Service outline for Sunday, March 21, 2021

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

Sunday, March 21, 2021

Lent 5

 

PRELUDE   Jesus, I Will Ponder Now            R. Below     

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, who brings us safely through the sea, who gives us water from the rock, who leads us into the land of milk and honey.

Amen.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal,

have mercy on us.

For self-centered living, and for failing to walk with humility and gentleness:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 For longing to have what is not ours, and for hearts that are not at rest with ourselves:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For misuse of human relationships, and for unwillingness to see the image of God in others:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For jealousies that divide families and nations, and for rivalries that create strife and warfare:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For reluctance in sharing the gifts of God, and for carelessness with the fruits of creation:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For hurtful words that condemn, and for angry deeds that harm:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For idleness in witnessing to Jesus Christ, and for squandering the gifts of love and grace:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

Accomplish in us, O God, the work of your salvation,

that we may show forth your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son, our Savior,

bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

In the mercy of almighty God, our Lord Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake, God forgives us all our sin.  As a call and ordained minister of the church of Christ and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

 

HYMN   Christ, the Life of All the Living  #339 v. 1,3

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.

 

PRAYER OF THE DAY

 

Children's message

  

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 31:31-34

³¹The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ³²It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD.

³³But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ³⁴No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, "Know the LORD," for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

 

PSALM: Psalm 51:1-12

 ¹Have mercy on me, O God, according to your ^| steadfast love; in your great compassion blot out ^| my offenses.

²Wash me through and through ^| from my wickedness, and cleanse me ^| from my sin.

³For I know ^| my offenses, and my sin is ev- ^| er before me.

⁴Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil ^| in your sight; so you are justified when you speak and right ^| in your judgment. 

⁵Indeed, I was born ^| steeped in wickedness, a sinner from my ^| mother's womb.

⁶Indeed, you delight in truth ^| deep within me, and would have me know wisdom ^| deep within.

⁷Remove my sins with hyssop, and I ^| shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be pur- ^| er than snow.

⁸Let me hear ^| joy and gladness;that the body you have broken ^| may rejoice.  R

⁹Hide your face ^| from my sins, and blot out ^| all my wickedness.

¹⁰Create in me a clean ^| heart, O God, and renew a right spir- ^| it within me.

¹¹Cast me not away ^| from your presence, and take not your Holy Spir- ^| it from me.

¹²Restore to me the joy of ^| your salvation and sustain me with your boun- ^| tiful Spirit. 

 

SECOND READING: Hebrews 5:5-10

 ⁵So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,

            "You are my Son,

            today I have begotten you";

⁶as he says also in another place,

            "You are a priest forever,

            according to the order of Melchizedek."

⁷In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. ⁸Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; ⁹and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, ¹⁰having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

 

 GOSPEL: John 12:20-33

 ²⁰Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. ²¹They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." ²²Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. ²³Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. ²⁵Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.

 ²⁷"Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. ²⁸Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." ²⁹The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." ³⁰Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. ³¹Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. ³²And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." ³³He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.

 The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

 

SERMON

 

HYMN            Lamb of God        #336 v. 1,3

Your only Son, no sin to hide
But you have sent him from your side
To walk upon this guilty sod
And to become the Lamb of God

Your gift of love they crucified
They laughed and scorned Him as He died
The humble King, they named a fraud
And sacrificed the Lamb of God

I was so lost I should have died                                                                                                               But you have brought me to your side

To be led by your staff and rod
And to be called a lamb of God

refrain

O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God
I love the holy Lamb of God
O wash me in His precious blood
My Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God

 

 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     Precious Lord Take My Hand          #773

 Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me sta-nd
I am tired, I'm weak, I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the li-ight
Take my ha-and, precious Lor-ord
Lead me home

 

When my way grows drear
Precious Lord, linger near
When my life is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fa-all
Take my hand, precious Lord
Lead me home

When the darkness appears

and the night draws near

and the day is past and gone

at the river I stand, guide my feet,

hold my hand, take my hand,

precious Lord, lead me home

DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE      Bourree in G           Bach

 

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

 

  

Service outline for Sunday, March 14, 2021

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

 Sunday, March 14, 2021

Lent 4

PRELUDE   Jesus, Keep me Near the Cross – Pedal Variations     Thewes     

     

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, who brings us safely through the sea, who gives us water from the rock, who leads us into the land of milk and honey.

Amen.

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal,

have mercy on us.

For self-centered living, and for failing to walk with humility and gentleness:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For longing to have what is not ours, and for hearts that are not at rest with ourselves:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For misuse of human relationships, and for unwillingness to see the image of God in others:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For jealousies that divide families and nations, and for rivalries that create strife and warfare:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For reluctance in sharing the gifts of God, and for carelessness with the fruits of creation:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For hurtful words that condemn, and for angry deeds that harm:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

For idleness in witnessing to Jesus Christ, and for squandering the gifts of love and grace:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

Accomplish in us, O God, the work of your salvation,

that we may show forth your glory in the world.

