Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost 11/17/2024
Pentecost 26 11.17.24 PDF DS 4
TWENTY-SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
NOVEMBER 17, 2024
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S!
✠ ✠ ✠
THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE Come, Christians, Join to Sing Setting: Becki Slagle Mayo
10:00 Pauline Bell Ringers
WELCOME
ENTRANCE HYMN Come, Christians, Join to Sing
1 Come, Christians, join to sing Alleluia, Amen!
Loud praise to Christ our King, Alleluia, Amen!
Let all, with heart and voice, before His throne rejoice;
praise is His gracious choice, Alleluia, Amen!
2 Come, lift your hearts on high, Alleluia, Amen!
Let praises fill the sky, Alleluia, Amen!
He is our Guide and Friend, to us He’ll condescend;
His love shall never end, Alleluia, Amen!
3 Praise yet our Christ again, Alleluia, Amen!
Life shall not end the strain, Alleluia, Amen!
On heaven’s blissful shore His goodness we’ll adore,
Singing forevermore, “Alleluia, Amen!”
CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION LSB 203
In the name of the Father and of the ✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
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.
Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us our sins, and lead us to everlasting life. Amen.
Almighty God, merciful Father, in Holy Baptism You declared us to be Your children and gathered us into Your one, holy Church, in which You daily and richly forgive us our sins and grant us new life through Your Spirit. Be in our midst, enliven our faith, and graciously receive our prayer and praise; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
KYRIE LSB 204
Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy.
HYMN OF PRAISE – “Gloria in Excelsis” LSB 204
1 To God on high be glory
And peace to all the earth;
Goodwill 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.
2 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—
3 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.
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray. 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. Amen.
✠ ✠ ✠
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Daniel 12:1-3
“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. 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. 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.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
PSALM 16 (Sung responsively)
Preserve me, O God,
for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
As for the saints in the land,
they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
SECOND LESSON Hebrews 10:11-25
Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
“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,”
then he adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 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. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 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.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
(10:30) CHILDREN’S SERMON
ALLELUIA VERSE (Stand)
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL Mark 13:1-13
The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 13th chapter
Glory to You, O Lord.
As [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 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.”
And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 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.
“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. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 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. 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. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
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 one who endures to the end will be saved.” That’s the message Jesus gives at the conclusion of today’s Gospel reading.
Based on what he says right before this, it sounds like the salvation he has in mind is from painful persecutions and difficult times. Jesus specifically mentions the trauma of being beaten, hated and brought to trial.
Salvation from these is certainly part of what he means. His followers will be saved from their trials and persecutions… eventually. But Jesus also has in mind a greater salvation. Jesus will also save his people from the penalty of their sin.
In the verses of today’s reading Jesus doesn’t specifically mention this salvation. But he points to it when he urges us not to go astray. Straying from Jesus means to leave his protection and follow our own path. This is done when we put our faith in someone else, and also when we abandon the ethics he has taught us.
Not long before this, Jesus told a parable about a lost sheep that had gone astray. In that parable the shepherd left the 99 others in his flock to go after the one. The shepherd did this because that one lost sheep meant so much to him. And this tells us about Jesus’ great love for each of us, his children. Like a good shepherd, Jesus pursues us in order to save us from the death which awaits those who stray.
Jesus’ call to endure, as given in today’s reading, is a call to endure in faith. We are to trust him to save us from all that would harm us, including our sin.
Notice that we are to keep this faith “until the end.” We might think that this goes without saying, especially since the word “endure” comes from the word “end.” But Jesus makes a special point of saying this. Which should cause us to pause and reflect.
As with his earlier statements, we might think that Jesus is simply referring here to the end of whatever trial we might be facing. But Jesus certainly means more than this as well. Without question, Jesus’ most direct reference here is to the end of our lives. His words are meant to remind us that we will all die someday.
At the same time, however, Jesus is also talking about something else. He’s also pointing to the end of the world – the day he will come again in glory. This is the end Jesus mentioned earlier when he said: “This must take place, but the end is not yet.” We know this because Jesus uses the definite article – “the end” – meaning one end in particular. This is the end prophesied by Daniel in our Old Testament reading and by others as well. It is also the end Jesus mentioned many times in his ministry – the one which will include his final judgment.
As this end approaches, things will get difficult for us. Jesus makes this clear. And he names some of the difficulties we will face.
Jesus also describes the difficulty by comparing it to the pains of birth. But this is a comparison meant to express joy as well. For along with the pain of birth comes a birth!
What is it that brings joy on the day of judgment? Mark doesn’t give us details here, only implying the good by saying we will be saved. But other places of scripture tell us quite clearly that the birth we will experience is an entrance into a new age – one where there will be no more struggle, pain or death; one where paradise is restored.
