Christ the King/Last Sunday of the Church year 11/24/24
LAST SUNDAY OF THE CHURCH YEAR
CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY
NOVEMBER 24, 2024
IN THE NAME OF JESUS, WELCOME TO ST. PAUL’S!
✠ ✠ ✠
THE ENTRANCE RITE
PRELUDE Christ Is Surely Coming Setting: Robert J. Powell
WELCOME
ENTRANCE 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!”
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. 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 forever. Amen.
✠ ✠ ✠
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
FIRST LESSON (Be seated) Isaiah 51:4-6
“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.
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.
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.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
ANTHEM Jubilation Choir How Can I Keep from Singing Setting: John Carter
1 My life flows on in endless song
above earth’s lamentation:
I hear the sweet, though far off hymn
that hails a new creation.
Refrain:
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear that music ringing;
it finds an echo in my soul.
How can I keep from singing?
2 What though my joys and comforts die?
My Savior Jesus liveth!
What though the darkness gather round?
Songs in the night He giveth! Refrain
3 No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to my Hope I’m clinging;
since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,
how can I keep from singing? Refrain
4 The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
a fountain ever springing!
All things are mine since I am His!
How can I keep from singing? Refrain
SECOND LESSON Jude 1:20-25
But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
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, 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.
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 13:14-31
The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, the 13th chapter
Glory to You, O Lord.
“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. False christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.
“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 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.
“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. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
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:
Jesus’ return will be quite a scene! A darkened sun. No light from the moon. Stars falling. Heavenly powers shaking. This will no doubt cause us to be greatly disturbed.
But for those of us who are eagerly awaiting his return, it will also be a time of great joy. For at that time we will see our Lord and King in his rightful glory and know that the blessed new age he has promised has commenced.
During his ministry, Jesus often gave glimpses of his power and glory – the most significant of which was his resurrection from the dead. But most of the time he exhibited a spirit of lowliness and humility – as seen in his time with the poor, the needy and the unloved, and as he suffered.
I’ll have more to say about Jesus’ mix of power and humility as the sermon goes forward. But first let’s do a little thinking about how this mix works with leaders in our day.
You are probably aware of the fact that when the United States of America was formed, people were very concerned that our president would too closely resemble a king. The people at that time had endured quite enough from King George and they certainly didn’t want a similar arrangement with just different faces and titles.
But at the same time, they also saw the benefits of a strong central executive. They knew that things needed to get done and that someone had to be empowered to do them.
So they came up with a plan that included three branches of government, with many checks and balances. And for the most part, this has worked out well.
Still, many people claim that over the years the executive branch, led by the president, has grown to become the dominant power. This is debatable, of course. But certainly there is some truth to it – with the amount of truth perceived by each of us probably having a lot to do with whether or not we like the chief executive who’s currently serving.
Interestingly, the Bible itself also has a mixed view of earthly kings. In the early days of Israel, after the people had been freed from their slavery in Egypt and settled into their new land, the nation was organized into what we might call a loose confederation of tribes. They had no king, just local leaders. When a problem arose which concerned all of them, they called on God to raise up a judge to lead them.
But as the years went on, many of the people started to express their desire for a king. They wanted a strong, central leader so that they could grow as a unified power.
God warned them, however, about the dangers of a king. Through the prophet Samuel, he explained that kings would limit their freedoms and take from them whatever they wanted.
God was also concerned about this kind of arrangement because he knew that an earthly king would draw attention away from his own standing among them as their king. He even said, quite directly, that Israel’s desire for a king was a “rejection” of him as their true king.
But despite his warnings, the people persisted in their desire. And eventually God gave them what they wanted. Israel got its kings; and God even gave his blessing to them – asking only that the kings be faithful.
Over the years, some of the kings were very good. Kings such as David, Hezekiah and Josiah led their people in the praise and teachings of God. But more often, Israel had bad kings who forgot God and oppressed the people.