By the cross and passion of your Son, our Savior,

bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

In the mercy of almighty God, our Lord Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake, God forgives us all our sin.  As a call and ordained minister of the church of Christ and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

 

HYMN      Amazing Grace       #779 v. 1,3,5

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.

 

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Children's message 

FIRST READING: Numbers 21:4-9

⁴From Mount Hor [the Israelites] set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. ⁵The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." ⁶Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. ⁷The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. ⁸And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." ⁹So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

 

PSALM: Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22

¹Give thanks to the LORD, for the ^| LORD is good, for God's mercy en- ^| dures forever.

²Let the redeemed of the ^| LORD proclaim that God redeemed them from the hand ^| of the foe,

³gathering them in ^| from the lands;    from the east and from the west, from the north and ^| from the south.

¹⁷Some were fools and took re- ^| bellious paths;     through their sins they ^| were afflicted.

¹⁸They loathed all man- ^| ner of food and drew near ^| to death's door.

¹⁹Then in their trouble they cried ^| to the LORD and you delivered them from ^| their distress. 

²⁰You sent forth your ^| word and healed them and rescued them ^| from the grave.

²¹Let them give thanks to you, LORD, for your ^| steadfast love   and your wonderful works ^| for all people.

²²Let them offer sacrifices ^| of thanksgiving   and tell of your deeds with ^| shouts of joy.  

 

SECOND READING: Ephesians 2:1-10

 ¹You were dead through the trespasses and sins ²in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. ³All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else.

⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us ⁵even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—⁶and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—⁹not the result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

GOSPEL: John 3:14-21

[Jesus said:] ¹⁴"Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

¹⁷"Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. ²¹But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

SERMON

HYMN     God Loved the World    #323 v. 1,3,5

 

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. Ame

DISTRIBUTION OF COMMUNION

BLESSING

HYMN   Lead Me, Guide Me     #768 v. 1,3

Chorus
Lead me, guide me along the way,
For if you lead me I cannot stray.
Lord, let me walk each day with Thee.

Lead me, oh Lord lead me.

Verse 1
I am weak and I need Thy strength and power,
To help me over my weakest hour.
Help me through the darkness Thy face to see,
Lead me, oh Lord lead me.

Chorus

Verse 3
I am lost if you take your hand from me,
I am blind without Thy light to see.
Lord just always let me thy servant be,
Lead me, oh Lord lead me.

Chorus

DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE  Salvation Unto Us Has Come         Cherwien

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Order of Service for Sunday, March 07, 2021

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

 

PRELUDE       These Are The Ten Holy Commands      J.S Bach     

     

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, who brings us safely through the sea, who gives us water from the rock, who leads us into the land of milk and honey.

Amen.

 

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal,

have mercy on us.

 

For self-centered living, and for failing to walk with humility and gentleness:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For longing to have what is not ours, and for hearts that are not at rest with ourselves:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For misuse of human relationships, and for unwillingness to see the image of God in others:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For jealousies that divide families and nations, and for rivalries that create strife and warfare:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For reluctance in sharing the gifts of God, and for carelessness with the fruits of creation:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For hurtful words that condemn, and for angry deeds that harm:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For idleness in witnessing to Jesus Christ, and for squandering the gifts of love and grace:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

Accomplish in us, O God, the work of your salvation,

that we may show forth your glory in the world.

 

By the cross and passion of your Son, our Savior,

bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

 

In the mercy of almighty God, our Lord Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake, God forgives us all our sin.  As a call and ordained minister of the church of Christ and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

 

HYMN     O God, My Faithful God          #806 v. 1,4

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.

 

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Children's message

 FIRST READING: Exodus 20:1-17

¹Then God spoke all these words:

²I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; ³you shall have no other gods before me.

⁴You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. ⁵You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, ⁶but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

 ⁸Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. ⁹Six days you shall labor and do all your work. ¹⁰But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. ¹¹For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

 ¹²Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

¹³You shall not murder.

¹⁴You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵You shall not steal.

¹⁶You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

¹⁷You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

 

PSALM: Psalm 19

 ¹The heavens declare the glo- ^| ry of God, and the sky proclaims its ^| maker's handiwork.

²One day tells its tale ^| to another,   and one night imparts knowledge ^| to another.

³Although they have no ^| words or language,             and their voices ^| are not heard,

⁴their sound has gone out into all lands, and their message to the ends ^| of the world, where God has pitched a tent ^| for the sun.

⁵It comes forth like a bridegroom out ^| of his chamber; it rejoices like a champion to ^| run its course.

⁶It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens and runs about to the end of ^| it again; nothing is hidden from its ^| burning heat. 

