Service outline for Sunday, January 31, 2021

 

Welcome to worship at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church!

Sunday, January 31, 2021

The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

 PRELUDE           Songs of Thankfulness and Praise      Ashdown     

     

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins.

Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God,

whose voice is upon the waters,

whose mercy is poured out upon all people,

whose goodness cascades over all creation.

Amen.

 Let us confess our sin, trusting in the abundant grace of God.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy God,

you search us and know us.

You are acquainted with all our ways.

We confess that our hearts are burdened by sin—

our own sins and the broken systems that bind us.

We turn inward, failing to follow

your outward way of love.

We distrust those who are not like us.

We exploit the earth and its resources

and fail to consider generations to come.

Forgive us, gracious God,

for all we have done and left undone.

Even before the words are on our tongues,

you know them;

receive them in your divine mercy.

Amen.

How vast is God's grace!

Through the power and promise of + Christ Jesus,

our sins are washed away

and we are claimed as God's own beloved.

Indeed, we are forgiven.

In the wake of God's forgiveness,

we are called to be the beloved community

living out Christ's justice

and the Spirit's reconciling peace.

Amen.

 

HYMN        Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing          #886 v. 1,5,6

 GREETING

The grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God, and communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

And also with you.

  

kyrie

Hymn of Praise      Rise, Shine, You People             #665 v. 1

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Children's message

FIRST READING: Deuteronomy 18:15-20

 [Moses said:] ¹⁵The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. ¹⁶This is what you requested of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: "If I hear the voice of the LORD my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die." ¹⁷Then the LORD replied to me: "They are right in what they have said. ¹⁸I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. ¹⁹Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. ²⁰But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak—that prophet shall die."

 

 PSALM: Psalm 111

 ¹Hallelujah! I will give thanks to the LORD with ^| my whole heart,

            in the assembly of the upright, in the ^| congregation.

²Great are your ^| works, O LORD,

            pondered by all who de- ^| light in them.

³Majesty and splendor ^| mark your deeds,

            and your righteousness en- ^| dures forever.

⁴You cause your wonders to ^| be remembered;

            you are gracious and full ^| of compassion. 

⁵You give food to ^| those who fear you,

            remembering forev- ^| er your covenant.

⁶You have shown your people the power ^| of your works

            in giving them the lands ^| of the nations.

⁷The works of your hands are faithful- ^| ness and justice;

            all of your pre- ^| cepts are sure.

⁸They stand fast forev- ^| er and ever,

            because they are done in ^| truth and equity. 

⁹You sent redemption to your people

and commanded your cove- ^| nant forever;

            holy and awesome ^| is your name.

¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the begin- ^| ning of wisdom;

            all who practice this have a good understanding.

            God's praise en- ^| dures forever. 

 

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

 ¹Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. ²Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; ³but anyone who loves God is known by him.

 ⁴Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "no idol in the world really exists," and that "there is no God but one." ⁵Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords—⁶yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

 ⁷It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸Food will not bring us close to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. ⁹But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? ¹¹So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. ¹²But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. ¹³Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.

 

GOSPEL: Mark 1:21-28

²¹[Jesus and his disciples] went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. ²²They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. ²³Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, ²⁴and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." ²⁵But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" ²⁶And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁷They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." ²⁸At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

       The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

HYMN   There Is a Balm in Gilead                                             #614 v. 1,3

APOSTLES CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

 

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's 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 to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

 

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.   Amen

 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

PEACE

OFFERING

COMMUNION PRAYER

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

DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNION

BLESSING

HYMN     Jesus Shall Reign         #434 v. 1,4,5

DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE       Lord Jesus, You Shall Be My Song          Sedio

 Liturgy and hymns printed and streamed with permission through OneLicense. A-710659