This end may come long after we are dead. Or it may come before we die. It can come any time. That’s another reason Jesus tells us to be “on guard.”
Over the next two Sundays, we will continue reading this discourse of Jesus. In the readings we will hear more from him about what it means to be on guard.
But today, let’s continue to think about enduring.
When people today speak about enduring, they will often use the word “resilient.” I’m sure you’ve heard this word. Sports team managers talk about how their team was resilient despite injuries. Business owners talk about the importance of being resilient through tough times. Young people who have overcome some challenge or disability are said to be resilient. Resiliency is now held up as a key in most any personal success.
Jesus would certainly have no issue with this word. But he also knows that words like this are only so helpful on their own. That’s why Jesus also gives more information. He equips his disciples by letting them know what they will be up against. You’ve heard the old saying “to be forewarned is to be forearmed.” That’s what Jesus is doing in this reading.
But he is doing more than this too. He is also arming us with God’s promises.
In our reading, Jesus tells of four particular challenges that his disciples will face as they seek to endure. And as he mentions these, he also points to God’s help.
The first challenge is that some people will try to lead Christ’s followers astray. They will come in Jesus’ name but prove to be false messiahs, for their teachings won’t completely match what he has said and they won’t have the same power and authority. They certainly won’t extend the same grace. These false messiahs are the ones spoken of vividly in the Book of Revelation – which also speaks vividly of God’s protection from them.
Secondly, Christ’s disciples will be challenged by many great disruptions. Nations will rise against nations in war and there will be natural disasters too, like earthquakes and famine. These disruptions will threaten to engulf and defeat us. And they will bring great fear. But they can’t destroy faith and they can’t cancel God’s love.
Third, Jesus says that his disciples will be persecuted, threatened and even betrayed. “You will be beaten in the synagogues and brought to trial,” he says. “Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise up against parents.” These are great challenges indeed – ones of particular pain because they take place within our own families. But notice the promise. God will send his Holy Spirit to help us – even giving us the words to say.
Fourth, Jesus says that his disciples will be hated. And not just by some, but by all. Jesus may be using a little hyperbole here, but the hate will be real and will certainly seem to come from all. This may be the hardest challenge of all. For no one likes to be hated. And when hate comes from a majority, it puts a target on one’s back. Jesus said the hate will come “for my name’s sake.” Thankfully, his name also comes with the promise of his help and care. As Jesus said, “the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
Jesus forewarns. And God provides his help. We are not alone in our task of enduring.
Still, the task will require some effort on our part too. And some wisdom. One particular area where these must be employed is in our stewardship.
Two weeks ago our congregation sent out a letter to its members and friends announcing our annual stewardship campaign. The theme for the campaign – “Take heart, get up, he is calling you” – came from our Gospel reading last Sunday. Through this theme we have encouraged everyone to act boldly and confidently in their stewardship calling, and to do so based on the joy which comes from “taking heart” in the Gospel.
Today is the culmination of our stewardship campaign and the day we call Commitment Sunday. Through the campaign we have asked you to consider making a commitment of your giving for the coming year – your giving of time, service and finances. And today we are giving you the opportunity to declare your commitment by returning a Commitment Form. If you don’t have one, there are extra copies on a table in the narthex.
As you prepare to make your commitment, or as you continue to consider one, I will point out that our campaign theme is echoed also by today’s second reading. In these verses from Hebrews chapter ten, the writer begins by telling of the great news of salvation given when Jesus offered himself as a perfect and once-for-all sacrifice for our sins. And from there, the writer encourages us to live out our faith by holding fast to the confession of our hope and by stirring up one another to love and good works. Such stirring, he adds, will best take place as we meet together regularly for worship and prayer.
Let me remind you that these gatherings which Hebrews encourages are only possible through your offerings of money, time and talent. Maintaining a meeting place and effectively proclaiming the Gospel are not simple things. In order to do church well, everyone needs to contribute.
And contributing is something you should do for your own good as well. For consider this: not only does the Lord love a cheerful giver, but giving makes one cheerful too. It’s true.
When we contribute to the help of others, we not only feel good about the giving we just did, but we also bring joy to those who receive the help. And this cycle of giving and receiving works to sustain us all.
One last thought. This one from our Gospel reading.
The reading begins, you recall, with Jesus’ disciples expressing awe and wonder at the sight of the great Temple in Jerusalem. Such wonder was not uncommon, for the Temple dominated the skyline of the city. Though it was not yet finished, it still prompted many to call it one of the great works of that time.
But then Jesus told them that someday the great Temple would come crashing down.