⁷The teaching of the LORD is perfect and re- ^| vives the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure and gives wisdom ^| to the simple.

⁸The statutes of the LORD are just and re- ^| joice the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear and gives light ^| to the eyes.

⁹The fear of the LORD is clean and en- ^| dures forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous ^| altogether.

¹⁰More to be desired are they than gold, more than ^| much fine gold, sweeter far than honey, than honey ^| in the comb. 

¹¹By them also is your ser- ^| vant enlightened, and in keeping them there is ^| great reward.

¹²Who can detect one's ^| own offenses? Cleanse me from my ^| secret faults.

¹³Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not get dominion ^| over me; then shall I be whole and sound, and innocent of a ^| great offense.

¹⁴Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable ^| in your sight, O LORD, my strength and ^| my redeemer. 

 

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

¹⁸For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written,

            "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

            and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

²⁰Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

²¹For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. ²²For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, ²³but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

 

GOSPEL: John 2:13-22

 ¹³The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. ¹⁵Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. ¹⁶He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" ¹⁷His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." ¹⁸The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" ¹⁹Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." ²⁰The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" ²¹But he was speaking of the temple of his body.

²²After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

      The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

 

SERMON

HYMN    In the Cross of Christ I Glory          #324 v. 1,2,4

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     Lift High the Cross       #660 v. 1,3

 DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE             The Heavens Declare        Marcello

 

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

 

Service outline for Sunday, February 28, 2021

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

 

PRELUDE      O God, My Faithful God         Hildebrand     

CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Blessed be the holy Trinity, + one God, who brings us safely through the sea, who gives us water from the rock, who leads us into the land of milk and honey.

Amen.

 

Silence is kept for reflection.

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal,

have mercy on us.

 

For self-centered living, and for failing to walk with humility and gentleness:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For longing to have what is not ours, and for hearts that are not at rest with ourselves:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For misuse of human relationships, and for unwillingness to see the image of God in others:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For jealousies that divide families and nations, and for rivalries that create strife and warfare:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For reluctance in sharing the gifts of God, and for carelessness with the fruits of creation:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For hurtful words that condemn, and for angry deeds that harm:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

For idleness in witnessing to Jesus Christ, and for squandering the gifts of love and grace:

Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us.

 

Accomplish in us, O God, the work of your salvation,

that we may show forth your glory in the world.

 

By the cross and passion of your Son, our Savior,

bring us with all your saints to the joy of his resurrection.

 

In the mercy of almighty God, our Lord Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake, God forgives us all our sin.  As a call and ordained minister of the church of Christ and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

 

HYMN        How Firm a Foundation      #796 v. 1,3

 

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.

 

 PRAYER OF THE DAY

Children's message

FIRST READING: Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

 ¹When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. ²And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous." ³Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, ⁴"As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. ⁵No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. ⁶I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. ⁷I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. ¹⁵God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. ¹⁶I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her."

 

PSALM: Psalm 22:23-31

 ²³You who fear the LORD, give praise! All you of Jacob's ^| line, give glory.

            Stand in awe of the LORD, all you off- ^| spring of Israel.

²⁴For the LORD does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty;

neither is the LORD's face ^| hidden from them;

            but when they cry out, ^| the LORD hears them.

²⁵From you comes my praise in the ^| great assembly;

            I will perform my vows in the sight of those who ^| fear the LORD.

²⁶The poor shall eat ^| and be satisfied,

            Let those who seek the LORD give praise!

            May your hearts ^| live forever!  R

²⁷All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn ^| to the LORD;

            all the families of nations shall bow ^| before God.

²⁸For dominion belongs ^| to the LORD,

            who rules o- ^| ver the nations.

²⁹Indeed, all who sleep in the earth shall bow ^| down in worship;

            all who go down to the dust, though they be dead,

            shall kneel be- ^| fore the LORD.

³⁰Their descendants shall ^| serve the LORD,

            whom they shall proclaim to genera- ^| tions to come.

³¹They shall proclaim God's deliverance to a people ^| yet unborn,

            saying to them, "The ^| LORD has acted!"  R

 

SECOND READING: Romans 4:13-25

 ¹³For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. ¹⁵For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.

            ¹⁶For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, ¹⁷as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations")—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. ¹⁸Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "So numerous shall your descendants be." ¹⁹He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb. ²⁰No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. ²²Therefore his faith "was reckoned to him as righteousness." ²³Now the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, ²⁴but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.

 

GOSPEL: Mark 8:31-38

 ³¹[Jesus] began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."

            ³⁴He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ³⁵For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. ³⁶For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? ³⁷Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? ³⁸Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

      The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

 

SERMON

HYMN       My Faith Looks Up to Thee         #759 v. 1,2,3

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            When I Survey the Wondrous Cross       #803 v. 1,2,4

DISMISSAL

POSTLUDE       Come, Follow Me, the Savior Spake        Haase

 

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