During these days of the kings, the prophets were kept busy ministering to the people and calling the kings back to God. Their ministry was especially needed when Israel split into two kingdoms.
But the prophets had another message as well. They also told the people how God would soon send them a great king – one who would truly embody what a king should be. This king would rule with justice and mercy, love his people more than his own wealth or fame, and bring peace to the nation.
We Christians know that this promise of God was fulfilled and that God has sent us this king. This king is Jesus of Nazareth – who walked this earth 2000 years ago, and now rules from his home in heaven.
Today, on what is the last Sunday of our church calendar, we celebrate him as king and proclaim that he is not just “a” king but “the” king. He is indeed Christ THE King.
When we say Christ is THE king we are saying, first of all, that he is the one promised by God through the prophets. We state this claim through the use of the title “Christ,” for Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah,” and “Messiah” was the name given to God’s coming king by those who heard the prophets and were eagerly waiting. The title literally means “the anointed one” and comes from the ritual anointing Israel used to commission its kings. It also reflects the understanding that the great king to come would stand in the teachings of the prophets and be anointed by God himself.
Secondly, when we say that Christ is THE king we are also declaring our belief that he is the one who gives us safety and security beyond what we could ever achieve on our own. Christ is THE king because he has defeated our greatest enemy – death. And Christ is THE king because he will not let anyone take our faith from us.
In today’s second reading, from the book of Jude, Jesus is described as the one “who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.” Jesus is able to do this because he faced every temptation and deception that we do but did not give in. He then offered himself as a sacrifice to fulfill the demands of the Law, and by doing so overcame the curse of death.
Thirdly, Christ is THE king because he reigns over all. The scriptures describe this reign by saying that he is “seated at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1, others). Jesus himself, at his trial, when asked by the High Priest whether or not he was the Christ, said: “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Jesus’ reign in our world comes from the presence of his Holy Spirit and the proclamation of his word. Through his word he is “living and active” – meaning he is carrying out his ministry among us.
And as he made clear in our Gospel reading today, his word will endure until the end. “Heaven and earth will pass away,” he said, “but my words will not pass away.”
And this leads to a fourth and final reason why Christ is THE king. This world may indeed pass away. But when it does, Christ will also return. And at that time he will usher in a new age and rule over a new creation, made up of the “elect” he will “gather” – those referenced in our Gospel reading.
This new creation will be – in the words of Daniel 7 – “an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away.” And because of this, we, the Church, are waiting for him with great anticipation, saying: “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Yes, Christ is THE king. He is the “king of kings and lord of lords” and we celebrate him on this day.
However, this day also beckons us to ask ourselves: Is Christ MY king? Do I bend my knee before him to honor and adore him, or do I just give him lip service? Do I declare myself to be a member of his kingdom, or do I just wear the label when it’s convenient?
Making Christ our king means that we follow him and abide by his teachings. It means that we both give him praise and follow his rules.
Make no mistake, Jesus is a loving and merciful king who orders his kingdom in a way that allows for blessing and joy to be received by all. But he still wants us to acknowledge his kingship. Remember that he once asked his disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” He asks us the same question.
Following Christ as your king will not always be easy. Nor will it always appeal to you. Some of the things he says may in fact rub you the wrong way.
One of these is the command to love your neighbor as yourself. For we like to compete with our neighbors instead. And this is especially true when we discover that there are differences between us.
Our default mode in these cases is to protect ourselves and our own interests. We build walls, go on the attack if we need to, and justify our actions by pointing out our neighbor’s faults.
But being a Christian means we fight against these impulses and love our neighbor even when it isn’t easy.
Today’s second reading, from the book of Jude, contains a verse with some thoughts which speak to this. It says: “have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” In other words, loving our neighbors means having mercy on them and making attempts to save them when they are lost in sin. We do not love their sin. But we love the sinner.
When Christ is MY king, I both follow his ways and place my trust in him. I live according to his commands and trust that he will take care of me – even when following his ways might put me in danger.