Jesus’ words here are two-fold in meaning. Three-fold, actually.
First, they tell of a literal destruction that would take place at some point in the future. And as we know, this prediction of his would soon come true. For in about thirty years, Roman armies would tear down the temple and leave only a small portion of the western wall.
Second, Jesus’ words here point to the end of God’s use of that temple and all it represented. The temple would soon no longer be needed, for in Jesus God was introducing a new way and centering his presence in Jesus, not the Temple.
Third, the destruction of the Temple foreshadowed the destruction of the world at the end of this age. For just as that building would someday crumble, so also the world itself would not endure.
And this last meaning speaks to us in our stewardship decisions. For it should cause us to consider whether we are building temples that will last or temples that won’t.
Let me explain.
People today love to build big, beautiful temples in that they build careers, homes, businesses and families which are large and beautiful and which become the center of their focus and the pride of their lives. We see these all around us. But will these temples endure?
The Psalms proclaim constantly that the only thing which lasts in this world is God’s steadfast love. And to this, Jesus added that “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Luke 21:33).
The stewardship point here is that we are to do things which share God’s love and proclaim God’s word. When these become the focus of our work and the source of our pride, then we will build careers, homes, businesses and families that truly praise God. For then they will truly serve others.
What you build may not be large and impressive in the eyes of the world. But it will be pleasing to God.
So build this way that your faith may endure to the end. And build this way so that you will be saved.
The most important element in our salvation is the forgiveness God grants through the sacrifice of his Son Jesus on the cross – that is what makes our salvation possible. But we are still called to endure in faith. Again: “The one who endures to the end will be saved.”
This means we resolve to make good choices, including how we spend our money and how we spend our time and how we use our talents. We either include God in our choices or we don’t. We either conform to his will or we don’t.
Certainly the Lord gives us great latitude and choice over how we give to him. We can build a family. We can build a home. We can build careers and social lives and retirement plans and hobbies, collections, interests… all kinds of things. But we should only build these things when we have first given to the Lord. This means we give for his purposes in our lives, which includes, especially, the proclamation of his Word.
When we give to the work of the Lord, we are taking steps to help ourselves endure in faith. We are developing habits of charity and good planning. We are living and exercising our faith.
Jesus has told us of the future life to come. He has earned our salvation. He has pointed out the challenges we will face in this life. And he has committed himself to walking with us each day.
Let us then boldly and confidently take the steps we need to endure in faith.
In the holy name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) Lord of All Good LSB 786
1 Lord of all good, our gifts we bring You now;
Use them Your holy purpose to fulfill.
Tokens of love and pledges they shall be
That our whole life is offered to Your will.
2 We give our minds to understand Your ways;
Hands, eyes, and voice to serve Your great design;
Hearts with the flame of Your own love ablaze—
Thus for Your glory all our pow’rs combine.
3 Father, whose bounty all creation shows;
Christ, by whose willing sacrifice we live;
Spirit, from whom all life in fullness flows:
To You with grateful hearts ourselves we give.
APOSTLES’ CREED Hymnal, 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.
O Lord, preserve Your Church throughout the world and keep us ready at all times for Your Son’s glorious return. Lead us to proclaim His coming with zeal and to endure all trials and persecutions with faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We give You thanks, Holy Lord, for the fruits of the earth provided by Your hand. Supply the needs of all who grow, process and distribute our food, and move us to share these bountiful gifts with our neighbors in their time of need. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Bless us, O Lord, in our task of stewarding what you have given. Lead us to faithfully return to you our offerings for the work of your kingdom. Help us to be wise in meeting all of our earthly responsibilities. And remind us of your promise to provide for our needs. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Uphold all in authority in this world, O Lord, especially the president and Congress of the United States, the governor and legislature of this state, and all diplomats and judges. Graciously enable them to lead according to Your will and for our good. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy One, the blood of Christ gives us confidence to enter the holy places and draw near to You with true hearts in the full assurance of faith. Behold Your servants who are in difficult and trying times, especially those who are in prison, those who are sick, those who mourn, and those who are lonely or homebound. In particular, we ask that you extend your care to those on our prayer list and those we name in our hearts at this time… Grant all of them healing and comfort according to Your gracious will. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Author and Giver of all good, Your Son gives us the very body and blood with which He purchased the world’s redemption at the cross. Prepare our hearts and minds to welcome with thanksgiving the sign and seal of this new and eternal covenant and to receive him with faith, that in the forgiveness of sins we may look forward to the day of His return. 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 Take My Life and Let It Be LSB 784
1 Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee;
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise,
Let them flow in ceaseless praise.
