784–1829 Text and tune: Public domain
849 Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness Text: Rusty Edwards, 1955 Tune: The Sacred Harp, 1844, Philadelphia Text: © 1987 Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
620 Jesus Comes Today with Healing Text: Heinrich Puchta, 1808–58; tr. David W. Rogner, 1960 Tune: Johann Löhner, 1645–1705; adapt. Johann Balthasar König, 1691–1758 Text: © David W. Rogner. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
713 From God Can Nothing Move Me Text: Ludwig Helmbold, 1532–98; (sts. 1–2): tr. Gerald Thorson, 1921–2001, alt.; (st. 3): tr. Lutheran Service Book, 2006; (sts. 4–5): tr. Gregory J. Wismar, 1946 Tune: Recueil de plusieurs chansons, 1557, Lyons, alt. Text (sts. 1–2): © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship; (sts. 3–5): © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