Yes, Christ is THE king. And he wishes to be YOUR king and MY king too. As citizens of his kingdom we will hear his voice and receive his blessings. And this reminds us that perhaps more than anything else, making Christ our king means listening to him.
When I was in high school, I played in the marching band, and each spring our band would travel about an hour away to a small town in Iowa to march in their parade. You may have heard of this town because of the large company that is headquartered there: Pella Windows.
What you may not know is that Pella is a Dutch Reformed community and that their parade is always held in the spring to correspond with the blooming of the tulips. The event is even called the “Tulip Time Parade.” I remember feeling very guilty one year because I was playing Frisbee after the parade and one of my errant throws accidentally mowed down a large row of tulips. Thankfully the Dutch Reformed know how to love their neighbors as themselves.
Anyway, I always assumed that Pella, Iowa, was named after a town in Holland. But it’s not. Instead, it’s named after a city just east of the Jordan River, near where Jesus lived, which in turn was named after a fortress city in Macedonia known for being the birthplace of Alexander the Great. The word “Pella” means “stone fence”—and thus makes a good name for a fortress. When Alexander and his followers conquered the lands of Judea and Syria, they took a strategically located site in the mountains, built a fortress, and named it Pella.
According to early Christian historians, the followers of Christ who lived around Jerusalem in the years immediately after his resurrection paid particularly close attention to the words of today’s Gospel reading and the verses surrounding it – all of which form a long discourse on his return that is found in each of the first three Gospels. Some think this attention was paid because people were expecting him to return right away. Others think it happened because the people were experiencing persecution, just as Jesus said they would.
In any case, many of the Christians took very literally Jesus’ instructions at the beginning of today’s reading, where he said: “when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flea to the mountains.” And because of this attention and understanding, when the Roman armies marched against Jerusalem some thirty years later to put down a revolt, they remembered his words and fled to the mountains. In particular, many of them fled to the fortress at Pella. As it turned out, their decision to flee saved them. For Jerusalem, its inhabitants, and the Temple were all destroyed in the Roman attack.
Here we are reminded of how important it is to listen to Jesus. Listening to the voice of Christ our King is an essential act of faith. We are to hear his words of forgiveness, we are to hear his commands for living, and we are to hear his invitation to be a part of his kingdom, under his gentle and glorious rule. Hearing his word will save our lives.
Christ is THE king sent by God to rule our world and lead us into the good life to come. His reign has come and it will be known by all someday soon.
May God then lead you to make him YOUR king – that you may live under him in his kingdom and serve him, as we say in the catechism, in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
HYMN OF THE DAY (Stand) 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.
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all.
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.
Extol the stem of Jesse’s rod
And crown Him Lord of all.
3 Ye seed of Israel’s chosen race,
Ye ransomed from the fall,
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all.
Hail Him who saves you by His grace
And crown Him Lord of all.
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.
The God incarnate, man divine,
And crown Him Lord of all.
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.
Go, spread your trophies at His feet
And crown Him Lord of all.
6 Let ev’ry kindred, ev’ry tribe,
On this terrestrial ball
To Him all majesty ascribe
And crown Him Lord of all.
To Him all majesty ascribe
And crown Him Lord of all.
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.
We’ll join the everlasting song
And crown Him Lord of all.
NICENE CREED Hymnal, back cover
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.
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
O Almighty God, merciful Father, in this present life of sin and suffering Your Holy Church longs for the return of Christ. Give us grace to make a good confession and strength to stand firm in the faith, ever watchful for His coming in power and glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, bestow strength and steadfastness on the pastors, missionaries and workers of Your Church, that in these gray and latter days Your little flock may be nurtured and built up to the praise of Christ, who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O King of glory, Lord of hosts, in humility Your only-begotten Son stood before governors and kings and was accused unjustly for our sake. Defend the cause of the weak and those who have no voice in our society, particularly the unborn, the poor and the homeless. Give the government of our nation the fortitude to serve its citizens and strive for fairness and justice. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O God, with all creation we look in eager expectation toward our final redemption at the revelation of Your Son. Until that day, sustain those who live under the cross. Give them patience and hope, and grant healing and aid to all in need, especially to those on our prayer list and those we name in our hearts before you at this time…. Draw near to the dying, comfort those who mourn, and give to each of us faith to believe that despite our sufferings You work all things for our good. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, make each communicant worthy to receive Christ’s body and blood on this day, that they would do so with a repentant heart and in faith, not to their judgment, but for their salvation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Receive our thanks and praise for all those who have lived and died in the faith. And bring us with them to share in the splendors of the new heavens and the new earth. 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. Into your hands we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your goodness and mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
OFFERTORY Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful (LSB 955)
1 Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord,
And fill to the brim our cup of blessing.
Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown,
That we may be fed with the bread of life.
Gather the hopes and the dreams of all;
Unite them with the prayers we offer now.
Grace our table with Your presence, and give us
A foretaste of the feast to come.
✠ ✠ ✠
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 Before the Throne of God Above LSB 574
1 Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea:
A great High Priest, whose name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
2 My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart;
I know that while in heav’n He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.
3 When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
4 Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God, the just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.
5 Behold Him there! The risen Lamb!
My perfect, spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace!
6 At one with Him, I cannot die,
My soul is purchased by His blood;
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ, my Savior and my God.
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 Crown Him with Many Crowns LSB 525
1 Crown Him with many crowns,
The Lamb upon His throne;
Hark how the heav’nly anthem drowns
All music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
Of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless king
Through all eternity.
2 Crown Him the virgin’s Son,
The God incarnate born,
Whose arm those crimson trophies won
Which now His brow adorn:
Fruit of the mystic rose,
Yet of that rose the stem,
The root whence mercy ever flows,
The babe of Bethlehem.
3 Crown Him the Lord of love.
Behold His hands and side,
Rich wounds, yet visible above,
In beauty glorified.
No angels in the sky
Can fully bear that sight,
But downward bend their wond’ring eyes
At mysteries so bright.
4 Crown Him the Lord of life,
Who triumphed o’er the grave
And rose victorious in the strife
For those He came to save.
His glories now we sing,
Who died and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring
And lives that death may die.
5 Crown Him the Lord of heav’n,
Enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the king to whom is giv’n
The wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns
As thrones before Him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns,
For He is king of all.
DISMISSAL
Go in peace. Serve the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
POSTLUDE Religious Suite: Final Richard Key Briggs
FLOWERS: In honor of Dick Holzheimer from the Holzheimer Family.
FELLOWSHIP CONTRIBUTORS: Board of Fellowship
Those serving:
8:00 a.m.:
Greeter: Bob Juenger
Comm. assist: Judy Koucky
Reader: Anne Kauzlarich
10:30 a.m.:
Greeter: Lynn Jacquez
Comm. assist: Dan Buuck
Reader: Lynn Jacquez
Acolyte: Will Dennis
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.
955 Let the Vineyards Be Fruitful Text: John W. Arthur, 1922–80 Tune: Richard W. Hillert, 1923–2010 Text and tune: © 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
509 Christ Is Surely Coming Text: Christopher M. Idle, 1938 Tune: Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872–1958 Text: © 1980 The Jubilate Group, admin. Hope Publishing Co. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326 Tune: Public domain
549 All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name Text (sts. 1–5): Edward Perronet, 1726–92, alt.; (sts. 6–7): A Selection of Hymns, 1787, London, alt. Tune: Oliver Holden, 1765–1844 Text and tune: Public domain
574 Before the Throne of God Above Text: Charitie L. de Chenez, 1841–1923
Tune: Vernon Griffiths, 1894–1985 Text: Public domain Tune: © 1971 Faber Music Ltd. Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110005326
525 Crown Him with Many Crowns Text (sts. 1–3, 5): Matthew Bridges, 1800–94, alt.; (st. 4): Godfrey Thring, 1823–1903 Tune: George J. Elvey, 1816–93 Text and tune: Public domain