2 Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love;
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee,
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3 Take my voice and let me sing
Always, only for my King;
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee,
Filled with messages from Thee.
4 Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold;
Take my intellect and use
Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose,
Ev’ry pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5 Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine;
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6 Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store;
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee,
Ever, only, all for Thee.
✠ ✠ ✠
SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT
PREFACE (Stand) LSB 208-210
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, O Lord, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, for the countless blessings You so freely bestow on us and all creation. Above all, we give thanks for Your boundless love shown to us when You sent Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into our flesh and laid on Him our sin, giving Him into death that we might not die eternally. Because He is now risen from the dead and lives and reigns to all eternity, all who believe in Him will overcome sin and death and will rise again to new life. 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 208
Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Sabaoth adored;
Heav’n and earth with full acclaim shout the glory of Your name.
Sing hosanna in the highest, sing hosanna to the Lord;
Truly blest is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
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 WORDS OF OUR LORD
PAX DOMINI
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
Amen.
AGNUS DEI LSB 210
1 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
Have mercy on us, Lord, we pray.
2 O Jesus Christ, true Lamb of God,
You take the sin of the world away;
Have mercy on us, Jesus Christ,
And grant us peace, O Lord, we pray.
DISTRIBUTION (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 Hail, Thou Once Despised Jesus LSB 531
1 Hail, Thou once despisèd Jesus!
Hail, Thou Galilean King!
Thou didst suffer to release us;
Thou didst free salvation bring.
Hail, Thou universal Savior,
Bearer of our sin and shame!
By Thy merit we find favor:
Life is given through Thy name.
2 Paschal Lamb, by God appointed,
All our sins on Thee were laid;
By almighty love anointed,
Thou hast full atonement made.
All Thy people are forgiven
Through the virtue of Thy blood;
Opened is the gate of heaven,
Reconciled are we with God.
3 Jesus, hail! Enthroned in glory,
There forever to abide;
All the heav’nly hosts adore Thee,
Seated at Thy Father’s side.
There for sinners Thou art pleading;
There Thou dost our place prepare,
Ever for us interceding
Till in glory we appear.
4 Worship, honor, pow’r, and blessing
Thou art worthy to receive;
Highest praises, without ceasing,
Right it is for us to give.
Help, ye bright angelic spirits,
All your noblest anthems raise;
Help to sing our Savior’s merits,
Help to chant Immanuel’s praise!
NUNC DIMITTIS LSB 211
1 O Lord, now let Your servant
Depart in heav’nly peace,
For I have seen the glory
Of Your redeeming grace:
A light to lead the Gentiles
Unto Your holy hill,
The glory of Your people,
Your chosen Israel.
2 All glory to the Father,
All glory to the Son,
All glory to the Spirit,
Forever Three in One;
For as in the beginning,
Is now, shall ever be,
God’s triune name resounding
Through all eternity.
PRAYER (Stand)
BENEDICTION
SENDING HYMN O God, Our Help in Ages Past LSB 733
1 O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home:
2 Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
3 Before the hills in order stood
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.
4 A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone,
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.
5 Time, like an ever-rolling stream,
Soon bears us all away;
We fly forgotten as a dream
Dies at the op’ning day.
6 O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our guard while troubles last
And our eternal home!
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE O God, Our Help in Ages Past Setting: Paul Soulek
FELLOWSHIP CONTRIBUTORS: Lorena Erbert
Those serving:
8:00 a.m.:
Greeter: Steve Janssen
Comm. assist: Jim Easterly
Reader: Norm Williams
10:30 a.m.:
Greeter: Charles Fisher
Comm. assist: Dede Dixon
Reader: Dan Buuck
Acolyte: Elise Yashar
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.
784 Take My Life and Let It Be Text: Frances R. Havergal, 1836–79 Tune: Henri A. C. Malan, 1787–1864 Text and tune: Public domain
Come, Christians, Join to Sing Text: Christian H. Bateman(1819-1889) Tune: Madrid (Sanish) Text and tune: Public domain
786 Lord of All Good Text: Albert F. Bayly, 1901–84, alt.Tune: Henry Lawes, 1595–1662 Text: © Oxford University Press. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
531 Hail, Thou Once Despised Jesus Text (sts. 1, 3–4): Hymns Addressed to the Holy, Holy, Holy, Triune God, 1757, London, alt.; (sts. 2–4): A Collection of Psalms and Hymns, 1760, London, alt.Tune: Geist-reiches Gesang-Buch, 1704, Halle, ed. Johann A. Freylinghausen Text and tune: Public domain
733 O God, Our Help in Ages Past Text: Isaac Watts, 1674–1748, alt. Tune: William Croft, 1678–1727 Text and tune: Public domain
